When we arrived in Havana we weren't expecting luxury. Having said that Hotel Victoria is not a 4 star hotel by European standards. The hot water in the showers was temperamental. The pipes creaked all night which made sleeping difficult. Breakfast was unispiring. The room we were in was dated and very dusty. We got a very indifferent reception on arrival.

Its location however is very good for exploring the nightlife around Vedado (which is not centred around a few streets but spread around the area) and the beautiful city of Havana. It is close to Hotel National and two great music venues (La Zorra y El Cuervo and El Gato Tuerto) which are worth a visit.

There are much better hotels in Cuba. I would recommend staying in some of the Casa Peticulares instead which offer a more authentic experience and more comfortable rooms.

I was having a look on TA during Xmas days, as I wanted to give to my fiancee the dream trip of her life; that was in Cuba... So after visiting a well known travel agency in London, We found out an Easter offer for ­£620pp, B&B&Flights&Transfers for Hotel Victoria (as individual deal), and only 8 slots remaining! So with no second thought, we booked it the very next day from checking the comments in here, and taking my risks due to the complicated feelings from the other visitors...

After a non-ending 11hr connecting day flight (London-Paris-Havana) with Air France (Jesus Christ....), we arrived and settled in on the 17th of April. The hotel has a small lobby, even smaller reception, and a tiny bar. It also features a normal-for-its-capacity restaurant area (really clean), and a decent shop where you can buy gums, chocs, toiletries and cigars, 10am to 8pm. A good first impression was the fresh flowers at the reception, and the smell of freshness at the lobby. As soon as we got in the room, guided by a friendly yet somehow old porter, who stayed there to explain everything about power voltage, switches, aircon, lighting, windows, fridge, we got our first 2 bad impressions. Due to the extreme humidity of Cuba, the matresses were somehow damp, but all clean and fresh! The second bad thing was with the entrance tent, that was circulating the air and was whstling to an annoying level whenever we had our windows open (we were just above the main entrance.
Pool Area: just not a pool.... More like a water tub, 110cm deep, 5m x 3m long...
Bar area: Decent, very good prices, but open only 10am-10pm (same hours are for room service)
Staff: Friendly and helpful.
Restaurant: Didn't eat anything for dinner in as we were dining out, but breakfast was ok whenever we had breakfast. Not that we were missing it... Breakfast was missing its spot though!!! On the first morning, it was all there in a rich buffet! Second morning, there was no omelette and no cheese... 3rd and 4th morning we were to Cayo Largo (but they provided us the previoud night a "basket Breakfast", with 2 cheese and had sandwiches, 1 juice, 1 banana and 1 bottle of water each, as we departed at 5am), 5th morning there was no buffet, and no staff at the restaurant area!!!! It was all cooked-on-order, but that "all", was cheese, and omelette, toasted bread, jam and butter. Oh, and coffee or tea! No Chocolate, no milk, no fruits, no nothing. As if there was an overnight raid in the kitchen!!!

Area: Not as dodgy as it may look; and it is also just 6 minutes walk from both National Hotel and Habana Libre, 2 of the biggest and better hotels in Vedado area.. People were all friendly and helpful, even with my near-zero knowledge of spanish. It's also really close to the Playa de la Revolucion and the seaside area, where is a good place to visit at night and blend in with locals! They stay until 4-5 in the morning, just sitting by the wall that seperates sea from the seaside avenue, and snog, listen to music, having a laugh, or drinking a beer! That's their main form of entertainment! :)

Cost of living: 17-22 April = £980, including £320 in cigars. Not really as cheap as expected...

Overall: By reading the reviews, I was expecting a nightmare. But afterall it turned to be a pleasant experience, even better from what I expected to find in a city hotel to an area like Cuba. A place that I could stay again if I return sometime back :)

This is a really great hotel to stay in Havana if you are looking for a low-key, clean and friendly place to stay. Centrally located in Verdado, its within walking distance to many attractions and a short taxi ride from Havana Vieja. We weren't sure of quite what to expect when we booked in online, but was a great choice and we booked in again when we returned to Havana at the end of our travels. In comparison to another Havana hotel we stayed at, Hotel Victoria is great value and has a lovely atmosphere. The staff are really friendly - didn't try the restaurant for anything more than breakfast, which was tasty. There is a great little restaurant across the road which we enjoyed.

This is a small old style hotel. Our bedroom was a good size and very clean. The hotel is well located with a taxi rank a couple of streets away. Two minutes walk brings you down to The Malecon and the sweeping sea walk.
The food was quite good with friendly waiters and bar staff. Whilst the bar shuts early(10pm) there were numerous other bars and restaurants nearby. There is a small swimming pool (10 metres) outside along with an area for soaking up the sun.
I would recommend this Hotel to anyone who wants comfortable facilities at a reasonable price and situated in a good area.
I will go back as we thought it was good value for money.