First chance to buy villas in Cuba

First chance to buy villas in Cuba

Cuba is to get its first six star golf resort and country club, with
villas for sale, symbolising its increasing desire to cash in on its
Caribbean credentials

Wednesday, 16 July 2008

Holly Kirkwood

Cuba's Ministry of Tourism and a UK leisure company have announced plans
for a country club overlooking the Gulf of Florida which will be the
country's first foray into luxury tourism and property sales. This
partnership between The Esencia Hotel and Resorts group the Ministry is
the first significant direct investment into Cuba Tourism by a British
company, and comes as a result of the Cuban Government's desire to
improve and diversify the country's tourism offering as it seeks to
boost its economy.

It will also offer the first opportunities for investors to buy property
in Cuba - previously the rules about ownership were extremely strict, as
all property was Government owned, and therefore could never be
officially bought and sold in the communist-run island.

However, new investment is being welcomed, and The Carbonera Country
Club Resort is set to include:

* A luxury country club offering a range of amenities including
conference, entertainment, restaurants, shops, sports and spa facilities
* A boutique hotel with 150 rooms
* A maritime centre with a pier and pontoons in the conservation area
directly in front of the resort
* A world class PGA 18-hole golf course with its own club house
* Approximately 800 luxury apartments of around an average 120 sqm
* Approximately 100 beautiful villas

Andrew Macdonald, chief executive of Esencia Hotel & Resorts and Havana
Holdings said: 'Cuba for those who don't know is the 'true' Caribbean
because of its rich and vibrant culture, its diverse and stunning
scenery, and its well-established infrastructure and services.

'The Carbonera Country Club Resort will be the first truly integrated
golf resort in Cuba, and we believe that there is potential to develop
many more 6* resorts across the island. Cuba is similar in size to
Britain, which has over 2,000 golf courses, so there is plenty of scope
to develop first class golf facilities…there is only one golf course today!'

Savills will be marketing the villas in the UK. For further information,
please contact 0207 016 3740.

http://www.countrylife.co.uk/news/article/267051/Villas_in_Cuba_for_sale.html