Hotel Imperial

The location is central, but the rooms badly need a facelift. Breakfast has very little variety, and the internet is down most of the time.

The room was spacious, with good furniture and air conditioning. They only took credit cards, refusing payment in local CUP cash. I was allowed to have a girl visit me in the room for one night, for an extra charge.

At night, the rooftop garden is amazing. This new hotel is set in an old building, right in the middle of the city, and has everything you'd want. The rooms are spacious and have American television.

The rooftop terrace and bar have gorgeous views over Santiago de Cuba, and the patio bar just off the lobby is fabulous. There isn't a pool. Hotel imperial is only a block from Parque Cespedés, in a renovated building that keeps the original bones but has modern, IKEA like features. The location makes it easy to visit dance halls La Claquetta and Casa de la Trova, plus there's an open air souvenir and food market nearby. Right across the street, a big department store by Cuban standards sells water, alcohol, lotions, clothes, snacks, and just about anything else at affordable prices. The hotel charges considerably more for those same things. Rooms have central air, dubbed cable TV, and refrigerators. Watch out during heavy rain, since water leaks into the rooms and lobby, so don't leave things on the floor. A good pick for a first visit to Santiago.