Is Iberostar Leaving Cuba?
Iberostar is one of the best-known Spanish hotel brands in Cuba. Here's a clear answer on whether it is leaving in 2026 — which hotels it dropped, which it kept, and why.
Key Takeaways
- Iberostar stopped managing 12 Gaviota (GAESA-owned) hotels on June 1, 2026.
- It kept 6 hotels owned by Cubanacán and Gran Caribe, across Havana, Varadero, Trinidad and Cayo Guillermo.
- Its Cuban portfolio shrank from 18 to 6 managed properties.
- The trigger was the U.S. Executive Order 14404 deadline of June 5, 2026 to cut ties with GAESA, the military-run conglomerate that controls much of Cuba's tourism, finance and retail economy.
What Iberostar did
On June 1, 2026, days before the U.S. sanctions deadline, Iberostar severed its relationship with Gaviota, the tourism company controlled by GAESA, the military-run conglomerate that controls much of Cuba's tourism, finance and retail economy. It ceased managing the 12 Gaviota-owned hotels in its Cuban portfolio.
Iberostar's own Cuba website now lists just six active properties, across Havana, Varadero, Trinidad and Cayo Guillermo. Those six are owned by Cubanacán and Gran Caribe — Cuban tourism entities that are not part of GAESA — so Iberostar keeps a foothold while shedding the military-linked hotels.
Why Iberostar pulled back
The driver is U.S. Executive Order 14404, signed May 1, 2026, which froze GAESA's U.S. assets and set secondary sanctions on foreign firms that keep doing business with the conglomerate. OFAC set June 5, 2026 as the deadline to halt those relationships or risk sanctions exposure.
Because Gaviota owns a large share of Cuba's resort stock, Iberostar — like Meliá and others — chose to exit the military-owned hotels rather than jeopardise its access to the U.S. financial system, while preserving the properties it could legally keep.
What it means for guests
- Six Iberostar hotels remain in Cuba under the brand; the other 12 continue under Cuban management.
- Check your specific hotel: a booking at a former Gaviota property may no longer carry Iberostar standards.
- U.S. travellers should screen any hotel with the Prohibited Accommodations List checker — many Gaviota hotels are banned.
- Compare the wider exodus in our company exposure tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Iberostar leaving Cuba?
Partly. On June 1, 2026 Iberostar stopped managing the 12 Gaviota-owned (GAESA) hotels in Cuba to comply with U.S. Executive Order 14404, but it kept six hotels owned by Cubanacán and Gran Caribe. So it pulled back sharply from military-linked properties rather than leaving the island entirely.
How many hotels does Iberostar still run in Cuba?
Six. After dropping 12 Gaviota-owned hotels, Iberostar continues to manage six properties across Havana, Varadero, Trinidad and Cayo Guillermo that are owned by Cubanacán and Gran Caribe, entities not tied to GAESA.
Why did Iberostar drop its Gaviota hotels?
Gaviota is controlled by the Cuban military conglomerate GAESA, which was hit by U.S. Executive Order 14404. The order's secondary sanctions gave foreign firms until June 5, 2026 to end ties with GAESA, so Iberostar exited the Gaviota-owned hotels to protect its access to the international banking system.
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