FAMTRIP MICE UK
2nd to 9th June 2016
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is the largest island in the Caribbean, with an area of 109,884 square kilometres and the
second-most populous after Hispaniola, with over 11 million inhabitants. Among the most exciting islands in the Caribbean Cuba has just about everything you could imagine. There are dramatic mountainous landscapes, wild and unspoilt valleys, sweeping views of sugar cane, tobacco plantations glowing emerald green against the vermilion earth of the fields, seven exquisite cities dating from the mid-fifteenth century, an amazing variety of flora and fauna, some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and above all, Cuba’s greatest asset: her people. They are welcoming, enthusiastic, polite and a lot of fun - and that’s putting it mildly. The island has gained worldwide recognition as a major meeting destination in the region over the last few years and is aggressively marketing itself as a MICE destination. Meliá
Hotels International has been playing an active role for over 25 years now in the extraordinary development of tourism in Cuba. In spite of the difficulties caused by having to create a very unique business model, today nobody doubts that Cuba has built a successful tourism strategy based on careful planning and respect for the social and natural environment. By 2018, Meliá Hotels International will operate 30 hotels on the island with more than 15,000 rooms!
Thursday & Friday, 2nd – 3rd June 2016 22.40
AV121 Flight departs rom London Heathrow to Cuba, via Bogota El Dorado Airport. Please proceed to the Avianca check in desks in Terminal 2 where your hosts Neill Hendry and Maria Yacoub will be waiting to meet you. * Dress code: Comfortable/Casual for travelling.
04.05
Arrival at Bogota El Dorado Airport. We will have access to the Avianca VIP lounge where you will be able to rest, have snacks, sample Colombian coffee, alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, take a shower, read, sleep or if you feel guilty, work!
09.07
AV254 Flight departure from Bogota El Dorado Airport to Cuba
13.45
Arrival in Havana at Jose Marti International Airport. We will be met by our local DMC partners, Solways Cuba and transferred to the Melia Havana for check-in. Following a welcome cocktail upon arrival there will be time for us all to freshen up following our flight to Cuba.
20.00
Please meet us back in the hotel lobby for our transfer to the contemporary ‘El Litoral’ restaurant for a welcome dinner with our DMC partners, Solways Cuba.
Our Melia Havana, 5* is located in the heart of the Miramar residential and business district and alongside the Havana coastline. It is a modern, elegant hotel, with the largest swimming pool of all the city hotels. This property has 8 meeting spaces with a maximum capacity of 300 delegates in theatre style.
MELIA HAVANA, GENERAL
MELIA HAVANA, OCEAN VIEW ROOM
MELIA HAVANA, POOL
Saturday , 4th June 2016 09.00
Enjoy a succulent breakfast in an authentic Cuban atmosphere and after please meet us in the lobby of the Melia Havana for an overview presentation of the most suitable Melia hotels in Cuba for the MICE market.
10.30
Site visit of the Melia Havana, including a mix of room categories and meeting spaces.
11.30
Transfer via classic American vintage 1950’s Chevrolet vehicles through the famous Malecon district of Havana to visit the modern side of Havana. As part of the tour we will also pass through the Miramar neighbourhood, an area of classical Havana buildings and historical features, before we travel on into Revolution Square and through the central government district. There will be plenty of opportunities to take photos during this guided tour of old Havana and we will end up in the famous ‘San Francisco De Asis’ square where we will stop for lunch at Café Del Oriente, which is perfectly suited for group dinners and events.
