Maverick hotel group Aparium was the first upscale full service brand to bet on these places, having opened eight independent and authentic hotels in overlooked markets like Kansas City, MO (Crossroads Hotel), Topeka, KS (Cyrus Hotel), Detroit, MI (Detroit Foundation Hotel), Montclair, NJ (The MC Hotel), and Minneapolis, MN (Hewing Hotel). The next destination the group has its eyes on is Ybor City with the Haya Hotel.
On August 12, the company unveiled an ambitious pipeline of six new hotels to open by early-2022. It’s the boldest vision for any independent brand at the most challenging time in the history of hospitality.
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The Hotel Haya, designed by Alfonso Architects Incorporated will transform Ybor City into 1950s Havana, known as the golden age for the city.
How did the Hotel Haya come together?
The adaptive reuse of two distinctive buildings combined with a smart new build, Hotel Haya captures the exuberant Cuban, Italian, and Spanish influences of the famed Ybor City neighborhood.
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The rooms are lush. The “mid-century Cuban” guestrooms will feature period fabrics and colors, along with locally made glass bulbs blown at the Morean Arts Center. that pay homage to Ybor’s famous streetlights.
Exposed brick walls, a giant neon “HAYA” sign, and classic art –including four massive Goya reproductions – will complement the exceedingly energetic and joyous colors.
Dining includes Flor Fina, with “coastal Mediterranean meets Gulf Coast” cuisine: Quiquiriqui, a smart Cuban cafe and neighborhood gathering spot that translates as “the call of the rooster.”
The hotel features 178 rooms making it the largest property in Aparium’s portfolio. Hotel Haya is set to open on September 24.
Bookings now live here.
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