My family and i went to Cuba in the summer of 2005. we had decided to stay for 3 days in havan first and chose the nacional de cuba on high regard from our travel agent. We always check reveiws before we go on our holidays and to be honest we were dreading the nacional because of some of the reveiws we had read. We got there and were pleasantly surprised, its an old but beautfilly elegant hotel with a load of hisotry which, for me was fascinating. You are right in the heart of havana in a national landmark. The hotel is stunning to look at from the outside, and whilst the rooms were slightly small, they were more than adaquate on a basis of two sharing - and anyway...you don't go to havana to stay in your room constantly. i was only ever in there to get ready and to sleep and it was fine for that.
the food was lovely....a wide variety and a beautiful restaurant which did not bore......also the omelates they amke you in the morning to your request wewre cooked to perfection! try the ciban restaurant as well....that was gorgeous in the gardens of the hotel.
there are two pools....the first is fairly small but the next is tucked round the corner from this and is a sun trap as an area....beatuful and there is a bar right next to it.
i would strongly recomend the tour of the hotel, it tought me a lot about the missile crisis and ou visit all sorts of places in the hotel which are truly fascinating such as the underground walk ways used for safety and the amazing private rooms that would be used for the american maffia.
Yes, the decor is outdated but the charm would be lost if it was modernised, it is spotlessly clean and tidy and the decor just added to the cooky charm of this place.
all in all an amzing 3 days stay, an eye opener and a beatiful city - amazing weather, a tour around havana and the club tropicana are must-sees!

My husband and I have just returned from a week at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba and feel we must totally refute the negative comments we have read regarding this hotel.
The hotel is beautiful, historically fascinating and very comfortable. Our room was large and very well appointed (the basket full of toiletries in the bathroom included toothbrushes, combs, aftershave and cologne as well as the usual shampoo etc) It was also kept spotlessly clean by a constantly smiling housemaid.
Apart from one member of staff on the concert booking desk who was a little offhand, ALL the remaining staff were very friendly, polite and helpful.
We ate mainly in the main restaurant which is a little more expensive than the others but worth it. Our only critiscism was the lack of variety in the vegetables that accompany the main courses. Wine was the usual hotel prices, but all other drinks very reasonable.
The Hotel Nacional is, in my opinion, wonderfully situated, overlooking the sea and set in extensive gardens. The walk along the sea front into old Havana took about 20 minutes along the sea wall, but taxis were also plentiful and very cheap.
In conclusion, our memories of our first visit to Cuba are of happy, smiling people, wonderful music and a hotel that more than fulfilled our expectations. We are already planning our return and will definitely be staying at The Hotel Nacional de Cuba.

I won't go on about this hotel suffice to say if you want friendly, helpful service then just don't go. There are mucher nicer hotels in the old quarter. At the Nacional you are in the middle of nowhere. Everywhere is a cab trip away. The service was too surly and unhelpful for words. I have been to Cuba twice and have stayed at the Paradisus Rio de Oro a truly 5* hotel. The Nacional I would grudgingly rate as a 3*. I know the old saying of you pays your money and you takes your choice, but this hotel has 5* prices that it certainly does not live up to.

I checked The Trip Advisor before I left for Havana for the 5th time in the last 4 years and my first stay at the National. After reading some of the negative reports from various other Trip Advisors I was caught off guard by the terrific friendly and helpful staff working at the hotel. I am a firm believer that what you give out comes back to you. Those of you that feel that the staff are unfriendly and miserable must have forgotten about the golden rule, "Treat others as you would like to be treated!" I run across many of you in everyday life. You would be surprised how a smile and warm hello go a long way in developing a friendly relationship! Give these wonderful people a break!
I stayed at the National with four friends that flew over from Australia (I came from B.C. Canada) - we all very much enjoyed the stay at the hotel. Of course it's not what you would expect of a five star in Canada or the US. It's old but my room was clean and comfortable. Food in Cuba usually isn't that great but I don't travel to the country for fancy cuisine, I go to Cuba to enjoy the history and the atmosphere of the music, dance and wonderful Cuban people. Don't worry, the food is just fine. On my next trip I will stay at the hotel without reservation of what to expect.