Hotel Melia Habana

The Melia Habana is on the coast, in the Miramar district, a 10 minute drive from the Malecon. This is one of its disadvantages: it costs 8 $ US by taxi for the journey. There is a free shuttle service to the town centre. About a 20 minute drive from the airport, about 10 miles away.

The Melia Habana is part of the Spanish chain Sol Melia. It is a lively meeting place for Havana's businessmen. The service is faultless and the restaurant is one of its strong points. The manager is French.

Opened in 1998, the Melia Habana is in a white tower with eleven floors. The lobby is huge with a bar in a corner, large arm chairs, irresistible after a day's walk. The hotel has 409 rooms. Its outside swimming pool is one of the largest (and most beautiful) in Cuba. Do not forget to have a swim when the sun is setting. There is a fitness area with sauna, massages, jacuzzi and a few tennis courts. A tropical garden adds to the charm of the place. Also: a superb smoking bar with an interesting selection of Cuban cigars.

The bedrooms are spacious and have standard amenities like all Cuban hotels: air conditioning, satellite TV, direct telephone for international calls, safe, bathroom with shower. You could say that the style is a little too impersonal. 24 hour room service. A whole floor for non-smokers.

This is one of the advantages of the hotel. The buffet restaurant (breakfast, lunch, dinner) offers a large selection of dishes and specialties. There are even frogs legs! Unique in Cuba. An Italian restaurant prepares pizzas, escalopes milanese and salads at affordable prices. On the terrace, a band regularly plays salsa music. A Mexican restaurant serves traditional meals for lunch and dinner: tacos, quesilladas, buritos etc. In short, gourmets won't be disappointed.