The Gaviota Tourism Group, owned by the Cuban military conglomerate GAESA, announced the opening on October 23 of the Playa Luxury Varadero hotel, an 85-room facility exclusively for adults, located at the tip of the Hicacos peninsula in Varadero.
The announcement was made by Elia Elena Cortés, the Sales Director of the group, during a presentation of new offerings for the 2026-2027 high season held at the Paseo del Prado hotel in Havana.
Cortés described it as a differentiating asset: "It is located at the end of the peninsula, in a slightly separated area called Cayo Libertad, a unique environment that gives it all its charm."
The hotel already offered services in 2025, therefore it would be a reopening. Videos on social media show that it at least hosted a delegation of Argentine tour operators in October of that year.
It will operate under a “All Inclusive” regime and will offer Standard rooms, Suites, and a Grand Suite. It features a restaurant, spa, gym, water sports equipment, and a Cigar Bar, among other services. Rates on the official website are available starting from approximately 363 dollars per night, with reservations available starting November 1.
The installation corresponds to the Luxury brand of Gaviota, which the group reserves for its highest standard properties. It is very near the Playa Punta Hicacos hotel.
The Playa Luxury Varadero hotel is known for providing personalized services, with butlers available to assist guests 24 hours a day.
The announcement from Gaviota comes at the worst time for Cuban tourism in decades. The group acknowledged that it currently operates only 3,470 rooms in the destinations of Havana, Varadero, Topes de Collantes, and Cayo Santa María, which amounts to just 11.6% of its declared capacity.
Cortés justified the selection of the tourist poles that remain active as a strategic decision: "This has allowed us to concentrate our services and supplies to enhance the attention given to our clients."
Cuba received 450,353 international visitors in the first eight months of 2026, a figure that represents only 35.6% of the total recorded in the same period of the previous year.
The Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz acknowledged that 73% of Cuban hotels remained closed, with around 25,000 workers in the sector either at home or on standby.
The debacle accelerated following the U.S. sanctions against GAESA —the Cuban military conglomerate of which Gaviota is a subsidiary— formalized through an executive order signed by Donald Trump on May 1, 2026.
Foreign companies had until June 5 to sever ties with GAESA, which triggered the mass exit of international hotel chains: Blue Diamond Resorts closed 62 hotels, Iberostar left 12 of its 18 establishments, and Meliá Hotels International withdrew its management from 34 properties.
In total, seven international chains ceased operations, affecting 46% of the rooms under foreign management.
Varadero, the main tourist hub of the country, has experienced an estimated 70% decline in visitors compared to its historical peak, and has become a shadow of its former self.
In the presentation of the Playa Luxury Varadero hotel, the vice president of Gaviota, Frank País Oltuski Rodríguez, acknowledged that the possible opening of other destinations during the high season will depend on "the situation in the country amidst the sanctions imposed by the United States government, both on entities related to tourism operations and on their executives."
"Customers do not deserve to lose Cuba", stated Oltuski Rodríguez.
Filed under: