Rooms allways dirty, room service really slow, so many problems!
Food was cold, and really poor!
Pool was good!

We arrived at the hotel for a one night stay. We were greeted with drinks on arrival. Our initial impression was that the hotel was beautiful, with its lovely swimming pool, glass fronted lifts and lovely garden. We were greeted with a drink and check in was handled well by our tour guide. The room was fantastic, spacious, 3 big double beds, balcony and nice views. The evening meal was ok, although after 10 mins we had to ask the waiter for drinks. Breakfast was disappointing due to choice of food and attentiveness of staff. One thing I found annoying was the musicians that would approach your table to serenade you with music and expect a tip and would then attempt to sell you their CD whilst we were eating. I'm quite happy about tipping but personally, my view is that I would prefer not to be approached by musicians whilst eating.

On the whole I enjoyed my stay but was disappointed with the service. I feel that this hotel has huge potential and perhaps needs to invest in further training for staff in customer service.

We had no choice about where we stayed in Havana as it was part of a package booked by our cruise company. Having read reviews on this website we were fearing the worst but were impressed by the quality of the hotel and the friendliness of the staff. The rooms were excellent, very large, all mod cons, clean and comfortable, the only drawback being that coffee-making facilities were chargeable. Excellent shuttle bus service to the city centre. Breakfast very good, the pancakes are to die for!!! (but don't queue up behind the Venezuelan womens basketball team!). Good selection of local dishes in the evening buffet, but the alterrnative restaurants are also good. Be very careful with money exchange at the desk; check your receipt and exchange rate before you leave the desk - we exchanged sterling but were given the rate for Euros (didn't realise till later). Other people reported they had been short changed.

Right, left the lovley Holguin to go to Havana for 3 nights. Arrived at the airport to transfer and waited 2 hours before the one and only plane in Holguin airport arrived from the UK. Then we boarded the coach to take us to the plane and waited on that stuffy coach for an hour. Anyhow arrived in Havana on the Saturday night Feb 9th 2008 around 8pm. Met the holidayplace rep who guided us to the coach and didnt say much apart from meet at another hotel (from where we were staying) in the morning, we decided to give that a miss. Arrived at the hotel, very rude check in staff, hotel lobby looked very nice what you would expect from a 5 Star hotel, live band was playign real loud. We got to our room Standard, was quite big two double beds together. Bath quite average size. Floor was dirty so had to wear flip flops all the time around the room.

Room - Not Clean even after leaving notes for the maid.
Big room, nice balcony
Mini Bar - Never filled up - Useless staff
(Tried charging us for drinks we never had on check out)

Anyhow went out to find some food in one of the restraunts, quite quiet around 11pm but found a nice place that did some nice food. Sandwiches etc, crashed for the night and slept well

Woke up to the loudest Thunder Strom I have ever heard, from 5am. Looked out the window and saw lightning flashes on the see. Did not even realise we had a sea view room until the morning, Weather looked crap for that day so we thought we would hold out to see if it changes before going out.

Breakfast - Dont expect anything special. Quite average, I was helping myself to fruit and a chef just came and took the tray while I was serving myself - shows you how rude they are in Havana. (Well the MELIA HAVAN)

Decided to get a cab to Old Havana - as the check in staff told us about a free bus but did not mention we had to book as its only a 12 seater. Got to Old Havana and got soaked as soon as we walked out of the cab, Puddles everywhere, it really is OLD HAVANA. Some idiot kept pestering us about a horse and cart city tour and kept following us. In the end we got so soaking wet (30 mins) decided to go back to the hotel.

Got a free ride later that evening back into town from the hotel as there was a cancellation that evening but no free ride back, so we took the bus around 6pm as the weather had cleared up went out for a walk in Old Havana to check it out found teh Bodegita del Medio famous Mojito bar well cool place very small but cool. Had a little wonder around and all we saw were stray dogs one attacking peoples ankles and biting them. We found a restraunt that looked busy on catherdral square so went back there later in the night. What an experience the most laid back service in my life, waited over an hour and 15 for starters and then another hour for mains, by when we were not even hungry but the food was nice too much meat though. Not sure of the name but its teh main restraunt outside the catherdral (on catherdral square) and watch out for the mad dog that might attcack

Next day got up eary had our cheap breaky and got the bus booked for our free ride to town, spent the afternoon there, went to the famous bars for Mojitos - Del Boa something, and the other for daquiris / floridita (this one is lame) just go for the Mojitos well worth its called Bodegita del Medio

Checked out the revolution Museum - Waste of time serious did not teach me a thing about anything.

Took the horse and Carriage tour as we were quite tired, well worth it.

By now we were bored so decided to go back to the hotel for some cigar smoking experience, and dinner as we were bored of what we had seen so far, Found out the hotel has a asian restraunt so went there that evening and ordered food fit for a king, Food was Ok stick with the starters mains was not that nice.

Oh by the way right next to the hotel is a shopping center with Lacoste , Mango, Addidas etc also a supermarket go here and get your beers (take a bottle opener) water crisps snacks etc very cheap

Tried to arrange for us to go in the VIP Lounge at the airport with our reps they told us to arrange it at the airport when we see the reps - WWW.HOLIDAYPLACE.CO.UK

Check Out
Terrible - Terrible - Terrible
Waited 45 Mins as only one person knew how to do this. then our bill had like an additional $92 for lobby bar drinks, hold I said whats this and they removed it then tried charging for drinks from the mini bar - we explained we had no drinks in the fridge to drink and asked everyday for it to be filled but it was never done.
Time to go on the Tuesday, coach picked us up 15 mins late, then picked up all the other guests from other hotels around the corner.

Arrived at the airport and hour flight is delayed by 5 hours, NO HOLIDAYPLACE REP IN SITE. everone had exchanged their peso back to GBP so we couldnt even get a drink food etc. We all looked in vain to find the Reps an hour had passed and still no reps. We had to ask the Cubana Sales desk to call a number for us which we had for emergency and the lady we spoke to was convinced the reps were there prior to us arriving (I dont think so)
Anyhow we found the reps whoe told us sorry but the flight is delayed and nothing they can do we had to wait for check in to open at 4pm - bearign in mind we were at he airport at 12pm
We asked for drinks / food but they said we cant do anything, and went to the snack bar themselves while we all had to cue up to get our bags wrapped in cling film for what reason? no one explained. We asked to be upgraded which we were happy to pay for as the Airline is very bad, were told NO when were told there were upgrades available. When we questioned the Reps about paying for the VIP lounge they said dont worry will sort it when you go through check in - when we finnally got through the REPS HAD MUGGED US OFF AND GONE HOME.
waited another 4 hours for the gate to open - no VIP Lounge and had the worst hamburger in my life was like Glue or something in a bun disgusting

NEVER AGAIN