Cuba - Lonely Planet [89]
Hostels
Residencia Académica Convento de Santa Clara ( 866-9327; Cuba No 610 btwn Luz & Sol; r per person CUC$25) Something of a novelty for Havana, this run-down but charmingly atmospheric old nunnery has been partially converted into a hostel to take in travelers. Situated a stone’s throw from Plaza Vieja and priced cheaper than the surrounding casas particulares, it’s a tempting budget option if you don’t mind fairly Spartan facilities and possible room sharing. The Residencia was undergoing renovations at the time of writing.
MIDRANGE
Mesón de la Flota (Habaguanex; 863-3838; Mercaderes No 257 btwn Amargura & Brasil; s/d incl breakfast CUC$65/100) Habana Vieja’s smallest and most reasonably priced period hotel is an old Spanish tavern decked out with maritime motifs and located within spitting distance of gracious Plaza Vieja. Five individually crafted rooms contain all of the modern comforts and amenities, while downstairs a busy restaurant serves up delicious tapas – check out the garbanzos con chorizo (chickpeas with sausage) – and scrumptiously prepared platos principales (main meals). For music lovers the real drawcard, however, is the nightly tablaos (flamenco shows), the quality of which could rival anything in Andalusia. Sit back and soak up the intangible spirit of duende.
Hostal Valencia (Habaguanex; 867-1037; Oficios No 53; s/d incl breakfast CUC$80/130) The Valencia is decked out like a Spanish posada (inn) with hanging vines, doorways big enough to ride a horse through and a popular on-site paella restaurant. With a bit of imagination you can almost see the ghosts of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza floating through the hallways. Slap-bang in the middle of the historical core and with a price that makes it one of the cheapest offerings in the current Habaguanex stable, this hostel is an excellent old-world choice with good service and plenty of atmosphere.
Hotel El Comendador (Habaguanex; 867-1037; cnr Obrapía & Baratillo; ) Situated next door to the Valencia, the El Comendador offers similar facilities and rates.
Hostal Beltrán de la Santa Cruz ( 860-8330; San Ignacio No 411 btwn Muralla & Sol; s/d incl breakfast CUC$80/130; ) Excellent location, friendly staff and plenty of old-world authenticity make this compact inn just off Plaza Vieja a winning combination. Housed in a sturdy 18th-century building and offering just 11 spacious rooms, intimacy is a premium here and the standard of service has been regularly lauded by both travelers and reviewers.
TOP END
Hostal Condes de Villanueva (Habaguanex; 862-9293; Mercaderes No 202; s/d low season CUC$67/98, high season CUC$93/150; ) If you are going to splash out on one night of luxury in Havana, you’d do well to check out this highly lauded colonial gem. Restored under the watchful eye of City Historian Eusebio Leal Spengler in the late ’90s, the Villanueva has converted a grandiose city mansion into an intimate and thoughtfully decorated hotel with nine bedrooms spread spaciously around an attractive inner courtyard (complete with resident peacock). Upstairs suites contain stained-glass windows, chandeliers, arty sculptures and – best of all – a fully workable whirlpool bathtub.
Hostal Palacio O’Farrill (Habaguanex; 860-5080; Cuba No 102-108 btwn Chacón & Tejadillo; s/d CUC$95/160; ) Not an Irish joke, but one of Havana’s most impressive period hotels, the Palacio O’Farrill is a staggeringly beautiful colonial palace that once belonged to Don Ricardo O’Farrill, a Cuban sugar entrepreneur who was descended from a family of Irish nobility. Taking the Emerald Isle as its theme, there’s plenty of greenery on the plant-filled 18th-century courtyard. The 2nd floor, which was added in the 19th century, provides grandiose neoclassical touches, while the 20th-century