Ambos Mundos Hotel, Havana City Cuba. 4 stars.

Nice Hotel
I think Iberostar Trinidad is wonderful for a honey moom. It is very easy to book tour to montes de Collantes and Ingenios. And you can go to playa Ancon wich is 10 or 15' by car. You can rent biciclet also. I prefer to stay in Habana Vieja when I go to Cuba. I stayed in casa particular. in Hotel Ambos Mundos and in hotel Inglaterra. For me was OK. Good luck.

romantic
Ambos Mundos is a romantic hotel with a nice terrace for breakfast. There is a pianist who play in the bar and the place is wonderful situated in Havana Vieja. It is not a luxurius hotel, but I like it.)my english isn´t good, I hope you can understand me. Good luck.

Fine
Hemingway's favourite hotel in Old Havana, you can still visit his room which is now a tourist attraction.

“Great location is the only positive..”
We were on a cycling holiday so had experienced a variety of hotels in Cuba, but this was my choice for the worst hotel. The location is the best thing about the hotel. You could search for other hotels and save yourself the time of writing a negative review like this. Stayed in room 403. Water leaked through the light fitting from upstairs. Everything was damp as a result. The rooms have high ceilings, the furniture is sparse and tired. We were woken up at 07:00 but the ancient plumbing. Went for breakfast on the first morning at 09:45 and not much left so next morning we arrived at 09:00 to find seven members of staff having their breakfast! Now we know where the food disappears to. No service from the staff at all. There is only one lift and lots of tourists use it to visit the 5th floor to see Earnest Hemingway's room, so try to avoid this floor if you insist on staying in the hotel. Agree with other comments in that the staff who look after your luggage are friendly and helpful. Sorry but not much positive to say.

“Awfull ! ”
Despite the comments from other travellers and the ranking I chose this hotel based on location. I didn't expect much and got less. Positives are hard to find - the lobby (ignoring the tatty sofas) is nice and compared to everything else the towels were quite nice. Everything else is pretty bad. The room smells of damp that is being masked by chemicals. One night there was a heavy storm and the floor flooded. the shower was broken. Chipped paint and general disrepair. Breakfast was so bad we didn't go back after the first morning. At 6 in the morning a generator starts up somewhere so light sleepers beware, The service was generally bad , with the odd nice exception. The hotel has no internet anywhere. there are nicer hotels also within the old city and I'd recommend going anywhere else.

“Some of the rooms need condeming ”
The rooms were damp and smelt of a old musty odour. We were there on a group walking holiday that was fraught with changed hotels and an almost aborted flight after an inferior Aircraft was rejected by our very excellent guides who thankfully had their fingers on the pulse.. Out of eight hotels we stayed in most were below standard. Food stale and left over from the day before. This hotel had wonderful History. In its heyday it had been glorious and exciting to stay in. Ernest Hemingway stayed there. It had lost it's former glory as had all the old hotels we were placed in.It was unloved and uncared for. Apart from a couple of staff no one cared. I saw broken glass not being swept away when a box was dropped. Staff looked on. At Breakfast we were served old fruit that would have caused stomach problems if eaten. Such lovely people outside, so much promise of a better future for them all, if only they could sharpen up their standards and give the many Tourists what they expect. They might mend the endless broken taps, loos, windows and doors. And of course see the point to upping their facilities and providing their guest with good levels of hygiene, service and commitment that is wholly lacking in their country of outstanding beauty and potential. The folks we met who were inspired were great and will be the ones to go fourth and benefit from all that tourism will and can bring .

“Not worth you money!”
This place is not worth you money. Our first room here smelled of mold, and the air-condition rained in the bathroom. We were then moved to a smaller room with no window, this room did not smell. But the ac in here also leaked. The bedlinen did not look clean. And I was glad we only had to stay there for one night. The whole place is in need of a renovation. The only thing that sells this place is the fact that Hemingway has stayed here. Go there for a drink, but don't stay there!

