This elegant 4 star hotel is considered a classic among Cubans. Its proximity to the historical-cultural center of Havana, makes this hotel the perfect place from which to explore the city. In the night time the Riviera offers excellent entertainment featuring both the exclusive Copa Room Cabaret and one of Havana's top restaurants.
Located along the Malecon, Havana's waterfront boulevard.
I was pleasanly surprised. The common parts have character, staff were mostly pleasant and obliging, and my room was large and bright. The hotel's location is not ideal for tourists who want to be able to walk around the historic Old Havana, but it's a 5 peso taxi ride into town, and the Riviera has a more relaxed and peaceful atmosphere than hotels in town have. My room was adequately furnished and clean, although there were quite a few ants scurrying around. The bathroom wasn't brilliant, but I've experienced much worse in 3-star hotels around the world, and the bed was fairly comfortable. The maids did a good job of keeping the room clean, and I can't say I saw any mould, although there were a few inexplicable stains on the ceiling. Overall, I found this hotel more than adequate for my purposes, and judging by the comments of friends who stayed in other hotels in Havana but also saw my quarters at the Riviera it seems to compare quite well with the competition.