Ampliare

Ampliare

The Tryp Habana Libre Hotel, opened on March 19, 1958, set the tone for a modern Cuban capital and became the tallest and most coveted lodging facility in town, right in the upper end of La Rampa, the city's most bustling street.

After undergoing an all-out refurbishment process, the hotel now has 572 rooms and countless cuisine services, nightclubs and meeting halls full of history and special intimacy.

In the early going of the Cuban Revolution back in 1959, its historic highlight shone brighter than ever as Cuban president Fidel Castro set up his headquarters in one of its rooms known as La Castellana (The Castilian woman).

There are rooms here that stretch about 50 square meters, outfitted with balconies and breathtaking views of the ocean or the city, let alone a number of other conveniences commonplace to five-star hotels.

The hotel's façade shows off a huge mural done by Cuban painter Amelia Pelaez and its halls boast works of art of such top fine artists as René Portocarrero and Alfredo Sosa Bravo, among others.

This deluxe lodging establishment has played host to several major events like international chess tournaments and gala dinners during the Havana Cigar Festival. In an odd occurrence, over two thousand foreign reporters from all around the world stayed here during Pope John Paul II's historic visit to Cuba in January 1998.

The hotel brags with a privileged location in Havana's downtown Vedado area, more exactly in La Rampa Street where thousands of people walk up and down every day. This area is also a major business center beyond compare.

Many of the hotel's guests underscore its many charms, top-rated service and the convenient nearness to any tourist circuit or business center around. Its panoramic rooms and nine all-purpose halls are no doubt ideal for any kind of event, congress or banquet.

Another advantage is the many boutiques, travel agencies and airline offices that surround the Tryp Habana Libre, a facility that lies less than a couple of miles away from the capital's historic core and at a stone's throw from the Havana Malecon driveway.

For demanding patrons, the hotel has three restaurants specialized in Cuban, Polynesian and Mediterranean food, a smorgasbord serving international cuisine and an excellent ballroom on the top floor named after Cuba's tallest peak: Turquino.

The Turquino's ceiling is slid open every night for partygoers to kick up their heels and have a heck of a good time right under the stars.

We're, therefore, talking about a perfect hotel for traveling groups, events and incentives. The Embajadores (Ambassadors) Hall speaks volumes of it (it seats up to a thousand people), as well as the Solidaridad (Solidarity) Hall, seating up to 300 people and usually reserved for banquets and different kinds of meetings.

However, its gourmet is really something worth mentioning –as the hotel's front office refers- with El Barracon and El Polinesio restaurants, a cafeteria in one corner overlooking the streets, and the poolside barbecue grill.

In a word, intimacy not far from liveliness, arts, mementos of the retro highlights, inspiration and elegance are the name of the game at the Tryp Habana Libre. Maybe no other Cuban hotel has ever taken more praise or made more headline banners.