“This hotel appears to double book - Beware!!! ”
We planned out trip and booked it in January 2012 to go April 2013, we did all our reviews and plans based around this hotel where we had been before. When we arrived arrived tired, and hungry at Havana Airport, we were advised that the hotel was doublebooked. How this happens when you have booked and paid for the stay is beyond me. The tour operator were not advised until we were on the plane, we were diverted to Hotel Telegrapho where we simply did not want to be. The hotel said they had problems, but the problems were that somebody was in our room - we saw for ourselves....... Very disappointing and it did have a big impact on our trip.

“Avoid! ”
Were given rooms on the 5th floor, the top floor. Above is rooftop restaurant with tiled floor. All the chairs are heavy metal. Every chair movement can be heard in all the 5th floor rooms. Constant noise till pasty midnight then started again at 6 for breakfast. Rooms dire, no bedside lights, moldy, bathroom terrible. Breakfast canteen OK Great location, wonderful city, terrible hotel!

“There are much better hotels in Havana ”
We stayed 3 nights during a group tour of Cuba. The place is dirty and shabby and poorly maintained. Service is marginal. There is one small old elevator but the elevator operator is also the bellhop and half the time he wasn't there to operate it. Our group had 8 rooms in total and we were all given internal rooms. The ventilation is awful and they all smelled like dank caves. Showers didn't work, the bathrooms were filthy and the linens stained. By the second night we had all moved to rooms with windows which at least provided some light and air. Unfortunately the shabbiness and filth were easier to see. Dirt and hair on a bathroom floor? Totally unacceptable. Breakfast on the 6th floor was mediocre but the view of Havana was lovely. Our room was on the 5th floor, so I used the stairs frequently. The last day there was dog poop on one of the landings. The staff seemed more annoyed than concerned when I told them about it. Overall the location, though noisy, was great but in no way compensated for the sad state of this property.

“Worst hotel ever ”
The rooms were vile and one room allocated to me smelt extremely mouldy and damp and the shower could not be turned off and I asked this room to be changed. The only other room available had 2 seperate beds so we had to sleep seperately for 2 nights. Very romantic.. Both bath towels provided were very dirty, murky off-white or grey with black marks where they had not been washed and were blood stained and one had deposits of what appeared to be ear wax. Both towels smelled of body odour. The bed sheets had not been changed and one had specks of discharge and body hair encrusted on the sheet. Totally vile. The Ambos Mundos reception staff were disinterested and unhelpful. My girlfriend got stranded in another town on the first night and phoned through a message to me to say that she would not be able to get there for the night but Reception failed to pass this to me. I was very worried for her as I didn't know what had happended. The two women on reception when I checked in kept me waiting for 3 or 4 minutes while they were looking at their friend's baby photos. When I checked out in the morning, the woman on Reception kept me waiting for several minutes while she laughed and giggled on the phone to a friend. A security man (Miguel) asked me if I wanted to pay for a prostitute to stay in my room and on another night a security man asked my girlfriend if she had a booking in the hotel when we we both returned hand in hand to the hotel one evening. The inference because she is black is that the Security man thought she was Cuban prostitute. She was very offended by this as was I. I'll never stay at Ambos Mundos again.

“a very mixed experience ”
I and my tour group stayed here for several nights as part of a Cuba tour. As many others have stated, the location is terrific - it is in the heart of Old Havana, just off of Plaza de Armas, and walkable to many other sights. The location is the best part of this hotel. The rooftop dining area is also lovely, with a great view and nice atmosphere. Breakfast buffet is just fine with a nice selection of hot and cold items and omelets to order. The lobby piano bar area depends heavily on the quality of the piano playing (which varied between musicians) - but at times was a nice place to hang out. Now the down side - When we first checked in, there were so many problems with the hotel rooms that our intinerary was rearranged. These included strong moldy odors, plumbing leaks, electrical problems, toilet problems, rooms without windows and inconsistent supplying of the rooms with items like towels and tp. When we got back to Ambos Mundos - they seem to have done some thorough cleaning, which helped, although there were still some plumbing issues in some of the rooms (according to my co-travelers). The service experience was mixed as well. All the gentlemen who assisted with the old elevator and baggage handling were friendly and helpful. So were the bar staff and breakfast buffet staff. The same could not be said of the front desk staff - who were surly in my experience and reluctant to help with requests for directions or help making restaurant reservations. And when we complained about standing water on the floor of our room (condensation from the mini fridge), they said they'd take care of it - which amounted to leaving a mop and bucket for me. I don't mind a little bit of work, but thought that this should have been done by hotel staff. Another important piece of information - Ambos Mundos is in a pedestrian zone of the city - which is lovely in some ways, but also means that you have to drag your luggage over 4 or so blocks of cobblestones in order to get from the bus drop off point to the hotel itself. Rooms are sparsely furnished, with very little space for putting anything away. All of these complaints are somewhat balanced by the fact of the great location and the tons of character that you get staying at a historic hotel. Almost. It really depends on what your standards are and how comfortable you are with outdated systems (plumbing, electrical, a/c) and old worn furniture. Since it was part of our tour package, I can't comment on the cost - but make your hotel choice and set your expectations accordingly. This ain't the Ritz. It is characteristically Cuban, though - complete with shabby beauty and messed up infrastructure.

