Hotel Saratoga
Address: Paseo del Prado 603, La Habana, Cuba
Phone: (0)7 868 1000

Located in a neoclassical building on a bustling street in Havana, Hotel Saratoga is one of the best hotels in Havana.

Hotel Saratoga is decorated in a modern theme with bright colors and clean lines.

Recently restored, the hotel does not suffer from the same threadbare conditions that many other historic Havana hotels do.

The roof garden at Hotel Saratoga boasts of the Restaurant Mirador Saratoga, which is one of the best restaurants in Havana.

There is also the Anacaona Restaurant and Bar, and Mezzanine Bar for food and drinks.

The 96 guest rooms at Hotel Saratoga in Havana offer Internet access, satellite television, and 24 hour room service in addition to all standard amenities.

Hotel Saratoga also offers a rooftop swimming pool, a spa, and a business center.

Havana is by far the most lively city in Cuba and there is no shortage of bars and clubs in Havana.

You’ll find a nice assortment of bars and clubs in the city, but there is quite a distinction between touristy spots and places where locals go.

The prices are the most visible difference.

Tourist Bars and Clubs in Havana

La Bodeguita del Medio

Hemmingway’s favorite bar in Havana, La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana is famous for its mojitos.

La Floridita

Hemmingway’s other favorite bar in Havana, La Floridita in Havana is famous for its daiquiris.

Salsa Dancing Bar at Hotel Florida in Havana

The tiny Salsa dancing bar at Hotel Florida in Havana is packed every night with locals that come to take part in serious Salsa dancing. Even if you don’t dance, it’s worth sitting at a table to watch.

Tropicana

The most famous club in Cuba is the Tropicana Club in Havana. A bit formal, the club puts on a decent show. However, for the money (from 60 CUC), the show is not necessarily worth it.

Kopa Room

Similar to the Tropicana, the Kopa Room in Havana is pricey.

Casa de la Musica
Address: Calle 20 esquina 35 Miramar / Playa Calle 20 esquina 35, Tel: (7) 8608296
Address: Calle Galiano between Concordia and Neptuno. Centro Habana, Tel: (7) 8608296

Casa de la Musica has two locations in Havana. One is in Miramar and the other is on the street in the center of Galliano. Both clubs are lots of fun, with dancing and live Cuban music. The cover charge is around 5 pesos. In the Galiano location, entrance is free.

Locals Bars and Clubs in Havana

Tropikal
Address: 41 y 46, Playa

Tropikal is a large outdoor disco in Havana. Every weekend you’ll find a famous band playing there. Cover charges are much cheaper than at the tourist-oriented Casa de la Musica in Havana. The cover charge for Cubans is 5 CUC and the cover charge for tourists is 20 CUC. There are few tourists at Tropikal.

El Chevere

El Chevere is a nice lounge club in Havana. It has a swimming pool, a small club, and a disco. The cover charge is 12 pesos, which includes an open bar and dinner. Get there early if you want a table.

Almaneser

Almaneser in Havana is located at the intersection at Malecon and Linea (near a gas station). There is a small cabaret and disco there. The cover is 5 pesos, which includes a drink.

Imahen

Imahen is located on Calsada Street between D and E. It is a small Karaoke bar, and is a lot of fun.

Cafe Kantante

Cafe Kantante is located near the Revolution Square, and is a good bar in Havana.

Casalta

Casalta is located near the Almendares Bridge at the place where Linea passes 31st Street. The place has a good vibe, but not much dancing. Cover is 10 pesos and there is an open bar.

Returning from Cuba to the US safely is an important part of your trip to Cuba.

Getting back into the US after a Cuba trip is an easy process. You should prepare well to make it easier on yourself.

First, it’s good to plan a 24-hour layover in a Mexico gateway city.

This will ensure that you don’t miss your connecting flight back to the US, and will allow you a safe connection if your flight from Cuba arrives late and you are flying to the US on a different airline.

Second, get rid of all Cuban purchases in your luggage.

Don’t even think of bringing Havana Club rum or Cuban cigars back to the US, as they will be confiscated at customs when you arrive in the US.

Below is a great NYTimes article on Cuba. It is a little dated, but contains some great information about Cuba.

It’s all true still, except now the Cubans never stamp your passport.

NY Times Cuba

November 14, 2003
JOURNEYS; Cuba: You Can’t Get There From Here . . .
By SETH KUGEL
FOR a 52-year-old Manhattan lawyer, there is a lot about Cuba that is alluring, from the beaches to the architecture to the music straight out of ”Buena Vista Social Club.” But the real draw of traveling to Cuba: it is illegal. ”There’s certainly an excitement to going somewhere that’s off limits,” the man said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He said he had been to Cuba three times, most recently for a weekend trip in late 2001.

Indeed, he is only one of a select group of travelers who have made going to Cuba for a weekend — and doing it illegally by traveling through Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas or some other third country — a notch on the belt for the American tourist eager to say he has traveled to a forbidden land.

Over the last months, American travel to Cuba has been caught in a tug of war between President Bush and Congress. In September, the House voted to end enforcement of the longstanding travel ban, followed by the Senate last month, but this week a joint committee stripped the provision from an appropriations bill.

While other Americans eager to experience the country of Fidel Castro and Cohiba cigars may have been disappointed by the committee’s move, some Havana travelers are just as happy with the status quo. ”The fact of the illegality makes it appealing,” said an Atlanta entrepreneur in his 30′s who said he had been there seven times alone this year. ”The fact that there’s a place on earth that our government does not want us to see is itself an attraction.”