With only 10 bedrooms the San Miguel is a cosy place which has been tastefully renovated. Some of the rooms come with a view over the Bay of Havana.

This is Hemingway’s old hotel. His old room (511) is maintained as if he had never left. While the roof terrace offers good views and the piano lounge has a pleasant beat as a place to stay do not set your expectations too high. Average rooms, slow service and hoards of tourists make this more a place to visit.

A couple of minutes stroll along the port road this three storey building used to be the headquarters for Havana’s main shipbuilders. While the overall building is quite impressive the ambience can be a little cold and impersonal especially compared to some of Old Havana’s smaller Habaguanex places. The rooms follow a nautical theme and are very large and clean.

This three storey neo-classical palace used to belong to Don Ricardo O’Farrill, one of the richest families in Havana during colonial times. The Palacio reopened in 2002 with each floor reflects a different period: the first floor is 18th-century in style; style; the second incorporates 19th-century elements; and the third-floor rooms have a modern, 20th-century look.

With only 14 rooms this 18th-century Hispanic-Moorish style residence is like a calmer annex to its neighbor, Hostal Valencia (where you check in). Colonial style with antique furniture it makes a good option.

The Frailes reopened in 2001 within a few steps of the old St Francis Monastery in what used to be the residence of Marquis Don Pedro Claudio Duquesne in the 19th century. The friar theme is maintained with both the décor and the uniforms of staff. Kind of quirky this is a popular place. Some of the rooms can be a little musty and most do not have windows (which at least makes it mercifully quiet).

The Hotel Beltrán is something of an oasis next to its run down neighboring buildings. This 18th century building was reopned in 2002 and is right next to the very charming Plaza Vieja. This is a very small hotel and only has double rooms.

Fantastic value, this small beautiful place has only 12 rooms and often gets booked up early. Simple, yet very charming rooms set around a central courtyard garden with lush tropical plants make this a great option if you can get a reservation.

This is small hotel which is more with just five rooms which are located above the restaurant of the same home which hosts live flamenco every night. Very much a tavern atmosphere with good rooms.

The Saratoga's the coolest. Its elegant facade overlooks all the other nineteenth century architectural splendours along the Paseo del Prado, including Havana's exquisite opera house. It's got a mudejar-inspired restaurant, a Maugham-ish courtyard bar, the city's best rooftop pool and fabulous rooms, many of which have long cushioned window seats from which to watch the frenetic local street life in air-conditioned bliss. The mountain murals behind the bar with their multicoloured light display are the last word in trendy urban kitsch.

Great for business trips and guests who want everything to work. It is located just outside the boundary of the historical part of Old Havana on one side of the always bustling Parque Central. This is a large, polished establishment with good service and food, big comfortable rooms, a charming air conditioned lobby bar/restaurant area and an excellent (and mercifully quiet) rooftop pool, which offers a fabulous view. It is the perfect place to recuperate after long, hot working days in Havana.

A good option which has improved significantly since it was refurbished in 2003 under the management of the French chain Accor which now manages the hotel. The impressive Spanish-Moorish façade gives a great feeling walking in. The Roof Garden restaurant is a real highlight; otherwise while not 5 star it does offer a relaxing and comfortable location.

The Telegrafo was reopened in 2001, to a contemporary design with a very modern lobby and bar giving the place a good feel. The 63 rooms are adequate and nicely decorated.

A real ‘could be so nice’ hotel. This is Cuba’s oldest hotel which was founded in 1875 and its age is unfortuneatly as little too apparent. The outside café is great for people watching and a pre of post ballet drink, while the rooftop bar is pleasant but unpolished. Do admire the crystal chandeliers and ornate ceilings and hope that you get one of the 83 rooms with a nice view.

A real ‘could be so nice’ hotel. This is Cuba’s oldest hotel which was founded in 1875 and its age is unfortuneatly as little too apparent. The outside café is great for people watching and a pre of post ballet drink, while the rooftop bar is pleasant but unpolished. Do admire the crystal chandeliers and ornate ceilings and hope that you get one of the 83 rooms with a nice view.

The Park View has recently been restored to if not its former glory as a top of the line establishment than at least to a modern, clean and pleasant place which offers good value for money.

