PLACES TO STAY
Havana Hotels
Hostal Los Frailes
Calle Brasil between Oficios & Mercaderes, La Habana Vieja • 7862 9383 • www.habaguanexhotels.com • $$Themed as a monastery with staff that dress as monks, this hotel has cozy rooms with wrought-iron furnishings surrounding a patio. There is no restaurant, but nearby Plaza Vieja has several options.
Hotel Raquel
Amargura & San Ignacio, La Habana Vieja • 7860 8280 • www.habaguanexhotels.com • $$A stylish historic hotel with Art Nouveau decor and an excellent location just one block from Plaza Vieja. Facilities include a solarium and a gym.
Hotel Capri
Calle 21 esq. N, Vedado • 7839 7200 • www.gran-caribe.cu • $$$Reopened in 2014 after a five-year renovation, this historic hotel with mobster associations now gleams afresh. Modern amenities include Wi-Fi and a club.
Hotel Conde de Villanueva
Calle Mercaderes 202, La Habana Vieja • 7862 9293 • www.habaguanexhotels.com • $$$ 
In the heart of La Habana Vieja, the former mansion of the Count of Villanueva offers nine intimate rooms facing an airy courtyard. A cigar lounge draws serious smokers.
Hotel Florida
Calle Obispo 252, La Habana Vieja • 7862 4127 • www.habaguanexhotels.com • $$$A magnificent colonial building and a haven of peace on La Habana Vieja’s busiest street, this sumptuous hotel is centered on a courtyard. It has spacious rooms furnished in colonial style with wrought-iron beds.
Hotel Iberostar Parque Central
Calle Neptuno between Prado & Zulueta • 7860 6627 • www.iberostar.com • $$$This luxury option overlooks Havana’s liveliest square with elegant rooms that feature reproduction antiques and Wi-Fi connections. It has a classy lobby bar, two fine restaurants, boutiques, and a rooftop swimming pool. Popular with tour groups.
Hotel Nacional
Calle O & 21, Vedado • 7836 3564 • www.hotelnacionaldecuba.com • $$$Built in the 1930s, this gracious grande-dame is considered to be Havana’s top hotel. It offers four restaurants and six bars, including a lovely garden terrace bar and the Cabaret Parisien, as well as two large swimming pools. Many rooms are dowdy, so take an executive floor room.
Hotel Saratoga
Paseo de Martí 603, La Habana Vieja • 7868 1000 • www.hotel-saratoga.com • $$$The most sophisticated hotel in town, this stylish restoration of a historic hotel merges colonial and ultra-contemporary features. Rooms have DVD players, Wi-Fi connections, and posh furnishings. A fabulous restaurant, chic bar, and rooftop pool complete the picture.
Hotel Tryp Habana Libre
Calle L & Av. 23, Vedado • 7834 6100 • www.meliacuba.com • $$$The key attractions of this 1950s high-rise in the heart of Vedado include a bank, a leading nightclub, a business center, tour desks, and a pool. The refurbished rooms are comfortable and contemporary in style.
Meliá Cohiba
Paseo at Av. 1ra, Vedado • 7833 3636 • www.meliacuba.com • $$$The business hotel par excellence in Havana, this modern Spanish-run place has the best facilities in town, with deluxe rooms, excellent restaurants, and a vast swimming pool.
Town Center Hotels
Hotel Camino de Hierro, Camagüey
Plaza de la Solidaridad • 32 28 4264 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$A delightful newcomer in the heart of the historic district, this recently restored and rambling hotel has a graceful lobby and gourmet restaurant, and offers pleasantly furnished rooms with modern bathrooms.
Hotel Casa Granda, Santiago de Cuba
Calle Heredia 201 • 22 68 6600 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$This magnificent colonial-era hotel on the main square offers refurbished rooms with reproduction antique furniture and modern accoutrements. The restaurant offers gourmet cuisine, and the rooftop terrace bar offers great views and a lively social scene.
Hotel El Castillo, Baracoa
Loma de Paraíso • 21 64 5224 • www.gaviota-grupo.com • $$The place to stay for postcard views of Baracoa and the unique El Yunque mountain, the rooms in this former fortress are comfortable and well-appointed with colonial furnishings. The restaurant is one of the best state-run options in town. A pool and tour desk are bonuses. It’s only a two-minute walk into town, this involves a hike up and down a steep driveway or staircase.
