74 | LUXlife Magazine uilt in 1929, La Siguaraya comprises high struts, with ceilings 4.80 meters tall, a beautiful entrance hallway with original relief mosaics, and a marble staircase that leads to the upper floor. The stunning house was acquired from its original owners and has undergone extensive refurbishment to bring its beauty alive in its current form today. The hotel is sympathetically decorated to reflect the Art Deco era from which it hails, with marble tables, bronze lamps, and period details, with a bar area that serves breakfast as well as cocktails, coffee, and light food on request. As a small family-run business, La Siguaraya does not belong to any large hotel chains, therefore its entire focus is on ensuring that its guests feel at home, happy, and relaxed during their stay. “We are a team of young and enthusiastic people, who work to achieve customer satisfaction and give them the best possible attention,” explains Jorge Castro, owner of the unique establishment. “Our team is a combination of youth and experience. I myself have many years of work in the Cuban hotel sector and have recreated the hotel to bring a fresh, innovative, and youthful environment.” The tourism situation on the island of Cuba struggled during the Covid-19 pandemic, and Jorge tells us that it has still not finished recovering. The economic difficulties that he is experiencing make the industry and its work more and more complicated, however, in a market in decline, he has managed to maintain the visitor figures that he was experiencing prior to the pandemic. “We have kept a lot of our most loyal customers,” he enthuses. “That speaks highly of the wonderful work that our team is developing, where customer satisfaction is always the centre of our attention.” Recently, for his tireless crusade to ensure that fresh life is breathed into La Siguaraya, Jorge and the hotel gained recognition in the Resort and Retreat Awards, being named Best Boutique Hotel 2023 – Havana. And the future is looking fantastic as far as visitors to La Siguaraya goes, with Jorge telling us that he and the team have opened new rooms, expanded the cafeteria and restaurant, and are currently in the process of opening a roof garden for music and entertainment. Here are what a couple of Jorge’s delighted guests have to say: “We had a really nice stay in this charming hotel. Every morning we enjoyed the freshly prepared breakfast (fruits, pancakes, eggs, toast, and juices) in the beautiful garden of La Siguaraya – It was our small tropical oasis inside Havana. The room was clean and the shower, toilet, and air conditioning worked perfectly. The staff were amazing and very helpful.” Best Boutique Hotel 2023 - Havana A beautiful boutique Art Deco hotel in the heart of Havana, Cuba, La Siguaraya prides itself on providing a personalised service to its clients in order to make their experience unforgettable. We speak to Jorge Castro to find out more about this quirky hidden gem as it is recognised in the Retreat and Resort Awards 2023 for its excellence. “Great and peaceful place in the middle of old Havana. The room and courtyard were a comfortable place to unwind after a long day walking around in the hot Cuban weather. The place was clean and very thoughtfully decorated. Having the freshly-made breakfast in the morning out in the courtyard were always the highlights our days.” Contact Details Contact: Jorge Castro Company: La Siguaraya Web Address: www.lasiguaraya.com B
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