The History of the Hotel Nacional...

For those who enjoy history:


The Hotel Nacional de Cuba has more than eighty years of history and still keeps its prestige among those belonging to the Gran Caribe group. It’s considered as a classic for distinction.

The hotel has a privileged location in (the middle of Vedado) the center of Havana. It stands on a hill just a few meters from the sea and offers a great view of the Havana harbor, the sea-wall and the ancestral fortress called “El Morro”.

The land where today stands the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, was part of the area which in the early centuries of colonial rule was called Monte Vedado, since a decree banning the Spanish Government that this area be opened paths to the beach. The constant attacks by pirates and the capture of Havana by the English led the construction of various works to protect and defend the city, such as towers and batteries.

At the end of the 20’s the American firms: Mc Kim, Mead & White and Purdy Henderson Corporation were in charge of plans and implementation of this majestic building completed in 14 months over a hill called “Taganana.

On December 30th 1930, the Hotel Nacional de Cuba opens its doors to the World. It outstands by its refined elegance and ancient splendor due to its eclectic style. Its architecture shows a mixture of the Art-Deco features, the Arab influences, the Spanish-Moorish architecture, as well as neoclassical and neo-up environment are details from the California of centuries ago, becoming the hotel the most interesting and unique in the Caribbean region. It has a large garden having as a treasure, two big-cannons of the former battery called Santa Clara, they were named “Krupp” and “Ordoñez”, the last one was considered the biggest cannon at the time. Both were declared together with the historical center of Old Havana, a World Heritage Site in 1982 by UNESCO.

In 1992 the hotel goes through a general restoration preserving all its charms and bringing a large number of famous people in the world of art, science, and politics. Its vigorous construction strengthened by a modern concept of hotel comfort makes it the ideal site for conventions and events.

CHRONOLOGY

The 30's.

On October 2nd 1933, bombardment occurs at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, due to the revolt of junior officers, including Batista, against privileges of high ranking officers. This elite army, quartered in the hotel, responds only to the interests of the ousted President Gerardo Machado.

Some hotel’s guests in this decade: Johnny Weissmüller (Tarzan), Edward VIII (Prince of Wales), Jack Dempsey, Tom Mix, José Mujica, Buster Keaton, Emilio Roig, Amadeo Barletta, Rita Montaner, José Raúl Capablanca, Tito Guizart, Trio Matamoros, Ñico Saquito, Errol Flynn, and the gangsters Santos Traficante (father) and Meyer Lansky, the latter coordinated future business of gambling casinos with Batista.

The 40's.

In 1945, the International Air Transport Conference takes place in this hotel, with the participation of airlines’ delegates from all over the world, and they found the International Air Transport Association.
In February 1946, Sir Winston Churchill visits Cuba and receives protocol attention from the Cuban government and he stays as a distinguished guest at the “Apartment of the Republic” a special suit of the hotel.

In December 1946, a great meeting by the mafia takes place in the hotel and its doors are closed to accommodate the heads of the most notorious families of crime in the United States gathered in Havana.

The head of the Steel Clan, Bornemicza Thyssen stays as a guest for more than 12 years too.

Continues the avalanche of figures to the hotel: George Raft, Amanda Ledesma, Betty Grable, Romulo Gallegos, Maria Felix, Jorge Negrete. Pedro Vargas, the Duke of Windsor, Karol II of Romania, Mario Moreno (Cantinflas), Tyrone Power, Lucky Luciano, Rita Hayworth, Ali-Khan, Ernest Hemingway, Fred Astaire, the Trio Los Panchos, Ernesto Lecuona, Hugo del Carril, German Valdes (Tin Tan), Bola de Nieve, Cesar Romero and Gary Cooper.

The 50’s.

The Hotel Nacional de Cuba lives its glory years in tourism. Nat King Cole participates with his unforgettable shows at the hotel.

A racial scandal with Josephine Baker, a popular dancer, occurs just because blacks are not allowed as guests by the American management.

An exhibition of valuable jewelry created by Harry Winston Corporation takes place in one of the halls of the hotel named “Salon Vedado, gathering the most distinguished Northamerican families living in Havana.

A revolutionary cell, called July 26th Movement (M-26-7) is created and led by Fidel in this hotel.
On January 1st 1959, The Revolution triumphs and representatives of the U.S. Company who operate in the Hotel abandon the administration taking their place the employees themselves.

In 1956 the Cabaret Parisien is opened by Eartha Kitt and among the voices that harmonize this place are those of Vic Damone, Nat King Cole, René Cabel, Esther Borjas the quartet “Los Modernists”, Yma Sumac, with the excellent animation of Mario Martínez Casado, more recently Las d'Aida, the Aragon Orquesta, Jorrin Orquesta, Compay Segundo and Alberto Herrero among others, who have given life to the hotel’s nights.

Other guests and visitors such as: Nelson Rockefeller, Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Sir Alexander Flemming, Arturo de Córdoba, Agustín Lara, Brothers Iturbide, Ferrucio Burco, Pedro Almendaris, Spencer Tracy, Marlon Brando, Pablo Casal, Lucho Gatica, John Wayne, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, and Baldwin Leopold of Belgium, Walt Disney, Sara Montiel, the kids in Spain, Libertad Lamarque, Porfirio Rubirosa, Esther Borja and Lola Flores.

The 60's.

Between 1960 and 1961 the Cuban revolutionary government reorganizes the administration of the hotel. The Commander Osmani Cienfuegos is responsible for leading on this task.

At this epoch tourism suffers a change; the hotel begins to receive Cuban guests, even people from the country side as a result of the revolutionary process.

In October 1960, the National Revolutionary Militia and the Defense Committees of the Revolution are founded in the hotel.

On January 12th, 1961, the workers of the hotel send a letter to the President, Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado, reaffirming their unconditional support to the measures taken by the Revolution so far.

On January 1961, the Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz creates a school for women farmers to study dressmaking called Ana Betancourt. Those women together with a group of hotel workers were mobilized during the mercenary invasion at Playa Giron on April 16, 1961.

Celia Sanchez Manduley visits frequently the Hotel as monitor the school, also Camilo Cienfuegos and Ernesto Che Guevara visit the hotel during chess tournaments.

On October 1962, the “October Crisis” or the well-known “Missile Crisis” takes place too. The anti-aircraft are stationed and trenches are built in the garden of the hotel, being a major engineering work at the time.
In this period the world´s first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin is one of the guests, as well as Jean Paul Sartre, Simon de Bouvan, Josephine Baker, Bola de Nieve, Esther Borja among others.

In 2010, the Hotel Nacional de Cuba is declared “Memory of the World”, awards by UNESCO Cuban National Commission and the “Memory of the World” Cuban National Committee, due to the collection and preservation of the rich history of the Hotel, which is scanned in high resolution.

The vision that unfolds as you drive up....