34 Best Hotels in 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]).

Inaugurated in 1875, this is Cuba's oldest hotel and there's much to admire here—photographs of old Havana, intricate Andalusian tiles, the shield of Spain's Catholic kings behind the bar. Rooms are gloomy, but they seem more "real" than those in the glass-and-steel high-rises; Graham Greene stayed here when he last visited Havana in 1958. The ground-floor Gran Café del Louvre is a great people-watching spot, the roof-terrace restaurant has unparalleled views, and all the sights of Centro and La Habana Vieja are a short walk away.

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.

Wooden buildings scattered along a coral bluff house this intimate resort's spacious rooms. Tiles, drapes, and cushions throughout are done in earth tones that evoke the surrounding landscape; abundant windows and balconies allow sun and sea breezes inside. All guest rooms have original art, wicker furniture, and satellite TV; most have ocean views. The thatch-roof restaurant ($–$$) has a panorama of beach and sea; the menu is short and dominated by seafood.

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.

The architecture here is a mix of Cuban and Spanish, with arches, marble floors, barrel-tile and thatched roofs, and murals by Camagüey artists. Rooms are in two-story buildings scattered around vast, luxuriant grounds. They have white tile floors, hardwood furniture, large baths with tubs, and sliding glass doors that open either onto balconies or porches with views of the gardens, pool, or sea.

Buffet meals are included in rates, as are drinks at the main bar; but you must pay your own way at the beach grill and discotheque.

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.

Its many colonial-style arches, columns, Spanish tiles, and pastel colors give this all-inclusive resort a Disneyesque look. Rooms have tile floors, small balconies, and paintings of Trinidad street scenes on the walls. About half the rooms face the ocean, most of the rest have views of a pool that's surrounded by palm trees and lounge chairs. As is the case with many Cuban resorts, the main restaurant serves a mediocre buffet; the evening seafood beach grill is a better option (reservations are required).

This massive beachfront complex has the appearance of two hotels, and you want to choose the right section. Rooms in the main building are unattractive little boxes, the best of which have tiny balconies overlooking the sea. Those in the Módulo Nuevo—the newer, two-story buildings next door—are spacious, tastefully furnished, and have large balconies.

All rooms cost the same, so request one (with an ocean view) in the Módulo Nuevo.

The beach is a long, narrow strip of white sand shaded by thatched parasols in a stunning location on the tip of the peninsula. The restaurants are on the ground floor of the main building, next to which are a large pool, tennis courts, and other facilities.

Although this resort lines a wide swath of sugary sand shaded by palms and thatched parasols, few of its rooms have ocean views. The Coral Suites—spacious, beachfront bungalows with large balconies—are the best rooms by far. Junior suites are big but are set back from the beach in two-story buildings; standard rooms are so far from the sea that most have views only of the road. The bar, two restaurants, and amphitheater surround a large, blue-tile pool with a rocky waterfall at one end.

Though billed as all-inclusive, you have to pay for meals in two of the five restaurants (the one that serves seafood and the pizzeria) and to enter the dance club.

Named for a mesón (tavern) frequented by Spanish sailors in colonial times, this hotel in the heart of the Old City has five rooms with every modern amenity and spotless bathrooms. The bar's nightly flamenco performances are worth a look, and the restaurant's Spanish cooking offers respite from Antillean fare.

It won't take your breath away, but this modern, all-inclusive hotel has acceptably furnished and equipped bungalows. It also has sports facilities, water-sport equipment for rent, a swimming pool, and kids' play area. Plus, it's on a beach less than 20 minutes from the city.

This stately, five-story lodging in Camagüey's historic center has served guests in style since 1939. Its bright lobby has chandeliers hung from high ceilings and various other antiques, the elevator being one of them. Rooms are small and a little on the dark side and have high ceilings and old tile floors; those facing the street are the biggest, but they can be noisy at night. Although the fifth-floor restaurant is lovely (it's furnished with antiques and surrounded by windows and glass doors that open onto a wraparound balcony); you come here for the atmosphere more so than the food. Even if you stay elsewhere, stopping in for a sunset drink at the rooftop bar is one of those when-in-Camagüey must-dos.

