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Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Telégrafo Axel Hotel La Habana is located in the historic and iconic Hotel Telégrafo, which opened in 1860, making it the oldest in Cuba. Just a few years after the first telegraph station was installed in the country, which inspired the hotel’s name. It's located at number 408 on Prado Street, right in the centre of old Havana in front of Parque Central, and just steps away from buildings of cultural and historical significance such as the Gran Teatro de La Habana “Alicia Alonso”, with direct access to the Paseo del Prado which runs all the way to the El Malecón seaside promenade with views of the Lighthouse of the Morro Castle. With a blue and white façade, the hotel preserves its colonial charm, combining it with modern elements reflected in its 63 rooms, Restaurant and Lounge Bar. Also has a Wellness & Fitness Area and the Sky Bar on the rooftop terrace with a swimming pool, sundeck, and lounge bar, making it the perfect space to enjoy the unique Axel atmosphere in Havana.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
City View
Classic
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Calle Prado 408 Corner of Calle Neptuno, Havana 10100 Cuba
Telégrafo Axel Hotel La Habana
4.7 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Telégrafo Axel Hotel La Habana is often celebrated for its cleanliness and tranquil atmosphere, with many guests enjoying the cozy vibes and musical backdrop. Its prime location is a highlight, offering easy access to cultural sites and spectacular views, particularly from the rooftop pool. While the range of amenities including a gym and spa is appreciated, some visitors have mentioned limitations with Wi-Fi connectivity and breakfast variety.
The service receives accolades for staff friendliness and professionalism, though a few guests noted occasional inconsistencies. Room comfort and spaciousness are well-regarded, despite some reporting maintenance issues. However, travelers warn that the hotel's value is diminished by high prices and extra charges for services.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Tranquil
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Satisfactory
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Detailed Reviews
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My cousin and I stayed 10 days in the telegraph and were basically very satisfied. The rooms are clean and large. In addition, you had a perfect view of the busy street from the balcony. The closed balcony door isolated the street music relatively well in the evening. All staff were always nice and accommodating. Due to the food shortage in the country, there is often only a small selection of dishes to eat. However, we were aware of this and you are confronted with this problem in all restaurants. Possibly the vegetarian offer could be expanded a bit. The small gym has everything you need for a workout and is accessible to all guests free of charge. I also booked a massage, which was very relaxing. Basically, prices (compared to other Caribbean and Latin American countries) are rather high. Unfortunately, the Wifi did not always work and with us in the room you could only connect from the bathroom.
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We were delighted at the telegraph. The attention and cleanliness is unbeatable. The huge bed with a very comfortable mattress and pillow. In the room they leave you a bathrobe and a bottle of water as a gift (something highly valued in Cuba). Also gel, shampoo, moisturizing cream and conditioner The varied breakfast; The pool and terrace are ideal for taking a swim at night and cooling off a little. The location is unbeatable for sightseeing in Havana, it is in a busy square, with a lot of life but the room is completely soundproof. This hotel does honor the 4* it has, not like others that look like hostels. Recommended to stay in.
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Date of stay: July 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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The Hotel Axel Telegrafo in Havana is ideally located and the value for money is really good. The rooms are pleasant and the roof top offers a spectacular view of Havana's Parque Central. the swimming lane and the bar are also very pleasant.
the vast majority of employees are very helpful, very friendly and competent. special mention for the roof top employees, all very pleasant, efficient and friendly. Alex, one of the spa's masseurs, is undoubtedly the best masseur I have ever met. Not only are his massages extremely effective, but he is also a man of exemplary kindness and education.
