The best hotels in Havana

This small casa particular sits on Calle Concordia in the heart of Centro Habana, a short walk from the Malecon. Rooms are basic but clean, with working air conditioning and decent beds. The host family is friendly and serves a solid breakfast for an extra few dollars. It is not a hotel in any polished sense, but the price is hard to argue with in this city. Good base if you plan to spend most of your time outside exploring.

Hotel Caribbean occupies a mid-century building on Paseo del Prado near the border of Centro Habana and Old Havana. Rooms are dated but functional, with the kind of faded charm that fits the city perfectly. The location puts you within walking distance of the Capitolio, Parque Central, and the main museums. Staff are helpful and can arrange classic car taxis without the tourist markup. Do not expect luxury, but the price makes it one of the better budget options run by the state chain.

Hotel Terral sits directly on the Malecon seafront, and that location alone sets it apart from most options in this price range. The building is small and modern by Havana standards, with just fourteen rooms, most offering direct ocean views. Rooms are clean and contemporary with reliable air conditioning, which matters a lot here in summer. The rooftop bar draws both guests and locals in the evenings and is one of the better spots in the city to watch the sun drop over the water. Book an ocean-facing room or you will miss the whole point.

The Iberostar Parque Central faces Parque Central directly and is one of the best-run hotels in Old Havana at this price point. The rooftop pool is a genuine highlight, with views across the city toward the Capitolio dome. Rooms in the newer tower wing are more spacious and worth requesting over the original building. The breakfast buffet is extensive and well-stocked, a good thing given that restaurant options near the hotel vary wildly. It is a larger chain property so it lacks personality, but consistency and location compensate.

Hotel Saratoga sits on Paseo del Prado at the edge of Old Havana, directly across from the Capitolio Nacional, and the views from the rooftop pool are among the best in the city. The building is a restored early twentieth-century structure with rooms that feel genuinely elegant rather than just expensive. Service is notably attentive for a Cuban hotel, with staff who actually follow up on requests. The on-site restaurant is one of the stronger hotel dining options in Havana. Rates fluctuate depending on season but it consistently delivers above expectations.

The Kempinski occupies a beautifully restored early twentieth-century building right on Parque Central in the core of Old Havana. It is the closest thing to a true international luxury hotel in Cuba, with consistent service standards that stand out in a city where quality control is often uneven. The rooftop pool and bar area overlook the old city and are genuinely impressive at sunset. Rooms are spacious with solid soundproofing, good Wi-Fi by Cuban standards, and modern bathrooms. The location, a few steps from the Museum of Fine Arts and the Gran Teatro, is as central as it gets.

The Hotel Nacional de Cuba is the most iconic building in Vedado, a 1930s landmark sitting on a low cliff above the Malecon with sweeping views across the Straits of Florida. The garden terrace and poolside area retain a cinematic quality that photographs cannot fully capture. Rooms in the main building are large with high ceilings and period furniture, though some show their age more than others. The bar is where you come for a mojito regardless of where you are staying in the city. It carries history in every corner, including a display of famous guests from Hemingway to Churchill.

Melia Cohiba stands on the Malecon in Vedado and is one of the larger modern hotels in Havana, popular with business travelers and families who want reliable amenities. The rooms are well-maintained and larger than average, and the multiple pools and restaurants make it self-contained enough for families with children. It is a few kilometers from Old Havana but the location in Vedado puts you close to good paladares and the Coppelia ice cream park. The lobby and common areas feel more international than most Havana hotels, which is either a draw or a drawback depending on what you came for. Service is generally efficient and English-speaking staff are easy to find.

Memories Miramar sits along Fifth Avenue in the Miramar district west of central Havana, in one of the city's most architecturally handsome residential neighborhoods. The resort has a large pool area, multiple restaurants, and a private beach access that most city hotels cannot offer. Rooms are spacious and well-appointed, with the kind of finish and upkeep that genuinely earns the luxury label in a Cuban context. The tradeoff is distance from Old Havana, about twenty minutes by taxi, so it works best for guests who want a resort feel rather than constant sightseeing. Rates include breakfast and the food quality is well above the Cuban average.

Paradisus Rio de Oro sits on the beach at Playa del Este, roughly thirty kilometers east of central Havana, and operates as an all-inclusive adults-only resort. The beach here is genuinely beautiful, with calm clear water and far less crowd pressure than the Varadero strip. Rooms are large, well-furnished, and maintained to a consistent international standard. The all-inclusive food and drink quality is better than most Cuba resorts in this category. It is not the right choice if city exploration is the priority, but as a beach base with easy day trips into Havana it works extremely well.