The Hotel E Arsenita (or Iberostar Gibara) is located in the sleepy town of Gibara.
In its heyday, it used to be an important sugar-exporting town. Sadly it dropped off the map after the main highway Carretera Central was built in the 1920s and a hurricane swept through the region in 2008.
More recently the town has seen a bit of a revival, due to the local government’s focus on renovating the town’s historical buildings. Hopefully, the newly renovated hotel with only 15 rooms, will entice some visitors to stay in the town.
All the rooms are en-suite with high ceilings and decorated with vintage furniture. The rooms all have A/C, television and safe. The roof terrace has splendid views of the town and beaches and the restaurant serves the best Creole and international cuisine. As the areas offer one of the best diving in Cuba, it’s a perfect base for divers and snorkellers, who want to explore the local reefs.