Hotels

The small island of Cayo Cruz is a the newest destination in the Jardines del Rey Archipelago. According to the Ministry of Tourism of Cuba, the development of Cayo Cruz and the surrounding cays (Cayo Coco, Guillermo, Paredon, Megano Grande, Guajaba and Sabinal) is expected to lead to a total construction of around 26,000 rooms by 2030, in addition to many services.

Current hotels and their opening date :
- Hotel La Marina Plaza & Spa (60 rooms) : July 2019
- Valentin Cayo Cruz (546 rooms) : November 2019
- Iberostar Coral Esmeralda (120 rooms, adults only): December 2021
- Iberostar Selection Esmeralda (450 rooms): September 2022
- Sanctuary White Sands (528 rooms, adults only): March 2024

Hotels under construction (currently and to come) :
(These are their project name, commercial names TBA)
- Quebrada 24 (694 room)
- Quebrada 25 (590 room)
- Quebrada 25A (100 room)

Click to see the current and former hotel names in the Jardines del Rey, since 1993

All hotel properties (buildings and infrastructures) on Cayo Cruz belong to the government-owned Grupo de Turismo Gaviota, but some of the resorts are managed and commercialized by international hotel chains, such as: Valentin Hoteles (Spain), Iberostar Hotels & resorts (Spain), Blue Diamond Resorts (Canada) and many more to come. Hotels on Cayo Cruz are resort-style and All-Inclusive (meals, snacks, drinks, daily activities, evening entertainment, non-motorized water sports).

Cayo Cruz is connected to its neighbor, Cayo Romano, and further west to Cayo Coco where the Jardines del Rey International Airport (CCC) is located. Transfer time between the Cayo Coco Airport and Cayo Cruz hotels is about one hour (~ 70 km). A series of roads, bridges and causeways that run across Cayo Romano and above water link Cayo Coco and Cayo Cruz. There are no villages to cross. About 10 km east of Cayo Coco Airport, we reach the first bridge, called “Puente la Pasa”, which divides the province of Ciego de Avila and Camaguey. Another 10 km further, we cross the access road to Cayo Paredon Grande (island under development in the Jardines del Rey archipelago), the road continues through Cayo Romano (the largest island of the archipelago) until reaching the bridge (7 km long) that connects Cayo Romano and Cayo Cruz.

The hotels are located along the east coast of Cayo Cruz, while the west coast is mainly covered with mangroves. The hotels are oceanfront but have been built a little back behind the dunes; the beaches are accessible via several raised footbridge for a minimum impact on the dunes' flora and fauna. The dunes also serve as a natural protection against hurricanes, thus minimizing damages to hotels.

Click to see the location of all hotels in Cayo Cruz
5 hotels / 1,705 rooms

Click to see the location of all services available in Cayo Cruz

The size of the hotels in the Jardines del Rey Archipelago varies greatly, from 16 up to 1,200 rooms and the star rating ranges from 2½* to 5*. Most of them cater to everyone (couples, families and singles), and a few are adults-only properties. Development started with the construction of the 17 km causeway to connect Cayo Coco with the main island of Cuba, it was inaugurated in 1988. There are several causeways in Cuba, especially in the Jardines del Rey Archipelago. There is one that connects the island of Cayo Cruz to the mainland. All the islands in the Jardines del Rey are connected the Cayo Coco for the proximity of the international airport (CCC).

The first hotel to open on Cayo Guillermo (1992): Villa Cojimar
The first hotel on Cayo Coco (1993): Guitart Cayo Coco
The first hotel on Cayo Cruz (2019): Hotel La Marina Plaza & Spa
The first hotel in Cayo Paredon (2022): Gran Aston Cayo Paredon Grande
* These hotels may have changed name since the opening

Since the beginning of the 90s, several hotels have been built as well as many tourist services: marinas, diving centers, dolphinariums, small commercial and entertainment centers, etc.

Click thumbnail to view a chart showing the number of rooms per hotel in the Jardines del Rey.

Visit Latest News for more information on future projects and a follow-up on hotels openings and new tourist facilities in the Jardines del Rey