During the gala at Hidalgo Castle in the capital, the hotel took the top prize in the restoration and renovation category.

Havanatour general manager in Chile, Israel Otaño, accepted the award on behalf of the establishment.

Other winners in the hotel category included the Casa República in Lima, Peru which received the Special Interior prize, and Chile’s Tierra Chiloé Hotel, which won the award for exteriors.

“It is an honor to be receiving this award on behalf of the Kempinski company and Gaviota tourist chain; a source of pride and a reference for tourism on our island,” stated Otaño.

The Havanatour official also noted that the prize represents recognition of the development of the travel industry in Cuba.

With this accolade the Gran Manzana Kempinski features among finalists for the Prix Versailles World Architecture Awards, which will be held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, May 15.

“The Prix Versailles is a source of pride for our country, because this is the first time the continental edition of the competition has been held in a Latin American nation since it was launched in 2015,” stated Myriam Gómez, executive director of Imagen de Chile, an initiative which promotes the country overseas.

The five-star Gran Manzana Kempinski hotel has 246 rooms, as well as 50 suites, bars, restaurants, a spa, gym, roof-top pool, and exclusive cigar lounge.

Shopping centers, restaurants, and stores from across the Americas were also recognized during the event in Santiago, with Mexico, Brazil, the United States, Chile and Argentina taking the top prizes.

Meanwhile, the most outstanding establishments in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Oceana will receive awards this month as Algiers and Beijing, capitals of Algeria and China respectively, host other Prix Versailles continental galas.

(Prensa Latina)

Havana, Remedios, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Camagüey, Bayamo, Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa, are just a few examples of such cities, some of which are designed almost to perfection while others seem more like mysterious labyrinths.

The city of Camagüey is set to become an attractive and prosperous tourist destination. Photo: Miguel Febles Hernández
From the sea, huge fortresses welcome visitors who, once inside the city, can appreciate its vitality as they walk along its cobblestone, concrete or paved avenues; or under its columns, balconies, arches, balustrades and different buildings.

Such characteristics make every space the perfect place to take a photo, or simply stop and admire such well-preserved beauty. Visiting these cities is an enriching journey into the past, where every stone and every building has countless stories to tell, and secrets to reveal.

Cuba is as astonishing as its cities. Walking around them is like coexisting in time and space with a captivating past, evoked in their architecture and historical buildings. In order to truly enjoy its culture one must penetrate the very soul of this beautiful and changing island, which reveals itself through dance, music, visual arts, theater, literature, film and culinary arts.

Cuban cities are like enchanting museums spread across the entire island, a group of which have been designated World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO).

The historic center of San Juan de los Remedios dates back to 1578 and was declared a National Monument in 1980 given its historic and cultural values. Photo: Freddy Pérez Cabrera
These and many other legendary, and modern, astonishing and authentic places on the island are just waiting to be rediscovered. Touring them one uncovers some of the mysteries of this incredible Caribbean island.

Cuba’s cities are unforgettable. They possess a singular allure which attracts those who chose to visit the island, wanting to experience its charms, its people, culture, history, health, nature, security, hospitality; as well as its well-preserved and wide variety of patrimonial attractions.

(www.cubatravel.cu)