Following lunch, we will embark on a walking tour to ‘Plaza Vieja’ with the chance to visit local stores, art galleries and local handicraft outlets. We continue on to visit the historical Cathedral right in the heart of old Havana before we take a refreshing visit to ‘Bodeguita Del Medio’ where we will get to sample true local ‘Mojitos’ for ourselves! Finally, the walking tour will wind up in ‘Plaza De Armas’ where we will visit ‘El Templete’ a very old and well known sacred
site where local’s like to pay homage to nature at a very famous tree called ‘La Ceiba’. Upon return to the Melia Havana hotel, there will be free time where you can sample the facilities and amenities of this modern, elegant and conventional five star hotel located right alongside the Havana coastline. 19.00
Please meet in the lobby of the hotel for a transfer to the Melia Cohiba for a full site visit of another great conference property followed by dinner at this grand hotel which is also located right by the sea in a more traditional neighbourhood of the city. Tonight will we sample a sumptuous seafood dinner at the hotel’s ‘Havana café’ which includes a special evening show. Following dinner, return transfers to the Melia Havana will be provided
Our Melia Cohiba, 5* is located in a modern district in La Havana, opposite the city coastline and only 50 metres from the Malecon. The
building has a modern design with Cuban marble and references to the world of cigars and the famous Cohiba brand. Melia Cohiba is the leading conference hotel in Havana with a total convention area of 1233sqm, 9 multi-purpose rooms and up to 500 delegates.
MELIA COHIBA, GENERAL
MELIA COHIBA, POOL VIEW
MELIA COHIBA , RESTAURANT
Sunday, 5th June 2016 09.00
Make sure you have an energy enhancing breakfast this morning to get yourself ready for a day full of amazing experiences.
10.00
This morning we will be visiting Melia’s 3rd hotel in Havana, the Tryp Havana Libre, where we will get to see the facilities and amenities of this four star conference hotel.
11.30
Transfer from the Tryp Havana Libre to Varadero during which we will pass through the beautiful valley of ‘Yumuri’. There will
be a chance to view this picturesque area on route from above as we travel over the ‘Bacunayagua’ bridge, a panoramic vantage point above the valley from where you can also view the town of Matanzas. There will be a further stop on our way to Varadero at a local ecological project called ‘Coincidencias’ where we will meet a local family who will present their family farm to the group as we taste local fruit and home-grown products. We will have a traditional Cuban country style lunch here and get the chance to work off the pounds as we are put through our paces in a local dance class! The TRYP Havana Libre, 4* is located right at the beginning of La Rampa. It is considered our superlative Melia Hotel in Cuba: the tallest, the biggest, the most cosmopolitan and the most central located. With 25 floors in 1950s style, this property is a reference hotel in the city with panoramic views of the city and the sea. The hotel has 10 multi-purpose room, with a capacity up to 600 delegates in classroom set up.
TRYP HABANA LIBRE, GENERAL
TRYP HABANA LIBRE, RESTAURANT
TRYP HABANA LIBRE, MEETING
16.30
We will arrive in Varadero and our accommodation for the next 3 nights, the wonderful Paradisus Princesa De Mar, a property attuned with nature as it is surrounded by beautiful natural gardens where guests are regularly amazed by the spectacular colours and natural flora and fauna on display which create an impressive collage. There will be free time to relax and change before we meet at the lobby for dinner in the hotel.
Our Paradisus Princesa de Mar Resort & Spa, 5* is a luxury only adults hotel located in Varadero beachfront. The hotel offers a luxury personalised service, Royal Service, which is the maximum expression of comfort in a separate building with exclusive services. In terms of meetings, this hotel is ideal for middle size groups and incentives, with a capacity of up to 400 delegates in theatre style and 3 meeting rooms with natural daylight.
PARADISUS PRINCESA DE MAR, POOL
PARADISUS PRINCESA DE MAR, GALA DINNER
PARADISUS PRINCESA DE MAR, YHI SPA
Monday, 6th June 2016 07.00
Wake up and take breakfast, this could be our most memorable day!
08.30
Departure from the Paradisus Princesa De Mar on a full day ‘Crucero De Sol’ excursion by Catamaran. This wonderful trip will include special visits to Coral Reefs offshore where we will stop for snorkelling, a visit to ‘Rancho Cangrejo’ where we can view Dolphins at play and there will be time for sunbathing and swimming. Food and drink will be provided on-board and lunch is included as part of the trip at ‘Cayo Blanco’
16.45
We will return back to our hotel in Varadero, The Paradisus Princesa De Mar.
