US-managed hotel opens in Cuba, first over 5 decades

By Neysi Hernández

HAVANA

An American-operated hotel on Wednesday became the first to be managed in Cuba by an U.S. company in nearly 60 years.

A Four Points by Sheraton sign went up on the military-owned Gaviota 5th Avenue Hotel and will be one of three facilities that will be managed by Starwood Hotels and Resorts under a multi-million dollar deal signed in March with the Cuban government.

The company said the hotel would undergo refurbishments during the next several months, but will be open during renovations.

Economic prospects are good for the hotel thanks to the relaxation of travel restrictions to the island by the United States.

The number of tourists who visited Cuba increased by 13.5 percent in the first four months of 2016 to reach 15 million visitors.

A more than 50-year U.S. economic embargo remains in place against Cuba but U.S. President Barack Obama has worked to loosen restrictions since announcing a rapprochement with Cuba in late 2014.

Prior to a visit to the island by Obama in March, the government here announced Starwood beat out several other American hotel groups for a contract to make investments in Cuba's tourism sector, although a ban remained in place for Americans to travel as tourists to Cuba.

Starwood expects to reopen the Hotel Inglaterra in August.