Hotel E. Royalton, Bayamo
Calle Maceo 53 • 23 42 2290 • www.islazul.cu • $$Built in the 1940s, this hotel is centrally located on the main square. The air-conditioned rooms, though not fancy, are comfortable, with TVs and clean bathrooms.
Hotel Gran, Camagüey
Calle Maceo 67 • 32 29 2093 • reserva@granhotel.cmg.tur.cu • $$This is a classic hotel that has been restored to its former grandeur. The top-floor restaurant has good views and serves excellent buffets. The nicely furnished, air-conditioned rooms offer safes, satellite TVs, and modern bathrooms.
Hotel Martí, Guantánamo
Calle Calixto García at Aguilera • 21 32 9500 • $$This hotel, which opened in 2012, stands next to Plaza Martí in the heart of town. It has modestly furnished rooms with modern bathrooms, and a pleasant restaurant.
Hotel del Rijo, Sancti Spíritus
Calle Honorato del Castillo 12 • 41 32 8588 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$A delightful colonial conversion on a charming plaza, this bargain-priced option has spacious, comfortable rooms with modern marble bathrooms. A good, hearty breakfast is provided, and there is an excellent restaurant.
Hotel San Basilio, Santiago de Cuba
Calle San Basilio 403 • 22 65 1702 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$An intimate and friendly hotel close to Parque Céspedes, this colonial mansion has a restaurant and 24-hour bar, plus a patio overlooking the square. The clean rooms are simple, with phones, safes, and TVs.
Hotel La Unión, Cienfuegos
Calle 31 & Av. 54 • 43 55 1020 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$Restored to its original 19th-century glory, Hotel Unión is the town’s best. Its comfortable rooms surround a pretty courtyard with a fountain.
Hotel Vuelta Abajo, Pinar del Río
Calle Martí 103 • 48 75 9381 • $$This small, colonial-era hotel with spacious, simply furnished rooms has a no-frills restaurant and bar, plus Internet service. Rooms with a balcony cost a little more. Its downtown location is handy, but street noise can be a nuisance.
Iberostar Gran Hotel Trinidad, Trinidad
Calle Martí 262 • 41 99 6070 • www.iberostar.com • $$$This deluxe, inner-city hotel has a gleaming marble staircase leading to 45 luxurious rooms and a restaurant that is one of the finest outside Havana. Added draws include a billiards room and cigar lounge.
Rural Hotels
Hotel Hanabanilla, Sierra Escambra
Embalse Hanabanilla • 42 20 8461 • recepcion@hanabanilla.co.cu • $A stunning lakeside setting in the foothills of the Sierra Escambray make up for the dull architecture of this Soviet-inspired two-star hotel. Rooms are refurbished, with modern amenities. Local tours are offered. It can get noisy on weekends.
Motel La Belén, El Pilar
Comunidad El Pilar • 52 19 5744 • ecotur@caonao.cu • $This off-the-beaten-track hotel in Sierra del Chorillo, southeast of Camagüey city, appeals to nature lovers. The five spacious rooms have modern bathrooms, and there is a cozy lounge as well as a swimming pool.
Villa Pinares de Mayarí, Pinares de Mayarí
Loma La Mensura • 24 45 5628 • www.gaviota-grupo.com • $This charmingly Alpine-style mountain resort offers hiking, mountain biking, and bird-watching. Set amid pine forests near lakes and waterfalls, it can only be reached via a daunting unpaved road.
Horizontes Villa Soroa, Soroa
Carretera de Soroa, km 8 • 48 52 3534 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$Surrounded by forested hills, this bucolic option offers a lovely natural setting, with leafy grounds that slope down to a swimming pool. Choose from comfy cabins or spacious self-catering villas with private pools.
Hotel Las Jazmines, Viñales
Carretera a Viñales, km 23 • 48 79 6205 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$Housed in an original 1950s neo-colonial pink structure, this hotel has a spectacular hilltop setting that guarantees incredible views. Of the three room types available, the most comfortable are those in the modern annex.
