If for whatever reason you do find yourself staying in the Tryp Havana Libre, it is best NOT to visit the Hotel Nacional, just a couple of blocks away; you will find yourself disgruntled and spend the rest of your stay wondering why on earth you've been plonked in the Havana Libre and not the Nacional. From the mostly grumpy staff to the shadeless and unwelcoming swimming pool, via the dodgy food, it's hard to find a good reason to stay in this hotel, other than Havana itsef is so worth a visit that untimately it doesn't really matter where you sleep. On the plus side,- the rooms were large and clean and the beds comfy, the fridge was cold and the aircon worked. The views were great from the fifteenth floor and if you like that sort of thing then the lifts were the only ones I've known to leave your stomach behind and make your ears pop. But there is no doubt that there are far nicer hotels in Havana for the same price and next time we'd stay in one of them instead. One of our party came down with a stomach bug and whilst it would be hard to prove that he picked it up at the Havana Libre, the fact that on one occasion the breakfast milk was (very) sour and that for every good pat of butter you have to discard a rancid one...causes us to have our suspicions, namely the whitebait at breakfast which he alone ate (thank goodness said the rest of us). Still as I've said Havana is so interesting that anywhere is better than nowhere and the Havana Libre was just about OK for the four nights we stayed there.







