Hotel Two Brothers . Famous architectural work of the town of Surgidero de Batabanó .
Summary
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- 1 Foundation
- 2 Building transformations
- 3Reapertura
- 4 Restoration of the property
- 1Mobiliario
- 5 Personalities who were hotel guests
- 6 attractions
- 7 Demolition
- 8Fuente
foundation
It opens its doors for the first time in 1889 , being its owners the peninsular brothers José María and Joaquín Valdés, who, allegorically to their relationship, gave it that name.
building transformations
Constructed with multiple precious woods; In its beginnings it only had two floors and had a café and a lounge-restaurant on the ground floor, while the upper floor was used for lodging.
Towards 1914 the property underwent some transformations and in the second decade of the century it acquired the physiognomy similar to the one it maintained until its end.
By chance, these transformations were undertaken by two other Spanish brothers: Cinesio and Ciro Moas, who bought it from the Valdés and ordered its total remodeling, reopening it more spacious and elegant, with an attractive colonial-inspired façade.
The amount of this investment is unknown.
reopening
In its new style, the building gained another two floors and important reforms in its structure. The most significant was the one on the top floor, where the Roof Garden was installed, whose literal translation means “garden on the roof”, the fruit of local carpenters and a true jewel of national cabinetmaking, enriching its floors, ceilings and walls with more of 50 varieties of Cuban precious woods, grouped in attractive designs: a bar, two spacious lounges and balcony terraces.
Restoration of the property
This hotel outlasted all others that existed. After 1959 it was closed twice for repairs. On those occasions its original furniture disappeared, as well as wooden and ceramic objects that adorned its walls.
Furniture
It had a stool carved from a large oak trunk, weighing more than 7 arrobas and which was the admiration of tourists and a challenge to test strength.
In 1980 it received a general repair, which left it ready for a new operation.
Born in the most active period of commercial maritime traffic in the Caribbean and a valuable architectural element of the Batabanó municipality.
Personalities who were hotel guests
This prestigious hotel, the pride of the town, welcomed great figures in history such as José Martí and Evangelina Cossío , who were its guests on different dates.
Many of Cuba ‘s most famous artists paraded through it : Benny Moré , Rosa Fornés and Dámaso Pérez Prado , who left the mark of their wonderful art.
It was also frequented by the American actor Errol Flynn who stayed with his wife Lily Lamita.
attractions
From its terraces, the keys to the south of Havana could be seen without mishaps , a detail that attracted all the people who visited it and one of the reasons why it was so famous throughout the province. It was an impressive spectacle that no one wanted to miss because in that part of the building the entire town of Surgidero de Batabanó stood out from the heights and the fresh air that flowed there was a bath of saltpeter, sulfur and the smell of seaweed.
Voices that were heard in the distance, brought by the breeze, gave it a charismatic touch of mysterious mythological legends, of souls that roamed the coast, of the spirit of Juventino Rosas , who so adored that sea loaded with suffering popular stories.
In its halls and rooms the spirit of a majestic architectural work was perceived.
It was the only wooden hotel that Havana had , with more than a century of existence, and without a doubt a heritage jewel of the town.
demolition
Unfortunately, this colossus of the town had begun to sink due to the characteristics of the swampy area of Surgidero de Batabanó and since the investment for its rescue was so high, impossible to undertake due to the economic situation in Cuba , in 1989 it was demolished.
