We had a tight budget for a short trip to Cuba so this hotel seemed like our only option from the choice on offer from our travel agent. Reading the other reviews on this site made me not too keen, but the person who mentioned that she'd stayed there with Explore reassured me slightly. I've travelled with them before and while they never choose the best hotels, you do get a reasonable standard with, as she mentions, an authentic local flavour, and a level of safety. We still arrived with some trepidation but had a wonderful surprise when the cab swung into the driveway. It's more modern than I thought it would be, with a gym, pool, handy shops, massage and spa area, lovely greenery and shady areas with palm trees. The bedroom was spacious, the bathroom was fine, apart from damp patches near, respectively, the aircon unit and the shower, but nothing too hideous. Staff were friendly and helpful at all times. The only downside was the breakfast, which although there was plenty of choice they weren't necessarily things you would want to choose from! Eggs, meat, croquettes, little cakes (a bit stale) and sad, weak coffee and tea. But all the more reason to go out and sample other eateries. We had no time to plan and research such things so relied on cab drivers to take us to places they knew. We expected to get ripped off but instead were taken to fabulous little restaurants we'd never have discovered ourselves, with wonderful staff and good food. 'Aries' was one such place, not even sure where it was but a good taxi driver should be able to get you there.The hotel is a bit away from the centre of things so you do need to get cabs a lot but they're cheap and, as we discovered, it's all part of the adventure. You get a lot of hotel for your money, and overall we were really pleased and surprised by this place. We would have no hesitation in staying at Hotel Kohly and El Bosque again.

This hotel is a dump the service was the worst service ive had in my life and guess what ? they ran out of beers that are made right in Cuba we checked out and went to National hotel.

I went here on a trip to Cuba, luck for us we didnt stay at the hotel very long as we were traveling. The first day I lost my wallet on the way to the hotel and the staff at the hotel were not helpful. It took me a very long time to communicate with them regardless of my hand expressions. Finally, they said they would try and call my sunwing travel guide. They told me they called and no one was there. We left the hotel for 4 days in car travelled Cuba (which was great!) Upon arrival back to the hotel they told me that they tried to call but it was busy ... after finally finding someone who spoke english I was able to communicate and asked them for the number, when I called I got ahold of my rep on the first try ?? but it was busy for them for 3 days. Anyways, we decided to go swimming the pool was freezing and we had to get out. The rates for gifts, food and other things were way above what I have traditionally paid at other hotels in the last 3 years that I have been to Cuba. The evenings came and so did the "locals" if you are interested in half decent food and prostitutes this hotel is for you if not dont go. We left my dad for 1 minute and a gorgeous girl approched him for sex. I spoke with another male who came by himself and I who was approched 4-5 times (I saw once when he was eating - scavengers) The second last day that I was there I drank rum by the pool till 4am. A Cuban who worked there approched me and we talked. He wanted to show me something, (should have known then but foggy due to the drinks) he tried to kiss and touch me. I said I had to go to the washroom and ran to my room jumped into bed locked the door of course....if you can believe it all of a sudden I heard a key hoping it was my dad, I sat up .... it was the same cuban who worked there ... and he had gotten a key to my room. I talked to him when he tried to reach for me again. Finally, (I think cause I was getting loud - and my fmailys rooms were close by) I talked to him and lied said I would meet tomorrow -- I said anything to get him to leave... believe me , he left ... I was so scared I didnt sleep a wink., nor did I tell my family (my sister once we were back in Canada) I didint tell my dad.. but I am on here to go to every feedback website to warn people. Cuba is a great place I have been there 4 times now infact, its one of the safest places to travel I think but stay away from this resort if you are young and female staying in a room alone.

For a budget hotel - definitely above average -- We had a room for one week on the 5th floor, Feb 28th - march 6th, 2007. It was clean and neat and the towel and bedspread sculptures everyday were a real treat -along with a small bit of fresh flowers.

The show around the pool is impressive (only some nights) and during the day the pool was clean and chairs were great. Bring a large towel, though!

The Pizza place on the first floor was fabulous and inexpensive; and the breakfasts in the 2nd floor restuarant were the best meal, usually ,that we had all day. The breakfast was a buffet style with a chef making omlettes and fried eggs, which were great. (i notice that other reviewers complained about breakfast but we found it more palatable than a lot of the food in Havana. Just all bland lland bland which we had heard but just didn;t believe. )

There was French style bread (all white) and a toaster -- butter and cheese at the back of the room by the cereal although maybe all gone if you come late! The coffeee was pretty bad (weak) and the food was really bland, but that pretty much goes for all the food, all the time in Havana, and I assume alll of Cuba, since we were chastised more than once for wanting to add Tobasco and told that it was bad for us! "It will hurt your liver", we were told. Anyway, breakfast had lots of fruit, eggs and mystery meat and sometimes vegetables. . . We were satisfied every day!

Anyway, the hotel is fabulous, though a cab ride away from almost everything. It is cheaper to walk to the main street corner by the bridge and get a Havana Taxi or Panataxi but it is only about one - two peso's cheaper to go to Old Havana than using the OK Taxis in front of the hotel. . . .

I feell like we are probably the only Canadians to go to Cuba in the winter and not go to the beach! But we had a reallly fabulous time walking around Havana, listening to music, talking to people, drinking Mohitos and Daquiris and talking to Habeneros. We did the museums and really see his as a place that works - without capitalism -- hard to orient yourself if you are a big "consumer" as there is not much to buy!

The hotel is only a cheap taxi ride from most things (and is close to the Tropicana though we did not go because it is over $100 Can each to go and beyond our budget!) but it is bit inconvenient to not just be able to "pop back" to the hotel for a rest etc. For us it was worth it for the savings.

The best restaurant we ate in was El Ehibe or Ahibe (t is one of the more famous restaurants in Havana, so every cab driver will know it ) in Miramar. They serve a chicken in orange sauce, a great Mohito and actually serve salad with your dinner (if you are used to a lot of vegetables- take fibre - I have no idea how vegetarians eat in Cuba.) Also one day when there were big waves along the Malecon (that's how we knew that there were big waves) we went and sat in the bar in the back, outside (kind of the beach except there is no beach on the waterfront) at the Commodoro Hotel in Mirmar -- the waves were smashing against the cement dock and the sun was shining and the garlic shrimp WERE the best thing that we ate in Havana.


Have fun, we plan to go back soon. There is a very big paper shortage in Cuba - take notebooks and pens and also aspirin and tylenol to give away. Lots of papel hygenica (toilet paper) in the hotel, but not much in many other places, or an attendant expecting a peso to provide it.

People who were staying at resorts that we met said that they were asked a lot for clothes, hats and T-shirts, although we did not experience that -- people were looking for money for pharmaceuticals and loooking for headache relief - hard to come by!