We stayed here on our arrival in Havana, for 3 nights. Its not so easy for taxi drivers from the airport to find as it is in the pedestrianised part of the old town, but this makes it a great location once you are settled in. Some of the staff were very friendly, others more indifferent and on our early morning departure we had to be quite persistent to get our breakfast on time and to get a taxi ordered. Having said that, this hotel is an easy introduction to Cuba, being in the heart of the tourist area and with lots of restaurants all about. The rooms are big, are in a reasonable condition and pretty comfortable. The bathroom was big but only just clean enough. This place feels like it is really a restaurant with about 5 rooms attached. The main activity is feeding and entertaining, with daily and nightly flamenco, groups of tourists. If you want to eat here, they seemed to insist we had the 20 CUC set menu, which we didn't want and were not very happy when we went elsewhere rather than be bamboozled into a meal twice as expensive as you needed to pay. This review is written with hindsight, after three weeks in Cuba, and fantastic hospitality and great food in the casa particulares. Hotels seemed rather pale, but expensive, comparisons by the time we finished our trip. Oh, and hotels in the old part of town, do not have mains water, so the water lorry comes every morning at 5am, outside your window and fires up its pump to pump your shower water into the hotel. This was slightly cheaper than the Hostal Valencia we stayed in on our return to Havana, but I would say the extra CUCs were worth it.

This hotel is in a really great location on a pedestrian street near to Plaza Vieja. The rooms have very high ceilings with tall windows and doors opening out onto a balcony over looking the street. Breakfast is good as is the restaurant although the flamenco show can be very noisy but only lasts about 30 minutes. The main down side to this accommodation was the quality of the beds, they were really saggy and a spring had broken through the mattress and scratched my husbands back in the night. Also there was rarely hot water in the shower. Despite all this we did enjoy our stay in this good value hotel.

I booked this on a student website(STA) for £20 pppn and it was listed as a hostel. Im so glad i took a chance on it.Its a bar/rest and the rooms are situated above. rooms are great with large bay doors or windows. Beds were clean and comfy. Bathrooms could have been cleaner but ok.The atmosphere is brilliant. We reguarly sat at the bar watching the world cup with the friendly staff. So relaxed and cool.Strong mojitos! Had dinner one nights and it was great_ cheap and tasty! Breakfast wasnt great though - only downfall but still edible. Location was central to everything. Port and square all within walking distance. Recommend this hotel for all.

When we arrived at 3 a.m. (as scheduled) they wouldn't take us to our room, saying there was no electricity. Then, they drove us across town to the Riviera (a huge hotel built in the 50's by the Mafia) and installed us in a massive suite completely unchanged (every stick of furniture was original) since it was built. It had a huge king-size bed, a sunken bathtub, a large living room, even a bidet, and a view of the ocean. The next day, we went back to El Meson and found ourselves in a high-ceilinged room at the back. Very nicely appointed. However, the water pressure was so low, with no hot water, so we couldn't take a shower for 4 days. The air in Havana was so polluted and because we badly needed sleep since the flamenco show was so loud right beneath us until 11:00 p.m. nightly, and the staff talked in full voice until much later and then again very early in the morning, we finally gave up and left, despite having paid in advance for a whole week, and booked into the luxurious Nacional for one night before escaping, at our own expense, to Cayo Largo, for much needed rest and recreation. Havana is a fascinating city, with remarkable architecture and historic buildings, but once in a life-time is enough. Also, after half a dozen visits to Cuba over the past 30 years, it finally sunk in how limited the lives of Cubans are, how little money they have ($20 a month is a "good" salary) and how restricted their freedom is, that we began to feel uncomfortable, and will not go back again. Should you go? Yes, at least once! Should you stay at El Meson de la Flota? Not unless you're very young and prepared to rough it.