HOTEL SARATOGA
Prado 603, Esquina a Dragones, Havana; 537-868-1000;
http://www.hotel-saratoga.com.
ROOMS AND RATES
From about $250 a night for a deluxe room, $300 for a junior suite and $420 for larger suites.
Havana is a city that lives up to its postcard: Pastel-hued colonial palaces loom large over a streetscape that hums with 1950s Cadillacs and hustlers peddling cheap cigars. The jazz clubs are sultry. The mojitos are strong.
But, almost 50 years after Fidel Castro's revolution seemingly froze the city in time, there's a new kid on the block. The Hotel Saratoga is the most stylish property to hit Havana in years. With its enviable location near Old Havana, its luxurious rooms and its sunny rooftop swimming pool, it's one more reason to spend a few extra days in Cuba's charming capital.
LOCATION On the corner of traffic-heavy Paseo del Prado and Dragones Street, the Saratoga has a stunning view of El Capitolio (a gleaming replica of Washington's Capitol Building) and Fraternity Park. The Partagas Cigar Factory is a short walk away, as are the historic sites of Old Havana, including the Opera House and El Floridita, one of Ernest Hemingway's favourite watering holes.
DESIGN In the 1930s, the Saratoga was a hot spot for writers, artists and vacationing socialites. They would gather in the vibrant colonnade to hear Anacaona, the first Cuban all-female orchestra to play salsa-style son music. Shortly after the revolution, however, neglect transformed the hotel into a seedy boarding house. But in 2005, a government-backed international consortium rebuilt the property. Behind its original neoclassical façade, there's a blend of Moorish, art deco and modern Cuban styles. The lobby is simply furnished with a few chairs and settees in shades of crimson and gold. The check-in staff sit quietly behind two small wooden desks, while a third post in the corner is reserved for the concierge. A marble staircase leads up to a bright mezzanine/bar area filled with wicker and palm trees. The main attraction, however, is the rooftop terrace, with a sweeping view of Old Havana and the Caribbean Sea.
SERVICE Doormen and barmen are plentiful and friendly. Front-desk staff speak English and are eager to please, but technical difficulties that are quite common in Cuba (malfunctioning credit-card machines, for example) sometimes slow them down.
The concierge is tapped into every good restaurant and club in town. Ask him to make a dinner reservation at La Guarida (418 Concordia, Gervasio y Escobar; (537) 863-7351, 866-9047; http://www.laguarida.com) the finest paladar (private restaurant) in Havana.
There's also 24-hour room service, a business centre, Wi-Fi in the common areas and a well-equipped gym. The massage room is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, offering everything from Swedish massages and facials to reflexology.
CLIENTELE Well-heeled British, French and German tourists are in the majority, but don't be surprised if you spot a few Russians doing laps in the swimming pool.
AMBIENCE This is a refined and elegant urban hotel, with a relatively unstuffy attitude. The bustle of the city is close by, but there is an air of calm inside, particularly on the rooftop terrace.
ROOMS With 96 rooms and suites, the Saratoga feels like an intimate inn. The deluxe rooms, while comfortable and well equipped, lack a view of the city. Upgrade to a junior suite and you'll find floor-to-ceiling French windows that open onto the Paseo del Prado, Fraternity Park and El Capitolio. Moorish tiles in green and gold accent the simple furnishings, which include a king-sized bed, a writing desk, a couch and a coffee table. The generously sized bathrooms have large mirrors, plenty of towels, a soaker tub and a separate shower. Water pressure, however, is not what you'd expect in a five-star hotel.
FOOD AND DRINK The hotel's lobby-level restaurant, Anacaona, offers everything from a breakfast buffet to tapas, pastas and grilled fish for dinner. Take afternoon tea in the Mezzanine bar and, for a casual bite or cocktails al fresco, try the rooftop Bar Restaurant
Mirador.
THINGS TO DO Stock up on stogies at the Partagas Cigar Factory (Calle Industria 524, behind El Capitolio). Bypass the persistent hustlers milling outside and head straight into the gift shop. A box of Partagas Series D costs about $150, less than half what you would pay at home. After dark, try La Zorra y El Cuervo (155 Calle 23, between Calles N and O, (537) 833-2402), a basement bar that grooves with Havana's hottest Afro-Cuban jazz acts. Check the weekly schedule and arrive early - performers like Bellita & Jazztumbata and Chucho Valdes command crowds.
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Hotel vitals
TOP DRAWS
The rooftop terrace and pool. Take an early-morning swim, or while away the afternoon drinking mojitos and smoking cigars.
NEEDS WORK
Beware the overly attentive doormen: For a tip, they're quick to locate extortionate taxi drivers and provide questionable restaurant advice.
TAKE NOTE
Cuba is a cash country. Come armed with Canadian dollars and swap them for tourist-only convertible Cuban pesos (or CUC). The cheaper moneda nacional - the "other peso" - is officially reserved for Cubans, but there's nothing stopping foreigners from buying a few to get a taste of life as a local.
Special to The Globe and Mail
