We stayed in this hotel from 5th to 8th August (before moving on to the Blau Varadero) and we really loved it. We booked through the Holiday Place and met our rep the morning after we got there. He was great and gave us fantastic tips and advice and was very clear.

We chose it primarily because of the reviews on here but also because it has a lovely pool whereas several of the hotels we considered for Havana don’t have pools. And trust me, after a day of trekking around Havana you really appreciate that dip in the pool at the end of the day!

Checking in was a bit slow but only because everyone seemed to arrive at the same time! I guess its just that after hours of travelling you just want to get settled but it can’t be helped and the reception staff were very friendly and helpful.

Our room was lovely, it was on the corner of the hotel so we had a double aspect over looking the park (Parque Central) on side and the road on the other. I was totally mesmerised just looking out of the window at people going by! The Hotel Inglaterra was about 100m away right opposite our window just to give you a sense of direction and distance.

The room was clean, bright, big and charming. It had everything we needed. We were so impressed. After reading about Cuba and how poor it is in parts we were very pleased. Yes, it is grand and opulent and quite unlike the streets of cuba as such, but we loved it. Breakfast was amazing with everything you could possibly think of – fruit, cereals, pastries, cold meats and cheeses, eggs, bacon, sausages, omelettes prepared on request etc etc.. I have missed loads of stuff out! There is Champagne too if you are feeling extravagant!

We ate a meal on the rooftop the day we got there as we didn’t arrive until 6pm and after we had unpacked we were really tired. The view up there is fantastic and you really feel like you are in Havana – it overlooks the Capital building as I am sure you have seen from the photos. The food we had was one of our best meals in Cuba. Nothing flash, just some pork and chicken skewers, but it was lovely. The drinks were great and the waiters were very friendly and provided great service despite being rushed off their feet!

The evening we arrived a member of staff also brought a bottle of wine to our room. What a lovely touch!

You can change money in the lobby of the hotel and I would recommend you do this if you are new to Cuba. Some friends we met while traveling there used the local bank and didn’t go back. Don’t get me wrong, nothing happened to them, it was just easier and more convenient, and they felt happier to use the hotel’s money exchange – the difference in exchange rate really was just a matter of pence!

I believe you will love this hotel - we just couldnt fault it at all!