No one would say that the Casa Granda Hotel is 98 years old. Elegant and majestic, it was built on January 1914 in the heart of Santiago de Cuba, the second city in importance of the Largest of the Antilles, 900 kilometers east of Havana.
The hotel is located in a corner of the centric Cespedes Park, surrounded by other buildings like the Cathedral and the former home of the Spanish conqueror Diego Velasquez, founder of the city. Just seven miles away from the Santiago International Airport, the facility also gets benefits for the several cultural events that take place nearby.
The eclectic style of his charming front makes it one of the most attractive buildings in the area. From its balconies and windows, as well as from the viewpoint located on the roof garden, guests can enjoy splendid views of the city of Santiago de Cuba, the mountains and the Caribbean. In its vicinity are other sights of the city as the Museum of Rum, Marlin Marine Zoo, Tropicana, the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, the Museum of Archaeology and the Castle of Morro, among others.
The excellent service of the staff makes it a favorite spot for many European tourists. The Casa Grande has 58 rooms - 55 standard and 3 Junior Suites (one for disabled guests) one a la carte restaurant, bar-terrace on the first floor, and the bar-restaurant on the top, a space formerly known as the Roof Garden.
Many rooms have magnificent walnut antique reproductions and beds with head of precious woods. It has a fancy restaurant, and guests also have the option of sitting on the first floor terrace to drink a Cuba Libre or to smoke a cigar and watch the constant movement from the local people, with a vast and contagious joy that will make tourists return.
Famous artists are on the list of guests, such as the Mexicans Jorge Negrete and Pedro Vargas. Also the singer and actress Libertad Lamarque from Argentina and from Cuba, Ernesto Lecuona, the star Rosita Fornes and the prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso.
The location, overlooking the square and harbor were amazing. Everything is in easy reach -shopping, dining, and dancing. Breakfast on the roof as the sun rises and a Mojito as it sets- that's what
Cuba holidays are about, said Penney Thomas from the United Kingdom.
From now on the hotel prepares its centennial in 2014, special occasion for the staff to raise levels of satisfaction and the image of the tourism product. In addition, the five-storey building will receive conservation action, according to Elena Fernandez Soler, commercial specialist of the Hotel of the Gran Caribe Group.
