Your stay — Dania&Sandra
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The Property — Dania&Sandra
Dania&Sandra is a compact three-star guesthouse in Central Havana, a short walk from the Malecón. It feels like a private home turned into a small hotel: tiled floors, high ceilings, a roof terrace with basic furniture and a view over the low-rise city. The vibe is no-frills but personal; the owners live on site and will help you sort taxis or a paladar recommendation. It suits budget-conscious travellers who want a local base rather than a resort, and don't mind worn-in fixtures.
Chronicles of Havana
Havana was founded by the Spanish in 1519 as San Cristóbal de La Habana, quickly becoming a key port for gold and sugar shipments. The old town’s baroque and neoclassical buildings, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, date mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries. After the 1959 revolution, construction largely stopped, leaving a city frozen in time with peeling pastel facades and 1950s cars. Today it’s a frayed yet magnetic capital, blending Afro-Cuban music, state-run stores and an increasingly private restaurant scene. The city’s identity is defined by resilience: everything is a little broken but kept going with character.
Best Time to Visit
Full Havana guide →Best months
January to March: cool, dry weather (22–26°C) and fewer tourists than December or July. Walking is comfortable and humidity is low.
Peak / festival surge
July is the absolute peak: hot and humid (28–31°C), plus the Carnival of Havana in late July brings big crowds and street parties. Hotel prices double or triple; book at least four months ahead. Independence Day (26 July) also draws domestic visitors.
Budget shoulder season
May and October: fewer crowds, lower room rates (often 30–50% off peak), and still warm enough for the beach. May has occasional rain; October can be wet but rarely all day.
Weather & packing
Havana is hot and humid year-round but gets brief tropical downpours even in the dry season. Pack lightweight linen or cotton clothing, a compact rain jacket, and sturdy sandals that can handle puddles and uneven pavement.
Live City Briefing — Havana
- The Malecón seawall is partially closed for repairs near the intersection with Calle G; the detour adds 10 minutes to walks between Old Havana and Vedado.
- New private taxi app 'La Nave' now operates in Havana, offering fixed prices and smartphone booking – a cheaper alternative to official tourist taxis.
- Several paladares (private restaurants) on Calle Obispo have closed for summer renovation; check Google Maps for current hours before heading out.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Dania&Sandra, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request an upper floor room facing the inner courtyard or away from the main street side. The 4th or 5th floor in a 5-floor walk-up will be quieter because street noise from Havana's busy roads is less intrusive at that height.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the 1st or 2nd floor overlooking the street. These pick up traffic noise, revving scooters, and street music. Also avoid rooms near the stairwell if there's no lift — footfall noise carries up the stairs.
Best views
Best view is from a top-floor room at the front, overlooking the street and classic Havana architecture. But that comes with noise trade-off. If view prioritises over quiet, choose front-facing 5th floor.
Quietest floors
Floors 4 and 5 are the quietest. The lack of a lift means fewer people use them, and they're far enough from ground-level street hustle.
🔊 Noise notes
Havana's streets are loud: vintage cars, engines running, music from open windows, and general city hum. The hotel's lack of a lift means stairwell echo. Expect noise on lower floors, especially Friday and Saturday evenings.
Insider tips
Request a room with a window into the courtyard rather than the street if you value sleep. Bring earplugs for street noise regardless. Check-in can be slow; have your booking confirmation ready to speed things up.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Dania&Sandra
Free for all guests, speed ~5 Mbps (sufficient for email and browsing); one device per room, no login required.
Yes, serves all three floors; no stairs-only sections.
Digital newspaper available on lobby tablet via PressReader; physical Cubadebate handed out at breakfast.
Standard check-in 15:00; early bag drop accepted from 10:00 at reception; late check-out subject to availability, 20 CUC until 18:00.
Free storage at reception on day of arrival and departure.
Step-free at main entrance; lift access to all floors; no grab bars in bathrooms.
No on-site parking; nearest public lot at Calle 14 y Malecón, 5 CUC per night; no EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: 3 CUC per person per night (payable in cash at check-in)
Deposit & card hold: Requires 50% deposit via bank transfer or credit card upon booking; at check-in, a hold of 50 CUC on card for incidentals.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Aulas de la iglesia (585 m · ~7 min walk)
- Church: Iglesia Bautista de Villa Rosa (595 m · ~7 min walk)
5-Minute Radius Essentials
San Francisco de Paula — 2.4 km · ~30 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Cuban Peso, CUP
Change cash at CADECA exchange booths in the city; avoid the airport and hotel exchange desks as they give terrible rates.
Credit/debit cards and contactless are rarely accepted outside big hotels; bring enough cash CUP for daily purchases.
Tip 10% in restaurants if service isn't included; small change for taxi drivers and hotel staff (e.g., 25-50 CUP).
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A café cubano from a street stall or corner kiosk costs about 10 CUP.
A menu del día (set lunch with rice, beans, meat and drink) in a local eatery is 150-250 CUP.
A main dish like ropa vieja or grilled chicken in a simple paladar costs 300-500 CUP.
Look for street carts and small stalls around Parque Central, Obispo Street and the Malecón for cheap eats like pizzas, churros and tamales.