TBC
Site visit followed by dinner.
PARADISUS PRINCESA DE MAR, HALL
PARADISUS PRINCESA DE MAR, POOL VIEW
PARADISUS PRINCESA DE MAR, MEETING
Tuesday, 7th June 2016 09.00
A later breakfast this morning!
10.00
We will visit two of our Melia properties in Varadero, the Melia Marina Varadero and the Melia Americas this morning where you will get the chance to compare and contrast our Melia product with the Paradisus experience. Lunch today will take place at the Melia Varadero , hotel another great option for groups set in idyllic natural surrounding’s Following lunch we will return to our hotel where you will have free time at leisure this afternoon to enjoy the hotel.
TBC
Please meet in the hotel lobby for a site visit and dinner at the Paradisus Varadero Resort & Spa.
Highlights of this luxury hotel include its perfect integration with its natural environment, spacious lobby, tropical plants, water features with elevated walkways, and views of the beach where you can witness the spectacular sunsets from the terrace The Melia Marina Varadero, 5* offers a range of experiences designed for sea lovers: designed for yachting, sailing, diving and fishing. The hotel has 423 luxury standard rooms with incredible views of the Gaviota Varadero. It offers 7 meeting spaces for up to 600 delegates. Melia Americas 5*, adults only, is the perfect resort for golf lovers and it is the only hotel with direct access to Varadero Golf Club. Located right in the beach, it has 9 meeting rooms and a maximum capacity of 650 delegates in theatre set up.
MELIA MARINA VARADERO, POOL AREA
MELIA LAS AMERICAS, BEACH
MELIA LAS AMERICAS, POOL VIEW
Wednesday, 8th June 2016 10.00
Breakfast at leisure today as there will be a morning of free time to enjoy your last moments in Varadero before we begin our journey home.
13.00
Departure from the hotel back to Jose Marti International airport in Havana for our return flight to London via Bogota.
16.50
AV255 Flight departs from Cuba to London by Avianca via Bogota.
19.15
Arrival at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, where we will again have access to the Avianca VIP lounge at Bogota El Dorado International airport where we will be able to relax before the flight back to London.
23.05
AV120 Flight departs from Bogota to Heathrow London.
Our Paradisus Varadero, 5* is an ultra All Inclusive Resort & Spa recommended for families and groups, located in one of the most privileged areas of Varadero. It offers Royal Service with personalise, exclusive and private service. The hotel has 3 multi-purpose rooms and offers a huge range of possibilities for events and incentives (beach, pool area, gardens etc.). Ideal for medium sized groups as the maximum capacity is 220 delegates in cabaret set up.
PARADISUS VARADERO, FAMILY CONCIERGE
PARADISUS VARADERO, BREAKFAST
PARADISUS VARADERO, MEETING ROOM
Thursday, 9th June 2016 15.45
Arrival time at Heathrow Airport Time to return home after this fantastic trip of discovery. Remember to send us your feedback and keep Melia Hotels International in mind for all your event needs!
In collaboration with: Olga Sanchez Urrutia Head of Department Groups, Congresses and Incentives .email: olga.sanchez@solways.com www.solwayscuba.com, http://www.facebook.com/CubaSolways
UK GLOBAL SALES OFFICE - Your Hosts and Contacts Neill Hendry Head of MICE UK Neill.hendry@melia.com
Maria Yacoub Global Account Manager Maria.yacoub@melia.com
Roger Bradley Senior Global Account Manager Roger.bradley@melia.com
Miriam Ferreiro Global Account Coordinator Miriam.ferreiro@melia.com
Alexandre dos Santos Global Account Coordinator Alexandre.santos@melia.com
Lisa Carter Global Account Manager Lisa.carter@melia.com
Marina Clapes Global Account Coordinator Marina.clapes@melia.com
Send all your UK and global enquiries to mice.uk@melia.com
ME IBIZA, ROOM