Groundbreaking is expected in the near future on the Carbonera Country Club project in Cuba.

The €350 million development, being backed by UK developer Esencia Hotel & Resorts, includes an eighteen hole golf course, designed by Bob Hunt of PGA Design Consulting. Cuba currently has only one golf course, at Varadero, but is widely perceived as a destination of great potential, given the recent thaw in relations with the US.

Esencia CEO Andrew Macdonald said:  “Cuba is the ‘true’ Caribbean because of its rich and vibrant culture, its diverse and stunning scenery, and its well-established infrastructure and services. Carbonera will be the first truly integrated golf resort in Cuba, and we believe that there is potential to develop many more resorts across the island.”  The 150 acre Carbonera site overlooks the Florida Straits. 

Bob Hunt said:  “The PGA has worked with the Ministry of Tourism for a number of years helping define the potential of Cuban golf.  We are delighted to be associated with this landmark development as Cuba has tremendous potential to become the next hotspot for golf.” The project is currently awaiting final planning consent, and groundbreaking will follow shortly afterwards.

Esencia and its Cuban partner Palmares have also signed a letter of intent to develop a second golf resort at Rancho Luna in the south of the island facing the Caribbean. The site, which forms a peninsula, has rolling topography and a class A beach within its boundaries.