Centro Habana Havana, Cuba
Renovated
1999
Price
$$
Rated for
Heritage Design LocalOutside the door
The house
GaviotaRestored colonial mansion
This 1830s mansion runs like a preserved piece of old Havana, with nightly live music echoing through its stone-columned courtyard.
What it’s good at
Notable
A stone-columned central atrium with checkered marble flooring under a sunlit glass ceiling.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
it’s nothing if not grand, its lobby lit by sunlight from the atrium above, and surrounded by the columns and arches of a traditional colonial-style arcade.
In a lively part of town
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Pedestrian Calle Obispo buzzes right outside the front doors, and Plaza de Armas sits just steps away.
The rooms
Rooms keep their timber-beamed ceilings and green Cuban marble baths. Many open onto iron balconies overlooking Calle Obispo.
Piano Bar Maragato
Mojitos flow across the polished counter, and nightly sets bring live traditional Cuban music and salsa dancing.
Restaurant
Restaurante La Floridana
Live piano music accompanies dinners of Pollo Florida, served on custom fleur-de-lis china under decorative wall murals.
At the table
Breakfast arrives in the dining salon, where dressed round tables sit beneath brass chandeliers and tall red draperies.
How it began
The house began as an aristocratic mansion in 1836, later hosting the British Club of Havana before its 1990s restoration.
Havana
More like this
Axel Hotel Telegrafo
“Restored telegraph hotel”
The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.