Hotel Saratoga, Old Havana, Havana, Cuba
Address: Prado # 603, esq. a Dragones, Old Havana 
After a prolonged gestation period, an old star has been reborn on a leafy square opposite the Capitolio, Havana's version of the dome in Washington DC. The original Hotel Saratoga, carved out of an 1880s neoclassical building, had its heyday in the 1930s but closed shortly after the revolution. After an ignoble period as a boarding house, it was left to rot. With few original features left to save, the new hotel has been built from scratch behind the old façade.
It echoes the original (the central atrium, the shutters, the grand entrance) and there is much marble in evidence, as well as fabulously reproduced 1930s lamps. But this is a modern sanctuary rather than a quirkily restored landmark, and it has aspirations to international standards. An impressive collection of contemporary Cuban art decorates the public spaces, and the 96 bedrooms are either colonial in style (huge French windows with slatted shutters, floor tiles lovingly copied from the originals, mahogany furniture from Spain), or contemporary.
Junior Suite Saratoga: 49 rooms with excellent outside views of the Capitol building and Fraternity Park. Those with high ceilings are colonial in style, having four-poster king-size beds. Rooms have window seats which extend right along one side of the room; these are luxuriously cushioned for lazy afternoons watching the street activity.
Standard Patio Room: 40 standard rooms of 32 sq. meters with an interior window view looking out to the central courtyard. The bathrooms are smallish, but impressively finished. The Anacoana restaurant is named after Cubas famous all-girl salsa band who were resident here in the 1930s. This is by far the smartest new hotel in Havana for years, providing levels of comfort other, admittedly more characterful, Havana hotels can only dream of.
The location couldnt be better for sightseeing, and the rooftop pool and bar area, with views over crumbling old palaces to the sea, is a wonderful place to hang out.
Hotel Facilities
Bar-cafeteria - A la carte restaurant - Currency exchange - Parking - Lift - Swimming pool - Poolside snack bar - Business centre - Laundry & ironing service - Fitness Centre - 5 minutes walk from Malecon - Internet on hotel's PCs - Internet by Ethernet cable to your laptop - Tourist information desk - Roof terrace - 24h security personnel - Some services require local payment
Room Details
Air conditioning - Security box - Minibar - Telephone - Baby Cot (on request) - Fully equipped bathroom - Satellite television - Hair-dryer - Cold & hot water - Room service - Balcony (subject to availability) - 110 V - Double Bed - Twin Beds - Kingsize bed
Old Havana Travel Guide
Old Havana, which for centuries was inside the walled part of the city, was founded in late 1519. Havana's historic center covers approximately 142 hectares and contains around 3,500 buildings, one seventh of which are of great value. The following are just some of the interesting places to visit: Plaza de Armas (Arms Square) is the most ancient social, political and military core of colonial time. Plaza de la Catedral (Cathedral Square) has one of the most beautiful baroque façades in all of Latin America.
El Templete is a small building of neoclassic style built in 1828 in the place where, under the shade of a ceiba tree, the first mass was said in 1519. Castillo de la Real Fuerza was built between 1558 and 1578 and is the most ancient fortress of Havana City. Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Captain General’s Palace) is one of the most emblematics of the Cuban baroque. The Parque Central is a square located in the heart of the historical center of Havana, near Paseo del Prado and El Capitolio Building. The Edificio Bacardi (Bacardi Building) is one of the finest examples of the Art Deco movement in Cuba. El Floridita is by far the classiest of the many Hemingway hangouts in Habana.
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