- There are hotel tours which retired Cuban university professors are guiding since it is accepted as historic monument!

- Do not expect 5 star hotel standards, clean bed, toilet paper, basic furnature is all you going to get

- Do reserve a room with ocean view, it is amazing!

- Two pools, good for sunbathing, refreshing but not luxury

- Food- Like anywhere in Cuba. If you are picky you may leave the restaurant with an empty stomach. Fresh orange juice is a bonus

- I was lucky enough to watch a Compay Segundo( from buena vista social club) performance.

- Garden is the best part of this hotel, not because it is well designed but has many funny birdys flying around, malecon view and it is giving you the chance of seeing this building in its full glory

- Very sweet hotel maids, always helpful, they are writing thank you letters before you leave...

Overall, the hotel is very impressive.

Location:
Perfect with great views out to sea and back across to the harbour. 5 min cab ride into town (Plaza Vieja) costs 5 CUC

Rooms:
My boyfriend and I stayed here for 1 night at the start of and 3 nights at the end of our 2 week holiday in Cuba. Our first room, 826, was small and dark with only 1 small window but clean enough. Our second room, 441 was ten times better! It was a corner room with views of the large pool to one side and the sea on the other with another large window in the huge bathroom. We paid the same rate for both.

Bars:
The terrace bar is great for a few chilled cocktails before or after a night out in Havana.

Restaurants:
- The breakfast selection is good - fresh juice, eggs, fruit, bread and even pasta and chick peas! I am a veggie and there was loads of choice.
- I didn't eat in any of the other hotel restaurants as we much preferred eating out in Habana Vieja but we did order pizza via room service one eve which was okay and not expensive at 7 CUC for a pizza. It's the same food as served in El Rincon Del Cine (24 hour cafe tucked away in the basement) so if you have a good room you'll probably prefer to eat there.
- The outdoor cafe by the main pool does a great veggie baguette for 5 CUC

Suncream:
The shop in the basement only sells one type of suncream and its rubbish! Its says factor 4 but is really about an 8 or 12. Buy loads before you go there.

Would definitely go back and stay there if I could guarantee the second room!

This was mine and my boyfriends second visit to Havana, we had previously visited this hotel and dreamt of staying here. This year, we did exactly that and it was amazing! our room was huge, wonderfully clean and had a good view.
All areas of the hotel were clean and the terrace bar did fab daiquiri's!
All staff we spoke to were friendly and spoke enough English to help (our Spanish could only get us so far!)
We were lucky enough to see Buena Vista Social Club, which was an amazing night, great music and dancing! We also went to Parisian, which whilst not as showy as Tropicana was also a good night!
We loved this hotel and when we go back (if we are lucky enough to) will definately stay here again!

My Mom and I (aged 17) stayed at the Hotel Nacional for four days during the week of March 18-22. We absolutly loved it. Any one who post bad review about this place must be used to living in a mansion with people waiting on you hand and foot. The building is amazingly beautiful and staff very friendly (except for the check in, they are very unfriendly and unhelpful, but everyone else is great. We got to become friends with our maid and even exchanged mailing addresses. The staff at the pool side cafe is very good and the 'local information' guy that sells maps/postcards/posters in the lobby is great. He helped us organize going to a baseball game). Each day you get to have the buffet breakfest, which has everything you could imagen. We stayed in a resort in varadero after this hotel and the nacional actaully had better breakfest then the resort. The pool is a tad cool, but still quite nice. There are loads of loungers which you are welcome to move around if you want more sun/shade. There are loads of bars all around the hotel for if you want a drink as well. My favorite place of the hotel is on the point overlooking the malecon (road way and ocean point below). There are tables and chairs where you can get a drink or read your book while enjoying the amazing view. The grounds are kept imaculate and there are peacocks roming around. I am in love with this hotel and it has a great location (only 5 converatble peso's, including tip, to old havana - you can walk to many places as well). I cannot wait to go back to Havana and would deffintily stay here again! I highly recommend it.

PS - bring gifts for the maids, they are very appriechiative (much more than those in varadero who are richer). They really need pain medication!