Hotel Caribbean

The location is excellent, close to the city center. My room was clean, though a little dated. The air conditioning was very loud, the shower had no hot water and barely any water pressure, and breakfast was basic and the same every morning.

It's a really basic budget hotel, almost more like a hostel. The main reason to stay is its central spot on the Prado, beside Old Havana and close to Central Havana's main sights. You can walk instead of spending on taxis, and head out at night without worrying about getting back. It's fine if you only need somewhere to sleep, but I wouldn't choose it for a family trip or a romantic stay. The rooms are fine for air conditioning, but some don't have windows. Breakfast isn't a buffet like at other Havana hotels. I got one bun, one egg, and a cup of chicory coffee, so if you need more in the morning, a budget place such as the Colina with a buffet might suit you better. The staff are friendly and helpful. The bartender chairs the Cuban Bartenders Association, and the cocktails are good.

Only four rooms have an outside window, so most feel like an inside cabin on a cruise ship, with no sense of what time of day it is. Hot water can be a gamble too. You may need to time your shower for after the heater has warmed up, around 3 am, otherwise the water is lukewarm at best. The location is hard to beat, close to Old Havana, the Capitol and the Malecon, on a pretty street. The staff are very friendly and quick to help. Rooms are clean and have great A/C, and the bathrooms have everything except shampoo. For the money, it's a good value near the sights, with lovely people working there.

The staff were friendly, breakfast was delicious, and the restaurant made great ham and cheese sandwiches and mochas. We were close to the malecon and the boulevard, and pretty much walked everywhere in Cuba. It was perfect for somewhere to come back to sleep, shower, and eat.