A year of Pestana in Cuba

The first hotel in the Caribbean of the Portuguese group Pestana is in Cuba. Jardines Del Rey was the site chosen a year ago to set the Pestana Cayo Coco Beach Resort, a facility of four star with all inclusive.

The Colombian Luis Alfonso Oñate, Director General of Hotel Pestana Cayo Coco, offered statements to Cuba Contemporánea with regard to the first anniversary of the Group on the island and the future projects of growth.

What is the Pestana Group?

Pestana is a company with 40 years of experience. Began in the island of Madeira, with a hotel that had been given in administration to an international company, but Mr. Pestana decides that the family can manage it and so started this company, which has grown to have hotels in the world, mainly in Portuguese-speaking countries.

Then they come to Cuba, why this destination?

Cayo Coco was chosen to install the first hotel in the area of the Caribbean. We have many expectations about the Cuba destination and its growth potential. The main market is currently the Canadian and the second is the national. And confidence in the Group Pestana was precisely what brought before the year of operations the first charter of Portugal to Jardines Del Rey and will continue to do it to other destinations in Cuba. Next year we plan to bring two more charters.

The Pestana Hotel Cayo Coco Beach Resort is located in one of the best beaches in the country. It has 508 rooms spread over several buildings. Colorful, and modern design with traditional Cuban elements, in addition to European components in its gastronomy, another of the attractions offered by the facility.

At the Pestana Cayo Coco Beach Resort, there are a variety of benefits included in the offer: four pools, sailing, horseback riding, Junior suite rooms 100% equipped with balcony, TV cable, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, hair dryer, safe and telephone. Also they have two conference rooms accommodating up to 50 people.

Alfonso Oñate studied hotel management and tourism in the Externado University of Colombia, has a postgraduate degree in finance hotel and courses at Cornell University and the University of Surrey in England. He began his work in the Pestana Group a year ago.

When speaking of Cuba confesses that “what I like the most is the people and dealing with people. In addition there is a great future of tourism in the country and it will be maturing in that sense. I see an opening that can greatly help development on tourism issues, as it is rich in culture, exploit that history and their experience in keeping before the blockade. It is a healthy country, healthy people”.

Pestana will continue investing in Cuba and explore the possibility of being in Havana and included in the tours, as well as having packages combined with hotels. Meanwhile, his offers at Jardines Del Rey enable approaching the excellence of a group that bid for Sun and beach mode in Heavenly places. Because as it announces one of its slogans, Pestana Cayo Coco is “the perfect place to fall in love”.