
This hotel was opened in December, 1957, with a performance by Ginger Rogers at the Copa Room cabaret and was blessed by Cardinal Manuel Arteaga just a few days later. The construction is a fantastic example of modern architecture in Cuba and is in harmony with the heritage-rich area in which it is located. Some of the unique elements of this building include its blue and green tiled cupola from the old casino that used to stand here and the fact that acoustics were designed so that the sounds of chips and slot machines would propagate around the entire building to attract guests to the casino. Additionally, the building itself, with its Y shape, was designed so that all rooms have a view of the sea. And the sculpture La Sirena y el Pez (The Mermaid and the Fish) by Florencio Gelabert makes Hotel Riviera unmistakable.