Have recently returned from a week in Havana - staying at the Hotel Telegrafo. Before I go any further I must say that Havanva is a must see - an absolutley amazing place.

Back to the hotel.
The Hotel Telegrafo is located in an ideal spot for those wanting to see the heart of Havana. Right on central park it is within easy walking distance of many of the sights to be seen in both central Havana and Havana veija with taxis outside if you dont want to walk. The inside is not as grand or trendy as some of the reviews I had read seemed to make out but certainly there was nothing to complain about on the decor front. Our room was unfortunately facing the inside of the building overlooking the bar and could get quite noisy when the live entertainment was playing, but was clean and comfortable albeit tepid showers became quite common. The staff were a mixed bag. The maid was excellent, providing a few towel swans along the way. It was my birthday whilst there and without prompting a bottle of wine and some sweets were delivered to our room to wish me Happy Birthday. On the flip side some never smiled, reception was the hardest work - dont ever have a message left there - they deny ever having them, one person was told there was no message yet he could see it on their desk. On the food front - we had an evening meal there once and wouldn't again, breakfast was better and consists of fruit, freshly cooked eggs, pastries and bread and a variey of hot and cold pasta. Be warned though that finding a table can be a bit tricky as can getting a cup of coffee - that depends on what staff are working.

Overall
A hotel that is value for money, perfectly acceptable and in a good location.

On our arrival we checked in quickly without incident. Our room was exactly what we requested, with a great view of Parque Central and the Prado. The room was spotless, the showers had hot running water, the sheets and towels were clean. The TV had numerous English channels to choose from. There was plenty of space to store clothing and other essentials.

The staff was helpful, although we had difficulty arranging a tour as the tour guide was late coming to work. So we went across the street to the Hotel Parque Central and booked easily with their agent. The staff at the Hotel Parque Central was also very professional. The tour agent spoke perfect English and was very warm and friendly. We also exchanged our money at Hotel Parque Central at a better rate than Telegrafo. We did not see this as an issue as the hotels are only steps away from each other.

The buffet breakfast at Telegrafo is fair to good. It included freshly made eggs, pancakes (a little chewy), French toast (good), Cuban sausage (tasty), sliced cheese and cold cuts, a variety of bread (all good), and a variety of salads that few people touched (perhaps because they looked like they were made with mayo-don't know for sure but that is why I avoided them). The menu didn't appear to vary the whole week we were there. But the service was good, with coffee and tea served at your table. We ate a burger at the bar for lunch - the best I have ever tasted.

One night we decided to eat on their terrace (choked a bit on the car fumes outside) and ordered the paella that some staff were repeatedly encouraging us to try. Within hours my husband was ill and by the next day I was really ill. Don't eat the Paella!!! Try the Italian restaurant directly across the street for fairly good pizza and pasta dishes. Good service too.

We were also encouraged by a hotel staff member at the Telegrafo to visit a specific paladar (local home that serves food). Tried it. Good home cooking but nothing special, and expensive (2 drinks and a fish dinner with potato and beans and rice and a few slices of tomato and grated cabbage for $50 CUC). Plus we walked for some time through a dodgy looking neighbourhood to get there. At the Italian restaurant, across the street, we had pasta, drinks, and dessert for two for a total of 25 CUCs.

There are no shortages of taxis or other forms of transportation outside the hotel, but beware-many do not have seatbelts.

The hotel is situated in the most perfect location to visit Old Havana or take a walk down the Prado to the Malecon. The smartest thing we did was to book a city tour. Then we knew exactly what we wanted to see. Turned out to be only a short walk from our door!

My favourite thing to do while staying at the Telegrafo was to lean on the high window sill (no screens-not needed) and watch the city below in action. Although the air is thick with vehicle exhaust fumes, it is a show worth watching, especially if you enjoy old cars. Viva Cuba.

We did have a problem on check in but once it was sorted it was fine.We stayed for four nights and it was great because it is so central for exploring Havana. Large comfortable room, decent breakfast and OK staff.

Booked hotel for 2 nights through Venere.com and paid by credit card. Turned up at hotel mid-morning with supporting e-mail confirmation. They acknowldged my booking but said that they had problems with rooms and that they would have to move me to another hotel for 1 night.
Having already read about the Havana scam of overbooking on the internet I stood my ground. Originally I asked what the problem was and was told due to air conditioning and plumbing. I asked to see one of the rooms in question but they refused. Asked them to bump others and they refused. Asked to see the hotel's PR manager and she changed the excuse and explained that they "operate like an airline company and always overbook, expecting cancellations". I counter argued that when airlines did this they bumped the people up rather than out.
While arguing my case others arrived at the hotel and they had been turned away the previous day, had spent hours waiting for the hotel taxi and it turend into a nightmare.
Eventually accepted a room at the Santa Isobel, which is allegedly 5 star but feel cheated, conned and annoyed.
Take my advice and steer well clear.