Meliá Hotels International, through its Portuguese subsidiary Ilha Bela, has decided to immediately conclude the provision of management and marketing services, as well as the transfer of use of its hotel brands in Cuba, affecting 15 hotels, within a geopolitical context marked by the United States ultimatum until June 5 to sanction foreign companies that operate on the island in relation to Gaeasa, a state military conglomerate.
As notified to the National Securities and Markets Commission (CNMV), this decision, already made on May 26 to the ownership of these hotels and which has been confirmed today, responds to and is a consequence of a combination of unexpected circumstances beyond the management or performance capacity of Ilha Bela.
Specifically, the affected hotels are the following: Gran Hotel Bristol Habana Vieja Member of The Meliá Collection, Innside Catedral Habana, Meliá Buena Vista, Meliá Cayo Santa María, Meliá Jardines del Rey, Meliá Las Dunas, Meliá Península Varadero, Paradisus Los Cayos, Paradisus Princesa Mar, Paradisus Río de Oro, Paradisus Varadero, Sol Caribe Beach, Sol Cayo Santa María, Sol Río de Luna and Mares y Sol Varadero beach
The hotel chain has stressed that The impact of this decision is “limited”, since the vast majority of hotels are currently closed and lacking in activity as a result of the energy problems and drop in demand that the Republic of Cuba has been suffering.
However, Ilha Bela is activating and carrying out specific plans to undertake an orderly disaffiliation of these hotels. Likewise, the appropriate protocols are being implemented to transparently inform suppliers and customers, according to Meliá.
Another Spanish hotel company, in this case Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, has also left the island, ceasing to operate a total of 12 hotels, by separating itself from the Gaviota chain.
