Located in the centre of Havana, Hotel Nacional de Cuba is considered a symbol of history, Cuban culture, and prestige. Standing on a hill close to the ocean, this hotel is a Cuban national monument and has been inscribed into the World History Register.
With over 87 years of history, Hotel Nacional de Cuba has been the backdrop of several intriguing stories. From mobster get-togethers to Cuban battles, keep reading to learn more about the history of this iconic hotel.
The Early Years
The National Hotel of Cuba opened in December 1930 and was run by American managers of the Plaza Hotel, Copley Plaza Hotel, and Savoy-Plaza Hotel. At the time, Cuba was a prime destination for American travellers.
Three years after its opening, the hotel was the site of a bloody siege known as the Battle of the Hotel Nacional of Cuba. The battle occurred between officers of the Cuban army who supported Fulgencio Batista, who had staged a coup against Cuba’s transitional government, and the officers who were opposed to him. The battle left 40 combatants dead while also damaging the building of the hotel.
By 1939, the hotel building was restored and reopened under the name “Hotel Nacional de Cuba.” Arnold Kirkenby acquired the property in 1943, operating it for over ten years as a part of his hotel chain.
The Mob Summit
In 1946, the hotel hosted the Havana Conference, an infamous mob summit put on by Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky. Attendees of this conference included famous mobsters such as Frank Costello, Vito Genovese, and Albert Anastasia. Representatives of New York City, Buffalo, New Jersey, New Orleans, Chicago, and Florida attended this conference.
Luciano opened the conference with a hot topic: deciding who would take the position of “boss of all bosses.” Salvatore Maranzano had held this title until he died in 1931, resulting in Luciano restructuring the mafia to eliminate the top position. The restructuring was called “La Cosa Nostra,” translating to “This Thing of Ours.” This arrangement worked until Vito Genovese returned from Italy and stated his intentions to take over this operation. Luciano recognized this as a threat and reinstated the top boss position, giving it to himself.
At the Havana Conference, Luciano embarrassed Genovese by presenting the motion to maintain his status as top boss, with other members seconding the motion. This was a critical moment in mob history.
The 1950s: The Prime Years
Kirkeby Hotels Corp. sold the hotel in 1955 to Corporacion Intercontinental de Hoteles, a newly formed Cuban company. The new owners renovated the hotel. The grand entrance hall was refurbished to include a showroom, a restaurant, a bar, and a luxurious casino. Operated by Wilbur Clark, an American casino developer, and Meyer Lansky, his brother, these years became the golden days of the Nacional de Cuba Hotel.
In 1956, the new wing, featuring Wilbur Clark’s Casino Internacional, the Starlight Terrace Bar, and the Casino Parisien, opened with a live performance from Eartha Kitt, the first black guest of the hotel. By the spring of 1957, this casino was bringing in as much revenue as some of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas. The casino was then sold to Michael McLaney and Carroll Rosenbloom in 1958.
Post-Cuban Revolution
After the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the casinos in Havana were briefly shut down but then reopened after protests from casino employees who were out of work. In March of 1960, Fidel Castro nationalized the hotel and then closed the casino in October of the same year.
Due to a reduction in tourism in the following years, the hotel was mostly used to house foreign government officials and visiting diplomats. With the fall of the USSR in 1991, the Cuban Communist Party was forced to reopen Cuba to tourists.
Celebrity Guests
This iconic hotel has been a favoured destination of several celebrities and public figures throughout the years. Nat King Cole was invited to perform in Cuba in 1956 and wanted to stay at Hotel Nacional de Cuba but got turned down because the hotel was segregated at the time. Before this, the hotel had turned away many other black celebrities, including Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson, and Josephine Baker.
After the Revolution in 1960, Jean-Paul Sartre and his wife, Simone de Beauvoir, stayed here while interviewing Che Guevara. Sartre wrote “Sartre Visits Cuba,” detailing his experiences while visiting Havana, The hotel later named the room he stayed in after him. There are several other rooms named after the celebrities who stayed in them, including “Ava Gardener,” “Frank Sinatra,” “Walt Disney,” and “Alexander Fleming”.
Throughout the history of this hotel, there have been plenty of visits from celebrities, politicians, artists, and athletes. A few of these public figures include Jimmy Carter, Mickey Mantle, John Wayne, Ernest Hemingway, Winston Churchill, Ava Gardener, Marlon Brando, and Marlene Dietrich.
Design
Designed by New York architecture firm, McKim, Mead, and White, Hotel Nacional De Cuba includes a mix of architecture styles, including Roman, Moorish, Art Deco, and Sevillian. The entrance features two column capitals and a wall of coral stone.
With a layout of two Greek crosses, the hotel provides most of the rooms with an ocean view. The building’s steel frame comprises 74 rooms on six floors and includes plenty of intricate details, beautiful columns, and coral stone craftsmanship.
Hotel Nacional de Cuba Today
This hotel was last renovated in 1992 and still maintains its classic Art Deco architecture and design. The hotel currently has eight floors, six guest elevators, four restaurants, four bars, a cabaret, and an outdoor pool. As a five-star hotel with picturesque views of the harbour and Havana, this is a coveted destination for many travellers.
With an impressive history and so many amenities, it’s no wonder why Hotel Nacional de Cuba has been a popular destination for celebrities and tourists. As a World Heritage Site and a top-rated hotel, Hotel Nacional de Cuba is a must-see while in Havana.
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