Top Hotels in Cuba

5 star hotels in Havana include the Hotel Kempinski and the Hotel Parque Central, both located in a great position between old Havana and central Havana. Boutique 4 star Havana hotels have been converted from small palaces and historic colonial buildings. The Hotel Santa Isabel is located on the Plaza de Armas, and the Hotel San Felipe is on the Plaza de San Francisco, old Havana, both near the Malecon seafront and near the tunnel to the 17th century fortresses, El Morro y La Cabaña.

The grande dame of Havana is the 4 star Hotel Nacional, a fading elegant 1930s edifice built by the same architects of the Breakers Hotel in Florida. It's brilliant location overlooking the ocean from its palm garden in downtown Vedado drew many famous visitors from all over the world before the Cuban revolution in 1959 including Winston Churchill and Frank Sinatra as well as most of north America's mafia including Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky.

Outside of Havana, Viñales, a small town which is the gateway to the Cuban tobacco plantations, lies in a lush, verdant valley. There are two 3 star hotels, Los Jasmine's and La Ermita, both with outstanding views over the valley. Simple accommodation with ensuite bathrooms and air conditioning, good swimming pools. The food is bland and service is so so but there are some good private restaurants known in Cuba as Paladars.

In Trinidad, an 18th century, beautifully preserved colonial town, the best hotel is the Iberostar in the centre, small and expensive. Trinidad is 5 hours by road from Havana. The relatively nearby city of Cienfuegos, with it's neo classical architecture, has a good 1950s hotel, January, with pool.

Which all leads us to the rapid growth of casas particulares, privately owned and run Cuban guest houses. Some are luxury, some simple Cuban homes but the big advantage here is that they are well priced and you get to meet the Cuban people. Service can be excellent as well as home cooked Criolla style dishes. Rooms have their own bathrooms and air conditioning. They can be found all over the island, but they should be pre-booked. Contact Cubawelcome to book hotels and casas.

The beaches and islets if Cuba gave a plethora of government all inclusive hotels managed by foreign hotel chains including Melia and Iberostar of Spain. Though Cubans form the workforce, one sometimes feels a little isolated from the Cuban world. However, it is always refreshing to wind down for a few days after the full immersion of culture and history.