Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski is ready to offer you the best experience in town being located in the heart of Old Havana (known as Havana Vieja) which is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The 5 Stars Hotel is just 3 minutes away from the famous National Capitol and right across the stunning Gran Teatro de la Habana offering the most amazing views from the rooms and the rooftop pool and bar.
You can choose between different types of luxury rooms and exclusive suites overlooking the patio or Old Havana.
The hotel offers 6 restaurants and bars: Lobby Bar El Arsenal, the panoramic San Cristobal, Cocktail Bar Constante, the cozy tobacco lounge,Evocacion, the breakfast restaurant Confluencias and El Surtidor Pool Terrace and Bar.
With elegant and contemporary décor, Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski sure knows how to treat you right. Our Deluxe Room offered amazing views of the National Capitol, Gran Teatro de la Habana, National Park and the colorful old cars parked just under our balcony! I don’t think we could have had a better view than this one.
We spent half of the day and the evening on our balcony, enjoying a bottle of champagne and listening to mambo and salsa. Havana vibrates in the night and we had front seats to the show!
I have now arrived to my favorite part: the amazing rooftop area which is the reason why many tourists visit this luxury hotel. There are three major attractions on the rooftop:
The „Bella Habana” panoramic pool where you can spend the day overlooking Havana Vieja and all the old beautiful buildings. I have to say we arrived there at sunrise and waking up early was totally worth it. We had the pool all to ourselves and the view was magical! We started the day right: Pina Colada for me and Cuba Libre for my fiancé. We were on holiday, so please don’t judge! J
The pool is only available for hotel guests, but it can get pretty crowded since everyone wants to enjoy the coolest place!
El Surtidor Pool Terrace and Bar, the place where the best Pina Coladas are made! Sorry we couldn’t also taste their food, I bet it was delicious. The good news is that this part of the rooftop is also available if you don’t stay in the hotel and, believe me, this is the place to drink a cocktail with a view!
PS: the bar gets pretty packed at night and the sunset view is to die for!
Spa Albear by Resense – The magical spa with indoor pool, saunas and gym! I thought nobody will convince me to leave the outdoor pool area, but this was valid till I entered the spa. I was so impressed by the stylish gym and lockers and fell in love with the saunas and indoor pool so we spent half of the day there relaxing.
Well, I don’t want you to think I exaggerate, but I don’t think I have ever seen a more beautiful breakfast display. Everything was perfect and I wish I could stay there an entire day to be able to taste all the goodies that Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski offers to its guests.
Breakfast is served in the Confluencias Restaurant and you have a big buffet area to choose from (cheese, cold meats, tropical fruit, pastries & bread, fresh juices & prosecco etc) and an à la carte menu with different types of eggs and morning plates.
I’ve personally enjoyed Cuban eggs since I wanted to try something traditional, but you have so many options that it will be difficult to choose. Having such a large tropical fruit selection is always a pleasure for me and Gabi is happy when he sees homemade cookies so it was a good morning for the both of us. Top that with prosecco and you have two happy travelers!
PS: If you are a meat lover, search for pork with pineapple in the hot appetizers area! Yummy!
I chose to talk about this matter separately because it is a very weak spot for Cuba and I am sure lots of tourists will be interested in knowing that internet is free and available in all parts of Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski. If you have already been to Cuba, you definitely know the struggle with finding internet connection. If you have work to do online, this is definitely the place where you want to stay.
I have already told you that Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski is located in the heart of Havana Vieja, in front of the National Park and just minutes away from the National Capitol.
Things are pretty easy when it comes to Havana Airport. You only have two options for transportation between the airport and the city: taxi or private transfers. You have no buses or trains options. If you choose the first option, be sure to negotiate your ride. It should cost you 25-27 dollars, but taxi drivers tend to take advantage of tourists asking for huge amounts of money when they see that tourists are not informed.
If you want the easy and relaxed way, be sure to ask the hotel to arrange a private transfer and the driver will be waiting for you at arrival holding a sign with your name.
This being said, I miss Havana and I miss being spoiled at Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski, but I am sure we will be back one day. We still have many parts of Cuba that we need to discover! Thank you Kempinski Hotels for making us happy as always!
Love,
Blonde around the World