A vast complex overlooking the Caribbean Sea, the hotel is close to the National Aquarium and is a few hundred meters from the Miramar Trade Center. A lively colorful entryway leads to the reception area, which is lighted from above where hanging plants dangle. The property has three main restaurants and two pools. Rooms are pretty standard here but have lovely views. Book one of the Privilege Suites for the best vistas.

Although it's large, impersonal, and inefficient, the Riviera provides fantastic sea views and a large swimming pool. Rooms here look tired and in need of renewal. If you end up staying here, take comfort in the fact that Esther Williams and Ginger Rogers once splashed about in the pool and the notion that you're not far from some of the city's best music venues and paladares.

Sunrises and sunsets viewed from this elegant hotel's hilltop setting are unequaled. Overlooking the valley and the town, you're not likely to miss the sunrise once roosters down in the valley start crowing at first light. The hotel's 62 rooms are arranged in two-story wings, each with shuttered French doors leading out to a small private terrace. Columns, arched transom windows, and red-tile roofs add a Spanish flavor to the yellow-brick buildings. The rooms are on the small size, as are the bathrooms, but they have quiet air-conditioning, safes, minibars, and satellite TV. The rooms with the best views are Nos. 57 to 64, but everyone has a spectacular sunset view from the restaurant at dinner. A good-size swimming pool is in the center of carefully groomed lawns. There are well-kept tennis courts, as well as riding and hiking excursions around the valley. The restaurant ($) serves passable fare (breakfast is excellent), and the staff is attentive.

Be sure to take an early-morning walk along the dirt roads between La Ermita and the center of Viñales to see how the locals really live.

Although the bougainvillea-draped central patio is more reminiscent of Seville and Andalusia, the theme at this restored 18th-century mansion is really Valencia. Each room is named after a Valencian village or town—such as Jijona, Silia, or Alzira.

Request the Morella Room, which has a private rooftop patio.

Filled with beautiful colonial-style furniture and original ceramic tiles, the hotel makes quite an impression. Following the eastern Spain theme, the on-site restaurant is known (and named) for its paella.

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.

This quiet, castaway-island resort is devoted to diving and snorkeling. Rooms, in wooden bungalows facing the beach, are modest and decorated motel-style, with air-conditioning and ceiling fans. More important, every room has a veranda with ocean views and breezes. The restaurant ($) serves passable Cuban specialties, fresh-caught lobster and pargo (red snapper) foremost among them. The bar is a lively spot after hours, and in the true castaway spirit you'll meet all of your fellow guests; Spain and Italy are especially well represented in summer. This is a good place if what you're seeking is sun, sea, diving, and snorkeling.

This modern six-story structure dates from the 1950s and looks out of place among the palacios of Punta Gorda, but rooms sparkle and service is top-notch here. Rooms view the bay and the city—a more pleasant sight at night than by day thanks to an oil refinery and other industry. The decor is bright and modern, with white-tile floors and colorful bedspreads. The restaurant has buffets—serving Italian food one time, Cuban another—when there are groups and offers a Continental menu when it's quiet.

On a grassy hill at the northern edge of town, this collection of cement duplexes enjoys a sweeping panorama of Trinidad's red-tile roofs, the Península de Ancón, and the blue Caribbean beyond. The name means "the caves," and caverns riddle the ground beneath the hotel; one of them is a museum, another holds the discotheque. Rooms are above and below the modern reception area; next door is the main restaurant, which usually serves buffets; a smaller café overlooks the pool atop the hill.

Try to get a room away from the restaurant if you don't want to hear the nightly folklore show.