Hotel La Moka, Las Terrazas
Autopista Habana-Pinar del Río, km 51 • 48 57 8602 • www.lasterrazas.cu • $$Poised over Las Terrazas village and shrouded in woodland, this colonial-themed hotel focuses on ecotourism, with a lobby that is built around a tree. The spacious rooms offer scenic forest views.
Rancho Charco Azul, Artemisa
Cayajabos, 9 miles (14km) W of Artemisa • 7649 1055 or 7204 5188 • $$A peaceful country retreat, this converted coralstone mansion is at the center of a horse-breeding facility and opened in 2016 as a eco-friendly boutique hotel with four rooms and eight chalets. Facilities include a swimming pool and dining, and horseback riding is offered.
Rancho San Vicente, Viñales
Carretera a Puerto Esperanza, km 33 • 48 79 6201 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$This refuge in a wooded valley features simple air-conditioned cabins, with porches and huge windows. A lovely restaurant overlooks the pool.
Villa Cayo Saetía, Cayo Saetía
Cayo Saetía • 24 51 6900 • www.gaviota-grupo.com • $$This beachside cabin complex is on a forested island once used for hunting by Communist officials, hence the abundance of exotic wildlife. The rustic restaurant is adorned with animal heads.
Villa Mirador de Mayabe, Mayabe
Alturas de Mayabe, km 8 • 24 42 2160 • www.islazul.cu • $$Perched atop a hill with spectacular valley views, this villa has a clifftop pool and thatched restaurant popular with tour groups and locals. The refitted cabins have air-conditioning, satellite TVs, fridges, and telephones.
Villa El Saltón, El Saltón
Carretera Filé, Tercer Frente • 22 56 6326 • www.campismopopular.cu • $$Focused on ecotourism, this riverside hotel, surrounded by forest, offers guided hikes and bird-watching trips. Rooms are simply furnished but have satellite TV. The restaurant overlooks a waterfall.
Villa San José del Lago, Yaguajay
Av. Antonio Guiteras • 41 54 6108 • www.islazul.cu • $$On the north coast road of Sancti Spíritus province, this peaceful complex features deliciously warm thermal swimming pools and a lake with rowboats and flamingos. Air-conditioned cabins are simple yet comfy. Popular with Cubans, the place comes alive on weekends.
Beach Hotels
Iberostar Daiquirí, Cayo Guillermo
Ciego de Avila, Cayo Guillermo • 33 30 1712 • www.iberostar.com • $$Modest in scale, this handsome 312-room all-inclusive resort is set in lush grounds and has a full range of watersports, plus excellent children’s facilities. It offers cabaret and other themed shows in the evenings.
Villa Maguana,
Playa Maguana
Baracoa–Moa road, km 20 • 21 64 1204 • www.gavioto-grupo.com • $$Four rustic, two-story villas sit in dense foliage close to a private cove. Rooms are simple but comfortably furnished. Playa Maguana, a palm-fringed white-sand public beach, is close by.
Blau Marina Varadero, Varadero
Punta Hicacos, Autopista del Sur Final • 45 66 9966 • www.blauhotels.com • $$$This deluxe all-inclusive resort has nautically themed decor. Rooms feature state-of-the-art amenities, and the pool has a huge spiral waterslide. However, its location at the remote eastern tip of the peninsula is a long way from town.
Brisas Trinidad del Mar, Playa Ancón
Peninsula Ancón • 41 99 6500 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$$Architecture at this modern, Neo-Classical all-inclusive hotel integrates elements inspired by the colonial buildings of nearby Trinidad. Rooms have modern amenities.
Hotel Cayo Levisa, Pinar del Rio
Palma Rubia, La Palma • 48 75 6501 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$$This hotel, on the pristine island of Cayo Levisa, is accessed by boat from the mainland. It offers three types of beachfront accommodation, including fourplex wooden villas. Guests can enjoy activities such as diving and snorkeling in calm turquoise waters. The restaurant caters to day visitors as well as guests.
Iberostar, Ensenachos
Cayo Ensenachos, Cayos Villa Clara • 42 35 0300 • www.iberostar.com • $$$This is one of Cuba’s most luxurious all-inclusive resorts, spread out over miles of grounds; as a result, many rooms are a considerable walk from the beach. A highlight is the children’s water park.
