8 Best Hotels in Eastern Cuba, Cuba

From the grand old Casa Granda, the best hotel in the Centro Histórico, you can see Parque Céspedes, with its wandering musicians and guayabera-clad men in conversation. The hotel's second-floor porch—adorned with plants, crimson-and-gray awnings, a black-and-white tile floor, and a large wooden bar—is a great people-watching spot. Author Graham Greene was a regular guest here during his visits to Cuba, and he penned portions of his novel Our Man in Havana during his stays. Even if you don't stay here, be sure to stop by for a mojito or a light meal (you can get good cubanos [roast pork and ham sandwiches served with pickles and a salad]).

With the look of a tropical erector set, this red, white, and blue high-rise is either playfully appealing or pompously postmodern, depending on your point of view. However controversial the exterior might be, no one argues about whether this Spanish-run hotel's service and amenities are top-notch—they simply are. Rooms are large and modern, with great city views from the upper floors. The vast lobby, cast in green marble, includes two restaurants and a business center. The lobby leads outdoors to a palm-lined pool complex surrounded by bars and restaurants. The buffet breakfasts and dinners at the main restaurant are good.

If you seek a fun-loving, contemporary beach vacation, don't pass up this resort operated by the Canadian Blau chain. By day you can take a dip in one of several lovely swimming pools or follow the boardwalk past protected marshlands to the beach, with its gleaming white sand and clear, shallow waters that are good for snorkeling. At night you can sample daiquiris of any flavor at one of six bars or spend some time dancing at the disco before retiring to your spacious, modern guest quarters. All rooms have a balcony or terrace, with sea or garden views. Ample buffets are included in your rates; there are also two à la carte restaurants.

High-quality food and service are among this resort's hallmarks. It sits on a bluff overlooking a beach 10 km (6 miles) east of Chivirico. Rooms have top-flight amenities, including air-conditioning and satellite TV. Open terraces and the pool deck overlook the beach and the mountains. In the off-season, discounts are as much as 50%. The resort is undergoing a modeling at this writing; try to snag one of the rooms that are completed.

Easy access to a white-sand beach, wide-open public spaces, and elegant swimming pools make this resort a solid choice for a relaxing vacation. Rooms—in the original five-story building or in the newer, breezier villas—have tile work and fairly new furnishings. Older rooms in the main building are undergoing renovation at this writing. Nonguests can pay a day charge to use the facilities.