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed three nights and then two more at the end of the tour in this apparently renovated hotel. The first three days we had no particular problems for the room even though the view on a side street was really sad. Breakfast should have been included but there was nothing. So much so that we had to go elsewhere. We returned at the end of the tour and arrived we had to wait for the room for over an hour because it had not been cleaned. We were handed a room almost at midnight. For the inconvenience we were assigned a higher grade. Cleanliness was really questionable. One toilet did not work and in the other bathroom there was no hot water for the shower. Air conditioning absent and in the room you gasped. They sent us assistance but the technician was unable to solve the problem. The reception did not know how to do it because they had no other rooms available. In the corridors of the floor there were pools of water everywhere on the carpet due to various water leaks. We went to bed at two exhausted. In the morning, fortunately, the hot water was back and the air conditioner also worked. Too bad I went down for breakfast the buffet was non-existent nothing at all so once again we returned to the Parque Hotel Central, which is opposite to have breakfast for a fee. The reception was quite embarrassed and told us that to try to limit the disaster we could take advantage of free drinks, possible massages and late check-in. Unfortunately went to the bar twice to get a bottle of water or a soda the can no one knew anything and they kept quarters of an hour waiting for authorizations of this and that until we gave up. The second night the air conditioning stopped working: in the room it was 30 degrees with 100% humidity. So at one o’clock in the morning we called the reception again but at that point they proposed to go to sleep in another room. Sheets and pillowcases were stained in this room, and the room smelled like a sewer. Simply a nightmare this hotel where nobody knows anything and nobody solves anything but especially where they tell you one thing to keep you quiet and then retract. The next morning breakfast area at 8 am completely devoid of food and again at our expense we went to the next hotel. Also in the morning we found that the whole third floor was first of cooling. People were really resentful. The late check-in that we were offered was not actually granted for everyone since they were traveling in four, so we had two rooms booked but were allowed to stay only in one for all. Vote zero
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I would not go to this hotel again. The reception staff is not professional at all, you ask them anything and they tell you that they don't know everything you ask. We asked them if they knew of any restaurant where we could have dinner and they said that we should go out into the street and we'll look to see if there was light somewhere and that we'll go in. If we asked any questions they said that they didn't know and that they didn't understand about it. They gave us a room of a lower category than the one we had paid for. The breakfast is very expensive and terrible, it is understood that the situation in the country is not good, but it is not normal to charge those abusive prices for a breakfast in which there is almost nothing, 32 pains for a breakfast is a real abuse for a coffee Bad and tasteless fruit. Those at reception exchanged euros for pesos, of course at a bad exchange rate at 170 pesos for each euro when on the street they give you 210-230. Small pool, one of the days it was very dirty, you could hardly see the bottom. I requested a towel at the pool from the bar waiter as they told me at reception and it took him 35 minutes to give it to me since according to him I had to ask for it at reception. so not even they agree. They don't let you pay in local currency, incomprehensible... photos of breakfast are attached
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:intenta que te den toallas antes de nada en la piscina porque el del bar no hace nada por traérlas
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A group of five people from Barcelona stayed half board. The hotel itself is wonderful for its facilities and location, but the restaurant service for dinner is terrible; At each dinner it takes us two hours each time to have dinner. The selection of dishes to choose from in half board was a bit limited, but from the first day they also warned us that there were dishes that they no longer had and each day there were fewer, even though they were on the menu. Waiters generally lack professionalism and are not able, or unable, to offer an alternative. We do not recommend this hotel for half board until they repair this service because what you pay is not what you receive. Highly recommended for bed and breakfast.
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Evitar cenar en el restaurante si busca calma y paz. Cada noche hay actuación en directo afuera...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The receptionist was very rude and arrogant, she made me feel very bad out of nowhere, when I arrived I asked the check out time, she told me it was at 12 o'clock, I asked if I could stay until 1 o'clock, he said I needed to ask boss, we went to talk to the boss who answered yes to my request. I organized myself to take a shower at 12 noon, I packed my suitcase and left at 1 pm, on the day of departure another attendant started calling my room before my date to ask for my departure, I explained that I had been allowed to leave at 1 pm, so Another attendant called me again, being extremely rude and rude to me, saying that I was not authorized to stay until 1pm, crazy with a lot of lack of politeness, in short, I was asked to be treated badly. The hotel should educate its employees better, it didn't need any of that, just a little organization and kindness.
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled solo
Room Tip:Não gostei da recepção
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Very bad experience, we stayed 10 days of which they never changed our towels, if they were left in the bathroom they folded the same ones and were damp, they never cleaned our room, leaks in many parts of the third floor. One night we had dinner and it was the worst dinner in Cuba, apart from having a menu and nothing, not to mention cocktails. It is better that they look for another option.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with friends
Room Tip:Buscar otra opción para hospedarse
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We spent a great week in Havana. Many of the difficulties on this trip stemmed from the overall situation in Cuba rather than from the hotel itself. We found the senior staff were very supportive, professional, friendly and patient in helping us deal with the unique situations of travelling in Cuba. Without the time and energy put in by them, the stay would have been much different and very difficult for us to navigate. Their professionalism and assistance was never too much trouble and they were always courteous and made time to help us out. They recommended restaurants, where to change cash and hire old US cars and taxi’s. Not one of these recommendations were poor and many in fact first rate which added to our stay and made for a more memorable stay. I liked the location of being in the ‘old town’ and would recommend staying close to Central Parque when going to Havana.
