Hotel Inglaterra: A relic in the heart of Havana

Photo: Tay MH

Witness of over a century to Havana’s bohemian scene, love affairs, historical events, and the comings and goings of thousands of foreign visitors, the Hotel Inglaterra, Cuba’s oldest hotel, celebrates its 150th anniversary on December 23.

To safeguard its heritage, in 1981 it was the first building of its kind declared a National Monument. The Gran Caribe hotel chain and Blue Diamond Resorts, which currently manages it, treasure it among their most prized assets, not only for its prime location at the crossroads of old and modern Havana, but also for the legacy that resides within its walls.

Founded in 1875 from the merger of the Café El Louvre, the Restaurante Inglaterra, and the small Hotel Legrand, the then-Gran Hotel Inglaterra was considered a luxury establishment, a pioneer in offering electricity, private bathrooms, and telephone service.

Its neoclassical architecture, enriched with Mudéjar details, Valencian mosaics, and Sevillian tiles, lends it a singular elegance.

Since then, its history has been marked by the presence of prominent figures from the world of arts, politics and sports, as well as by romantic and patriotic episodes that form part of the national memory. Its halls hosted artists such as Julián del Casal, Anna Pavlova and Sarah Bernhardt.

On the eve of this significant anniversary, current Director, Miguel Humérez, emphasized the effort being made to maintain heritage values and provide greater comfort.

“We are remodeling rooms, terraces, balconies and interiors to update the ambiance without losing its period essence. We want to take it to the next level and reveal a new face on December 23, when we welcome our guests. This hotel is a Havana icon, and working here is a wonderful challenge, while we feel it is part of our own home.”

Over time, the Hotel Inglaterra has maintained its close ties to the city’s cultural life. Its maître d’, José Luis Brito, confirms this. “We continue the cultural connection the hotel has always had since its founding. We revive the poets’ talks, poetry readings, and concerts by the provincial band on the sidewalks of the Louvre.

Furthermore, we were pioneers in linking gastronomy with culture: our menus were designed by great Cuban painters such as Zaida del Río, Mendive, Sosa Bravo, and Fabelo. The tables on the porch, with their original mosaics, are true works of art that now form part of the hotel’s cultural heritage, where paintings accompanied by literary texts can be appreciated.”

With 83 rooms and five gastronomic outlets—including the fourth-floor terrace, the La Sevillana café bar and the traditional Café El Louvre— the Hotel Inglaterra continues to be a meeting place for national and international visitors.