Conde De Villanueva Havana

I didn't stay at the hotel, but La Casa del Habano was one of my favorite places during my time in Cuba. The staff are really friendly, and the cigars are kept in good shape and well stocked. Give the house rolls a try, you won't be disappointed. The bar is one of the smallest I've ever seen, but it was so cool I didn't want to leave.

We had a really good lunch in the hotel courtyard. For $12, you get three courses of very good, authentic Cuban food, and the ropa vieja was especially good. A drink and dessert were included, though coffee wasn't. There are tables in the courtyard garden, where interesting birds wander around.

This review is only about the cigar shop upstairs. It's a cozy spot in the hotel's cozy courtyard, with a great selection. The staff didn't seem very interested in explaining much about cigars. It was more like, “What do you want? Here you go.” Still, it's a great place if you already know what you want or have time to try some.

The location was excellent, right in the center of Havana, but that was the only good thing. The treatment from the staff was the worst I've experienced anywhere. This was some years ago, so I hope things have changed. Our first room had no window at all. We had to open the door just to check whether it was light outside.