“Add a star if you have anosmia ”
Anosmia=loss of sense of smell. Well, I just came back from staying at Ambos Mundos for a week. The two rooms we rented both smelled HORRIBLY of mold and mildew. The smell made it hard to sleep, and I had to brush crumbling limestone off clothing in the small closet before wearing them. The same mold problem wasn't true for the lobby, which was nicely decorated and fairly luxurious. Other problems: Despite multiple requests for repair, one room didn't have hot water (and sometimes NO water) for most of the week. Both rooms were incredibly noisy, with echos from both inside the hotel and from outside on the street. One room had no window at all, which was a blessing in disguise, since the room with an outside window flooded each time it rained. Yes, I expected the furniture to be dated and simple. It didn't bother me that the old tv had fuzzy display and poor audio. I could tolerate the hard bed and mirror so old that it was hard to see myself. However, It was so physically uncomfortable living with the mold that it affected an otherwise-wonderful and fascinating stay in Havana. On the plus side: great location in old Havana and generally courteous staff. It looks like the cleaning staff did their best to clean rooms desperately in need of waterproofing and renovation. Not enough pluses to outweigh the considerable negatives. Advice: You probably want to stay away from the food in the restaurant for dinner (minimally acceptable for breakfast, if you like your coffee lukewarm), but you may want to wander up there for the great view of Old Havana. Others in my tour group of 13 had similarly unpleasant experiences, so I suspect that mold and mildew is a building-wide problem.

“Historical clean hotel but too old, much refurbishment is needed ”
This is a very charming historical hotel. Good for a visit to the hotel lobby, check out the Hemingway's room and a drink at the hotel bar or roof top terrace (when it is open, currently it is closed for some repair). Avoid staying here for all causes. I stayed here for 3 nights in mid of Sept 2013. 1st night everything was fine. 2nd night, the hot shower was not working because apparently, the construction worker at the roof top accidentally broke the hot water pipe. Although much promise was given that the hot water will be restored within 1 day but until the day I checked out, there was still no hot shower! And the air conditioner started to break down after the 2nd night. The room is clean but everything looks old. Towel, tiles in the bathroom, stain on the sheets. There was even water leaking into my room on my last night which I suspect was due to the construction work. Bellboy or doormen were friendly but the front desk staff was not very friendly or helpful. What they cared is about making money from the tourists! The free breakfast was good. Something for a consolation for the money you paid. You can get a much better deal at local homestay (Casa de Particulares) in Old Havana than staying at this hotel.

“grim and in serious need of total refurbishment ”
I went with a tour party of 15. My twin room smelt musty and one pillow had a large boot print on it, I would have preferred the room maids to have spent more time cleaning rather than writing elaborate notes wishing me well for my stay. The work that is being undertaken on the roof terrace and the alleged room in which Hemingway stayed often started at 5am. I was fortunate as others in my group had water pouring into their room, filthy sheets and only cold water showers. Location is in the centre of old Havana, but women should not venture out alone unless you want constant hassle. Breakfast was a hit and miss affair; little to excite the palate and every day one had to ask for spoons to be made available. This hotel has rested for too long on the fact that Hemingway stayed there, and needs serious updating and it is unlikely to tempt one for a return visit

