The Hotel Inglaterra is definitely run down.
The breakfast was poor, and the service in the cafe area outside is terrible.
The lift did not work and we had to walk up two flights of steep stairs to our rooms.
We were given poor rooms to begin with (double beds when we had requested twins) These were changed, but one of them had no window.
The noise from the adjoining nightclub acdross the street during the night was terrible. Thee was a lot of shouting and people moving furniture to barricade the door of the nightclub in the early hours of the morning.

Middle age men use the hotel for their "escorts"

We spent the first two nights here at the start of a 2 week touring holiday in Cuba - staying at 5 hotels in all. We spent the first hour of our time at the Inglaterre on the second floor balcony - this one (opposite the central walkway of the park) probably the best situated in any of the hotels around Park Central, just soaking up the atmosphere.

Almost next to the Capitol Building and beside the Grand Theatre, the area in front of the Hotel provides the parking and starting points for an array of vinage Ameriacn taxis, open top Cadillacs, Cocotaxis, and Bicitaxis. Add to that the constant stream of pedestrains crossing the Park and it seems one of the best places to look down on life in a thoroughly distinctive city.

Of course this brings a degree of street noise - even behind thick wooden shutters. So if peace and quiet are high priority this is not your ideal starting point. But if you wish to know from the beginning that you're in Havana and not in Halifax or Hemel Hempstead It's well worth trying - making sure you ask for a room at the front.

You'd probably get a better tiled bathroom in a Travel Lodge in either of those other places - but nowhere near such an historic or tastefully decored breakfast area in most parts of this country.

Otherwise - our room was spacious tastefully decorated and well furnished - in all a great starting point to sample Cuba.

I have to say the Inglaterra lives upto many of the poor reviews. Yes, it is the oldest hotel in Havana and the public areas are grand in a historic rather than opulent sense. However you don't (normally) sleep in the lobby. I was checked into a room in the centre of the hotel which was dark and dingy. there were no windows (the only opening was onto an interior space) and the blinds would not open. I would have had to survive on the 60 watt lightbulb all week. The shower was not attached to the wall and you had to hose yourself down.I was able to be moved the following evening when I got a room right on the front of the hotel. Very noisy and somewhat better but still more hostel than 4 star hotel. The tiles are missing and cracked in the bathroom. There are chunks out of the plaster and two days there was no hot water. I have attached a picture of the bathroom. I understand the things that are going on in Cuba and the difficulties but unfortunately the standard of the accomodation was poor. On the positive side you are in the best possible spot and many of the staff are extremely pleasant and helpful.

Stayed here recently for 3 nights, the best thing about the hotel is the location. Most of the attractions are within walking distance and Floridita's, the best bar in cuba is just 2-3 min walk away. Although the walls and the tiling needed a bit of work, otherwise the rooms were clean. We had a room with a balcony overlooking the street and was quite nice. The AC worked well albeit some noise. As for the service in the restaurants, its a mixed review. If looking forward to staying in a national monument, this is worth it otherwise the parque central down the road looks like a much better option.