Tres Palacios and Caribe are common budget supermarket chains in Havanna.
For cheap clothing, browse the street markets along Calle Obispo or the Almacenes San José artisan market for affordable local basics.
Hop on a shared taxi (almendrón) or a bus for about 10-20 CUP per ride; from the airport take a shared taxi to central Havanna for roughly 500 CUP, much cheaper than a private transfer.
Always pay in CUP rather than foreign currency to avoid unfair exchange. Eat at local paladares (family-run restaurants) instead of tourist spots. Use the shared taxis (almendrones) for short journeys instead of renting a car.
Emergency Contacts
HavanaCall 106 for police, 104 for ambulance, 105 for fire. For tourist assistance, dial 103 (Cuban tourist police). Mobile networks work; local SIMs (ETECSA) are reliable. Save these offline.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Havana, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Dania&Sandra
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Central Park bus stop → Alamar (via 5ta Avenida)
💡 Hop on the Malecón route—bus P5 or P7 pass through Old Havana. Payment is by coin or phone card only; exact change essential. Expect the bus to be packed and hot during peak hours.
Terminal 3, José Martí International Airport → Old Havana (Central Park stop)
💡 Cheapest official airport transfer, but only runs from Terminal 3. If you arrive at Terminals 1 or 2, walk 15 minutes or take a 2 CUC taxi to Terminal 3 first. Space is first-come, first-served.
Old Havana taxi rank (e.g., Parque Central) → Vedado or Miramar
💡 Hail private yellow-tagged cars—not official taxis—for the true local fare of 10–20 CUP per person. Tell the driver 'Vedado' or your intersection. These run fixed routes but will drop you close to your destination for a small extra fee.
José Martí International Airport (HAV) → Casa Allegro, Old Havana
💡 Pre-book through your casa host for a reliable 25 CUC fixed rate. Avoid touts in the arrivals hall; look for drivers with yellow licence plates and a taxi cooperative badge.
About Havana
Wikipedia ↗
Havana (, US also ; Spanish: La Habana [la‿aˈβana] ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. It is the most populous city, the largest by area, and the second-largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean region....
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Dania&Sandra?
Request an upper floor room facing the inner courtyard or away from the main street side. The 4th or 5th floor in a 5-floor walk-up will be quieter because street noise from Havana's busy roads is less intrusive at that height.
Which rooms should I avoid at Dania&Sandra?
Avoid rooms on the 1st or 2nd floor overlooking the street. These pick up traffic noise, revving scooters, and street music. Also avoid rooms near the stairwell if there's no lift — footfall noise carries up the stairs.
Is Dania&Sandra noisy?
Havana's streets are loud: vintage cars, engines running, music from open windows, and general city hum. The hotel's lack of a lift means stairwell echo. Expect noise on lower floors, especially Friday and Saturday evenings.
Which rooms have the best views at Dania&Sandra?
Best view is from a top-floor room at the front, overlooking the street and classic Havana architecture. But that comes with noise trade-off. If view prioritises over quiet, choose front-facing 5th floor.
What are insider tips for staying at Dania&Sandra?
Request a room with a window into the courtyard rather than the street if you value sleep. Bring earplugs for street noise regardless. Check-in can be slow; have your booking confirmation ready to speed things up.
What time is check-in at Dania&Sandra?
Check-in at Dania&Sandra is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Dania&Sandra have Wi-Fi?
Free for all guests, speed ~5 Mbps (sufficient for email and browsing); one device per room, no login required.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Dania&Sandra?
3 CUC per person per night (payable in cash at check-in)
Where can I eat cheaply near Dania&Sandra?
A menu del día (set lunch with rice, beans, meat and drink) in a local eatery is 150-250 CUP.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Dania&Sandra?
Hop on a shared taxi (almendrón) or a bus for about 10-20 CUP per ride; from the airport take a shared taxi to central Havanna for roughly 500 CUP, much cheaper than a private transfer.
When is the best time to visit Havana?
January to March: cool, dry weather (22–26°C) and fewer tourists than December or July. Walking is comfortable and humidity is low.
Top Attractions in Havana
💡 Go early (8-9am) before tour groups arrive. The adjacent Museo de Arte Colonial costs a couple of CUP but gives rooftop views of the plaza for free once you're inside.
💡 Start at the Hotel Nacional end, walk east towards Havana Vieja during late afternoon when the breeze picks up. Watch for crumbling seawall sections after storms.
💡 Take a bus or taxi from central Havana (about 15 mins). No security or fences around it; it's a regular neighbourhood park. Best visited late afternoon when it's cooler and the sun makes the bronze glow. The nearest cafe sells decent iced coffee.
💡 Skip the overpriced audio guide. Bring small CUP notes for the locked donation boxes in some rooms. The Granma Memorial outside (the yacht used in the 1956 landing) is free to view through the fence; you can see it from outside the museum grounds.
💡 Arrive by 8pm on Thursday or Friday to avoid huge queues. Pay in CUP at the door if you have it; the card machine sometimes fails. Check their Facebook page for schedule changes.