Me was in this hotel for a week and it was GOOD! I really don't understand all the negative stories here. I also arrived there late on a prepaid reservation and the room was just there! And what a room it was: I booked a room with one bed, but there were three beds in the room and it was so big, it looked like a dancehall! And did I dance? Oh yes, there was MTV español on the televison all day! Hooray, hooray!!

I did not see any cockroaches at all, the room was very neat and cleaned every day. The maids made the most wonderful things out of the fresh and new towels: swans, flowers and even sailing boats. There were two mirrors in the room and one in the bathroom. Three mirrors in one hotel room, where on earth do you find that, eh?! In the closet I could hang my dresses and there was a safety box there and even a light. A light in a closet in Havana?! Huh, can you believe that? But it is true, saw it with my own eyes. The key was a white plastic card that you had to slide into some device and then the door opened while at the same time a green light lit up. Just like a bloody traffic light!! Holy Cow!!

At night you could hear the waves bouncing against the Malecon and the beam of the lighthouse of the Morro Castle went through the room every ten seconds or so. Not that it lighted up the whole place, but just in a right way so that it did not wake you up, but gave you a good feeling when you could not sleep. This Deauville Hotel thought of everything!

The people at the hotel were so friendly. They opened the door for me every time I walked in or out. I felt like a real queen there! And the people at the lobby bar were so nice and friendly. They were very generous with the ron (ron puro, hey hey hey!!). They served it in a whineglass, and they really filled it up! Boy, did I drink there, hey hey hey! Must be those Malecon waves. There was a fantastic band every night in the same lobby bar. Boy, did I dance there, hey hey hey!

My only negative experience was the lack of coffee during two days. But hey: that's Cuba isn't it? They had coffee though in the Hotel Lincoln, only a few blocks away (not miles, gna gna gna)

Then the safety thing: Avenida de Italia (Galiano) was packed with policemen. On every corner there were two or three of them. Never felt unsafe there.

So I say hooray to the Hotel Deauville!! Hey hey hey!!

Kisses from Amsterdam

AQ

We pre-booked and pre-paid for a room at this hotel. Upon check-in, we were informed that the hotel was full and that we would be shuttled via taxi, miles away to the Lincoln Hotel. We refused and didn't check-in. Our taxi driver refused too and ended up arguing with the hotel staff about a dubious taxi voucher he was expected to accept from them. Bottom line here is that the Deauville is into running deals with other hotels that they have pre-arranged without your knowledge. The staff that we met were generally stoned faced and unreceptive. After several visits to retrieve our money (with no luck) we were eventually given a letter by an assitant manager Martha (one of the only helpful staff there). The actual Manager hid in the back and made excuses about meetings. Anyway, we are assured that with our letter, we would be able to retrieve our money by filing a complaint action against the Deauville with VISA.

The Hotel is a good tourist deal in Havana. Keep your expectations low, and you'll have a comfortable stay!
Nice pool overlooking old Havana !
Fantastic location, right on the Malacon.
Breakfast is a "riot"..... short of everything !

Very helpful front desk !

Hum ... Our paths could have crossed (re: "Avoid at all costs"). I stayed at the Deauville Feb. 3 to Feb. 17, 2006 ...
The room was clean, though not luxurious. No cockroaches on the 11th floor. Magnificent view. Went to bed and woke up to the sound of the waves pounding the walls of the Malecon since I felt safe leaving the windows open at night.
The staff was courteous to me at all times. And competent. Especially the friendly lobby bar staff.
The food, of course, was awfull. But one does not go to Habana for the cuisine, although it had improved from my previous visit, three years ago.
This is a 3-star hotel, for heavens' sake. I've seen a lot worse, in London (on Sussex Gardens, for instance) at three times the price. And with the score of police officers on the streets at all times, its probably safer than the Paddington Station area.
If one expects 5-star accomodations and service in Habana, there are plenty of other places. And quite affordable.