Inaugurated in 2012 but housed in a typical colonial mansion Hotel Encanto Barcelona is located in San Juan de los Remedios, the 8th villa founded in Cuba by the Spaniards (1578), and famous for its “parrandas”- probably the oldest and better known traditional Cuban party-.

The hotel stands facing Remedios’ Plaza Mayor, the only plaza in Cuba featuring two churches; one of them- la Parroquial Mayor de San Juan Bautista- is the city’s main attraction due to its impressive golden altars. Hotel Barcelona is also only one block from another boutique hotel from the same chain: Hotel Mascotte.

They are both part of Cubanacán’s brand “Encanto” (charm in Spanish), listing mostly small hotels, once residences of important families in the colonial times, now “boutique hotels” or “hotel de charme”, as French call this type of accommodation, generally with lots of character and very intimate, featuring few rooms.

(The word can sometimes be found abbreviated to an “E” and used as part of the name and at the entrance of these lodgings).

In the case of Encanto Barcelona there are 24 rooms, among them 5 Junior Suites with direct access to the terrace, which offers wonderful views. There is also an inviting inner courtyard with plenty of lush vegetation, a fountain, tables, chairs plus a reception-lounge that features a bar, comfortable seats and lovely décor that include beautiful stain glass.

It must be said there is no elevator, although there are rooms on the ground floor, and the hotel needs some updating. With some TLC Encanto Barcelona could be delightful, but management needs to solve some problems.

We recommend visiting Remedios on the way to or back from Villa Clara gorgeous keys: Cayo Las Brujas, Ensenacho o Santa María, to have a different Cuban experience, a historical and cultural one, since the city’s s colonial architecture from the XVII and XVIII is very well preserved and is the reason why it's historica center was declared a National Monument in 1980.