This hotel has a perfect location for those who want to combine beach with history. It's only 25 minutes away from old Havana and there are free shuttle buses 3 times a day. Hotel employees are friendly and smiling except the first receptionist I saw. Their service does not depend on tips. Even if you pay don't give tips, they still serve well. Better to give tips for your heart as they are very low paid.
Rooms are clean and big enough for a comfortable stay. Rooms are also pretty quite, we had no complaint noise. Our rooms a/c was working well, however I heard in some rooms a/c broke down. It's impossible to sleep without it, if you go there in June.
Food is served in a buffet-type restaurant and 2 a-la cart restaurants. Food at the buffet-type restaurant is not the best, but ok. There are plenty of choices but few of them are vegetarian. We tried one of the a-la carte restaurants and the food was better than buffet restaurant. Service was perfect, and dinner environment was very pleasant.
Bar services are also great. There is a least one bar open at all times within the hotel.
There are plenty of activities at the hotel, best of it is the beach. Private beach is very comfortable except weekends where it gets very crowded with the local people.
This hotel is of course not the best hotel, but for the amount you pay, you get a lot more as service.

WELL i just love it u can't go wrong with the staff supper friendly the location great just 25min by bus to HAVANA and they shutll bus 3times a day well the food just ok the basic food well i travel for people see havana i just love it i will go again and again thank u for all stafff

We were a group of ten work colleagues and have to admit arriving in the pouring rain and at night did not put the best light on The Atlantico.......but dismiss all the negatives that people have written about the Hotel.........if you have booked to travel to Cuba ,hopefully you will have done some research and realise that this is a poor country and the Cubans are still very much under the Castro thumb!!!!........but this Hotel was the best,yes the rooms are a bit tired but spotlessly cleaned by the maids each day,with lovely towels put on the bed made into flower and swan shapes......yes perhaps the food was much the same on many nights,but you have to remember that the choice us tourists get is miles better than the Cubans get.
The barbecue at lunch time is well worth booking and book you must.Also one lunch time the chef did a PAELLA on the beach with SANGRIA if a bit sweet,it was great.
We did not try the Restaurant that you have to book,so cannot comment on the food from there.
It was one of our groups 40th Birthday whilst we were there and the chefs made a gorgeous cake for the celebration.The management also sent up a bottle of,what would be their Champagne,which was rather like cider,with some chocolates.What a lovely gesture and we appreciated how,for a Cuban Hotel this was very special.
The staff at the Hotel were in most cases fantastic.They were friendly,always with a smile and loved it if you tried a bit of Spanish.
A special mention has to go to the Recreation team.....thanks for all your time David,and input into the Cuban way of life. It would not be right if I did not mention our little AQUA GYM lady,so enthusiastic.....you could hear her dulcit tones calling you to the water!!!!!......those who read this and who have been to this Hotel will know exactly who I mean.Well done team ,we had a blast.
So do yourselves a favour,its a great place,but it is Cuba,so if you want a good holiday on a good budget come here!!!!........if you want Luxury,may I suggest Cuba is not for you.
I shall definitely be back,to see more of Cuba

April 3-17, 2009
The Hotel Atlántico is best suited for the budget traveler wishing easy access to Havana from an all-Inclusive beach resort. This hotel is located directly on the Santa Maria Del Mar beach, and has a free shuttle service into old Havana three times a day. Because of this great shuttle service, we spent most mornings in Havana and the hot afternoons back at the hotel, enjoying the beach and ocean - As much as we enjoyed exploring Havana, it was nice to take a break from the heat, pollution, noise, pestering Cubans, etc. This hotel was a great retreat as the Playas Del Este area is quieter than chaotic Havana, and the proximity of the ocean is a major plus. We witnessed many tourist coming from Havana by bus to use the Playas Del Este beaches, as the Havana hotels have no beaches, only pools. Apart from the wonderful beach, this hotel is bare-bones basic - we often referred to it as the Y as in YMCA. I would rate this hotel as a former 3 star property, needing renovations. However, we found it adequate for our main purpose - spending as much time as possible in Havana. Because of the Atlántico's location on the beach, almost every room has a partial view of the ocean, as well as the buffet and terrace bar areas. To the left or right of the hotel are the public beaches, which could become very busy. But the beach directly in front of the hotel was generally quiet, except for the hotel's Cuban music, which was playing most of the time. The guest at the hotel were a mix of Quebecers, Italians, Germans, and a few English speaking people mostly from the Toronto area. As far as the jineteras situation in the Playas Del Este area, it was evident at the Atlántico, although not as evident as it was at the Tropicoco Hotel down the street, where the young girls were lined up on the sidewalk after dark. Perception being reality, some guest noticed these events taking place and others didn't. Despite the big city realities, we enjoyed our trip, mostly because of the wonderful Cuban weather - 14 days of clear blue sky and 30 plus temperatures, as well as fresh breezes - those fresh breezes were especially appreciated in exhaust choked Havana. As much as we enjoyed this vacation, we would not return to the Atlántico or Havana as we prefer trying new places. I would recommend this resort if your expectations are not too high of either the Atlántico or Havana - you may want to read a Havana travel guidebook before considering this option. If you go, take the time to have a cappuccino at the Hotel Parque Central at the end of Calle Obispo - they have a very nice lobby, and very clean washrooms. If you have more time, do the same at the Hotel Nacional in Vedado, they have a beautiful patio. The Hotel Parque Central also has a nice rooftop patio that is worth visiting - a great place to wash down the Havana dust with a cold mojito.
Hola from Marc and Leesa,
Ottawa