A Hotel That Takes No Place.
Meliá Varadero will live each of its 335 days to the fullest, until its 35th anniversary. And as I write this, I recall the words of Carlos E. Chávez, the former deputy director, when he affirmed that this team takes no place.
Guests from various countries are often captivated by the Meliá Varadero, which celebrated its 34th anniversary on December 14th, cementing its place among the top tourist destinations in the western province of Matanzas.
The anniversary was also marked by the pride of being named a National Vanguard in the emulation, a top category achieved almost eleven years after last time. This result is consistent with the hotel’s exceeding revenue and profit targets last year, as well as its zero-crime record.
Luis Antonio Díaz López, Deputy Commercial Director, posted a heartfelt message on his Facebook page, highlighting the «detailed celebration program, with the participation of all departments and, of course, the guests who have chosen us… for their vacations during this time…»
Díaz López wrote that he doesn’t know «if others feel this way, but I often get the feeling that the Meliá Varadero is a living entity that, with its own personality, moves us around this microcosm of columns and hallways, like a player moving pieces on a chessboard.
«A few days ago, I shared photos with colleagues of the tree planting for the 23rd anniversary. Last Thursday, we planted the 34th, and in 365 days, we’ll be planting the 35th, which will be a true anniversary. We’ll have to celebrate it twice, since we owe them the 30th anniversary, which was overshadowed by the impact of Covid-19 and the proximity of the reopening scheduled for eight days later, in December 2021.»
He confessed that «Meliá Varadero tends to be a controversial place. Here, you can experience the sweetest of glories or feel the burning sensation of a knee touching the rough asphalt of a street. And that’s how it should be for a place where people seeking professional growth work.» the tourism sector.
“Personally, I have been happy working at this hotel. I have met valuable and intelligent people from whom I have tried to learn as much as possible. I have heard incredible stories of colorful characters who liven up the after-lunch conversations while we brew our midday coffee…
“I have seen with my own eyes and felt with my own hands the beating heart that sustains the vitality of this colossus of cement and steel: all its workers, its managers, its founders, those who are here and those who are no longer, those from this world and those from the next. All have collectively contributed the necessary strength and energy to achieve, sometimes at a snail’s pace and other times at a giant leap, the results to which this hotel has accustomed us.”
Significant for its unique flower-shaped architecture that rises to a height of five stories, this hotel is the second hotel resulting from foreign investment in Cuba, after the Sol Palmeras, which opened on May 10th, 1990.
Recently, the hotel changed management. A very good one left, promoted to other roles, and they were fortunate to now be led by another equally talented individual. This is Yoel Luis Hernández Lantigua, an executive who, along with the staff and the board of directors, brought Meliá Las Antillas to prominence.
From now until 2026, Meliá Varadero will intensely experience the 335 days leading up to its 35th anniversary. And as I write this, I recall the words of Carlos E. Chávez, the previous deputy director, when he affirmed that this team is second to none. May it be so.
Photos: Taken from Luis Antonio Díaz López’s Facebook page.
Written by Eva Luna acosta Armiñán.