“Ambos Must-not ”
Stayed in this hotel in July for 3 nights, they were the longest nights ever. When we had a huge thunder storm, the second floor completely flooded, and going down to breakfast was a hazard as we were going down slippery marble steps wearing sandals, with no signs of warning. Breakfast was swarmed with flies and very limited, coffee was cold, cereal was stale and stuck in clumps in the dispenser. The terrace was closed, and the staff of the hotel were very rude. Beds felt damp and dirty, the bathroom was a health hazard and the hairdryer was unsafe to put anywhere near your hair or head, it was an explosion waiting to happen. The towels were always dirty, they smelt musky, damp and just unwashed. The air-conditioning was very strong but was so loud, to be able to go to sleep it had to be turned down. There was no air-conditioning in the lobby which made it vey stuffy to sit down there. There was a dead moth on the stairs for the whole of our stay and it was never picked up!!!!!

“Hemingway gets in the way!”
The hotel has a room that is set up as a museum of Hemingway's belonging. Quite charming like everything else in Cuba, but it also means an endless throng of tourists wanting to go up to the 5th floor. In other words - if you are staying there you never get the chance to take the elevator. I had to walk up five floors several times a day to reach my decaying room. We stayed in 7 hotels during our trip to Cuba and this was definitely the worst. Otherwise - the location is good, but there are other hotels in old Havanna.

“Location is the only plus point ”
I was booked into the Hotel santa isabel but when I arrived in Havana, they mentioned that the Santa isabel was overbooked so was bumped to the Ambos Mundos for one night. I had coffee on the roof terrace before and thought it would be a nice hotel but it was the contrary. Rooms are very bare and dusty and bedsheets was covered with plaster falling from the ceiling. Room was big but cleanliness leave a lot to be desired. There is a nice bar downstairs which is opened 24hours. The hotel attracts a lot of tourist as Hemmingway stayed in one of the rooms which has now been turned into a small museum which you can visit for a small fee. I like the rooftop terrace with its fantastic views over old havana. Decent breakfast. Location is pretty good in the middle of a bustling street in Old Havana.

“A great place to visit, but we wish we hadn't stayed there.”
We were booked in the Hotel Ambos Mundos as part of a tour run by the San Cristobal Travel Agency of Havana and Cuba Education Tours of Canada. This was not the hotel that was on the original tour itinerary, but we were a captive group with nothing to say about it. We knew from reading Trip Advisor.com postings prior to travel that the hotel had poor reviews. We were prepared to make the best of things. This is Cuba. This is Havana. This is Old Havana. We expected dilapidation. What we found unacceptable was the odor beyond musty in our room that had no outside window. Others in our group found themselves with broken beds, broken, leaking showers, and one person had to request clean sheets upon check-in. Old, worn, and run down can be expected in a poor country. Poor service can be blamed on non profit oriented socialism. Lack of cleanliness is, however, inexcusable.

“Good city hotel ”
Stayed here after checking out of "Hotel From Hell" Quite basic, but in the city and it was buzzing as festival time. Room comfortable, roof terrace restaurant, bar area. For a 3 night stay comfortable and clean. Hemingway used to stay here too, and there are lots of tourist visits.

“Bunking with Mom”
We thought this hotel was reasonable and beautifully in the middle of Old Havana. That was its best asset. The rooms are what you might find in Italy, not fancy but functional. While we received new towels each day the rest of my family complained they were well worn and should have been dumped. However it's Cuba they don't have much. It was very clean and the staff exceptional? Service was great especially on the Terrace restaurant. Food delicious.

“it was fine considering ”
we stayed two nights in august. the location absolutely cannot be beat. the roof deck was unfortunately closed for repairs. the staff were pleasant and helpful if you needed them. they speak english, but of course brush up and try to use all the espanol you can muster. breakfast is included. its sad, but ok, so you wont starve. the towels and linen were very old and worn, but clean. note this hotel, like many in cuba (all?), is run by habaguanex, the corrupt gov agency, so you might think twice about that issue. if you can arrange to stay in a home in old habana it would more directly support the people, or so i heard. there is an nice outdoor restaurant we liked right on the malecon nearby, its the one furthest from plaza de armas. there are cabs at the corner of that square for the airport or to easily arrange a visit to hemingway's la finca vigia, cojimar or other sites.