Mansión Xanadu, Varadero
Autopista del Sur, km 8.5 • 45 66 7388 • www.varaderogolfclub.com • $$$In the former mansion of the DuPont family, this deluxe hotel has six huge, marble-floored rooms with private balconies, a fine restaurant, and an atmospheric bar with live music. Guests get golf privileges at the club.
Meliá Cayo Coco, Cayo Coco
Cayo Coco • 33 30 1180 • www.meliacuba.com • $$$ A chic all-inclusive that outshines other hotels on the island. It caters to adults only, and room options include two-story cabins overhanging a natural seawater lagoon. Guests have a choice of four restaurants.
Meliá Cayo Santa María, Cayo Santa María
42 35 0200 • www.meliacuba.com • $$$Elegant and all-inclusive, with a vast pool complex, this hotel offers a choice of gourmet restaurants, lively entertainment, and plenty of water sports.
Meliá Marina Varadero, Varadero
Autopista del Sur y Final • 45 66 7330 • www.meliacuba.com • $$$Near the far eastern end of the peninsula, this sensational luxury hotel overlooks Cuba’s largest marina. It boasts beautiful rooms, multiple gourmet restaurants, and tranquil spa facilities.
Paradisus Río de Oro, Guardalavaca
Playa Esmeralda • 24 43 0090 • www.meliacuba.com • $$$This huge yet friendly all-inclusive is built around a giant swimming pool. Facilities include multiple bars, and entertainment for adults and kids.
Sol Cayo Largo, Cayo Largo
Playa Lindamar • 45 24 8260 • www.meliacuba.com • $$$A lovely all-inclusive resort on a spectacular stretch of white sand. Sol Cayo Largo has a pool and several restaurants. The rooms are painted in bright pastel colors.
Budget Hotels
Hotel Colón, Camagüey
Av. República 472 • 32 25 4878 • www.islazul.cu • $A historic hotel opened in 1926, the restored Hotel Colón has a gleaming mahogany bar, which is a great place for cocktails, while the restaurant is considered one of the city’s most elegant. One room is equipped for disabled travelers.
Hotel Rex, Santiago de Cuba
Av. Garzón 10 • 22 68 7233 • www.islazul.cu • $This historic hotel, which has been refurbished in a modern fashion, offers great value for money. It has a stylish restaurant and bar and is the only hotel in Santiago de Cuba offering Wi-Fi across its entire premises.
Motel Punta Blanca, Varadero
Av. Kawama Final • 45 66 2410 • www.islazul.cu • $Tucked away in the far west end of the peninsula, three private villas have been combined to form this budget boutique hotel. Punta Blanca is one of the best value options in Varadero.
Hotel Caribbean, La Habana Vieja
Paseo de Martí 164 • 7860 8210 • www.islazul.cu • $$This inexpensive hotel is conveniently located on Paseo de Martí in Centro Habana. The clean, air-conditioned rooms are in lively color schemes and have satellite TV. The ground-floor café opens onto the loud Paseo.
Hotel E. La Ronda, Trinidad
Calle Martí 239 • 41 99 8538 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$A remodeled colonial town house on the edge of Parque Céspedes and the colonial quarter, it offers ample comfort in 14 air-conditioned rooms with mid-20th-century decor.
Hotel E. Velasco, Matanzas
Calle Contreras 79 • 45 25 3880 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$The only hotel in Matanzas is set in a restored early 20th-century building on Parque Libertad. A small, boutique-style hotel, its rooms are attractively decorated. The restaurant is one of the better places to eat in town.
Hotel Mascotte, Remedios
Calle Máximo Gómez 114 • 42 39 5341 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$This renovated historic hotel is situated just off the main plaza. All 10 rooms have modern bathrooms, and the restaurant is one of the best in town.
Hotel Ordoño, Gibara
Calle J. Peralta between Marmól & Independencia • 24 84 4448 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$Occupying a colonial mansion in the center of town, which was recently restored, Ordoño features exquisite murals in its 21 rooms on two levels.
Hotel Terral, Centro Habana
Malecón & Lealtad • www.habaguanexhotels.com • 7860 2100 • $$Opened in 2012, this is a stylish contemporary hotel that overlooks the Malecón, and has 14 spacious rooms, complete with modern amenities.
