105 Best Hotels in Cuba

In some ways, this rambling complex of pseudo-colonial-style, concrete bungalows and outbuildings epitomizes all that's wrong with Cayo Largo's tourism program: it lacks any authentic local character. The landscape is scrubby but the beach facing this spot is a cut above those farther east, and all the rooms are arranged around the pool. The Sol Pelícano does offer every imaginable activity, from basketball to diving to windsurfing, and there's also a kids' club.

Cayo Coco's original resort, the Tryp is a miniature city, with several pools, more than 20 bars and restaurants, and nearly a thousand rooms spread along a mile of pale beach. The hotel consists of two compounds, each with its own reception: the original complex, to the west, has more charm, with large rooms in Spanish-style structures surrounded by gardens; the newer wing has a modern, open-air lobby that overlooks a vast pool area with sculptures, fountains, and a sunken bar. Rooms throughout are done in earth tones and have tile floors, balconies, and large baths with tubs.

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.

This 1950s-style complex in the town of Providencia rents rooms in 10 brightly colored cabins. Rooms are basic, but so are the rates here. The real attraction is the get-away-from-it-all atmosphere, and the fresh, cool air. You'll also find a bar, restaurant, and pool here.

This attractive complex gives you some peace and quiet outside the city on the road to Manzanillo. Rooms are brightly colored but incessantly plain, with beds, end tables, a mirror and little else. The rates can't be beat, though. The restaurant, El Tamarindo ($), is known for its roast pork. The property also has a bar, pool, and a discotheque.

On a 5-hectare (12-acre) farm—the name means "little farm"—near Santa Clara's airport, this tranquil resort has plenty of fresh air and birdsong. Rooms are in two-story octagonal duplexes, with bright tile floors, hardwood furniture, and lots of windows overlooking shady lawns. You can follow trails through patches of forest, orchards, and pastures on foot or on horseback. A kidney-shape pool lies next to the reception area, and a large restaurant nearby offers buffets as well as a menu of Cuban dishes.

If you like the idea of sitting in the shade on a rocking chair steps from a secluded, palm-lined beach, this guest house is perfect. The sands here are white, and the waters are protected by a cove. The house is simple, offering such basic comforts as a common TV lounge. As there are only a few rooms, you must make reservations well in advance through the nearby Hotel Castillo or any Gaviota office.

At this countryside inn on the outskirts of the city, you can stay in one of the hillside cabins or in the gracious Casa del Pancho, whose rooms have balconies. Accommodations here are plain but comfortable. Cabins or main buildings, you'll have a good view of the Holguín Valley from any room in this hotel. The on-site bar-restaurant, Taberna Pancho ($), serves decent fare.

This formerly dismal hotel has had a recent makeover with many improvements, including air-conditioning in all the rooms and spruced up interiors. The huge hotel pool has been repainted, and thatched umbrellas now make the windy beach more inviting. A crumbling, concrete sea wall, though, is still an eyesore, but it does keep the water a little calmer for swimming. About half the hotel's bungalows and rooms are now in use and they have been painted in cheerful tropical colors. Interiors have been freshly painted, with new wicker furniture and twin beds that are simple but fresh. All rooms now have safes (extra charge). The bungalows have one-, two-, and three bedrooms and there are also attached rooms in a row facing the beach. The best bungalows are Nos. 94 through 97, closest to the beach. This all-inclusive hotel has a large dining room and some evening entertainment on an open stage by the pool. The dive center and the hotel's organized excursions are the best reason to stay here.

Bay breezes help cool these basic, crinkle-top roofed bungalows that dot the lawn of this large property, which borders a good, sandy beach. All the bungalows, painted peach and turquoise, have separate sitting rooms, one or two bedrooms, and an outside covered sitting area. They are nothing fancy but they do all have air-conditioning. Ask for a bungalow as close to the beach as possible. As in most Cuban government-managed hotels, the food is nothing to write home about, but you won't starve. There's a pool and a breezy terrace bar where you can watch sunsets over the bay. This is a sound base for bird-watching treks and hikes in the Zapata wetlands, fishing excursions to the Laguna de las Salinas, or diving. It's encouraging to see some solar panels being used here.

Here dozens of two-story, cement bungalows spread around verdant grounds have spacious rooms with white-tile floors, queen-size beds, and lots of windows. The main building houses the reception, a tiny bar, and the restaurant ($), which serves such Cuban classics as pierna asada (roast pork) and ternero guisado (stewed veal), as well as a few Continental dishes. On weekends, light sleepers should request a room at the back of the property, since the discotheque next to the reception area stays open late.

At the edge of the Vista Alegre neighborhood are these accommodations in 12 one-storey houses, all former residences built in the 1940s and 1950s. A stay here is similar to a stay in a casa particular, except the houses are run by the state-owned Gaviota tour operator. Three to six rooms are available in each house; all are comfortable, bright, and well maintained. Rooms vary widely in size, so ask to see one before pouncing. The service is reliable.

Its rooms may be on the musty side with furnishings that have seen better days, but this is the starting point for trips into the Sierra Maestra. The modest cabins are along the bank of the Río Yara, and the friendly ambience and cool, fresh mountain air make for a pleasant stay. The basic bar-restaurant serves hearty meals: breakfast is likely to be fried eggs served with rice and beans, dinner may well be barbecued chicken—again, with rice and beans. You can hire guides here for trips to the Parque Nacional Turquino or go for a horseback ride along the river and on mountain trails.