Would really recommend
by TripAdvisor Member D&D_Holiday_feedback
We stayed at the Saratoga for 4 nights in Feb / March and would strongly recommend it as a base for a stay in Havana.
It is in the old town - right opposite the cigar factory and the capital building. The coast / fort is only a 15 minute walk away.
The rooms are a good size and the bathrooms nice. We went fotra 'saratoga room' ( junior suite) and this seemed to garentee you a view of the city, rather than one over the atrium.
The food is good, service can be a little slow.
The pool is really the best bit - it is on the roof over looking the city, so good for sun bathing and taking photos of the city. food up on the roof is also more casual (pizzas and pastas), wheras the inside resturants can be expensive unless you have something basic. The Tapas bar is also good for lunch.
There is a tour operator on the ground floor to book tours and Club Tropicana! The counceige also called us on our first day to see if he could help us with anything...
Only small problem we had was that the exchange rate on cash was worse than at the airport and the other hotel we stayed at which seemed to be consistent.
Oh and that the toilet seats don't fit any of the toilets.....but we can cope with that when everything else was so good....
Brilliant start to holiday
by TripAdvisor Member silvertraveller-7
Stayed for 3 nights at Saratoga Hotel at end of March 2007.
Check in was simple & easy and our room was splendid. A giant sized bed, sofa, T V. a complimentary bottle of Wine and cakes on table when we arrived. A beautiful bathroom with double walk in shower. The rooftop pool is a lovely way to spend an hour after a busy day. The hotel is in a great position to explore Old Havana.The cigar factory is just across the road. Breakfast was okay could find enough to eat but a bit of a mish mash of dishes,
Overall WONDERFUL.
The Best Hotel in Havana, bar none
by TripAdvisor Member cdndame
We just returned from a week in Havana, spending half of it at the Saratoga. After wandering around old Havana (and Vedado) we checked out all the hotels and decided hands down that the Saratoga was the best choice. If you want luxury (bathrobes, big comfy king size beds, amazing bathrooms with a double rain shower & deep bathtub etc.) this is the place for you. It's perfectly perched on the edge of Old Havana, close to everything and has all the amenities you would need. If you're looking for modern luxruy after spending the day in the heat/dirt/noise of Havana, this is the place to go.
Rooms are lovely, shame about the service!
by TripAdvisor Member lisaSurrey
This hotel really is beautiful and the rooms fabulous, which like other reviews say is welcome after trudging the streets, but unfortunately thats were it ends. It was spoilt for us by how unfriendly and unorganised the staff and service were.
We stayed here for three night on the end of our trip, we booked through the holiday place and had been put on a honeymoon package - if this had been our honeymoon I would have been very disappointed. We arrived late due to flight delays and sat for about five minutes before anyone even spoke to us.
Breakfast the next morning was like a rugby scrum as there was not enough on offer to accomodate the guest staying and there was not nearly enough places to sit. We didnt get asked if we wanted any coffee/tea and it was a very strange mix of food.
As part of our package we had a special dinner - I wish we hadnt bothered. When we arrived they had no idea we had booked this meal and they gave us the wrong menus so had to retake our orders, the starter was nice to be fair but they got our main wrong and gave us fish, we send it back and after ages our pork arrived which was so bland it could have been cardboard except the taste of fish it had! Clearly reused our other plates!
We found the front desk staff rather brisk and looked at us like we were mad if we asked a question! We were given champagne in the room but had to ask for glasses.
We also had a special breakfast with our package with never arrived when we ordered it for, I had to ring and remind them.
I know these things are pretty trivia but at the same time this is ment to be a 5* hotel and they are charging over £100 a night for rooms, therefore I think the little things do count. None of these ruined our stay but compared to the 4* hotel we had been staying at the service had a lot to live up too.
great hotel in a lovely city
by TripAdvisor Member ShelG
My husband and I stayed at the Saratoga for 4 nights in early April. We had booked a "patio room" which is essentially an indoor room whch overlooks the central artium.
The hotel is next to the Capitlio building and is about 10 mins walk to Chinatown in one direction, and 10 mins walk to the old town where there are lots of bars and restaurants as well the majority of the sightseeing in the city.
So the location is great apart from at night time when there is a stretch of road with no lighting opposite the Capitol building. It's a busy area, but slightly initimidating late at night.
The hotel itself was refurbished last year so its in very good condition. The buffet breakfast in the main restaurant was ok, but the snack bar on the rooftop is a great spot for lunch.
The views from the rooftop terrace (where there is also a pool) are fantastic and a great escape from the hectic city.
Our room was a good size, with a decent sized bathroom.
Overall this is a very nice hotel and I would certainly recommend it to anyone.