Kees Aerts. General Manager of the Grand Lido Varadero Beach Resort & Spa

Q- Mr. Aerts, can you tell us about your experiences in the Cuban travel industry?

A- At the onset, I served as general manager for three hotels under the Golden Tulip International trademark. Shortly after that, I moved to SuperClubs, first as general manager of the SuperClubs Puntarenas in Varadero, and later on in Holguin when the Breezes Costa Verde opened in Holguin. More recently, I was appointed to serve as general manager of a brand-new hotel –the only one of its kind in Cuba- which is the Grand Lido Varadero Beach Resort & SPA, a five-star, all-inclusive fancy lodging owned by Gaviota Group and run by world-class SuperClubs hotel chain.

Q- Can you give us an overall view of how this new hotel is actually like?

A- This establishment is very much in sync with the expectations of the most demanding tourist elite and has outstanding conveniences to call its own. It has 434 suites exquisitely decorated as far as outlay, furniture, equipment and decoration are concerned, including 72 deluxe and grand deluxe suites. The rest of the rooms are junior suites. The hotel stands out primarily for its building design because we can actually talk about two in one, I mean, two hotels inside one. We’ve got the Hacienda Club inside the boundaries of the Grand Lido Varadero Beach Resort & Spa, a nearly six-star facility with special services and offerings that are up to par with its level. Regardless of the exclusiveness that distinguishes both the interiors and exteriors of the hotel –not to mention its strip of beach- there’re things about the Grand Lido that make it a one-of-a-kind resort.

Q- You’ve mentioned the Hacienda Club. What are some of the privileges or conveniences that make it so special?

A- I can point out its highly customized orderly and desk services, its access to Cuba’s first weatherized swimming pool, a specialized private restaurant exclusively reserved for Hacienda Club members, private Jacuzzis in the two dozen deluxe grand suites, and hydro massage systems in the tubs of the remaining 24 deluxe suites. Club members have exclusive preference to make reservations for the a-la-carte restaurants and the right to play golf not only in the hotel’s course, but also at the Varadero Golf Club by means of a private transfer on the hotel. These guests are also entitled to in-and-out private transfers at the airport to be used as many times as they like during their stays. There are also all-in manicure services once a week, interactive TV with e-mail and Internet hookup in the suites, and preferential reservations in specialized restaurants.

Q- Can you also refer to the main conveniences that distinguish this hotel as a whole?

A- In addition to what I’ve just said, we’ve got, for instance, what we call a superb gourmet. There are two great attractions, the MUNASAN, a Japanese restaurant with tepanyaki and sushi bar included, and Cuba’s first-ever Oriental restaurant, The Bamboo, serving the best Thai, Korean and Indonesian cuisine you’ve ever tasted in your lifetime. Besides these two restaurants, the hotel features a French eatery (PIACIERE), an Italian restaurant (MARTINOS), a luxurious beachfront outlet (PORT ROYAL) and the Club Houses slinging snack food, let alone the resort’s round-the-clock room service. For its part, the Hacienda Club will soon open an international restaurant of specialties.

Another standout is the European-style spa that features a wide-reaching program of beauty and body treatments that ranges from massage, hydro massage and mud therapy to pedicure, manicure, hairstyling and sauna, among other services.

The hotel is equally outfitted with a putting green and a driving cage for golf enthusiasts, always under the supervision of a trainer or coach who also teaches golf. All this is part of the all-inclusive package.

Q- And what about convention tourism? What special advantages does the hotel have to offer?

A- Convention and Incentive Tourism will find here a perfect setting to combine work and relaxation. There’s a huge business center equipped with everything it takes in terms of top-notch technology and services. We also have the banquet hall seating up to 500 people. These are no doubt special allures, let alone a number of smaller meeting rooms that are also available.

Q- I’ve been told that entertainment here is very special, too. Can you talk about that a little?

A- Well, as to entertainment there’re really some exclusive things to touch on. First of all, the Grand Lido doesn’t have a cabaret or entertainment area the way we know it, though we put top local acts onstage on a daily basis. Moreover, we have a Cigar Bar where you can sip a cup of coffee and puff at a stogie, or you can listen to some good piano music at the Piano Bar and dance to the beat of top bands at the Night Club. But the concept here is that of Fine Dining, that is, to spend the night away in a laid-back fashion while listening to piano music, Cuban music or classical music. And if staying up is the name of the game for you, well, the hotel’s orchestras play salsa, mambo or traditional Cuban music at the Captain Morgan Night Club until 4 o’clock in the morning.