Founded in 1875, the Inglaterra is Cuba’s oldest hotel and has been declared a National Monument. It was exceedingly popular in the nineteenth century and is still favoured by visitors who particularly enjoy hanging out in its covered café, having drinks or sandwiches on tables individually decorated by Cuban contemporary artists and watching the world go by. Some members of the world are given to hissing at one through the potted plants to try to sell you coins with Che on them, or a newspaper, or rather more exotic wares, but if that vexes you there is always the wonderful Seville-style tiled bar to visit, with its gilded flamenco-dancer statue, thought to be of the celebrated nineteenth century Spanish courtesan La Belle Otero. The rest of the ground floor of the Inglaterra is also lavishly decorated, with chandeliers, stained glass, ornate wrought iron, marble floors and moulded ceilings.

The pavement café has a distinguished history. It used to be known as La Acera del Louvre (the pavement of the Louvre café which stood on the site) and became a meeting place for supporters of Cuban independence from Spain. A prominent Spaniard was even converted to their cause on the site – on 27th November 1871, when the Spanish military captain Don Nicolás Estévanez, heard the shots of eight innocent medical students being executed he broke his sword in two and renounced his military career with the words ‘Humanity and justice are more important than my fatherland’. Stirring stuff, and although the Inglaterra isn’t one of Havana’s top hotels it is extremely popular for its evocative atmosphere.

rating from 1 review(s) of this hotel

 Air conditioning

 Bar

 Busy street

 Cafe / snack bar

 Car rental desk

 Elevators / lifts

 Gallery

 International cuisine

 Internet on hotel's PCs

 Malecon max 5min walk

 Mastercard & Visa (not USA bank issued) accepted

 Medical services

 Money exchange

 Nightclub nearby

 Old building restored

 Parking

 Reception staff speak Spanish, English, French, German, Italian

 Restaurant

 Safety - uniformed security personnel 24hrs

 Shop(s) with basic supplies, souvenirs & gifts

 Shops max 2min walk

 Snacks and drinks 24 hours a day

 Taxis desk

 Telephone - National & international calls

 Terrace

 Tours & tourist information desk

 TV room/bar (international channels/videos)

 Voltage 110/120

 Voltage 220/240

Rooms at the Inglaterra are cosy rather than sleek, but given the age of the building it would be churlish to expect gleaming sophistication. The rooms come in all shapes and sizes and those facing the street are more spacious than those facing into the building’s courtyards.

Interiors are rather chintzy, with rose-strewn frills and flounces on curtains and bedspreads. The chandeliers are horrid but the old built-in cupboards are endearing. The modern furniture is slightly bashed about but the colonial rocking chairs found in some rooms are attractive. The original tiled floors are very pretty.

Please note none of the rooms at the Inglaterra are double-glazed. Please be prepared for a certain amount of ambient racket from canaries in cages, passing traffic and voluble Cubans

 110 Volt Outlet

 220 Volt Outlet

 Air Conditioning

 Baby's Cot (on request)

 Balcony (subject to availability)

 Bathroom (ensuite)

 Double Beds

 Hair-dryer

 Hot & Cold Water

 In-room Safe

 Minibar

 Room service

 Satellite TV

 Telephone

 Twin Beds