Ambos Mundos Hotel

The Ambos Mundos Hotel and its History

Since colonial times the area now occupied by the Ambos Mundos Hotel (Both Worlds Hotel) was populated by various family homes.

In the early twentieth century Spanish merchant Antolin Arias Blanco buys the property to his colleague Manuel Llerandi and Tome.

Antolin immediately demolished the old building that existed there to lift the hotel.

The works were made by the architect Luis Hernandez Savio. This hotel began to achieve international fame between 1932 and 1939, when the famous American writer Ernest Hemingway made it their first home on the island.

His room is preserved today as it was left by the author and functions as a small museum in the middle of the building.

In 1987 the “Ambos Mundos” Hotel underwent a small restaurant and a decade later was subject to a larger one.

In this way it is converted back to a luxurious time. Between 2004 and 2005 it underwent maintenance work, cleaning and painting of facades.

The Structural Characteristics of the Ambos Mundos Hotel

The Ambos Mundos Hotel is a solid construction of eclectic style of the early twentieth century that has square shape and has five floors.

It was built on an old house that was demolished in the same corner of Obispo and Mercaderes Streets in Old Havana.

In its initial structure the ground floor would be conceived as a commercial center and the other floors filled with rooms for guests to find.

The structure of steel and cast concrete offers its eclectic and modern character for the time it was built.

In 1924 it was expanded to gain height and it was finally declared habitable on January 6, 1925.

Five years later it became bigger with the insertion of a rooftop lounge that had kitchen and services.

It has ancient OTIS elevators, which still operate today.

A Brief Description of the Ambos Mundos Hotel

This classic hotel whose spacious lobby and reception is located just steps from the bar has 52 rooms, which can be accessed through corridors.

The Ambos Mundos Hotel appearance decorated with Salmon colors is located in one of the most central corners of Old Havana and welcomes the customers to its piano bar.

Its creaky and old elevator, operated by the buttons, transports visitors and tourists to its charming terrace.

There you can see unparalleled views and live music during the cocktails or meals hours. Every place of this wonderful building emanates a story like that of Michael Palin who belonged to Monty Python when this crew stayed in the hotel while conducting documentary and book on the life of Ernest Hemingway.

In this way, they could stay on the fifth floor, in room 511, where the renowned American author wrote several short stories nearly 80 years ago.