This property opened its doors in 1856 and is today the oldest Cuban hotel that still stands.

The hotel boasts elaborate wrought-ironwork and exquisite Mudejar style detailing, including arabesque archways and "azulejos" (patterned tile).

A highlight is the sensuous life-size bronze statue of a Spanish dancer - La Sevillana- in the main bar.

The extravagantly decorated lobby features a lobby bar and a restaurant that whisk you off to Morocco with their arabesque archways and mosaics of green, blue and gold.

The Cafe Louvre, in front of the hotel, was known in colonial days as the Acera del Louvre and was a focal point for bohemian society and for rebellion against Spanish rule. A plaque outside the hotel entrance honors the "lads of the Louvre sidewalk" who died for Cuban independence.

Its beautiful neoclassical façade contrasts with its interior decor, which recreates the atmosphere of the colonial period, featuring beautiful stained-glass windows, colorful mosaics, Spanish heraldic symbols, window grills, and intricately worked ceilings.