With high season for the Caribbean just days away, Meliá hotels and resorts in Cuba are operating normally, and with new and improved offerings.
Open Jaw recently caught up with Maite Artieda Barroso, Director of Marketing, Communication & Customer Experience at Meliá Cuba for a one-on-one chat.
The past few weeks haven’t been overly kind to Cuba, with storm-related power outages that sparked headlines in the island's key tourism markets. But storms aren’t unusual in the fall in the Caribbean, and Artieda said Meliá was quick to respond.
“We were quite prepared for the storms,” she said in a Zoom chat from Havana. “We have generators; we have everything we need to operate safely and allow our guests to enjoy their holiday.”
Not only that, Meliá boasts its own importing company.
“Canadians love Cuba so much. They love the beaches and the weather, and they love the people. They were very, very supportive and understanding. All our facilities are ready to go. Visits are bouncing back nicely and everything is working normally.”
Lessner Gomez, Director of the Cuba Tourist Board, said in Toronto last week that Cuba’s tourism infrastructure is currently fully operational and prepared for the winter season.
One bonus that gives Meliá a leg up on the competition is MESOL, an importing agency the company owns that can guarantee delivery of fresh food, drinks, furniture, entertainment devices and just about anything else a hotel or resort might need.
“It makes a big difference for us,” Artieda said. “We’re very committed to quality, so this is a big help.”
One of the key selling points for Meliá is that they have 36 properties in Cuba, each with its own distinct style.
“Apart from the experience we have in the country (Meliá has been in Cuba for 36 years), we like to say that with us you can discover the soul of Cuba, because we’re present in so many areas. You can discover the essence of the country, and most importantly the people.
“We have different brands to offer different experiences to our visitors. We have Paradisus by Meliá, which is all about nature and a very relaxing vacation. We also have Meliá Hotels and Resorts, Sol by Meliá and Innside by Meliá.”
Artieda said there a slew of new properties and renovations being done at Meliá properties across the island, including the new, five-star Meliá Costa Rey in Cayo Coco. Extensive renovations have been made to the Meliá Cayo Coco, including new rooms, a new pool and new restaurants, as well as at Sol Palmeras, the company’s first Cuba hotel.
Meliá last fall opened Meliá Trinidad Peninsula near Cienfuegos, which has solar panels to create its own energy and also boasts both ocean and mountain views.
“It’s very unusual to have both sea and mountain views,” Artieda explained. “And there’s so much history as Trinidad is a UNESCO world heritage site” with cobblestone streets and beautiful colonial architecture.
Travel advisors are critical to selling Cuba. Agents looking for the latest information should check out the Meliá CUBA Travel Professionals site, which has the latest news, high-definition photos, hotel and resort floor plans, promotional material and much. The company also has its own blog site, which also has important news and trip planning ideas for Cuba, Artieda said.
