The Cuban capital, which has become one of the island's major tourist destinations, treasures the most singular attractions for travelers interested in learning about the country's centuries-old history, culture and traditions.

Dozens of buildings have been marked by the imprint left by different periods of the social life of Havana, whose Historic Center was declared a World Cultural Site by the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) in 1982.

According to experts, the old section of Cuba's capital covers an area of 142 hectares and treasures 3,500 buildings, one seventh of which have a high patrimonial value.

Havana, which centuries ago was called the Fortress City of the West Indies and the Key to the New World, today is a singular living museum in which different architectural styles coexist, as evidence of several stages of development that the historic city went through.

Many buildings and historic sites, in perfect state of preservation and barely showing the passage of time on their façades and walls, are open as safe destinations to thousands of foreign travelers who spend their vacations in Cuba every year.

The most emblematic buildings have benefited from a broad renovation program and have been turned into inns and hotels, preserving their original ambiance and decoration.

Their presence is an element of interest for tourists, especially those who prefer the city noise and like to walk along streets that still preserve their original freshness.

One of those facilities turned into a small refuge for leisure in the Cuban capital is the Beltrán de Santa Cruz Hotel, owned by the group Habaguanex S.A., which is in charge of tourist operations in Old Havana.

The 11-room establishment is an elegant 18th-century house, very close to Plaza Vieja (Old Square). It is a cozy hotel where modern and antique elements are perfectly combined, highlighting the originality of its attractive design.

This house of noble origin, built by the parents of Gabriel Beltrán de Santa Cruz, the first Count of San Juan de Jaruco, later belonged to the descendants of the illustrious Marquis of Cárdenas de Monte Hermoso.

According to history, the building received some of the most distinguished personalities who visited the city during that period, including the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, the Count of Beaujolais, and the Dukes of Montpensier and Orleans.

Precisely, the Duke of Orleans later became King Louis Philippe I of France.