“Ok, but not great ”
The best of this Hotel ist the roof terrace, which right now is under construction, so till End Of November 2013 not worth to check in this Hotel. Its very much visited by large group of tourists, due to the the room that was habited by Ernest Hemingway, but nothing really special. Rather recoemnd other Hotels in Old Habana such as Santa Isabel or Saratoga.

“Atmosphere not luxury ”
We enjoyed our two stays here and loved the huge foyer and bar, dripping with atmosphere, its open windows letting in the light, music and bustle of Havana's streets. Our room wasn't great and the water never hot but the piano player was fun, the bar comfortable and the people- watching fantastic. Don't expect western comfort and luxury - do soak up the place and its history, including Hemingway's room (wonder if his shower worked, not that he'd have complained about cold water ...).

“Hotel in the centre of Havana ”
Interesting old hotel well situated for the old town of Havana. Ernest Hemingway stayed here and you can arrange to see his room. Bedrooms are small and the water supply to the shower was hit and miss on both availability and temperature. Breakfast was adequate, with a good view from the terrace. Overall it was a good base in the centre of town.

“Overpriced ”
The lobby is huge and beautiful. The service great, and all clerks and bellboys speak english. The room was small, but it did what we expected. Air condition, nice bathroom and a balcony to the street. There was some trouble with the hot water, but if you're not in a hurry it'll be there if you let it run for 10-15 minutes. The breakfast was simple, but quite ok continental. The evening restaurant on the terrace was horrible. Bad service, boring and tame food. But great view of Havana ... All in all a good hotel, but overpriced at 200 CUC a night.

“Good location ”
This hotel was in a prime location for the buzz of central Havana. The lobby and bar area was lovely however the accommodation is pretty basic. We had upgraded to a junior suite which gave us a small balcony overlooking the street below and a slightly larger room. The rooftop restaurant and bar had lovely views over Havana and the breakfast buffet was very good. The hotel certainly has character but my personal preference would be for more modern accommodation for the money we paid.

“Old Havana charm ”
This hotel has old world ambience. By US standards, it was "just OK", but it was better than I expected. The lobby and top of the hotel terrace are lovely. The old elevator system added to the charm. We enjoyed breakfasts and evening entertainment on the terrace, which has a great view of the city. The hotel is in the heart of Habana Viega - cobblestone streets, outdoor restaurants, scenic plazas, wandering minstrals, and old forts were steps away. Our room opened up to the street, which can be noisy, but that is part of being in the city. We closed the outside door and turned on the air conditioning to muffle the noise. The room had sparce ammenities - lighting was harsh and the bathroom is old, but as mentioned before, it was better than I expected.

“Location ”
The hotel met expectations. It does not purport to be 5* and isn't, if you want that go to the Iberostar. The room was clean, functional and noise was not an issue (we were on the 4th floor - avoid the 5th as there are constant streams of tourists, all day, visiting Hemmingway's room). The hotel is basic but the location is excellent and within easy walking distance of all the attractions of Old Havana. The staff were helpful and friendly. The "views" from the 6th floor bar/restaurant are nothing special, nor was the breakfast, but if one is looking for a hotel with some character and in a good location then the AM fits the bill.There are plenty of decent restaurants within a couple of hundred yards. The El Templete on the harbour front is top class, the best we saw in Cuba (booking advisable because of its popularity).

“Ambos Mediocre ”
We stayed at the infamous Ambos Mundos for 2-nights as part of a package holiday as we were informed at short notice that our first choice hotel was fully-booked. We revelled in the idea of staying at a hotel with such strong connections with Ernest Hemingway and our travel agent's recommendation was very sincere and positive. The location was excellent with very good bars and restaurants in the locality. The rooftop restaurant, where a well varied breakfast buffet was served, had good views over the sea and surrounding horizon. However, we found the reception staff incredibly rude and they had little time for guests. The check-in process was arduous, full of huffs and sighs, there was minimal communication or interaction and we were waved off in the direction of the lift and stairs. The room was basic with high ceilings and we were fortunate not to be overlooked by the university building opposite. However, it was very damp with an unpleasant odour but all we had to do was open the juliet windows to air the room for a day. There was no hot water but we got by with tepid showers for the duration of our stay. However, considering the substantial price they charge and declared 4-star rating, this shouldn't be acceptable. The only remedy was the location and the dulcet tunes played by the hotel pianist in the lobby area.