One of the best values in Varadero, this cheerfully retro property is right in the center of town, though it nevertheless has a great beachfront. The round pool is small but well designed, reminiscent of Cuba's glamorous, 1940s heyday. Rooms are simple but decorated in a riot of tropical colors. Along with the usual resort activities, this friendly place offers dancing and Spanish-language lessons.

Western Cuba's grande dame of hotels is painted rosy pink and is highlighted by arcs of stained glass windows over shuttered French doors that open onto balconies with spectacular, panoramic views of the valley and its limestone mogotes (steep-sided hills). All the hotel's rooms have air-conditioning, satellite TV, and safes. The 14 original rooms on the main building's top three floors have fresh, contemporary white-tile bathrooms with tubs and are tastefully decorated in subdued shades of yellow. There are no elevators, so if stairs are a problem, the next best rooms are the 14 large tropical bungalow suites on a slight slope below the main building, with verandas overlooking the valley. Newer, smaller rooms are arranged in a two-story 1990s addition that faces the huge pool, which is in need of some paint and repair. Comfortable poolside lounges are perfect perches for enjoying the view. The restaurant ($) is better than average, and the bar is gorgeous, with a carved-wood ceiling and more stained glass. There's Wi-Fi in the public areas of the main building.

This adults-only resort, now owned by the Memories hotel group, is one of Cuba's best. Located between the mountains and the sea, and just steps from the beach, there are activities aplenty offered including diving, snorkeling, volleyball, and basketball. Dining options include three specialty restaurants and one international buffet. The staff members are helpful, intelligent, and cheerful; the rooms are clean, and the beaches are impeccable.

On the highest forested part of Las Terrazas Biosphere Reserve, this "ecologically" designed hotel makes its point with a huge carob tree growing in the lobby, its branches escaping through skylights. The red-tile roof, green wood railings, and white walls echo the colors of the Cuban flag. The 21 original rooms on two levels have floor-to-ceiling windows looking on to private terraces, and come equipped with minibar, safe, and flat-screen TV. Modern bathrooms have tub/showers with leafy views. Sixteen newer rooms have higher, slanted ceilings and are a little more spacious. There are also five self-contained, modern rooms attached to community houses nearby. There's Wi-Fi in the lobby (extra charge) and in the restaurant, which has tables on two terraces suspended over the valley's edge, as well as a cozy inside dining room. Try the roasted Moka chicken bathed in a coffee liqueur sauce ($). This singular spot in the middle of a forest is still less than an hour from Havana. Activities include an 11-platform zip line (CUC$20) or a three-hour scenic walk. There's also a smallish pool in a forest setting.

There's something charming about the entrance way of the Plaza, despite its cavernous, tourist-packed hallways. Although the rooms aren't very distinguished and facilities have definitely seen better days, the early-20th-century Spanish architecture has inspiring overtones of pre–civil war Madrid. This hotel is no Madrid Ritz, but it does have all the facilities you need for a comfortable stay. It boasts no less than three restaurants and three bars, so you're never too far away from a decent meal or a mojito. Albert Einstein and Babe Ruth were both once guests of this grand hotel.

If the shady lobby bar and a refreshing beverage don't soothe your weary traveler's soul, then head immediately to your comfortable room overlooking the pool and the Straits of Florida beyond. The artwork in the traditionally appointed rooms is a nice touch, but we would hope for better quality furnishings in a hotel of this class and style. Step back in time at the hotel's restaurant, Chez Merito, which has a good wine list and serves delicious pizzas and pastas cooked by an Italian chef. The breakfast room next to the pool is bright and cheery, and breakfast is generous, enough to get you through to a late dinner in a nearby paladar.

A few blocks from the Malecón, this Gran Caribe hotel may be modest, but it has much to recommend it. One of Vedado's few intimate establishments, rooms are small but well equipped, the restaurant is passable, and you can't help but make a new friend or two at the pocket-size swimming pool. The Victoria's clientele tends to return faithfully, so reserve well in advance.