Hotel Florida boutique hotel in La Habana Vieja, Cuba

Located on Obispo, one of the main, pedestrian arteries of the Old Town, the Hotel Florida affords a feeling of being close to the throbbing life of the city (though the narrow and crowded thoroughfare may prove too busy for some).

Well-positioned between Parque Central and the Plaza de Armas, it is one of the best points of departure for an exploration of the Old Town that you can ask for. Arriving guests are greeted by a finely-carved, glistening art-deco statue of a nude belle, a remarkable sculptural work that has become one of the Florida's identifying charms.

Past this reception area, the establishment's stately colonial past is announced in a Spanish-styled inner courtyard, where bare-stone columns, hanging period lamps and a glass fanlight provide a hugely relaxing ambience. The elegance of the property, common to all restored mansions in the Old Town now operating as hotels, carries over to the restaurant, equipped with a well-stocked bar.

A less formal and livelier option is the hotel piano bar, where Cuban music and jazz are performed live every night. Accommodations, designed to recall the colonial era, have a kind of austere simplicity to them which contrasts with the hotel's public spaces. All are agreeably spacious and well-appointed. Guests arriving or departing by car can avail themselves of a lot just across the street.

The narrow and busy grid of surrounding streets, however, makes walking a less stressful alternative. With more than enough taste to satisfy the discerning tourist, the Hotel Florida is also ideally located for those who wish to explore and be close to the city's cultural life.