I stayed at the Melia Cohiba with a group of 35. This is by far the most modern and deluxe hotel in the city. Rooms are well maintained and even the smaller ones were a good size. Staff was helpful and attentive.
A few drawbacks: parts of the hotel look like they need a fresh coat of paint. The pool area in particular needed some new equipment and the sunshades were moldy. The other downside is that it is far from the attractions of the city (by this I mean a ten minute cab ride at most). From other hotels you can walk out the door and be in the middle of everything; the Melia Cohiba is next to the Riviera and the Malecon, but otherwise somewhat off the beaten track.
Next time I go to Cuba (?) I might try the Parque Central.

We stayed at the Melia Cohiba as part of a 2 week holiday twinned with Melia Cayo Coco.
This was booked through Thomas Cook. Our Thomas Cook Rep in Havana was good, she arranged for us fantastic seats at Club Tropicana, Taxis are reliable and fairly cheap from the hotel . Front of desk was OK, although was charged extra for using the safe in the room. The room was very big with great views of the city, it was cool and comfortable, large clean bathroom ... Room maid was lovely and although we had been warned to beware of staff stealing, we didn't come accross this at all.
Pool area is really nice, although food around the pool is basic and quite expensive. Ate at the Itallian in the hotel, service was good and food quite good.

Breakfast at the buffet was varied with lots of hot and cold choices.

Havana was a real culture shock to me, I loved the buildings and the ambience of the place but as a Western tourist, i felt a bit vulnerable ... I felt that everyone was out to take money from you, you were constantly offered dodgy money exchanges, dodgy 'cigars' -- made out of banana leaves .. whilst walking through the main square, we were accoted by people who wanted us to give them money to take photographs of them, this side of the City really put a downer on the trip for me.

We also got taken in by a couple who tried to con us out of money by taking us to a supposedly fantastic local salsa bar to have mojitos, ofcourse we were paying!! I won't go into the ins and out of it but i would say to beware anyone who approaches you, no matter how ordinary they look!

All in all Havana was a good experience, i have done it and i don't intend to go back again but if you are going, i think the Melia Cohiba is a good base

We booked a room through Nash travel and were upgraded to a Suite. Which was very nice considering we had booked an agency rate which was way below the hotel’s regular rate?

Si9nce we are members of SOL MELIA's MAS program, we could check in at the hotels VIP check in desk which is less busy.

The room although outdated was large with a huge all around window. The View was amazing, of the Malecon and the Capitolio.

Staff was nice and friendly. Buffet breakfast which was included in our rate was served in a lovely restaurant. Seating was not a problem as at the Nacional hotel, which was ridiculous.
The pool area and the pool itself were massive and clean. We only tried the lobby bar and another restaurant/bar in the lobby with a piano, both were OK, given this is Cuba. I tried the gym as well and it was not bad, with free weights and some nautilus equipment.

I would recommend this area, but since we liked the Vedado area, we had to take a taxi from the hotel each time. The trick is not to take the taxi’s parked outside the hotel as they were charging $5 for a short ride. We would walk out a little and take regular taxis for $3.00 instead.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

I stoped here with my Wife for 4 days on a trip to Cuba, The hotel comes accross as a business hotel, rather than a tourist one, and as such has slick and efficient service.

For me this was a good base for a trip to Havana, although it is a little out of the centre (5 mins by taxi) The hotel has a good Bar and restaurant for Breakfast, Dinner, Snacks or a Night cap.

The rooms are clean and well serviced, as are all the public areas including the well equiped Gym and Pool area.

I would recomend the Melia to anyone whom fancies a trip to havana, but dosent mind stopping out of centre