Hotel Nacional De Cuba

Hotel Nacional De Cuba
3.883.883.883.883.88
3.88 based on 24 reviews
#5 of 37 hotels The Monarc.ca popularity scale (#1/15) classifies all the hotels of a single destination according to the number of grades received on 5 and the total number of reviews. in Havana
Rated 4 stars
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A Wonderful Stroll Back Through the Golden 20s.

, Kitchener, ON
2022-09-03
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. [Details]
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The strong points
Staff. Location. Music. Cleanliness.
The weak points
The new elevators.
Sanitary measures
So well done.

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

, Toronto, ON
2014-09-14
Hotel was fine-service was very good as was the price [Details]
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The strong points
Beautiful hotel and grounds
The weak points
toilets in the room
Certified

Hotel nacional worth it

, Victoria, BC
2013-09-12
Located along the majestic malecon just outside of old havana, the hotel nacional is a grand old dame with good amenities, picturesque grounds and very helpful staff. It is considered one of the best hotels in havana for a reason. As it is Cuba, not London or New York you must recognize that some things may not work and things are a little different. That is part of the charm for me. The breakfast buffet is outstanding and well above expectations. There are beaches approximately 30 minutes by taxi outside of havana but you don't. go to the city just for that. [Details]
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The strong points
Lovely grounds, pool, room very adequate, buffet excellent
The weak points
Not the best location for non walkers. Havana does have a lot of street hustlers that can be tiresome
Certified

Havana's most prestigeous hotel

, Kingston, ON
2013-04-07
All was perfect, we loved the room as it is decorated with historical fashion with wood furniture. A very clean and tidy room, thanks for the room maid. Good minibar, also good bars and restaurants and bars in the hotel.The prices are good and affordable. Everyone around is very kind. Above all the city was wonderful and a "must see" as the hotel is a "must stay". On the streets they say that Hotel Nacional is the most prestigious hotel of Havana.Now we know why... [Details]
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The strong points
Architectıral beauty, important historical relics inside and outside. Very good location and very good services.
The weak points
Internet connection is not free. Otherwise all is perfect.
Certified

Nice 5' hotel

, Haugesund, YT
2012-12-03
This is a very nice 5* hotel, but bear in mind that it is situated in Cuba and not 5th avenue in NYC. Its location and history with its old charm is great! Will definitely travel back! [Details]
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The strong points
location and history
The weak points
hotel staff was not serviceminded
Certified

Very nice place to stay

, Montreal, QC
2012-06-25
Pretty much everything went very well, check in took 5 minutes at the most.
I had someone coming in within 5 minutes to program my security box. There was lots of bell boys, opening boors, welcoming you, taking care of your luggage, I remember at some point even thinking there was too many!

Breakfast food was not very good but there was variety at least. I expected this from Cuba. The food by the pool and the food served in the 24/7 restaurant and starts at around 6 pesos which is a bit pricey for what it is.

I suggest you dont use the mini bar because it is way over priced. [Details]
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The strong points
The beauty of this hotel is out of this world and it has an amazing reputation, it's big and they offer entertainment, very good bands at night. They offer a lot of services: business center with internet, currecy change, turism office, etc.
The weak points
Food and drinks are a bit pricy if you take into consideration that beers sell on the street for 1 peso and a sandwich is no more than 2 pesos, those items cost respectively 3 and 6 pesos, its a bit much if you think the average salary of a cuban
Certified

Stilll an impressive place to stay

, Baie D Urfe, QC
2012-01-17
Location and atmoshere is great! Rooms have been renovated; the only issue is the breakfast: the staff can not cope to provide sufficient food, it is difficult to find an available table. Pool closes already at 6pm. [Details]
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The strong points
Atmosphere & location; garden area
The weak points
Breakfast
Certified

Not bad

, Mississauga, ON
2011-12-30
The hotel was gorgeous and the staff really helpful. Rooms were old but elegant and clean.

The food was poor though as others have noted about Cuba in general. The breakfast buffet was decent (you can't really screw up eggs can you?) but dinner options are limited, especially if you don't like pork or seafood.

Great trip overall but not the best value for money. [Details]
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The strong points
Great history, view, rooms and service
The weak points
Weak food and a bit too far from old Havana.
Certified

Hotel Nacional

, Ancaster, ON
2011-11-16
this was my THIRD time and LAST time going to the Hotel Nacional. The hotel looks great from far, However, as you stary there, you will discover poor service, moulded rooms, old old old uncared furniture and very bad music that goes on until midnight....same band EVERY NIGHT [Details]
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The strong points
the location
The weak points
bad service, horrible nad music every night they played the same songs...i was there for two weeks. Rooms have not been renovated for over 20 years.
Certified

5 days in Havana

, Apmt 327, Montreal, QC
2010-11-11
We chose the Nacional for our first vist to Havana because of it's history. It proved to be a very good hotel for us. We stayed on the executive level as a little treat, and think it was worth the slight extra charge. Its old and the maintenance is basic but everything worked and it was comfortable. [Details]
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The strong points
service, cleanliness, friendly and helpful staff
The weak points
expensive for what it is, for a holiday destination. Maybe ok for a business trip
Certified

