Capri Hotel is a 19 story, 220-room structure located right in the heart of Havana, just meters away from the famous Hotel Nacional and from The Malecón, the popular city seafront.
Built in late 1957 with Mafia money, it was run by the mob until the Revolution triumphed. Charles Tourine (The Blade) managed the nightclub, and Nicholas di Costanzo (The Fat Butcher) ran the casino. Tourine and Costanzo reported to their more well-known Meyer Lansky and Santo Trafficante.
The hotel was so frequented by American gangsters, it is even mentioned in "The Godfather", Mario Puzo's mafia film.
The grand opening during the Thanksgiving holiday in 1957 included greetings at the casino door by actor & real-life mobster George Raft, who was the celebrity public face of the gambling & nightclub.
Hollywood stars also frequented the hotel; Errol Flynn was a regular at the Salon Rojo club (now a popular disco / concert room) and the swimming pool on the roof can be seen in the opening scenes of Carol Reed's film "Our Man in Havana" and Mikhail Kalatozov's "I Am Cuba".
The Capri was one of the largest hotel/casinos in Havana during its heyday; today it remains one of the three most architecturally important hotels of its era in Havana. It has been recently fully renovated, in accord with contemporary style but without losing its original architectural look, keeping its charm as it was in the 50´s.
The former casino is today a a dining room and the hotel features 2 other restaurants, 1 snack bar, 2 bars and 24 hour room service.
The swimming pool is open from 10:00 to 18:00 hrs.
Recommended for business, honeymoons, vacationers and history buffs.
Coming soon:
A meeting room with capacity for 40 people, a gym offering professional assistance, an executive floor and the Duplex rooms will be available beginning may 1st 2014.