Villa Las Brujas, Cayo Santa Maria
Cayo Las Brujas • 42 35 0025 • www.gaviota-grupo.com • $$A smart yet rustic beach hotel, Villa Las Brujas is attractively laid out along a wooden walkway that runs from the marina to the beach. Many of the simply furnished wooden bungalows overlook the sea. Resort facilities include two Jacuzzis, a restaurant with sea views, and access to a narrow but long beach.
Villa Los Caneyes, Santa Clara
Av. de los Eucaliptos • 42 21 8140 • www.hotelescubanacan.com • $$Popular with tour groups, this hotel on the outskirts of town has comfortable, octagonal, thatched cabins with air conditioning and satellite TV. The elegant restaurant has buffet and à la carte meals. A poolside fashion show is held each evening.
Private Room Rentals
Casa Beny, Varadero
Calle 55 124 • 45 61 1700 • www.benyhouse.com • $It was only in 2011 that private room rentals were legalized in Varadero. Of the many that popped up, Casa Beny stands out. It offers every comfort, plus delicious meals prepared by the attentive owners, a beautifully landscaped garden, and even parking.
Casa Caridad, Camagüey
Calle Oscar Primelles No. 310A • 32 29 1554 • abreucmg@enet.cu • $Run by a lovely hostess, this place has three identical bedrooms along a corridor that opens out into the family lounge, and a patio, where meals are served beneath an arbor.
Casa Colonial Maruchi, Santiago de Cuba
Calle Hartmann (San Félix) 357 • 22 62 0767 • maruchib@yahoo.es • $At one of the city’s most professionally run casas particulares, two guest rooms feature colonial-period furniture and share a bathroom; a third has a private terrace. A gorgeous basset hound roams the delightful central patio.
Casa Colonial Muñoz, Trinidad
Calle Martí 401 • 41 99 3673 • www.casa.trinidadphoto.comA spacious 18th-century home full of antiques is run by the knowledgeable and friendly Muñoz family, who speak English and can assist travelers. Each of the three bedrooms has a private bathroom. Delicious dinners are also served to guests.
Casa Font, Trinidad
Calle Gustavo Izquierdo 105 • 41 99 3683 • www.casafonttrinidad.jimdo.com • $This enormous 18th- century family home is stunningly furnished with beautiful Spanish colonial heirlooms. One of the rooms features an elegant bed decorated in mother-of-pearl. Friendly host Beatriz serves breakfast in the patio garden.
Casa de Jorge Coalla, Havana
Calle 1 456, Vedado • 7832 9032 • www.havanaroomrental.com • $A friendly family hosts visitors in this two-room casa particular superbly located in Vedado close to key sites and a good choice of restaurants. The spacious, air-conditioned rooms are well-equipped, and the bathrooms have lots of hot water.
Casa de Juan Sánchez, Cienfuegos
Av. 8 #3703 • 43 51 7986 • casa juanche@nauta.cu • $Dramatic Modernist architecture is the appeal of this 1950s home in the Punta Gorda district. The single bedroom is cross-ventilated and has a well-kept bathroom.
Hostal del Ángel, La Habana Vieja
Calle Cuarteles 118 • 7860 0771 • www.pradocolonial.com • $This delightful, homely option occupies a restored colonial town house on the edge of La Habana Vieja. The period furnishings are a highlight, as are the balconies, and a spiral staircase leads to a library.
Hostal El Chalet, Remedios
Calle Brigadier González 29 • 42 39 6538 • $This well-maintained 1950s home very close to the main square has two bedrooms. The one upstairs has a lounge, large bathroom, and an independent entrance. The other room has a smaller bathroom.
Villa Liba, Holguín
Calle Maceo 46 • 24 42 3823 • marielayoga@cristal.hlg.sld.cu • $A short walk from both downtown and the Loma de Cruz, this 1950s house is owned by a well-educated, friendly couple. The two spacious guest rooms have period furnishings and are air-conditioned. Hearty meals are served on the patio. It has secure parking.
Price Categories
For a standard double room per night (with breakfast if included), taxes, and extra charges.
$under CUC$50$$CUC$50–150$$$over CUC$150
