Havana Hotel
 

We will be on a tour of Cuba for 8 days, staying 8 nights in casas particulares (a group of 7 adults and 2 children).

Three of us (all adults) will arrive in Havana 2 days before the start of the tour, and would like to stay in a more "upscale" hotel for those two nights, preferably one with a pool.

Any recommendations?

There's a hotel with a pool near Parque centrale - you can see it on the right as you walk down the Paseo de Marti - it might be this one:

www.hotelmercuresevillahabana.com

There are others further out in Playa but I'd much rather stay in the middle of the city with it's wonderful vibe and atmosphere.

Yes, we definitely want to be in the middle of everything for those couple of days. Thanks.

Yes, the Sevilla in Vieja has a pool. The Havana Libre on La Rampa in Vedado does too. And of course, the Hotel Nacional. There are a couple of others too.
You might find prices to be upscale, but there are lots of comments posted online about lack of value/quality/comfort for those high prices.

Oh, and the hotels with pools do sell day passes which include food/drinks of equal value to most of the cost. (If you stay at one that doesnt have a pool). We did that last time. It was nice.

And the beach, a decent one, is about 20 minutes away from the city by frequently running local bus (or taxi).

We stayed at the Iberostar Parque Central Hotel and found the location on the edge of the old town very convenient. The rooftop pool has a beautiful view over the city. Breakfast (esp the coffee) and cocktails were great, room was big and comfortable.

http://www.hotelparquecentral-cuba.c...el_details.asp

I find it amusing that many posters on the TA forum for a major US city like Boston complain bitterly about sticker shock for expensive hotel prices, but for Havana, a hotel with similar or significantly higher prices and (probably, from reports) vastly inferior quality, there is no reaction.

Perhaps, SC, they are prepared to put up with it because they balance the price against the probably unique opportunity to visit Cuba.

Also not everyone is prepared to "risk" of staying in a casa like we did; it wasn't all cakes and ale as you know but at least when we didn't like the place, we didn't lose a fortune by moving.

We loved the Sevilla, although I would not call it upscale. Ideal location (between the revolution and art museums, on the Paseo), old world splendor (tile work looks like the Alhambra), spectacular non-stop live music, full of history, pizazz and great spots for photo ops. We had light-flooded corner rooms with magnificent views, but the rooms (unrenovated, but well preserved) vary greatly. Pool area needs an update, as do the the mattresses and towels, but the staff is awesome the vibe is very Old Havana.

I also checked out the common areas of some other hotels where friends have stayed:

Parque Central - For me, it lacked charm - too gringoized. Seemed like a Marriott, much busier location than the Sevilla. However, my friends were very happy there.

Saratoga - very cool space with a South Beach Miami vibe and wonderful rooftop pool area. Friends have said it's worth the splurge, but I'm not crazy about the location...would prefer to be in Old Havana. And I would miss the amazing music of the Sevilla.

Nacional - way too touristy (buses constantly arriving), but worth a visit

Conde de Villanueva - My friend who leads music tours says this is her favorite Havana hotel (although if her groups are large she uses the Parque Central). No pool.

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Rates were high for all hotels during Christmas week when we were there (probably 25 - 50% more than equivalent hotels would be in Mexico). But I've looked at the rates for the rest of the year and they seem reasonable.

I have traveled a great deal in the rest of the Caribbean/Latin America and have lived in three Latin American countries (also spent a month in Cuba during the Soviet era of the late 80s). Yes, you do have to lower your expectations in Cuba if you're obsessed with premium products or turn down service. But the Cubans have been catering to European and Canadian travelers for decades now, and the hotel experience, at least in Havana, is not really hugely different.

Thank you all - that's exactly what I needed!

<Yes, you do have to lower your expectations in Cuba> Already done...

Have a great trip and please let us know what you decide!

"Perhaps they are prepared to put up with it because they balance the price against the probably unique opportunity to visit Cuba."

So go to "unique" Brazil and spend much much less on much better, more comfortable and modernized hotels. And the food in Brazil, most anywhere, not just at certain special places you have to reserve like in Cuba, is wonderful. The Colonial historic district in Salvador, Sao Luis and several other cities/towns looks so similar to Havana Vieja that even the Cuban residents couldn't tell when I showed them photos, and the Brazilians too were very surprised. The countryside looks very similar too. There is an area in Brazil that looks like Vinales, same dramatic mountains. The countryside between Veradero and Havana also looks similar to Brazil. Not so many 50s classic cars in Brazil, but plenty of VW Beetles of similar age! LOL And the Brazilian beaches put any, including Veradero and some cayos, to shame. The Brazilian music is as interesting as the Cuban, same African roots, and is everywhere, just as in Cuba.
I just don't "get" the uniqueness factor of Cuba that people keep trumpeting.



"Also not everyone is prepared to "risk" of staying in a casa like we did" but for around U$300 at the Sevilla, the comment still says "Pool area needs an update, as do the mattresses and towels", same as the towels and mattresses at a $30 casa particular might.



OP is of course going to find out first hand and can then give that perspective.