Hotel Saratoga, Havana

"Saratoga Hotel" redirects here. For the hotel in Saratoga Springs, see Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Hotel Saratoga
Hotel Saratoga in 2014
General information
Type	Commercial
Architectural style	Neoclassical
Address	Paseo del Prado No. 603, esquina Dragones, La Habana, Cuba
Town or city	Havana
Country	Cuba
Coordinates
Owner	Gregorio Palacios

The Hotel Saratoga is a luxurious neoclassical architecture style hotel located on the Paseo del Prado, in Old Havana, in front of the Fuente de la India, built in 1880 for warehouses, it was remodeled as a hotel in 1933 and reopened in 2005. An explosion occurred at the hotel on the morning of 6 May 2022.

History

The building was first commissioned by wealthy Spanish merchant Gregorio Palacios, who was born in Santander. He owned various rooming facilities, and signed a contract in 1879 for $98,000 for the construction of the new building. Originally, it was a three-story building. The ground floor housed a tobacco warehouse, a shop, and four apartments. The second floor was used as a hotel or guest house with 43 rooms and a dining room.

File:Hotel Saratoga.2, Havana, Cuba.jpg

Hotel Saratoga.2, Havana, Cuba

Its first location was on Monte street; later it was moved to the surroundings of the Campo de Marte. In 1935, tourist guides highlighted the hotel as one of the best in Havana. Its terrace, called Aires Libres, was an important cultural and traditional center in the 20th century.

After an arduous repair, it was reopened in 2005 as a five-star hotel with 96 rooms, three bars, two restaurants, a swimming pool, and a business center. Its architecture recalls the colonial era and has an eclectic character with a large number of elements of interest such as French carpentry, ceramics, and Cuban marble.

The Saratoga hotel is located in front of the Parque de la Fraternidad near the Capitolio Building. The restoration project was carried out in 2005 by the City Historian's Office. The central location and the views made it a preferred destination for international visitors.

The building maintained its vitality until the 1960s when it was taken over by the revolutionary government. From then on, it became a tenement building with multiple subdivisions until it was vacated due to its poor condition. Once restored, today it combines its traditional style with advanced technology.

2022 explosion

On 6 May 2022, during the Cuban Fair of International Tourism, an explosion destroyed portions of the building. Governmental sources initially attributed the explosion to a gas leak. At least nine people died in the blast and another 40 were injured.

Gallery

• Hotel Saratoga (Havana) 01.jpg
• Hotel Saratoga.3, Havana, Cuba.jpg

  Hotel Saratoga.3, Havana, Cuba