Credit: Flikr / by Shaketini / Landmark Hotel Rivera in Cuba’s capital city Havana

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC TIMES

The iconic 1950’s style Hotel Riviera in Havana has a colorful history. The hotel, located alongside of the Cuban capital’s majestic Malecón seafront, was originally built by legendary American mobster Meyer Lansky and opened in 1957. Spain-based Iberostar Hotels & Resorts took over management of the classic 352-room property in January 2017. It is the Iberostar’s 12th property in Cuba and second in Havana. The hotel is Five-Star status and is part of the company’s Premium Gold category. The hotel was renamed the Hotel Habana Riviera by Iberostar. In 2018, Iberostar announced plans to invest €35 million in renovations, and the hotel’s name was changed slightly to Hotel Iberostar Habana Riviera.

“IBEROSTAR Riviera is an historically important property with an outstanding reputation, and represents a major step forward in expanding our presence in Havana and Cuba,” 

Enric Roguer, CEO America at GRUPO IBEROSTAR.

The Havana Hotel Riviera was originally owned by American mobster Meyer Lansky

Source: karashall.blogspot.com / Lansky (Jul 4, 1902 – Jan 15, 1983) is one of the legendary figures of 20th century organized crime in America.

After the Cuban Revolution of 1959, Lansky fled Cuba for the Bahamas. In October of the following year, Cuban leader Fidel Castro nationalized all the island’s hotel-casinos and outlawed gambling. The hotel was operated for many years by the Gran Caribe chain, a Cuban state-owned company, until Spanish IBEROSTAR took over the management last year.

Credit: Photo by Gary Raynaldo / Lobby bar of the Hotel Riviera alongside the Malecón seafront in Havana.

Photo by Gary Raynaldo / Interior bar of Hotel Riviera in Havana

Lansky’s heirs seek compensation for Cuba’s seizure of Hotel Riviera casino

Credit: calvinayre.com / In 2015, the grandson of legendary mobster Meyer Lansky reportedly wanted Cuba to pay compensation for seizing his grandfather’s casino nearly six decades ago.

Meyer Lansky’s daughter Sandi and her son Gary Rapoport want to recover what they see as their family’s rightful inheritance in Cuba.  Quite a colorful history this hotel has had indeed. 

“It was through my grandfather’s hard work that the hotel was built.” Lanksy’s grandson. ” We are his natural relatives and along with my Uncle Paul, the only surviving ones. By rights, it should be our property.” Asked about whether it was right to seek part of a fortune built on crime, he said: “Murder was their business and one might say it was all built illegally and on blood money, but we are proud of my grandfather who was a leader in whatever he did.”