Most large tourist hotels in Havana have pools that permit use by nonguests. Many are popular with Cubans in summer and can be noisy and crowded on weekends.

Habana Vieja

Head to the small rooftop pool of the Hotel NH Parque Central (Neptuno, e/ Prado y Zulueta, tel. 07/866-6627) or that of the Hotel Saratoga (Paseo de Martí #603, esq. Dragones, tel. 07/868-1000).

Also try Piscina Hotel Mercure Sevilla (Prado, esq. Ánimas, tel. 07/860-8560, daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m., entrance CUC20, including CUC16 consumo mínimo, free for hotel guests).

Vedado and Plaza de la Revolución

The Hotel Nacional (Calle O y 21, tel. 07/873-3564, CUC18 consumo mínimo for nonguests) and Hotel Habana Libre Tryp (Calle L, e/ 23 y 25, tel. 07/834-6100, CUC15 consumo mínimo) have excellent pools.

The Hotel Victoria (Calle 19 #101, tel. 07/833-3510, esq. M) charges CUC3 to use its small pool.

Playa (Miramar and Beyond)

The Occidental Miramar (5ta Av., e/ 72 y 76, tel. 07/204-3584) and Hotel Meliá Habana (3ra Av., e/ 76 y 80, tel. 07/206-9406) have excellent pools.

Club Habana (5ta Av., e/ 188 y 192, Playa, tel. 07/204-5700, dircom [at] clubhaba [dot] clubhana [dot] get [dot] cu, Mon.–Fri. 9 a.m.–7 p.m., entrance CUC20, including CUC10 consumo mínimo) has a large swimming pool, plus a splendid beach that shelves gently into calm waters.

The pool at Club Almendares (Av. 49C, esq. 28A, Rpto. Kohly, tel. 07/204-4990, daily 11 a.m.–6 p.m., CUC10 adults including CUC8 consumo mínimo, CUC5 children) gets mobbed by Cubans on weekends.

Farther west, the Complejo Turístico La Giraldilla (Calle 222, e/ 37 y 51, tel. 07/273-0568, daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m., CUC5 entry with CUC3 consumo mínimo), in La Coronela, has a nice and relatively peaceful pool.

The pool at Papa’s in Marina Hemingway (5ta Av., esq. 248, Santa Fe, tel. 07/204-1150) can get crowded.