Almost every visitor to Cuba stays in Havana. At least the Cuban tourism board thinks so—the frequency of hotels in Havana Cuba as compared to many other destinations in the country is extremely incongruous. That's not to say there aren't plenty of places to stay elsewhere, but if you want to stay in comfort and style, Cuban hotels rarely approach the heights found in the capital city.

The Hotel Inglaterra is one of the classic options for those looking to stay in the center of Havana. The Inglaterra is the oldest hotel in Cuba, and its location in Old Havana puts it right in the middle of the best things to do in the Cuban capital—you can easily walk to most of the city's best attractions. This four-star hotel has a lovely neoclassical exterior (it's been designated as a historic landmark), and the rooms are surprisingly affordable. There is a restaurant and a bar/coffee shop in the Hotel Inglaterra, and the central location means it's easy to walk to other places to eat too.

For those searching for a bargain, there are plenty of those, too. The Hotel Lido is one of the cheapest hotels in Havana Cuba, and while it may not be located in the greatest of neighborhoods, the actual hotel is well above average, as are the helpful staff members and talented chefs. For those who want to really mix with the locals the Hotel Lincoln is nearby all the major sights of the city and the guests are almost invariably Cubans, each who will make you feel as welcome as humanly possible.

Cuba Map

In the center of the downtown area, the Hotel Sevilla, a colonial hotel erected in 1908 that provides some of the best views of the city. The Hotel Nacional has all the excitement and atmosphere of the 1950s, even if the rooms themselves are nothing special. But they would good enough to house a laundry list of icons from the twentieth century, such as Winston Churchill and Frank Sinatra. Even if this is yet another of the many hotels in Cuba trading on the glories of the past, it is still a fixture and should be considered for those who can afford it.

The city of Trinidad is another of the country's tourist centers, as it is the foremost beach area on the island's Caribbean side. Since competition for the tourist dollar is fierce most anywhere outside of Havana, the prices here are amazingly cheap, and the accommodations nice. There's not a lot of Cuban hotels here; almost all the places to stay are private rooms. But the Motel La Ronda is still one of the more pleasant hotels in Cuba.

Varadero is probably the most visited area of the country, miles east of Havana. Particularly popular with visiting Europeans, here you will find Cuba resorts clustered along the white sands of the Straits of Florida. Known as the Blue Beach, due to the translucent and shimmering water along its shores, Varadero also has many fine Cuban hotels to go along with the resorts. The Villas Punta Blanca is a bargain for most travelers, and are marketed as pre-revolutionary holiday homes. The nearby Hotel Pullman, though, is one of the best cheap hotels in Cuba, and you should check it out if there is room. Inviting rooms mark this Spanish pension-styled hotel, which is relatively unknown to most tourists. And the beach is right outside your door, waiting as always.