“I didn't stay here, but pleasant visits to the pianist at lobby. ”
Most of the people don't remember the name of this hotel, they just call it Hemingway's Hotel. Hemingway kept a room (#511 to be exact) here from 1932 to 1939, before he eventually bought a house and moved to Havana in 1939. Hotel keeps some Hemingway's stuff and room 511 open to tourists. I didn't see the room, but there are plenty of Hemingway's photos at lobby area which is quite interesting. Hotel Ambos Mundos (means Hotel Both Worlds) is in the center of old town Havana. What I like about it the most, is the wonderful and skillful pianist, (sorry I forgot his name). We would stop by here whenever we walked around old town, had a cup of tea, (it's too bad they don't have desert or pastry), and listened to him for a set. He played American old songs and smooth jazz tones which are very different from most of the places here, it's a pleasant change!

“Holiday in Cuba ”
As a start point to our holiday in Cuba we were slightly disappointed with this hotel due to the cleanliness and attitude of the staff at the Ambos Mundos hotel in comaprison to the Breezes Jibacoa Hotel, there was a vast and noticeable difference. For location however, the Ambos Mundos is excellent, situated in old Havana and close to all places of interest. If you are going on a two week break I would recommend no more than 4/5 days in Havana itself. In respect of the travel from the UK we could not fault Virgin Atlantic for the meeting and greeting and overall assistance.

“Needs to improve ”
Had 3 nights in the hotel of choice for Hemmingway, and it would appear they haven't refurbished it since he left! After prepaying for a junior suite we got a double room near the noisy elevator, our suite had been given to someone else! we did receive a prompt credit on our credit card to compensate for the difference. We finally got a room with a window and view over the plaza, one floor below Hemmingways. Breakfast was inedible, so didn't try lunch or dinner. Cuba overall is in a time warp and needs some help with basics like nicer sheets, beds and bath towels, and Ambos suffers these shortfalls as well. However, its is in a great central position, the tourist desk operated by San Cristobal with Iliana are very good and helpful. And if you stay there, you get a free tour of Hemmingways room.

“The spirit of Havana ”
This hotel had a unique character which captured the spirit of Havana- centrally located, we could hear the salsa music in the street once a day as a parade went past. The old fashioned caged elevator was beautiful. My room was spacious with beautiful old fashioned wooden furniture which didn't match. The food was adequate rather than great, the air conditioning was temperamental and if you're used to staying in chain hotels where everything functions smoothly then this may not be the hotel for you. If you are staying here you can look at Hemingway's old room for free

“Best Mojito we had in Cuba! ”
We were on a day trip to Havana. Stopped in here because of the history of Ernest Hemingway having stayed here and frequenting the bar. Enjoyed a Mojito but did not go to the rooftop bar as it was pouring down hard while we were there. Loved the ambiance of the piano bar but would have much preferred if CNN had not been blaring from the flat screen television above the bar counter.

“Expected the worst but not so bad ”
I was placed at the Hotel after my reservation at Hotel Telegrapho was lost.This was over Christmas and my first trip to Cuba. After I read the Trip Advisor reviews, I was not happy. I stayed in several rooms while I was there and the ones on the inside do not have windows and do smell musty. But I was fine with the ones on the outside with a window; they are not fancy, but neither are a lot of older Hotels in the old city. I would probably give it a little less than 4, but there is no in-between.The staff at the hotel were lovely and the roof top restaurant was perfect; chill out at night for a drink and enjoy the morning breakfast. I was careful to not stay on the 5th floor, due to the scraping chairs of the restaurant. One night I had to go to the Hotel Florida due to some problem at the Ambos Mundos; by comparison, the marble was impressive, but there were hairs in the tub and sink. Oh well, this is Cuba.The location couldn't be better and there is also a nice bar in the lobby. The elevator was reminiscent of an earlier time.

“Nice hotel prime location ”
Very nice hotel, friendly stuff, prime location in Old Havana, a bit pricey (except if you find an offer like we happened to stumble upon), and overall a nice experience with the only set back that the rooms had no window.. (at least the 3 we saw), They also have this crazy theme that all the staff is dressed like monks but it adds to it. A nice stay in Old Havana.

