Havana’s Hotel Nacional Exemplifies Cuba’s Economic Dysfunction

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Eighteen years after I first walked through the grandiose entrance to Havana’s landmark grand-dame hotel, I finally got to stay there last month.

Laying my head at a hotel obviously provides the ultimate insight for an accurate review that goes beyond first impressions and hearsay.

True, the majority of guests who stay here are delighted with the Hotel Nacional’s distinct architectural charm and historic importance.

But notwithstanding its stature as the Gran Caribe chain’s, and Cuba’s, flagship hotel, the state-run Nacional otherwise demonstrates why the Cuban government needs to get out of the hotel and tourism business.

Billed as a “deluxe” five-star hotel, this icon of the Havana landscape would at best receive a 3-star grade by international standards.

First the good points:

• Its storied history wins over all-combers. Opened in December 1930, it was modeled on The Breakers, in Palm Beach, Florida. In December 1946 it hosted ‘Lucky’ Luciano’s mobster summit (made famous in ‘The Godfather’). A Who’s Who of famous dignitaries and international A-list celebrities have since stayed here. Check with the concierge or receptionist for a list of rooms associated with famous personalities. Who knows, maybe you can sleep in the same room as Errol Flynn, Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Coleor even Naomi Campbell.
• Standing atop a bluff overlooking the Malecón seafront boulevard, the hotel’s iconic twin cupola towers and two-story portico entrance with coralstone staircase beckon you to step inside to steep in Moorish-inspired nostalgia. The vast lobby, which runs the length of the hotel, is graced with traditional azulejos (tiles), a soaring wood-paneled ceiling, and arches that beckon you to…
• The rear garden patio is a perfect spot to settle into a huge wicker sofas and savor a cigar and mojito while musicians entertain. It’s fun to watch the non-stop parade of people—foreign businessmen with trophy girlfriends, gawking tourists, Cuban models and musicians, and perhaps someone you recognize from TV or a Hollywood movie.
• The hotel boats a superb open-air swimming pool, a saucy cabaret, and a quality Casa del Habano cigar shop.

And the down side?

• The 457 rooms disappoint. Standard Rooms are lackluster, fittings throughout the hotel are worn and broken, and carpets are threadbare. The three Executive Floors (6, 7 & 8) have their own receptionist, but even here the hall carpeting is torn, and furnishings fall far short of “five-star” status.
• Bed-sheets are too small for the bed, my mattress was slightly lumpy, the pillows were thin, and several blinds were missing from the bathroom louvers in each of the two rooms I stayed in.
• Breakfast in the basement restaurant, with its cheap plastic seats, unappealing smells, and jostling tour groups, was an experience best forgotten. And breakfast in the “Executive Floor”-only La Aguila is, shall I simply say, “less than inspired.”
• The 6pm late check-out is the source for many frustrations for arriving guests. Imagine: You arrive at 5pm after a long day’s drive, but your room is still occupied! Another two or three hours might pass before it is cleaned and available. Madness! Do not expect another room to be magically made available, as the Hotel Nacional is often sold out.
• Internet is still not available in guestrooms. True, there’s WiFi in the Executive Floor reception lounge, but neither of the two rooms I stayed in had internet access as advertised.

Overall, I felt the hotel had many pluses and minuses. What do you think? Have you ever stayed there? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Now that you’re inspired to visit and to plan your travel in Cuba, buy Moon Cuba.

For further information on Havana, buy Moon Spotlight Havana.

Disclosure: I occasionally accept free or discounted travel when it coincides with my editorial goals. However, my opinion is never for sale. The opinions you see in Cuba & Costa Rica Journal are my unbiased reflection of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Copyright © Christopher P. Baker