Q- We know the completion of this magnificent hotel owned by the Barceló Co. was phased in different building stages. Could you explain to us what building stage are you in right now? A- As far as the three building stages are concerned, we've completed two of them ahead of schedule. The first stage was programmed for the month of May and was brought to a close in February. The second stage was scheduled to be over somewhere between the months of July and August and it was completed in June. The third and last stage –including the enhancement of the hotel and the royal floor, an 85-room, five-star deluxe called Cayo Libertad that has exceptional conveniences in terms of services and facilities- must be through close to Christmas or by early January. So, we still have a long way to go, especially the task of making things click around here for the grand opening of this magnificent hotel, the latest addition to the Barceló's stock.

Q- Can you mention some of the Barceló Marina Palace's best conveniences and attractions? A- The hotel has 633 rooms, with 548 of them inside the hotel's facility and 85 on the royal floor. There's an in-between Garden Village. On the other hand, Cayo Libertad, as I mentioned at the top of this interview, is a royal floor designed under a new concept, different from the rest of the hotel itself. In the beginning and since this is an island located at the end of the Varadero beach strip, those conveniences and attractions will be packed inside the hotel. This key will be reserved for guests willing to get the finest attractions and conveniences our hotel has to offer. In a word, this will be an all-inclusive full of special offers and services.

I must say this is one of the most children-friendly hotels you'll ever find, including its decoration and high-tech outfits and gadgets made for kids. All swimming pools have child-size measures, an element I consider very important from a safety standpoint. On the other hand, there'll be a Kids Club with age differentiation. I mean, there'll be amenities for kids under two years of age and others for toddlers, with full-fledged equipment and well-trained staff to take care of them. In the same breath, we'll have a toboggan and a jet-stream area, the only one of its kind in Varadero. These amenities are rapidly catching on among our guests. There'll also be planned activities from dawn to dusk, all of them designed for children.

Q- As to congresses and incentives, what difference does this hotel make compared to other lodgings in Cuba's Varadero? A- The exclusiveness of this area, right at the end of the Hicacos Peninsula, is another major attraction for this hotel because event goers could be lodged in just one location. This is a highly intimate, unexplored spot that can be used for a number of activities. There're no other hotels in the vicinity. The hotel is outfitted with a meeting hall for 300 attendants that can be partitioned in two and each half will be equipped with cutting-edge technology. Make no mistakes about it; this is a hotel that has what it takes when it comes to the kind of customized services an establishment like this has to offer.

Q- How has occupancy been faring since the hotel's opening? A- Occupancy has met and gone all expectations one better since our opening back in February. And I must thank all entities, people and organizations that have helped us in this effort. In the month of March, we met all our expectations in this sense, both in terms of revenue, occupancy and customer satisfaction.

Q- What actually singles out this hotel in terms of nautical choices? A- Well, we're set right across the Gaviota Marina, I'd rather say we're next to it and this is Cuba's top facility of its kind. As we speak, the marina is being enhanced and equipped with state-of-the-art technology to accommodate a new breed of boats. At the same time, this area offers a number of activities worth taking a look at. This combination also makes quite a difference for a hotel that promises to have a good deal of nautical options ready to go.

Now to wrap things up I must say we still have a long way to go, but we're very pleased for what we've achieved throughout this year. Our main goal right now is to keep on working harder each day to guarantee higher levels of satisfaction for all guests at the Barceló Marina Palace Hotel.