“Christmas Holiday 2013 ”
Hi, I stayed in the hotel for 3 days with my two teenage children. We found the hotel very good, the breakfast was very nice and the staff were friendly and pleasant. The rooms are a little bit dated and in need of redecoration, however there was nothing wrong with their standard that prevented us from having a great holiday. The Hotel was in a good location to see the esturary and to walk into the old part of the town, past all the local and tourist shops and to visit the Capitol building and the museums. We would definitely stay there gain.

“Great hotel with culture ”
Nice culturally interesting hotel, where Ernst Hemmingway used to live. The hotel has an excellent location in the middle of the Old Havana, on the main bar and shop street Obispo. Nice clean rooms. Roof terrace provides good views of the city and has a good band singing and playing in the evening. The lobby bar with the pianist is a charming place.

“Hemmingway Hotel Room ”
For those that want to visit a little of history, stop at this hotel and visit one of the rooms that Hemmingway stayed in during his satay in Havana. It is presently looking at the time of his drinking and has a few artifacts relating to his boat, daiquiri drinking and some writing. There is a small charge to view the room but the lady who was looking after visitors there was very knowledgeable and helpful. We did not have time to spend travelling to his house whch we will visit next time in cuba but this provided a small insight into Hemmingway.

“Location, location, location. ”
I agree with reviewer Sandie C.: By first world standards, the Hotel Ambos Mundos is just ok: smallish room, not a lot of light for reading, hot water not very available early in the morning. However, the staff are friendly, the rooftop restaurant is good and has a great view, there is music in the lobby (and in the street) and the location in Old Havana is excellent. The ground floor restaurant two blocks down the street at the fancier looking Florida seems better and cheaper, but for Dad (using a walker on the cobbled street / pedestrian zone) it was easier to go to the roof-top restaurant at the Ambos Mundos. The breakfast buffet is fine, though not presented as perfectly as in Canada. Scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, fried eggs, sausages and a variety of other meats, fruit, cheese, cereals, breads and pastries, just ok coffee in an urn, hot milk, juices, etc. For better coffee, ask for an Americano, and add to the tip. We typically left 3 CUC tip at breakfast (included). We typically spent 20 to 25 CUC for two with tip for lunch, and 25 to 30 CUC for dinner. A minor quibble with the mini-bar which we did not touch; they recorded a mineral water as consumed on our second day, at 2.75 CUC ($3 +/-) We only consumed plastic bottles of water, bought on the street, but kept them in the mini fridge. I paid it. I figure it could be a routine scam to goose their receipts, or maybe an honest mistake. We left CUC 20 for the chambermaids, for two of us for a week.

“Fascinating”
Truly a one off experience...sitting in the bar drinking a mojito whilst listening to the pianist play away...perfect! Very atmospherice place and full of history and a must see whilst in Havana, which is truly unique place!

“Great view with stunning lobster lunch ”
The terrace restaurant can be very busy if you hit it at the same time as one of the Hemmingway tour groups, but it is in a great location in Old Havana and the for, music and service were excellent. The lobster in particular was spot-on - two tails turned inside out and grilled. Yummy.

“A stop on the Hemingway trail ”
We did not stay at the Ambos Mundos, just stopped by to soak up Hemingway atmosphere. There is a spacious lobby with a piano bar (no air conditioning). A very old elevator (with a human operator) can take you to the fifth floor to visit the room Hemingway stayed in off and on for five years - Room 511. The hotel is conveniently located on Calle Obispos in the heart of Habana Vieja. It is well worth a stop. Have a drink in the lobby and toast Ernest.

“Excellent stay at Ambos Mundos ”
We loved the hotel. The location is perfect. Service is very good. It is clean. Air conditioning is strong. The lobby was a great place to have a bite to eat, to drink alcohol or a cafe con leche and to people watch. We could care less about Hemingway so that did not affect us one way or the other. We were happy with the breakfast and the view from the roof was fabulous. Occasionally we had to take the stairs which was not a problem. We did not go expecting Orlando, FL USA. Fortunately our expectations were met. We were surrounded by lovely refurbished squares, lively streets, parks and places to eat. Would stay there again.