El Senador
Encyclopedia
Cayo Coco
Cayo Coco is an island in central Cuba, well known for its luxurious all inclusive resorts. It lies within the Ciego de Ávila Province and is part of a chain of islands called Jardines del Rey . The cay is administered by the Morón municipality. It is named for the white ibis, locally called Coco...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. It was owned as a joint venture between Cubanacan, a Cuban tourism company, and a syndicate of Canadian businesses. In December 2005 the Canadians sold their interest to an Anglo-Dutch syndicate, and the owners engaged the Spanish group NH Hotels as operator. The resort was renamed the NH Krystal Laguna Villas and Resort, until December 2010, when NH ceased to manage it.
When it opened, it was the largest hotel in Cuba; it remains one of the largest hotels, with almost 700 rooms.
Former NHL star and captain of the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, Serge Savard
Serge Savard
Serge Aubrey "The Senator" Savard, OC, CQ is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman, most famously with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League . He is also a local businessman in Montreal, and is nicknamed the Senator.-Playing career:Savard played minor league hockey with the...
, was part owner. The name "El Senador" was a reference to his nickname "Le Senateur" (The Senator).
The hotel lies along a beach with 600m of white sands and tropical water. There is a nearby coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
and located within the resort grounds is a natural lagoon. Some of the villas are situated on the lagoon, which is crossed by pontoon walkways.
There are four swimming pools (one specially designed for kids), amusement areas for the family and gardens. Neaerby there are shops featuring local artists, cigar stores and souvenir stores. There are also several restaurants featuring a variety of foods, including Italian, Chinese, Cuban as well as two buffets and a steakhouse.
The company which owns the hotel continues to be named El Senador S.A.