The Hotel Nacional of Havana, Cuba
Photo Feature by Irina Pino
HAVANA TIMES – I visited the Hotel Nacional during the administration of Democratic President Jimmy Carter, who was kind enough to strengthen ties between Cuba and the United States during his term (1977–1981). Carter took steps to open channels for the Cuban community so that families could reunite after years of migration policy restrictions.
So, in 1978, my aunt Aurora came, accompanied by her husband and daughter. They stayed at this hotel. That meeting was both emotional and sad—both sisters hugged for a long time.
We sat for a while in the lobby and were later invited to eat at one of the restaurants, the smaller one. There was a long conversation among the adults. Meanwhile, my siblings and I were thrilled to meet our cousin; she had been born over there and was a US citizen, so she spoke a mix of English and Spanish, which made her interesting and charming. She wore a T-shirt with a Bee Gees design that we loved for its novelty.
We ate well, and after dessert, we went up to the room they had reserved. My father gave them a canvas painted by a friend of his—it was a seascape with a boat in the foreground.
The environment, clean and well-furnished, pleased us with its layout and comfort. We were a bit shy, though furtively our eyes fixed on the suitcases and the duffle bags still lying on the floor, occupying the corners and next to the window.
My aunt took out chocolate bars with all kinds of fillings. It was a festival of flavors, given how rare sweets were, sweets we always loved and which she now offered in abundance. Children and teenagers are generally fascinated by chocolate in all its forms.
After that came the distribution of the pacotilla [a term for goods and gifts brought from abroad].
The stay lasted only a week. In the 1990s, Mom traveled to the United States several times. I never saw them again. But I spoke to my aunt often by phone, as she never stopped helping us financially—until she passed away.
That’s why I recall this place with such emotion.
Here are a few curiosities about the Hotel Nacional:
It was designed by the New York architectural firm McKim, Mead & White and financed by a bank from the same city. It opened in 1930 on the Tangana hilltop, with eclectic architecture blending Art Deco, Spanish Moorish, Neo-colonial, and Roman styles. Its structure is made of steel, and for its construction, marble, coral stone, and precious woods were used. It is located between O and P streets, and most rooms offer views of Havana’s malecón.
In 1979, it became the venue for the Havana Latin American Film Festival, so filmmakers, actors, and actresses attending the event usually stay there. Interviews take place in the spacious outdoor courtyard. Additional events are also held, such as press conferences, dinners, and lectures.
It has been visited by important figures in film, politics, sports, music, literature, and science, as well as monarchs and heads of state. Among them: Victor Fleming, Winston Churchill, Nat King Cole, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, Marlon Brando, Mickey Mantle, Teofilo Stevenson, Errol Flynn, Jorge Negrete, Rosita Fornes, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Redford, Buster Keaton, Rita Hayworth, Jose Raul Capablanca, Ernest Hemingway, Romulo Gallegos, Jean-Paul Sartre, Tintan, Ana Belen and Víctor Manuel, among others.
In the last century, during the 1930s and 40s, the Italian-American mafia had business interests in the hotel. It was also the site of a meeting of the most powerful families in organized crime, including Santos Trafficante and Meyer Lansky. This scene is recreated in Francis F. Coppola’s film The Godfather. The hotel has been declared a National Monument and is listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. If you’d like more information, there’s plenty of material available online.
I hope you enjoy the photos I’ve shared.
Ruth and I enjoyed cocktails in the beautiful garden overlooking the sea, being serenaded by Cuban musicians and watching the sun set over the Malecon – a heavenly spot.
Patric and Ruth, Folkestone, England
How beautiful is the architecture of that hotel, it brings back a lot of memories.
It is sad that you chose to write about your memories at The Hotel Nacional of Havana built when Cuba was a republic in the 1930s. Unfortunately, for 66 years under Cuba’s Communist Revolution nothing 1/2 way decent has been constructed and the country and its people have declined into pauper, miserable conditions under a criminal & dictatorial regime. Yes, thanks to late Jimmy Carter and other USA politicians that have been friendly with Cuba’s communist thugs Cuba continues to suffer the effects of the satanic International Communism abstaining the Cuban people of basic freedom, food, water, shelter and electricity while the Cuban political elites have stolen all of Cuba’s wealth and are equipped with millions of dollars in European banks.
Awesome place!
Seeing these pictures reminds me of my first visit to Cuba in 2008 when I visited the hotel, admiring the architecture, the view etc.
Past March I spent two weeks in Boca de Camarioca and was shocked to see the decline and how it affects the people. Hope things will improve for this beautiful country; Buena Suerte!
It’s a copy of Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, next to Miami.
I m a Cuban and you to need to go Cuba and see the destruction of my country by the communist party not only staying in hotels with American dollars.
Thankyou … l stayed there for a few days a decade or so ago. lt reeks of that always rare commodity understated class. At the time I was given a guided tour of the hotel by a real character who showed me the gun installations. Although this man is well dead now his authenticity and zeal will remain with me forever as I recap on a wonderful after noon being shown round the grounds of that truly fabulous hotel.
Lets hope that this great historical hotel will continue to be use by several generations of foreign tourists and cubans
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing. Carter was a very caring leader. We need more politicians with such empathy. I love Cuba and travel there yearly to refresh after the winter.
Beautiful while the rest of Cuba crumbles and her people starve.
Don’t go too far from the hotel or you will see desperate people, living without basic human necessities. Not fun on vacation.
Batista destroyed it a few years after its inauguration during the sergeants’ uprising. There’s a video somewhere, I think the only one that was on a German channel, and you can clearly see the fighting between the army and those who took refuge there. The curious thing is why they took that place. I’ve heard very little about it.
Loved visiting this hotel and enjoying the beautiful architecture. The decor and history are wonderful. A walk through time.
Hope to return again!
I’m sorry lady. What you saw LONG LONG LONG TIME AGO disappeared. The Hotel is not the same. Your time stop so many years ago. Please don’t give propaganda to the communism. Cuba complete is a disaster. Poor cuban people. Hungry and miserable.
ThankYou for sharing, I was born in Havana, my family and I left in 1967, I was 3 yrs old.
My dream is to visit Cuba some day for at least 3 days, the next best things are your pictures. Gracias!
Son of British/cuban father spent many moments including watching Fangio and Sterling Moss race on the malecon below.
Great story and pictures!
Thank you.
As an international hotelier, I lived and worked in multiple countries ……. including Cuba. The Nacional was once managed by Jose Menendez, my ‘best man’ when I married.
Definitely enjoyed your pics!
The Hotel is still with the glamour? Or the communist party add new values?
The Italian-American Mafia wouldn’t recognize Havana today… what a shame.
Thank you for the pictures! It bought back memories of when I visited my family in Cuba and took them for dinner and drinks at the sidewalk restaurant/cafe. During that visit my family was very unsure about sitting and eating there. For years It had been prohibited for Cubans living in Cuba to enter the hotel.
Still a great hotel, I try and go from the US once a year and we stop by and listen to music, smoke a cigar, drink a mojito and enjoy the scenery each year. Cuban people are truly amazing!
We went to Cuba in 2015 booking to stay a few nights at the Hotel Nacional and we’re really excited at the prospect however a week before we travelled they cancelled our stay there and we ended up staying at the Parque Central another beautiful hotel but not the Nacional. Desperately disappointed. Apparently they were entertaining a USA delegation. We were sad and annoyed and most likely will never get to see your beautiful Country again.
…I have wonderful memories of my first visit to Cuba in 2014 when I stayed at The Hotel National…
I had my 1st mojito at the Hotel Nacional in 1969. Beautiful place. I was only there for a couple of hours, but I still have the memories.