Havana

J'aime de plus en plus l'hôtel Iberostar Parque Central. Il a le meilleur emplacement de toute la Havane et, aujourd'hui, j'ose dire que si ce n'est pas le meilleur hôtel de tout Cuba, il y est presque. Il y règne une atmosphère incroyable, pleine de musique et de vie. Le programme du réveillon du Nouvel An d'hier soir était tout simplement fabuleux. Un dîner délicieux et copieux à cinq plats et une animation musicale bouleversante qui a ravi tous les invités, quel que soit leur âge. Personnel toujours très attentif et serviable et chambres du bâtiment colonial avec vue sur le Capitole qui sont un délice.

Overall good. My housekeeper, Gisele, was wonderful, kind and helpful. Nestor was a great guy. The food was adequate but very bland. The front desk was always polite and helpful.

Tall marble pillars, actual wicker furniture. In the corner, Latin jazz - live music, the sound of peacocks - the aroma of cigars – a cool breeze rustling the tall palm trees. Over there, the vast blue ocean. The vantage from the back of the hotel cleverly disguises the road between us, and where the waves meet the sand. And the staff - so well dressed, so polite and accommodating. That's just the back of the hotel. There is always someone to greet you at the impressive front doors. Inside – regal and elegant. Clean, and beautiful. Sculptures, crystal chandeliers – art. The cabaret show – so fun. The room, lovely. Nothing extravagant, just clean and cool and neat. Can we talk about the food? When you read reviews about the food, I would have you remember, as some are clearly not aware, that the climate of the country must always be taken into consideration. This is not Canada. The food was fine, and honestly, we were there the day the mandatory mask issue lifted…we were lucky. After two years of almost no travel – when tourism is so important, the country was suffering. And to that…tipping. We brought with us things that are very difficult to get in Cuba. Toothpaste, toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products, aspirin, school supplies, make-up – it is on you to do some research, and bring something good to this country. In retrospect, I wish we'd brought more. Believe me when I say, rather than a tip of money, their economy is very complicated, they were so grateful to have gifts of small bottles of shampoo, razors, etc. To give you an example, when we were there, toothpaste was in such high demand, and so difficult to get, it cost them, at the very least, $16 Canadian. To give you some idea – the average Cuban makes about $150. US dollars per month. My only complaint, is to save anyone from my fate. There are two sets of elevators at the hotel. The old ones, with the brass arrow over them, and the new ones. The second last day of my trip, I was getting off the elevator, mask on, carrying something, and landed face first sprawled over the hallway. I hadn't seen the elevator was still about 8 inches from being level with my floor. The two maids were more upset than me, and when they sent up a doctor to look at my knee and take my blood pressure, and my roommate showed up in the midst of the drama – one maid, still crying, she suggested the doctor take her blood pressure instead. It was a month before I was walking normally. It was a great trip. I'd recommend the hotel. You'll feel like you've just fallen into the book – The Great Gatsby.

The hotel was OK, but staff would sneak me around to "off camera sites" to exchange 1 Canadian dollar for 100 Cuban pesos (better than the government rate, I suppose). One staff guy wanted to visit my room and then offered me only 80 Cuban pesos for 1 Canadian dollar, a total creep. Staff in the bar area were generally friendly, and the chambermaid was a sweet old lady who should have retired years ago, but the front desk staff were self-important, lazy and outright hostile when I complained that my one chair had collapsed from rot the moment I sat in it. Wi-Fi was not available in the rooms, and there were no room safes, much less a safe in the lobby, so I was forced to carry cash, cards and documents on my person everywhere. A total drag. The bathroom stank like an open sewer, and the shower only sometimes disgorged hot water, but some attempt had been made to fix it up.

I stayed here for only one night prior to a catamaran trip with G Adventures out of Cienfuegos. This hotel was perfectly well situated to get a taste of the beauty of Old Havana. The music, the terraces, the cobblestone streets, the street life. The room was spacious and comfortable. The bathroom had plenty of hot water. The breakfast was just OK. The hotel staff allowed us (for a small charge) to keep our luggage there while we visited the city after our check out time.

We wanted to stay in old Havana this time within walking distance to Vieja and this hotel was perfect. It is a lovely older hotel great for relaxing in the lobby or listening to live music in the open air cafe/bar. The shuttered casement windows of the main floor breakfast restaurant open up to the street and add another layer to the Havana experience. The restaurant on the 9th floor allows some great vistas and while the original ceiling and pilasters have been retained, it had the feel of an over-sized cafeteria and there are better places to eat in Havana. I would recommend if you're staying for more than one night to request a room on the 5th floor or higher as the view will be more pleasing and also request a corner room as they are more spacious and will make your stay that much more enjoyable.

Nice older hotel (by Cuban standards). I had a room on the 9th floor. Room was clean and well maintained. The A/C was quiet and worked well in my room. The water temperature and pressure were also good in my room (but I was usually showering after 10am daily ... so maybe there are issues with earlier time if more people are taking showers). The hotel is set further out from the old part of Havana but it is easy to get to many places in Vedado, Centro Habana and Habana Vieja. Its a good quieter place to stay. One observation I had though, is that there is a primary school right beside it and the children start gathering, playing, laughing, shouting outside the school by 8 am daily. I heard them with my windows closed on the 9th floor so I suspect the sounds are louder on the lower floors on the same side of the building. The food was adequate but I wouldn't consider it exceptional. The daily breakfast buffet had more than enough choices and was kept well replenished. I found the evening dinner buffet to be okay but pricey for what was available. Nice terrace to sit on in the breeze and have a coctail, listen to music and watch the world pass by. Overall a pleasant stay.

Was quite delighted with almost everything. Wonderful room - overlooking park as asked for: 15' ceilings, beautiful louvered window & balcony to enjoy view. Movie set perfect. Leafy plants in hallways and atrium. Alina the maid was wonderful; gave her generous tip. Breafast is mediocre. CUC exchange rate high. Cigar/cig smoke on front veranda most obnoxious to non smokers.

Exactly as expected for a cheap Cuban hotel. Food was basic but plentiful, staff was either great or a little indifferent but the location, price and cleanliness were on point. Great for singles or adventurers that do not intend on spending hours in a gorgeous hotel.