Spend a night in Havana in the heart of Paris

If Covid has kept you from travelling, the Montecristo hotel in Paris takes you to Cuba for a night, a weekend or a week. A complete and unusual change of scene, devised by the manager of the establishment.

The Montecristo hotel becomes the Eminente hotel

The four-star Montecristo hotel, on rue Pascal in the 5th arrondissement, has chosen a radical way of taking its guests travelling. No need to board a plane: Cuba has come to France. For the occasion, the Montecristo becomes the Eminente. Covered with a striking trompe-l'oeil, the frontage really does give the impression that you have crossed the ocean. And yet.

An old Cadillac, of the kind still seen in the streets of Havana, is parked outside the hotel. Inside, plants, unusual props such as old suitcases, mirrors, four-poster beds and many other details complete the illusion. Book your paladar (a Cuban guest room) and give in to an atmosphere that invites you to unwind.

The decor, and a plate that is Cuban through and through

The much-praised Montecristo hotel has pulled out all the stops to make the illusion complete. Annabelle Cantarero, a Cuban chef trained at Ferrandi and owner of the Finca Tungasuk organic farm in Cuba, is exceptionally in charge of the kitchen for as long as the short-lived Eminente lasts. Her menu is traditional: grilled octopus with tropical roots, a new take on Cuban corn served with a perfect egg, moros y cristianos, suckling pig sandwich with mashed plantain, and other typical dishes whose secrets she knows inside out.

To let it all settle while listening to Cuban music, how about a seat at the hotel bar? Adrian Nino, a mixologist well known to lovers of sugar cane spirits, has put together 5 cocktails made with Eminente rum. For a night, or longer, you will feel as though you are on the small island known for its cigars and its Che.