Cuban Hotels Offer Terrible Service According To Spanish Tourists

Several tourists take pictures in the Havana’s Plaza Vieja. (EFE)

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, Havana, 22 December 2017 — Spaniards show a higher level of dissatisfaction with regards to the services offered by Cuban hotels, according to a survey published on the Hosteltur website.

The assessment made by these visitors “does not reach the minimum required in general, highlighting especially the poor rating of three-star hotels, and an improved perception of the four-star,” reads the conclusions of the survey.

Hosteltur immediately removed the graphics illustrating their research because of the negative impact that these data could have on the Cuban tourist market.

Spaniards who stay in three-star hotels rate food and drink services very negatively, as they do the condition of the rooms and the cleanliness of the facilities. The four-star hotels also receive a negative rating, although somewhat higher, both with regards to cleanliness and in the treatment received at the reception desk.

Satisfaction index in three-star hotels. From top to bottom: Drinks / Food/ Entertainment / Room / Cleanliness/Reception / Service / Location (CC)

On the contrary, according to the data from this survey, which analyzed 122,000 user evaluations n tourist websites and more than 4.5 million mentions related to Cuban tourism on Instagram and Twitter, what customers in Spain value most in hotels of three, four and five stars is the entertainment offered by the hotels and their location.

Satisfaction index in four-star hotels in Cuba. (CC)

However, Hosteltur has noted “a general decline perception of air conditioning, security and hotel satisfaction rates,” and maintains that Spaniards continue to travel to Cuba attracted by the sun and the beach, although cultural destinations are ever more popular.

Satisfaction index in five-star hotels in Cuba. (DC)

Despite the influx of Spanish tourism, which according to the National Office of Statistics and Information was the source of 107,368 visitors to the island, Canada remains the main source of foreign tourists to the island with about one million people, representing 25% of the total international tourism to Cuba.

Unlike tourism from Spain, travel agents and visitors from Canada highlight security as one of the main attractions of Cuba as a destination, despite the travel warning issued by the United States last October.

The damage caused by Hurricane Irma meant the temporary closure of many hotels located in tourist areas, but the island hopes have received 4.7 million visitors by the end of this year, and to maintain tourism as one of its main sources of income.

__________________________

The 14ymedio team is committed to serious journalism that reflects the reality of deep Cuba. Thank you for joining us on this long road. We invite you to continue supporting us, but this time by becoming a member of 14ymedio. Together we can continue to transform journalism in Cuba.