The excellent location of the Hotel Mercure Sevilla, near the elegant Prado promenade and numerous cafés, restaurants and theaters, means its guests are located right in the heart of Havana’s social and cultural scene.

The history of this hotel is rich, diverse and inspiring. The first stone was laid in 1880 but it wasn’t opened until 1908. The architects of the building were inspired by the Moorish lines and motifs of the entrance to the famous Court of the Lions in the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, a style that incorporates arcades, columns, and millions of mosaics. At the beginning of the 1940s, the Sevilla was run by a Uruguayan gangster with Italian origins who had dealings with Italian-born American gangsters Lucky Luciano and Santos Trafficante Snr. It’s said that Al Capone also stayed at the hotel.

Of the internationally famous people which have stayed at the Hotel Sevilla we find Italian tenor Enrique Caruso, and singer and dancer Josephine Baker. It’s said that when the Hotel Nacional de Cuba denied entry to this world famous singer because of the color of her skin, the Sevilla laid out the red carpet for her and declared her a Distinguished Guest. She organized a press conference about the scandal which only served to enhance the fame of the Sevilla hotel.

The large, wide and comfortable lobby is decorated with blue Moorish tiles and carved ceilings. The alfresco patio, just off the lobby, is always busy with guests enjoying the live music played by a Cuban quartet. The hotel also hosts opera on the rooftop terrace of the hotel where, every Friday, the talented young stars of Habana Clásicos sing.

One of the best things about the Sevilla is its street-level pool surrounded by palms and a terrace, snack bar, sauna and massage service.

Address: Calle Trocadero No.55 entre Paseo del Prado y Zulueta. Habana Vieja. Ciudad de la Habana. Cuba

Total Rooms: 178