Hotel Nacional de Cuba, Havana: Faded Grandeur and Genuine Character
The Nacional has housed Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, and Meyer Lansky. It hosted a summit of American crime bosses in 1946. It is a genuinely fascinating building with a genuinely complicated history — and a hotel that has not fully kept pace with the mythology but remains the most interesting place to stay in Havana.
The Building
The Nacional opened in 1930 on a promontory above the Malecón, with views across the Straits of Florida towards Miami. Its combination of art deco and Moorish elements — twin towers, ornate entrance hall, faded grandeur in the best possible sense — is unlike anything else in Havana.
The Historical Weight
Walking through the Nacional is a peculiar experience for anyone interested in 20th-century history. The Hall of Fame displays photographs of every celebrity and world leader who has stayed or visited: Churchill, Churchill again, Hemingway (of course), Frank Sinatra, Josephine Baker, Marlene Dietrich, Johnny Weissmuller. The casino where Lansky ran his operation in the 1950s is now a banquet hall. The bunker beneath the gardens, constructed during the Cuban Missile Crisis, is open to tours.
The Room
The honest truth: the rooms have not been renovated to a standard that matches the mythological status of the building. Ours was clean and serviceable, with a sea view that partially compensated for faded fittings and plumbing that had known better decades. This is Cuba — expectations calibration is required.
The Garden and Sea Views
The Nacional's garden terraces, descending towards the Malecón, are excellent. The outdoor bar, set among royal palms with a direct view of the sea, is one of the finest places in Havana for a late-afternoon mojito. As the sun goes down and the Malecón fills with Havanans, this feels like exactly the right place to be.
The Cabaret
The weekly cabaret, held in the hotel's entertainment complex, is a full-scale Cuban variety show — live orchestra, dancers, acrobats. It is touristy and magnificent simultaneously.
Verdict
The Nacional will disappoint you if you arrive expecting the restoration that the building merits. It will delight you if you arrive understanding Cuba, understanding that the weight of history is the product, and that the view from that terrace over the sea is genuinely one of the world's great hotel moments.
Best for: History enthusiasts, Cuba veterans, those who can happily overlook imperfect infrastructure Room rate: From €120 per night (reserve direct or through a specialist agency) Tip: Request a sea-view room on one of the upper floors and verify at check-in.
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