Melia Hotels International isn’t resting on its Cuban laurels.

The company, which arrived in Cuba more than three decades ago, now has 34 hotels in 8 Cuban destinations, making it the largest foreign hotel company in the country.

And Marti Aragones, who oversees Melia Cuba’s Canadian operation, says further growth is in store for the Spanish firm, with both more beach and urban properties planned.

“We will be adding, starting July 1, the Melia Costa Rey in Cayo Coco, and two more hotels next winter, one in Havana and one in Varadero,” he reports.

Cayo Coco is one of a number of islands off Cuba’s north coast that are seeing the building of resorts, with those islands known for their white-sand beaches and strikingly blue water.

Varadero in turn remains Cuba’s biggest tourism destination, while Cuban tourism officials routinely promote Havana to history and culture enthusiasts.

Melia now has four city hotels in Cuba, two in the Cuban capital.

Aragones says that last winter’s addition of the Melia Trinidad Peninsula in the city of Trinidad means Melia now “covers the main (tourist) destinations” throughout the Caribbean’s largest country.

Melia arrived in Cuba in 1990 when it opened the Sol Palmeras in Varadero, becoming the first foreign lodging company to put its name on a hotel in post-revolution Cuba. The company has been steadily adding hotels and resorts in the Latin nation since.

“We are the leading hotel company in Cuba, offering a wide range of hotels for all clients — adults-only, families, golf, etc. — all over the island of Cuba,” Aragones states.

Meanwhile, Aragones reports that Melia’s Cuban hotels enjoyed a good winter and the company expects this summer to be the equal of last summer, with Canada being its main market.

He adds that Cuban tourism has a number of aces up its sleeve, pointing to a good ratio of “quality to price, service and of course beaches.”

Melia’s Aragones again reaches some high ground

Everest Base Camp latest lofty site visited

Melia Hotels International’s Marti Aragones seemingly just can’t get enough of the high life. The adventurous Aragones, who oversees Melia’s Canadian operation, last year climbed Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa.

And this year he once again sought out lofty terrain, making the lengthy trek this spring with a group to Nepal’s Everest Base Camp, found at over 5,300 meters above sea level.

Everest Base Camp hosts climbers who stay there for long periods to adjust to thinner air before attempting to scale Everest.

“It was on my bucket list for a long time,” Aragones says of the camp. “I love nature, and the outdoors, and Everest Base Camp is a very special hike, a great combination of mountains, religion and nature.”

Aragones and his fellow trekkers met climbers who had summited Everest during their time at the camp.

He says trekking in the towering Himalayas was well worth it, advising people to “follow your dreams. The harder the challenge, the greater the reward.”

Meanwhile, Aragones says he’s continuing to set his holiday sights skyward.

“We are thinking about climbing Aconcagua (the Argentinian mountain that is the highest peak in the Americas) or hiking to (Pakistan’s) K2 Base Camp in Karakoram,” he reports. “One thing is for sure, we will go back to the mountains.”