14ymedio, Havana, 31 December 2015 — The powerful Gaviota Group, managed by Cuba’s Ministry of the Armed Forces, opened the five-star Ocean Vista Azul Hotel this year-end, which it will operate jointly with the Spanish H10 hotel chain. Construction of the 470-room building took 21 months.
The lobby is the highlight of the hotel, opening directly on the sea. Much of the furniture was made in Cuba, according to a representative from the constructure company.
In Cuba, the Spanish H10 chain manages the Ocean Varadero El Patriarcha Hotel, and the H10 Habana Panoramo Hotel. The company expects to open the five-star Ocean Casa del Mar resort in Cayo Santa Maria at the beginning of 2016.
The Gaviota Group, leader of the Cuban tourist industry, reports an annual growth of 12% in hotel capacity and in vacationers staying in its facilities. The chain manages more than 24,000 rooms throughout the country, and expects to reach 50,000 by 2020.
Throughout 2016, it will build several hotels in Varadero, including the Conchas 1, with over 800 rooms, adjacent to the Ocean Vista Azul. In addition, the giant 12-story Playa Azul will be built, and will be the second largest spa hotel in the country, surpassed only by the 14-floor Blau Varadero.
Throughout 2015, according to the latest official statistics, Varadero hosted a historic record number of visitors, with over 1.3 million vacationers, a significant jump compared to 1.2 million of the previous year.
