In 1905, the Loriente Brothers Trading Company hired architect Naranjo Ferrer to build this beautiful Baroque structure as their headquarters, fabric warehouse and wholesaling business. From 1914 until 1990, the building housed an insurance company, the Cuban Chamber of Commerce, the National Institute of Fishing, a warehouse for tobacco and a public utility for the food industry. With each new occupant, the building further deteriorated. Then, Habaguanex Ltd. – Havana’s leading hotel chain – committed to a major restoration. In 2003, the Hotel Raquel opened, the Spanish name for Rachel from the Bible. Other rooms of this Jewish hotel also have Biblical names. The Art Nouveau interior features marble columns, chandeliers, Tiffany lamps, stained-glass windows and skylight, Hebrew artwork by Cuban painters plus a Jewish restaurant. The 25 room, four-star hotel is in Havana’s historic Jewish Quarter.
