Hotel Riviera ****

Rising next to the ocean in western Vedado, the 16-storey Habana Riviera looks like something out of 1950s Las Vegas or Miami, an airbrushed postcard taking one back to a very different time and world. Stylishly modernist, the building’s 50s look (and feel) carries past the revolving door entrance over to the grand lobby. The hotel was established by mobster Meyer Lanski in 1956, and the property’s short-lived immersion in the world of mafia transactions and gambling is well-documented (the c... See moreurious spherical structure next to the main edifice, painted in vibrant hues, was once a casino, acoustically designed to take the sound of chips and slot machines into the hotel and seduce guests). Thanks to the ingenious building design, all guestrooms have views of the Atlantic, taking full advantage of the splendid location: at the north end of Paseo, right on Malecón, a short distance away from Vedado’s entertainment offer and an insignificant cab ride away from Old Havana. The hotel has a fairly ample food and drinks and entertainment offer. The spacious lobby bar is set next to a row of large glass panels that place one almost literally next to the water, and the Mirador de la Habana restaurant has very nice views of the littoral and city. Reportedly one of Havana’s better nightclubs, the Copa Room Cabaret is the stage for a Tropicana-like show and operates as a disco into the early morning. Vintage Havana with all comfort !

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