Reviews Hotel Nacional de Cuba
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March 15 2010
Name: Janine Smith
Country: GB
I stayed there at (date): 10th-17th March 2009
Hotel Nacional de Cuba
I'm going for my fourth visit in April. I have always received impeccable at the Hotel Nacional, in response to a not very nice description in a review I have just read on this site.
It is a great place to stay with delicious coffee and mojitos, of course. You can't beat the Nacional for sipping a mojito of a balmy evening in the gardens overlooking the twinkling lights of Havana Bay .....
I have travelled all round the world, and I've found that being courteous and friendly with a smile to people of a country who are providing a service for you works wonders. I\'ve never had rude service anywhere. Remember, fellow travellers that you are a guest in your country of choice and remembr that.
Back to the Nacional. In the day time to relax I sit in the shade of the hotel garden bar reading and having a delicious coffee. The breakfast buffet is splendid, and the scrambled eggs are out of this world. There is nothing wrong with the food or service at the Nacional. It doesn't sound like the same hotel that I stay in. And it seems that those that criticize and complain have no understanding of Cuban history and culture.
It's a great hotel to relax and have a holiday in and I can't wait to be there again in April!
How was your room?: Fine. No complaints there and very comfortable bed where I slept very well.
How was the food the offer?: The food is absolutely fine. It is healthy and nutritious, and you can also have very tasty croissants. I judge a hotel cooking on how the scrambled eggs are cooked. And they are as good as anywhere in the world.
February 11 2010
Name: Gardner
Country: USA
I stayed there at (date): February 5-7, 2010
Hotel Nacional de Cuba
We did zero planning before heading to Havana, so our hotel misfortune is our own fault.
We were sucked in by the photos online. Beautiful lobby, views, courtyard and history. That, however, is where it ends.
The biggest problem is that it is in the middle of nowhere. If you\'re there for several days you\'re going to spend a fortune going back and forth between the hotel and the Catedral, Capital, etc, in taxis as there is nothing worth seeing in the immediate vicinity. Its far better to stay at the NH Parque or any of the others in the central area.
Another detraction is that the staff SUCKS!! Never have I met a bigger bunch of pricks. Not a single nice person other than the maid and the guy who came to try and fix a broken lamp in our room. Customer service is not in the cards here. This literally was to the point that you could walk by someone in the lobby, greet them in Spanish, and they would simply ignore you. Truly a downright rude front desk staff.
The breakfast buffet, while quite large, is quite possibly the worst on Earth. We\'re talking wet scrambled eggs, raw bacon, spongy pancakes, inedible hot dishes, soggy rolls, etc. The only thing we could eat were crepes with honey and yogurt.
Final detraction is that the place is expensive. $170 CUC per night for a double. When looking around after we figured out how bad this place is, we realized far superior options were available in the thick of the action for $30-70 less.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND STAYING ELSEWHERE and coming to the Nacional for a drink or, better still, to see Compay Segundo on a Saturday night (three of the founding members of Buena Vista Social Club). The hotel is definitely worth seeing and having a couple drinks or seeing a show but otherwise, steer clear.
Questions welcome.
How was your room?: Looked like a 30 year old European room. Great view and very clean, but room was dated. Very nice bathroom with great water pressure.
How was the food the offer?: Toilet
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