Cuban County House, Nowadays an Innermost Hotel in Havana City

The Old Havana charms any person who is interestedof a house at the Plaza Vieja, - the Conde de
in innermost places. When talking about holidays, thisJaruco's house - but he died at the beginning of the
city is something very special for the most exquisiteworks.
travelers, a Cuban feast for the eyes.Hes widow, Doña Antonia Aranda y Avellaneda,
It's particular contrasts stimulate dreams and make itdaughter of the major of the San Salvador de la
an obligation for tourists to capture such a beauty inPunta fortress, extended the project and asked the
a picture and, much better, in an unforgettablecontractor to build a small imitation of it in the
memory of the active rest.backyard of the main house, called since then "La
That's why it constitutes a real pleasure theCasa Chica" (1739).
necessary walk through the paved streets of the oldDuring the time, several families and prominent
part of the wonderful island's capital.personalities of the society of the capital city lived in
So, as a part of the efforts to provide the Cubanthe house like the Count of San Juan de Jaruco,
capital city with a more and more cultural andPedro Beltrán de Santa Cruz and the sister of
historical tourism, comes into being the Santhe Marchioness of Cárdenas de Monte Hermoso,
Beltrán de Santa Cruz hotel in the old Conde deJosefa Catalina de Santa Cruz.
Jaruco's house, considered today an innermost restingIn that mansion were received and lodged the most
place.prominent personalities that visited the city, including
This hotel, managed by the touristic company of thethe Baron Alexander von Humboldt, an eminent
City Historian's Office, Habaguanex S.A, which isGerman scientist, and three French princes: the Count
responsible for the amusement in La Habana Vieja,of Beaujolais, the Duke of Montpensier and the Duke
could be considered as a cultural jewel; the perfectof Orléans, who became later the king of
lodge.France, Louis Philippe.
Located in Calle San Ignacio 411, between the streets"La Casa Chica" hasn't suffered great
of Muralla and Sol in Old Havana - declared bytransformations, preserving its old components and
UNESCO a World Heritage Site in 1982 - shows nowits colonial ambience. This great house is located near
an appropriate elegance and intimacy.the Plaza Vieja and has opened its doors as a new
This hotel is composed by 11 colonial rooms, onecharming hotel, combining antique and modern
suite and the other 10, standard rooms. It alsoelements with an attractive design.
boasts a breakfast-room called "San Juan de Jaruco"This hotel is part of a very delicate structure admired
and a snack-bar baptized as "Don Gabriel".by hundreds of travelers from all over the world;
According to historians, in 1732, Don Gabrielespecially Europeans that are daily accommodated in
Beltrán de Santa Cruz ordered the constructionthis houses of the old part of the city.