was completely supprised by this hotel, amazing, down to every last detail, was told you could not get 5* quality in cuba but this proves there wrong
the only draw back is that its not central

World-Class Hotel in Havana

I was warned before coming to Havana that ‘high Western standards’ do not apply in Cuba. Luckily for me, the Melia Cohiba is one of the more modern, convenient and well-serviced hotels in Havana. I would highly recommend the Melia Cohiba, Vedado to anyone visiting Cuba.

Positives: Great service generally, especially the concierge. Pool and surrounding area (including gym) are huge and beautiful. Room service is prompt and reasonably priced. Maids are excellent and trustworthy. Hotel is very well-located for restaurants, jazz clubs and the boardwalk (called the ‘Malecon’). There is both a supermarket (not well-stocked) and an excellent jazz club called the ‘Jazz Café’ directly across the street from the Melia Cohiba. Although the hotel is relatively far from Old Havana, we made good use of the free, reliable hotel shuttle service almost everyday during our six-day stay.

Negatives: My one complaint about the hotel is the business centre, which is not well-staffed and is overpriced. It is also important to keep in mind that the hotel has not been renovated or upgraded in several years, so the room décor feels outdated.

General Havana tips: It is a good idea to stock up on water at the supermarket as bottled water is better-priced at the market than at the hotel. Do not expect to buy any American-made goods, produce or fresh bread at the supermarket – like most stores in Havana, it is very low on goods. You can play tennis for Cdn$5 at the Hotel Nacional . We brought our own tennis racquets and balls so did not have to pay rental fees.

Beach tips: There are no beaches in Havana proper. We found a reasonably priced (Cdn$25 return) taxi driver to bring us to two beaches in the east: Playa Megano and Santa Maria del Mar. Megano was less crowded and had an excellent live band. Santa Maria was livelier, more popular among Cubans, but much windier.

Restaurant tips: Great restaurants where we generally ordered fish: Paladeria “Las Tres B” (Calle 21 No. 164 Altos, between K and L, Vedado), La Floridana (Hotel Florida, Calle Obispo 252), El Mercurio Café (Plaza de San Francisco – great for breakfast), La Taberna de la Muralla (Plaza Vieja), El Conejito (Calle M, between 17 and 19).

Great jazz and other clubs: La Zorra y el Cuervo Jazz Club (Calle 23 and O, Vedado), Jazz Café (across the street from the Melia Cohiba), El Meson de la Flota (Mercaderes 257).

Tips for a future trip: There is a Cdn$10 fee to use the minibar in the hotel room, regardless of whether you consume any minibar items. If you decide to pay for minibar access, you might as well consume Cdn$10 worth of items to make it worth your while (we did not). Two restaurants we did not have a chance to try: La Rocca (Vedado) and Los Nardos (near the Capitolio).

We stayed at the Melia Cohiba as part of a twin centre holiday with Melia Cayo Guillermo.

Fantastic hotel. Our room was excellent and the staff were very friendly. Good choice of bars and restaurants. An ideal location in Havana.

Another reviwer stated that the maids at Melia Cohiba are thieves. This is a gross generalisation. My wife left her watch in our room and we realised once we'd left Havana. However, the maid handed it into reception and it was sent onto us in the Cayo's. Therefore, it's a shame to cast the maids as thieves.

The Cohiba was not my hotel of choice. Would have preferred the N H PARQUE, but purchased a combo package with Varadero and could not substitute. Is situated in close proximity of the Malecon and that was (for us) the only attraction. It is otherwise a high rise, modern complex compareable to any of its' kind in other western cities we have travelled to. Found it very clean and service somewhat impersonal. We were kept waiting to check in while the attendant carried on a very lengthy personal conversation on the phone after our very slow ride from Varadero. I know, I speak fluent Spanish. So, I was not amused while she carried on and on......Was so tempted to say something but I have a thing about starting something on a negative note.

Breakfast buffet (INCLUDED) was very good but ordered a hamburger with fries (5 to be exact) to share with my spouse and two ginger ales by the pool on our last afternoon, 20.00 CUC'S. Very pricey. The other interesting aspect of the hotel was the view of the ocean and Havana. Havana was definitely a bitter sweet experience . A crumbling city that has stood still in time. Yet one cannot help but appreciate its' old world charm (WHAT IT COULD BE) and extraordinary people with amazing spirit. Took a long walk on the Malecon one night. It looked intimidating but the Cubans were friendly. There were small parties with people singing and dancing. Quite a unique experience. I wanted to see Havana before there is a MacDonald's on every corner. Just watch the pot holes when walking at night. Don't forget the street lighting is not very bright. Took a tour of all the Havana sights. Very interesting just very hot. The city is not dirty in the sense that there is garbage visible but obviously the smell is noticeable on a hot day due to the very outdated sewage system and a growing population. A city of contradictions- beauty, sadness, but unlike anything you will ever see. Keep an open mind and enjoy!!