Good time

, Montreal, QC
2010-06-13
Classic hotel, with beautiful grounds and bars, nice pools. One thing that was a bit of a minus was that the pools closed very early around 6-7pm – after a hot day in Havana it would have been really nice to come home and have a swim in the evening. Our room was not as nice as we would have expected – very small, with a worn carpet and very poor air-conditioning, but the bathroom had recently been redone and everything was working. The breakfast buffet was good by Cuban standards although I was a little disappointed at the lack of tropical juices that I have seen at other resorts but there was abundant fresh fruit including mangoes and also freshly squeezed orange juice. The staff was professional. I suggest walking down to La Rampa or elsewhere to hail a cab and bargaining with the driver to save yourself a lot of money. Great location near the Malecon and La Rampa, lots of clubs, and restaurants. A reasonable walk to most anywhere in the city if you're willing, or a cheap cab ride (we usually spent between 2 - 4 CUC for cab rides). Overall a good time, although in terms of value for money I might be tempted to stay at the Melia Cohiba next time instead. But for the price we paid in June, really we couldn't complain, as I've paid almost the same amount, and one could pay far more depending on the time of year, to stay at vastly inferior hotels. [Details]
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The strong points
Classic design, grounds
The weak points
The room itself
Certified

4 nights at the Hotel Nacional, Havana

, Mississauga, ON
2010-01-03
Room on Executive Floor was spacious, clean, and afforded nice ocean view. All staff were courteous and professional even though hotel was packed. Loved the mojitos on the wonderful veranda where we met many interesting people. Taxis to Old Havana between 5-8 CUC. [Details]
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The strong points
Staff work hard to please.
The weak points
Food leaves much to be desired.
Certified

Hotel Nacional review

, Edmonton, AB
2009-12-06
Hotel Nacional is pretty much the cream of the crop of hotels in the Havana area. Yes there are newer hotels (Melia's), but none have the character and history of this hotel. One thing to remember is that hotel star ratings are not the same as elsewhere is the world. That is to say that although the service you receive is four - five star, the condition of the rooms (ie. mattresses) and the condition of buildings is not the same. In addition, food in Cuba is hit and miss. If you do a bit of research you can end up with some very good meals. Keep these things in mind and you will have a great time. [Details]
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The strong points
Beautiful hotel / grounds Lots of character / history Within walking distance of all ammenities
The weak points
Far from the beach (18 kms) Food (all of Cuba) Far-ish from Old Havana
Certified

Hotel Nacional

, London, ON
2009-11-23
If you're looking for a taste of glamour and a splash of history, the Hotel Nacional is the perfect place. Staying there gives you a real taste of what pre-Revolutionary Havana must have been like--sophisticated and sexy. Yes, it isn't nearly as luxurious and well equipped as one would expect according to North American standards, but that's not what I go to Havana looking for. You're not in Kansas anymore Dorothy. This is Cuba. It was clean and stately, and I loved it. [Details]
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The strong points
The location and atmosphere were by far the best things about the Nacional. It is in the heart of Vedado, close to the action with a wide variety of bars/clubs within walking distance. Not nearly as quiant as Old Havana, but a great deal more lively.
The weak points
It doesn't meet Western standards in terms of services and accommodations, but I've been to Cuba several times and knew what to expect and therefore, wasn't disappointed.
Certified

We enjoyed this trip

, Oakville, ON
2009-07-02
A great old hotel with history and comforatble amenities. The staff was friendly and helpful. The hotel is well situatted close to the must see sights of Havana. [Details]
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The strong points
Grace of an old hotel. Great location.
Certified

A lovely spot to visit

, Kingston, ON
2009-07-01
Overall a very nice hotel, with service at a level better than we were led to expect. Clean rooms with good housekeeping. Nice pools, lots of space. Great bars and the outdoor lounge area, with resident Cuban musicians, was idyllic. [Details]
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The strong points
Location, cleanliness, service.
The weak points
A more-secure location for luggage on departure would be nice.
Certified

Hotel Nacional

, Toronto, ON
2009-06-25
Exceeded our (admittedly low) expectations! Clean large room - better than some we've had in US/Europe - great grounds including pool. Breakfast not so great, but some things at least edible. Would definitely stay here again. [Details]
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The strong points
Grounds, historic character of hotel, clean spacious room
The weak points
Most restaurants (like rest of Cuba!) air conditioning turned way too high (but better than none!)
Certified

Recommended with some reservations.

, New Westminster, BC
2009-06-17
The hotel was great, rooms were clean and the staff was friendly. Would definately recommend it but be aware of the following:
breakfast buffett was abdundant but quantity is not better than quality. Make sure you bet the freshly made breakfast (omelettes).
It's a little far to walk to the major tourist spots but there is public transport.
I would definately stay there again if I wasn't by myself. The hotel is historic, clean (for the most part), the staff is friendly and the grounds are wonderful. [Details]
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The strong points
friendly staff, clean rooms, nice grounds, historic place to stay.
The weak points
a little far for walking to major tourist points.
Certified

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