Raquel Hotel

My husband and I have just returned from our holiday in Cuba. We stayed in Hotel Raquel for 5 nights and what can I say.... the hotel is beautiful! The hotel is a museum in its own right. The hotel is situated right in the heart of the old town. The rooms are huge and absolutely spotlessly clean. The staff are very friendly and helpful and they were always making sure we had everything we needed. The maids leave you a hand written note every day after they have cleaned your room and arrange your towels in swan, heart-like... more

Very stylish, recently renovated smaller hotel with large rooms. The design and architectural details are lovely. We found the staff to be very friendly and helpful. Great location in the centre of old Havana. The breakfast buffet was certainly nothing special but more than adequate.

The Hotel Raquel is entirely splendid - a beautiful building, beautifully restored, one block from the stunning Plaza Vieja and four from the even more lovely cathedral square. Staff charming and helpful. The only drawback when I was there was that there didn't seem to be guest internet access and using public internet facilities is incredibly time-consuming, but connections are unreliable in Cuba and this was hardly the hotel's fault. You also have to be happy to wake up early if you have a room facing the street, as there is a primary... more

I stayed with my husband at the Hotel Raquel for 3 nights and we can certainly recommend the place. The beautiful old building used to be the Chamber of Commerce and now it's a lovely and spotless hotel with stained-glass roof. It's centrally located in Old Havana, the place is absolutely safe (in spite of some weird reviews i've read here, i guess if you walk around a poor country showing off your jewels you're asking to be robbed). The rooms are decorated with charming furniture out of an antiques shop, the buffet is tasty and varied... more

This hotel claims to be a Jewish establishment but it isn't very Jewish at all. Also, it is basically located on three sides by a foul smelling slum with unemployed Cuban males leering at you from every doorway. The hotel seemed to be run by the doormen whose familiarity with you isn't a product of Caribbean friendliness, but a way to introduce a cheap cigar purchase to you. Had this establishment even the remotest managerial presence this type of behaviour would have to stop but since they are nowhere to be found they... more

After a lot of web searching we finally decided to make a reservation at Hotel raquel for our weekend in Havana. We wanted somewhere central and friendly - we were not disappointed! We arrived very late (after a long delay) and the staff could not have been more friendly. We were quicky shown to our room, and told that the bar was open if we would like a drink! Our room was absolutely lovely with lots of Cuban character and unique decoration. The hotel itself is very art-deco in appearance and perfectly placed for wandering... more

I did a lot of research before deciding on Hotel Raquel. I was very very very happy that I did not go with Habana Libre or even Hotel Nacional. The location of this hotel is absolutely perfect, located within Habana Vieja itself. It had beautiful stained glass ceilings, very charming rooms and the shower pressure was great! We had a wonderful time chatting with the hotel staff, especially the bartenders. The staff even helped us book dinner with La Guarida, the famous paladar! The only downside that I can think off is the breakfast,... more

This hotel is ideal as a base to sightsee Havana - it's in the charming old town but only 10 mins walk from the new city... it's a beautiful looking hotel especially its entrance. Our room was large and comfortable enough for our 4 nights stay. But it was a little noisy - ask for a room as far away from the lift as possible. It's only a minutes walk from the lovely Plaza Vieja which is somewhere all should visit, and within a few minutes of all the local attractions e.g. Hemingway bars, Bar/Restaurant Muralla etc. Staff were... more

This is the hotel to be if you want to have a romantic vacation. It is clean & safe. The rooms are not overly luxurious but they are simple and charming. The lobby, staircase and an old elevator complete the romantic picture by preserving the originality of the building. Yes, you are located in the heart of the Old Havana where all the action is. But don't expect for the area to be quiet and the food to be great. You go there to experience Cuba not the food. The location will give you an insight into every day life of a Cuban. Not... more

we stayed at the hotel for 10 days with our 19 year old and 4 year old, they both loved it. The hotel itself abounds in understated elegance and is situated centrally in one of the cleaner, quieter areas of old Havana. Great rooms (for for one with a balcony), staff were great and the cleaning ladies excellent. Cant wait to go back.Very child friendly, only thing it misses is a swimming pool.