Pretty basic but clean and functional this is not a bad budget option.

This is the quintessential business hotel in which great facilities and impressive service take you away from the hustle of Havana. The fantastic buffet breakfast and attractive pool, and choice of 5 restaurants, are great advantages. Do not expect any real indication whilst languishing in these marble halls that you are actually in Cuba, but if you want service, efficiency and professional quality it's a good option.

The Habana Libre was the old Havana Hilton which was used as the new Revolutionary government’s headquarters for the first three months of 1959. It is a busy place with 572 rooms located on one of Havana’s busiest junctions. The rooms are spacious and fit with the general art deco style. While the entire place could perhaps do with something of a face lift and the elevators can be infuriating, Sol Meliá, which took over in 2000 ensures that high standards of service and food are maintained and the view from the excellent restaurant and nightclub (Turquino) on the 26th floor are to die for.

The Nacional is a magnificent hotel, fully deserving the ranking that places it amongst the world's best hotels. Unfortunately, the shabby rooms, patchy service and unexceptional food do not do justice to the general ambience. [For business visitors the executive floor is better. ] Savour the beautiful gardens, enjoy the history and relax by the pool but don't try and get a dry martini with a rocket and walnut salad delivered to your room in the early hours of the morning.

The Riviera is another notable Havana landmark being one of the last mafia hotels completed in the 1950’s just before the revolution by Meyer Lansky as part of a plan to establish a network of casino hotels in Cuba. T he lobby is pure art deco although unfortunately somewhat run down now. The hotel was damaged by Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and has subsequently was used exclusively for a time by Venezuelans visiting Cuba for medical operations. The swimming pool is one of the only salt water pools in Havana and has a real buzz to it. The high diving board is not for the faint hearted.

Located in the middle of leafy and laid back Vedado the Hotel Presidente fully fits itself to its surroundings. It is elegant and charming and much more laid back than its somewhat imposing façade would suggest. Most things work or at least almost do and while some of the furniture may be a little old this can add to a general cosy feel in what is a 10 story building with a nice swimming pool out back.

In the context of (very few) budget hotels in Havana this is not bad. Clean, if a little worn this hotel works and is fairly efficient. The 7th floor swimming pool is tiny but after a few drinks could offer the perfect place to cool of. The café-bar, becomes the Pico Blanco nightclub at 10. 30pm which is extremely popular with Cubans.

Just along the street from the Hotel St John, first impressions are not great and the rooms aren’t much better. It is not terrible but pretty basic and uninspiring.

This plush hotel really is one of the very best in Cuba. It is located opposite the ever expanding Miramar trade centre and subsequently has a business clientele. While there is a lot of marble there is also slightly more greenery than its twin the Meliá Cohíba in Vedado and this adds a pleasant touch. Very efficient and with a full range of services this is a good quality5 star hotel well run by the Sol Meliá group.

The Occidental is a large glass fronted creation opposite the Miramar Tradecentre (the other side from the Meliá Habana). The place is refreshingly uncluttered and there is a feeling of space in the lobby, huge swimming pool and well decorated rooms that creates a pleasant ambience. It is also home to the only full size squash court in Havana. The service is generally good but the more upmarket restaurant tends to be a little quiet and the buffet is unexceptional.

One of the more recent new (as opposed to renovated) hotels in Havana the Panorama opened its doors in 2002. The glass pyramid style was somewhat controversial at the time of its construction but has settled in to its environment now. The lobby is modern, bright, appealing, with an appreciable buzz. Looking upwards you realize that there really is oceans of space inside with indoor glass elevators buzzing upwards and downwards. The bar on the 11th floor is also excellent.

This hotel, opened in 1952, was formerly a school for art instructors. Today, it is a pleasant enough hotel with attractive bungalow style apartments which some expatriates have called home for years. The big attraction is a series of interconnected swimming pools which are ideal for kids (who can swim!). There are also scuba diving facilities. While a little soulless inside the main building you can at least get a great lasagna at the main restaurant.

The charm of this tiny hotel, which is marked only by a blue awning on Quinta Avenida, lies in its quiet, intimate atmosphere. There’s no pool, but business people will be attracted by facilities that include three conference rooms.