Meliá Cohiba
Havana
The 22-story Meliá Cohiba hotel towers over Havana's seaside
promenade, known as the malecon. The shiny new building stands in
contrast to the surrounding dilapidated neighborhoods and other nearby
run-down hotels. But at night, the hotel shows off its true
glory. Huge floodlights cast a blue-green, metallic-like glow on the
facade, turning it into an otherworldly beacon that can't help but
send out a single message: This is the future of Cuba.
Finally finished after seven years in construction, the 462-room hotel
is owned by Cubanacan, a government agency, and managed by Grupo Sol,
a Spanish concern that owns Meliá Hotels around the world. The
chain operates 172 hotels globally, and owns 110 of those
outright. The Havana property opened for business in late February but
didn't have all the rooms available until late April. The hotel
contains all the modern amenities--including a gym, a sauna and a
complete business center--another contrast to the other hotels in
Havana.
Modern Spanish design dominates the look and feel of the hotel. It is
modern and clean, without visual clutter. The lobby is airy and open,
with large leather couches. The floors and pillars are all tan
marble. The rooms are decorated in soft pastel colors, and everything
from the beds to the carpets could be found in any world-class
hotel. The swimming pool occupies a series of levels on a terrace
where the waters are set off by bright red pillars. The water seems to
spill out of the pool before disappearing down drains set level with
the terrace floor, creating the effect that you can walk on the water.
The hotel's restaurants currently are hampered by the lack of
foodstuffs in Cuba. But the hotel's main restaurant serves up various
sandwiches and grilled meats and often has an outstanding buffet with
a wide assortment of meats, seafoods, salads and vegetables. The
gourmet dining room, called Abanico de Cristal, is trying to set
itself apart; the menu is drawn from historical records discovered in
libraries in Havana. Carlos Villota Hernández, the hotel's
director, says, "Meliá always tries to take something from the
local area. These dishes you can't find in Havana today. But they are
traditional Spanish cuisine that had been put in the hands of the
local Africans."
A recent dinner included turtle soup (Cuba still allows the capture
of one plentiful type of turtle) and sopa habanera (made with
almonds, garlic and tomatoes). The native menu's main courses
consisted of Shrimp Puerto Principe, which has a thickened parsley and
garlic sauce, and grouper spiced with garlic. In season, the
restaurant also serves the local venison. The desserts were also
excellent. Winners included a pineapple flan (custard); a coquimol,
a feathery light coconut cream; and Pensamiento de Habanero ("Havanan
Thoughts"), a combination of honey, almonds and coconut
cream. Standard continental dishes are also served, including veal and
steaks, along with excellent seafood, including shrimp and lobster.
But the hotel's pièce de la résistance is its smoking
bar, called El Relicario. The cigars are supplied by Habanos S.A. and
include top sizes of Cohiba (Lancero, Corona Especial, Esplendido),
Montecristo ("A" and Nos. 1, 2, 3), Partagas (de Partagas,
Corona), Romeo y Julieta Churchills, Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas
and Punch Double Coronas. Try one of the outstanding aged Cuban rums,
either seven-year-old or 15-year-old Havana Club, or the very
expensive 25-year-old called Edmundo Dantes. There are few things
finer than to smoke a great Cuban cigar and sip an aged Cuban rum.
-- Gordon Mott
Meliá Cohiba
Phone: (537) 33 36 36
Fax: (537) 33 45
55
Rooms Rates: $150 to $400 for a suite
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