The main criticisms were; 1. The hotel internet was very poor. Do not rely on this if you need to be connected. While the overall internet in Cuba is not at the standards of other countries you get a better and more constant connection if you buy a local SIM. The signal would often cut out – especially at peak times such as around breakfast when most guests are looking at emails etc. 2. Although this was included in our tariff, we only ate breakfast there once due to the lack of variety of food which was extremely limited. We chose to go over the road to one of the other hotels, where we paid $20 per day for a full service and range buffet breakfast. 3. We chose this hotel as the chain advertises for the LGBTI community. There was a lack of LGBTI ‘culture’ as the hotel could not survive on this alone, so it is self titled as ‘hetero-friendly’ meaning that most of the other guests were mixed gender couples but this did not distract from the hotel and there were a few same sex couples staying there over the week. we were there. They also have a fun drag show on Friday nights on the roof top bar. This was not the fault of the hotel at all but the location and cost of the hotel makes it a good choice if you want to be located in the old part of Havana.
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Do not rely on US credit cards - ie Mastercard, Visa and American Express as all of these are...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Poncio Da Silva Estanga, Director General at Telégrafo Axel Hotel La Habana
Responded Nov 7, 2023
Estimado , ¡Muchísimas gracias por compartir con esta plataforma tu experiencia en el Telégrafo Axel Hotel La Habana!; para nosotros ha sido un verdadero placer poder atenderte y estoy convencido que seguiremos creando innumerables experiencias memorables junto a esta comunidad que te espera para atenderte. Lamento que tu experiencia en esta ocasión no haya sido la esperada, y cuenta con mi compromiso para ajustar lo necesario para que la próxima vez recibas un servicio acorde con tu exigencia. Te esperamos de vuelta, Saludos.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The hotel was in decent condition given that it's the oldest hotel in Cuba, having been built in 1860. Aesthetically, it had charm and the staff were friendly and helpful—Maria, in particular, was outstanding! The location was also ideal, right in the heart of everything. However, our stay was marred by a few significant issues. The second floor, where we stayed, had a persistent stench reminiscent of stagnant water. It seemed as if a previous flood had left the carpets damp and musty. Additionally, our bathroom had a leak from a hole in the ceiling, and another from the shower, making the floor dangerously slippery. There were also leaks in the first-floor toilet in the lobby, with a bucket in place that did little to contain the water that spread across the floor. A major inconvenience was the hotel's refusal to accept their own currency (pesos) for payment. They insisted on payment by U.S. credit card or dollars, but as Americans, we couldn't use our credit cards in Cuba. The hotel also couldn't provide proper change if we paid in USD due to their cashless policy. Consequently, we and other guests often went to neighboring hotels to eat, drink, and socialize. Breakfast was another letdown. It was consistently poor and plagued by flies, with the same limited selection every morning. Again, this drove us to dine at the hotel next door. Finally, the hotel advertised itself as “hetero-friendly” with a graphic clearly representing the LGBTQ community. It was unclear if this was meant to convey “homo-friendly,” but it added to the overall confusion. AXEL, get it together because you’re losing money, which is not the nature of business. You need to address these issues to improve the guest experience and avoid losing business.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Poncio Da Silva Estanga, Director General at Telégrafo Axel Hotel La Habana
Responded Aug 8, 2024
Estimado Huésped, gracias por tu opinión. Lamento que tu experiencia en esta ocasión no haya sido la esperada, y cuenta con mi compromiso para ajustar lo necesario para que la próxima vez recibas un servicio acorde con tu exigencia. En nombre de todo el equipo humano que compone el hotel, te ofrezco disculpas; en caso de que hayamos ocasionado algún inconveniente, lo mejoraremos y trabajaremos en función de eso. Saludos.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hola,
desde el 01/Dic/2022 nuestro Telégrafo Axel Hotel La Habana está abierto a todo público.
Puede gestionar su reserva a través de nuestra página web,
Lo esperamos.
There are more places to choose from in the Havana area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
telegrafo hotel havana, hotel telegrafo havana
LOCATION
CaribbeanCubaCiudad de la Habana ProvinceHavana
NUMBER OF ROOMS
63
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Are there any historical sites close to Telégrafo Axel Hotel La Habana?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Old Square (Plaza Vieja) (0.6 miles), San Francisco de Asis Square (0.7 miles), and Palacio De Los Capitanes Generales (0.6 miles).
