This New 5-Star Cuban Hotel Will Run You up to $1,600 per Night
Since President Obama lifted travel restrictions between the United States and Cuba in 2014, Americans have flocked to the long-forbidden island. But for many travelers used to top-notch hotels and first-class service, Cuba has had little to offer.
That all changed with the opening of the five-star Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski in Old Havana this week. Owned by Swiss luxury hotel group Kempinski Hotels, the Gran Hotel Manzana occupies Havana's historic Manzana de Gómez building, which opened as Cuba's first European-style shopping mall in 1917. The newly-renovated hotel retains that original style while mixing in an unmistakably Cuban flair. Designed by South African studio Archipolitan, its 246 rooms and suites match high ceilings and French windows with contemporary Cuban artwork. Many of the suites have balconies overlooking Old Havana's city streets, and a few even have sleeping quarters on a second floor.
The hotel's four bars and two restaurants are modeled around aspects of Cuban culture, with each offering a different take on island life through local cuisine and style. An in-house tobacco lounge, called La Evocación, allows guests to select cigars and rums from the island to try.
The hotel also sports a full set of modern amenities — from a 10,000 square-foot spa to a rooftop pool overlooking El Capitolo, the seat of Cuban government before the revolution. That's in addition to a variety of luxury boutiques on the ground floor and a gym on the top level.
The Gran Hotel Manzana doesn't run cheap, however; tourists can expect to pay between $440 and $2,485 a night depending on room type. And while you'll meet plenty of fellow travelers during your stay in Cuba's premier hotel, don't expect to run into any locals. In a country where the average monthly salary hovers around $30, few can afford to stay in such an expensive place.
H/T: Condé Nast Traveler
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Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month