The 6 Best Cuba Hotels of 2023

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Iberostar Grand Packard – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"While part of the building retains an historic façade, the rest features a futuristic, minimalist design."

Best for Luxury: Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"Amenities include six restaurants and bars (one of which is a cigar bar), a spa with a sauna and hammam, and a fitness center."

Best for Romance: Paradisus Princesa Del Mar Resort & Spa – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"Rooms are decorated with modern but subdued furnishings, and a butler is on hand to take care of your every need."

Best for Families: Melía Jardines del Rey – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"With more than 1,000 guest rooms across five room types, you’re sure to find something to suit your family’s needs."

Best for Nightlife: Barcelo Solymar – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"Pick the Barcelo Solymar for the liveliest atmosphere and great proximity to some of Varadero’s best nightclubs."

Best for History: Hotel Nacional de Cuba – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"This historical hotel has hosted everyone from Frank Sinatra to Winston Churchill to Yuri Gagarin since its opening in 1930."

Best Overall: Iberostar Grand Packard

Old meets new at Iberostar Grand Packard, a luxury property in Havana near the Malecon with spectacular water (and Morro Castle) views. While part of the building retains the historic façade of the former Hotel Biscuit, which once housed the likes of Pablo Neruda and Marlon Brando, the rest features a futuristic, minimalist design. That stark contemporary aesthetic is carried throughout the 321 guestrooms — book an exterior room for a private terrace — as well as throughout the public spaces.

There are three restaurants here, including one that serves classic Cuban cuisine, three bars, a full-service spa, a rooftop pool, and a fitness center that offers classes ranging from Zumba to CrossFit.

Best for Luxury: Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana

Opened in 2017, the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana has been touted as the country’s first true five-star hotel—a solid claim, given the hotel’s sumptuous decor, stellar amenities, and top-notch service. Its 246 rooms exude a modern but not at all stark vibe, featuring elegant furnishings in neutral hues with fuchsia or teal accents.

More than one-fifth of all accommodations are similarly decorated suites, ranging from the spacious Junior Suites to the bi-level Mezzanine Suite to the opulent Suite Presidential Lorca, which has the best views of Havana.

But guests can also soak in those vistas from the rooftop infinity pool, lined with plenty of loungers plus a bar. Other amenities include six restaurants and bars (one of which is a cigar bar), a spa with a sauna and hammam, and a fitness center. Substantiating its claim as one of Havana’s most luxurious hotels, the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski offers free (and pretty fast) Wi-Fi.

Want to take a look at some other options? See our guide to the best Havana, Cuba hotels.

Best for Romance: Paradisus Princesa Del Mar Resort & Spa

If you’re looking for a luxurious all-inclusive beach getaway for a romantic retreat or a honeymoon, this is it. The Paradisus Princesa Del Mar Resort & Spa in Varadero, a coastal town known for its white-sand beaches, is by no means an intimate property—there are 630 rooms—but it’s only open to adults, making the resort feel far less chaotic than it might if it were filled with families.

For the most romantic stay, book an accommodation in the Royal Service wing, where rooms are decorated with modern but subdued furnishings, Wi-Fi is free in the public areas, and a butler is on hand to take care of your every need. As for activities at Paradisus Princesa del Mar, they’re seemingly limitless.

The beach, of course, is a major draw, but there are also three pools, seven restaurants (try the Royal Service–only Hill Top Hideway for a fine dining experience), sports courts, a fitness center, a spa, and nightly entertainment from live Cuban music to water ballet.

Best for Families: Melía Jardines del Rey

When traveling with a family, an all-inclusive resort is an ideal way to make things easy—you won’t have to worry about any spending while you’re away. The best kid-friendly resort in Cuba is the Melía Jardines del Rey, a sprawling property on the beautiful Cayo Coco island.

With more than 1,000 guestrooms across five room types, you’re sure to find something to suit your family’s needs in terms of square footage, views, and location within the resort. But you’re not likely to be spending much time in your room, anyway, given the property’s robust programming.

Kids can enjoy the five pools (two with a swim-up bar for the parents), free water sports like kayaking and snorkeling, and special activities like organized sports, dance lessons, and arts and crafts. There are 17 restaurants and bars on property, and many of the restaurants offer children’s menus.

There’s also the fitness center and the spa, which are ideal for when the kids are with a babysitter or at the children’s club.

Best for Nightlife: Barcelo Solymar

In Havana, most of the nightlife revolves around the vibrant streets. Out in Varadero, though, there’s great after-dark fun to be had in the resorts themselves in addition to the hotspots in town.

Pick the Barcelo Solymar for the liveliest atmosphere and great proximity to some of Varadero’s best nightclubs — Havana Club, for instance, is only a 12-minute walk from the resort. But the party starts at the hotel itself, which is always filled with a crowd that likes to let loose.

The 525-room beachfront property is centered around three pools which are surrounded by restaurants and bars (there’s something open 24 hours a day, so you’ll never be without food or drink).

If you plan on indulging quite a bit, you can book an all-inclusive rate, which covers all food and drink. Beyond the party scene, there’s still plenty to do, from playing tennis or beach volleyball to scuba diving to hitting the gym and the sauna.

Best for History: Hotel Nacional de Cuba

The undisputed queen of Havana hotels, at least from a historical perspective, is the grand Hotel Nacional de Cuba, which has hosted everyone from Frank Sinatra and Fred Astaire to Winston Churchill to Yuri Gagarin since its opening in 1930. It was also the site of the infamous Havana Conference, a mob meeting run by Lucky Luciano.

Want even more history? You can take a tour of the tunnels under the garden, which were built during the Cuban Missile Crisis and used for spy operations. The hotel, which sits on Taganana Hill, was designed by famous architects McKim, Mead, and White and takes on an eclectic style that blends Spanish, Roman, and Art Deco elements, though with time that grandeur is a bit faded.

Still, those who want to stay in a legendary hotel would be wise to book one of the 471 rooms here.