Tourism is Cuba's moneymaker / cash cow / grubstaker / gold mine / El Dorado. In 2008, 2.3 million visited Cuba, of which 35% are Canadians. As a natural result, hotels and resorts are apace to become world-class, especially in the much-visited capital of Havana. Having said that, it's premature to expect international standards of service and amenities, since tourism is, considerably, a new development for Cuba. As a general rule, it is prudent to practice a niggling of patience whenever you encounter inconveniences in this Caribbean country, rather than kick up a fuss. However, the friendliness and goodwill of the people will more than make up for any systemic deficits.
Below is a list Colonial-style hotels with oodles of potential - from their majestic facades, to their grand atriums, and to the histories attached to each place. Admittedly, facilities beyond the lobby oftentimes fall short of expectations. But keep in mind, this is Cuba!
Hotel Ambos Mundos
153 Calle Obispo esquina (corner) Mercaderes
Notables: Ernest Hemingway penned the opening chapters of "For Whom The Bell Tolls" in room 511.
Hotel Raquel
103 Calle Amargura esquina San Ignacio
Notables: Listed as a "Jewish-themed hotel" - not sure what that really means, but it may be because the hotel has a Jewish restaurant and decorative items pertaining to the faith. The Art Nouveau lobby speaks volumes.
Hotel Sevilla
55 Trocadero e Prado y Zulueta
Notables: A long list of prestigious guests - from diplomats to movie stars - but most well-known as a bolthole for notorious gangster Al Capone, who occupied the entire 6th floor.
Hotel Florida
Calle Obispo esquina Cuba
Notables: The glass-roofed, Cuban Colonial-style central courtyard is reason enough to linger with a cup of coffee or a cocktail.
Hotel Plaza
267 Ignacio Agromonte
Notables: Anna Pavlova, Isadora Duncan, and Albert Einstein have all passed through its doors.
Hotel Inglaterra
416 Paseo del Prado
Notables: French actress Sara Bernhart, Italian bullfighter Luis Mazzantini "the Skillful One", and General Antonio Maceo "The Bronze Titan" of the Cuban War of Independence have all stayed in Cuba's oldest hotel.
Hotel Telegrafo
408 Paseo del Prado esquina Neptuno
Notables: After the undersea Atlantic telegraph cable was laid from Havana, Cuba to Key West, Florida, the hotel provided a telephone on each room and dining table.
NH Parque Central
Neptuno esquina Prado y Zulueta
Notables: Although devoid of history and pedigreed guests, it's a modern hotel with upgraded facilities and a couple of great restaurants - Paseo (Italian a la carte) and Mediterraneo (Mediterranean and Continental Buffet).
Hotel San Miguel
2 Calle Cuba esquina Pena Pobre
Notables: Only 10 rooms available in this hotel just off the Malecon, affording great views of the Havana channel. A Wednesday to Sunday artists' market is on Calle Tacon across the street.
Hotel Nacional de Cuba
Calle 21, Vedado
Notables: Probably the most prestigious historical hotel in Cuba, which welcomed to its grand ballrooms and suites the following: Winston Churchill, scientist Alexander Flemming, Buster Keaton, Errol Flynn, Marlon Brando, and American gangsters like Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano.
20 comments:
Hi Jen! Sorry for another long absence, but after a busy start of the year I decided to make a break during the Carnival week, anticipating new hard weeks ahead!!
You have to add another name to the list of guests of the Hotel Nacional... ;))
Wonderful pictures!!
Meanwhile, Blogtrotter 2 is at sea. Hope you enjoy and have a great week!!
beautiful hotels!
there´s such a great contrast in Cuba... I just finished reading the book by blogger Yoani Sanchez. In her blog Generacion Y she talks about the reality Cubans face living in the island... the levels of poverty, dirty hospitals to which you need to take your own materials like needles and gauze, the lack of freedom of speech, the fact they can´t travel abroad...
It´s amazing to see the Cuba tourists see and the Cuba cubans need to live in.
beautiful architecture! beautiful pictures!
Love your photos! Simply breathtaking.
Wow, Cuba... looks unbelievable. I'm so happy to be back in Asia, but if I could be anywhere else in the world, think it would be Latin America... -X
I'd love to visit Cuba and stay in Hotel Nacional de Cuba. Have you been to any of these hotels yourself?
Hi Erica,
Yes, I've been to each of these hotels and I took all but a couple of the photos above. Although we didn't stay (per se) in all of them; in Havana, tourists are encouraged to visit hotels and enjoy the facilities for a fee (pool, restaurant, lounge, garden, etc). The Hotel Nacional de Cuba is outside the Old City, but it is well-worth the trip to Vedado for a dip in their pool and a nice lunch on the terrace.
I'm very interested in visiting Cuba! Does Hotel Sevilla always welcome their guests with such fanfare?
Great shots Jen,never though Havana would still have places like these left.Love your new blog look. I'm slow in noticing these things.
Beautiful hotels... I want to go there pretty soon. And I wish I could have gone there few years before...The pics are fabulous
Would love to take advantage of relaxation and post up in one of these goreous hotels and enjoy an afternoon beverage. Your photography really makes them look great! I really want to visit Cuba someday.
Going back to Cuba I would definitely stay in Havana rather than a resort...these look beautiful, and the city and the people are so great.
*that coral*
hello!
Surprised (in a nice way) to see the great number of hotels, still looking in very good shape (at least what we can see)!
Your shots are beautiful!
Wow! Those greeters are stunning. Cuba has been at the top of my visit list for awhile. These hotels look so charming.
Hi Jen! Back again just to announce that March has arrived and maybe this awful winter will be gone... ;))
To wish a Happy Holi to all those who celebrate. Great Festival of Colours!!
And to say that Blogtrotter 2 is still in Haiti, now at Malfini Beach. Hope you enjoy and have a great week!!
Beautiful shots and lovely looking hotels, Jen! Just like with Burma, however, I would highly recommend that visitors stay at privately owned and run B&Bs and apartments in Cuba. Otherwise they're injecting money right into the government's pockets, as most of the hotels in the country are state-run. Unless, of course, they totally agree with the regime and want to support it.
These hotels all look so gorgeous with their tiled floors and colonial style architecture. I've been a little wary of Cuba b/c of the rumours you hear about the government. How do you reconcile that conflict between wanting to visit a country for its people and to support their economy, but without supporting the way the government treats its people?
There's certainly some splendour here - I thought it was difficult to find great hotels there although I do note your warning, but these look worth making a trip to Havanah for.
BTW where are the comments on your most recent movie post - can't see how to make one?
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