11 Best Hotels in Havana, Cuba

Hemingway stayed here in 1928 on his first trip to Havana; he went on to make it his hideaway before moving to Finca Vigía in 1939. The piano bar overshadows the small reception area, behind which you find a small pond. Room 511 is kept as it was in 1938, when Hemingway lived here while writing For Whom the Bell Tolls. In one of the magazine articles collected here, you can read Hemingway's description of the sun rising over eastern Havana "to wake you up fresh, no matter where you've been the night before." The tasteful rooftop restaurant is a must-see, offering beautiful vistas. Avoid rooms with inside views in favor of the 27-odd units with a view of Plaza de Armas.

In a 19th-century house that once belonged to a Spanish financier, this is a far cry from your typical cookie-cutter-style hotel. It was designed as the private enclave for cigar aficionados, so there's an on-site smoke shop and cigar club with leather chairs and cigar-related memorabilia, as well as lockers for important guests. The theme throughout is a nod to the Vuelta Abajo, the Western Cuba region where the world's finest leaves grow. The restaurant, Vuelta Abajo, specializes in country cooking from Pinar del Río and Viñales. Rooms are impeccable, comfortable, and spacious.

Just a block from the harbor, a few steps from the cathedral, and very near Plaza de la Catedral, this hotel is made up of three houses from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Located on the site of an old religious college, rooms are equipped with many modern amenities. Decorative details include Spanish ceramic tiles, wrought-iron grates, and lathed-wood trim.

Before becoming the home of Don Pedro Regalado Pedroso y Zayas in 1801, this building—one of the earliest in the original town of San Cristóbal de La Habana—served as a cabildo, a jailhouse, a butcher shop, and then a fish market. It's now an intimate hotel overlooking Havana's harbor. Rooms are tastefully restored and have the full complement of modern amenities, such as the next door Bodegón Onda tapas bar. The hotel shares its reception area with Hostal Valencia around the corner.

Today a light, elegant reception area leads onto a colonial archway that gives the hotel an old-world atmosphere, making it one of the top choices in Habana Vieja. Originally built by Joaquín Gómez, a wealthy merchant, in 1836, it functioned as a hotel from 1885 to 1950, reopening in 1999 after a complete restoration. Its simple room design, lovely architecture, and quality fixtures give it an edge over many of the district hotel picks, although some rooms are far superior to others, and some need to be painted. Rooms facing the colorful Calle Obispo are your best bet. The hotel also has a lively piano bar featuring live Cuban music every night from 7 pm to 1 am.

This 18th-century town house is a more private and tranquil property than others in the area—the inner courtyard's hanging tropical plants make it feel like a real private hideaway from the busy, crowded surrounding streets. The decor here is rustic and the rooms small, but they still have a quality finish. The hotel's signature restaurant is the Taberna El Molino, serving Spanish and Cuban favorites.

Officially the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, this elegant establishment recalls another era, as it's filled with memorabilia of such famous (and infamous) guests as Winston Churchill, Ava Gardner, Frank Sinatra, and Meyer Lansky—the Nacional still buzzes. Although rooms are disappointing and the service is only fair, the historic Galería bar is a great place for a mojito, as is the clifftop garden, with its magnificent views of the Malecón and the Straits of Florida beyond. A peacock strolls graciously as you sip lemonade at the bar under the shade of a majestic palm tree. Invariably there's a hot trio playing son, a genre of Cuban music and the perfect accompaniment to the movements of visitors from all over the world as they wander in and out of this national monument.

Carrara-marble floors, intricate plaster carvings, and rich woodwork make this one of Habaguanex's best La Habana Vieja restoration projects; the discreet reception area is an architectural jewel. Built in the mid-19th century, the house was bought in 1923 by Antonio San Miguel, a well-to-do journalist who financed some of the building's eclectic architectural details. The Belle Epoque decor, creature comforts, and modern facilities guarantee your stay here will be pleasant.

Roof terrace offers a panoramic view of El Morro fortress and sweeping seascapes.

Adjacent to Havana Bay and Cathedral Square, this hotel was once the house of Don Ricardo O'Farrill, descendant of an Irish man who made his fortune in the sugar trade. The entrance courtyard is impressive, if not as snazzy as that in some of the older buildings in the heart of the old city. Each floor of the hotel is dedicated to a different era, either the 18th, 19th, or 20th centuries, and rooms are decorated accordingly. Try to ask for one with a private balcony. The hotel has a signature restaurant, Don Ricardo, serving Cuban and international cuisine. The Chico O'Farrill snack bar features Latin jazz.

This high-rise monster is, at least, easy to find, even if it's not nice to look at, but rooms are functional and modern; some offer astounding sea views, especially on the upper floors. The restaurants and bars are always abuzz, and Cuba's best musicians play at the rooftop Turqino disco (the vistas from here are stunning, especially at dawn). The location puts you in the municipal nerve center: Calle 23 (La Rampa) slopes right down to the Malecón, Parque Coppelia's ice-cream emporium is just across the way, and the Universidad de la Habana is a five-minute walk east.