Hotel Melia Cohiba in Havana, Cuba
Photo Feature by Irina Pino
HAVANA TIMES – The Cohiba Hotel was one of the first in Cuba from the Spanish Melia chain, built in 1994. It stands on Paseo Avenue, between 3rd and 5th Streets, in Vedado. It’s very close to Havana’s malecon seawall and the Riviera Hotel, another one of our most important hotels.
With a strange, modern structure, its construction is dominated by stone and glass. It resembles stacked rows of overlapping boxes.
Classified as a five-star hotel, it has 401 rooms and 61 suites. There are restaurants, shops, the Habana Café, meeting rooms, a swimming pool, and other services.
A few days ago, I decided to go in, took the escalators up, and walked around. I noticed that the hallways and lounges are filled with artworks by Cuban painters, reinforcing that in addition to the modern architecture, the interior decor is equally contemporary.
I loved how kind the staff were; not once did they question me about the photos I was taking. Although I was discreet and took them quickly.
Inside, I felt a clean, orderly, and pleasant atmosphere, in contrast to the scorching heat outside. Everything looked so different from real life, at least for those of us who can’t afford to rent a room in this hotel, not even for one or two nights.
However, when I was at the pool, it was full of Cubans, with very few foreigners. And I imagined how I might have brought a swimsuit and jumped in the water for a while. Maybe I could have done it without anyone realizing I wasn’t a hotel guest. In the end, all I could do was look and take pictures.
I have two memories of this place. One is sitting with my friend Verónica in the lobby eating sweet cookies one afternoon when we were out walking. The other is when I met a US photographer who invited me for some snacks.
Before I left, I went to the bathroom, washed my hands and face, walked the halls one last time, went down the same escalator, and exited the building.
I didn’t want to leave; it was hard to walk away from that environment. Anyone can get used to nice things. I will leave you the photographs. I hope you enjoy them.
I remember going in the 80’s before it was Melia, it was operated be the Cubans only as a restaurant on the top floor. The plates had the Hilton Logo on it from the 1958.
It was a stop over for tourists from Canada going to Havana on a day trip.
We are finally recovering what the Spanish stole from Cuba. They will never be able to take the money out of Cuba. These properties have become part of the national patrimony of the Cuban people.
Nice work Irina, together with your friend Veronica!
It was a pleasure reading this, brought memories back.. like you, I couldn’t afford a room at this hotel, I stayed in an Air bnb close by, but I did go in a few times and had a coffee in the lounge.
Very nice hotel but pricey
Cuba is a paradise, just please if you can’t supply decent food in your amazing resorts and hotels, let the international hotels chains to supply the food from abroad in their way , or , let the foreign visitors to bring their food with them.
Thank you
O was born in Cuba and left with my parents when i was 10 years old , went to Mexico lived there for two years, then we went to Venezuela and my parents lived in Caracas for twenty years, we never went back to cuba, my parents died and i don’t think that i need to go back unless the castro regime is gone from this planet .
“When I was at the pool, it was full of Cubans” I guarantee you that, that is a lie.
Cubans do not have the financial resources to visit these hotels. In fact, until recently, they were forbidden from entering any of these hotels.
Unfortunately the Cuban people can’t afford or allow to rent , walk or eating there, only if you go with a tourist. I’m surprise that u don’t describe the reality of my country where people have this days , no food , kids don’t know what is a chocolate , they have “ apagones” for three days ( no electricity) no water only for few hrs , repression if you just want to protest they put you in jail, beat you up or your family is not going to see you again, freedom of speech and freedom at large doesn’t exist in Cuba . Free medicine? No medicine is found , you should visit a hospital , no the one for the high elite. I can continue telling you what is a communist country , love when all this liberals and socialist live an a capitalist country
I stayed here a few years ago! The rooms were very spacious and modern with nice ocean views too! I was impressed with the gift shop and bars including the Cigar shop! You did an excellent job in your article.
I’ve been several times and really enjoyed your first had description as well as the beautiful photos. The hotel also has a wonderful tennis court in the rear that I have played on with some of the guest.
Beautiful I heard too much about Melia resorts, I been in Cuba 10 times it is my favorite safest place ever
I think Melia Havana will be my next stop.
All your efforts to keep Canadians in all costs is appreciated good luck to you all see Havana soon.
enjoyed this place on my 17th anniversary 🙂 they supplied us with a complimentary anniversary cake andca bottle of fine champagne !
quote a view from our room .havana vistas and the malecon. quite elegant international buffet breakfast . nice gift shop and jewerly boutique . silver and black corral were my favs . artworks were plenty . surreal to venacular . hair salon was a nice feature for the mrs . pool side bar for a genuine top shelf rum and lime on the rocks !
picked up by “Sadine” 1956 belair sedan , tourquoise and white , for a night on the town . down the ma)econ to old havana for dinner and dance ! viva la cuba ! mi corazon siempre.
We always make this hotel one of our stops when in Havana. The LCDH is a great place to unwind with a cigar and a drink. The master roller Juanita is a treasured gem to be with and as pointed out all staff throughout the hotel are professional and always cordial
What the hell is a yank doing in Cuba . Tne Cubains hate you`s yanks
My wife, My Father, our nephew and I stayed In it in November, 2017!
It was a disaster! Roaches, termites flooding in the rooms from a severe rain due to a weather change!
We had a roach in our breakfast table and another one in my Mojito drink leaves at the bar area on the same day!
It was a miserable experience!
The Cubans in the pool surely were Cubans from Miami…no local Cubans can afford a 5-Star hotel, due to the poverty, misery and hunger created by the Communist dictatorship!
My question is, how does the hotel keep their doors with the economic situation the country is experiencing??
Good to see such nice hotels in Cuba. I went to Havana in 2011, I was not allowed out of the airport because I didn’t have a cuban passport, my United States passport wasn’t good enough. When I got back to the Cayman Island, I was told by immigration in Cuba you got good shifts and bad shifts. Doesn’t make any sense.
You forgot to mention the it may be clean because it is empty, you did not post the crowd of people you said. The food not to be found, and the Cuban people are suppressed since 1959 when Castro the dictator took over. Cuba is a sad history, stop publicizing that Island. Is a shame what happened to it and the conditions the people live.
Irina your fotos are beautiful thank you for sharing your experience.
Is horrible how they have these things that are totally out of the reach of those that don’t have family abroad sending them money to survive. Cuba is a disaster!! Shame about this article
I want to to go there one day…
Excellent reporting, Hotel looks incredible, photos stellar. Thank you.