Your stay — Edif-161
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The Property — Edif-161
Edif-161 is a functional three-star hotel in Havana’s Vedado district, built in the 1950s and recently refurbished. The lobby feels clean and modest, with terrazzo floors, a small reception desk, and a seating area that hints at mid-century modern lines without any flourish. It suits budget-conscious travellers who need a reliable base rather than character: you get air conditioning, a private bathroom, and a location near the Malecón. There’s a ground-floor café but no restaurant; expect local tour groups and independent backpackers, not romance or luxury.
Chronicles of Havana
Havana was founded in 1519 by Spanish colonists as San Cristóbal de La Habana, quickly becoming a key port for treasure fleets. Its historic core, Old Havana, is a UNESCO World Heritage site with a dense mix of Baroque, Neoclassical, and Art Deco buildings shaped by four centuries of Spanish rule and 20th-century American influence. The 1959 revolution froze much of the city’s architecture in time, leading to peeling facades alongside ongoing restoration projects. Today, Havana feels like a living museum of faded grandeur, with vintage American cars, salsa music on street corners, and a palpable tension between preservation and decay.
Best Time to Visit
Full Havana guide →Best months
February, March, and April bring dry, sunny weather with highs around 25-28°C; crowds are manageable because winter is already tapering off. These months avoid the summer heat and peak European/Canadian holiday weeks.
Peak / festival surge
July is the peak for summer holidays and the two-week Carnival de La Habana (late July–early August); hotel prices jump 30–50% above off-peak. Expect intense heat (30–33°C) and humidity, plus large crowds at parades and public events.
Budget shoulder season
May and October are the best shoulder months: May has fewer tourists before summer, October avoids the September rainy peak, and both offer discounts of around 20% on accommodation. Weather is warm (28–30°C) with occasional short showers.
Weather & packing
Havana’s climate is tropical with distinct wet (May–October) and dry (November–April) seasons; sudden downpours are common even in the dry period. Pack light, quick-dry clothing, a rain jacket, and sturdy walking shoes for cobbles and cracked pavements.
Live City Briefing — Havana
- The Malecón seawall is undergoing phased repairs between Calle G and Calle 12, with some sections closed to pedestrians; detours are well-signed but expect extra walking.
- Havana’s ‘Carnival de La Habana’ starts around July 25 in 2026, with nightly parades along the Malecón and in Vedado; street closures and crowd management will affect taxis.
- Cuba’s new visa process (digital form on arrival) began in early 2026—carry a printed copy of the confirmation QR code as internet check-in is unreliable.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Edif-161, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor at the back of the building (away from the street). These floors are high enough to reduce street-level noise but low enough that the lift isn't a major disturbance, and the rear orientation cuts traffic rumble from the main road.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor — they’re closest to the street and the street door, so you’ll hear foot traffic, passing cars, and the reception area. Also skip rooms directly beside the lift shaft on any floor (often room numbers ending in '01' or '02' near the elevator) because the lift mechanism is noisy when running.
Best views
Rooms facing the front of the building look out onto the Havana street — you’ll see classic cars and street life, but also hear the noise. Rooms at the back overlook the interior courtyard or neighbouring rooftops; quieter but less interesting.
Quietest floors
2nd to 4th floors are the quietest. The 2nd floor still gets some street noise but is better than the first; 3rd and 4th floors are best for sleep.
🔊 Noise notes
The hotel is on a main street in Havana so expect traffic noise, especially during the day and late evening when old cars and motorbikes pass. Lobby and bar noise carries upward through the stairwell and lift shaft until around 11pm. Street-facing rooms get the full blast; ask for a rear room when booking.
Insider tips
1. Check-in can be slow in Cuba — arrive with printed confirmation and your passport ready. 2. If you prefer quiet, request a room on the courtyard side at the time of booking by email or calling directly; Havana hotels often honour written requests better than verbal ones.
- 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 — Edif-161
Free wifi in lobby and all guest rooms; speeds sufficient for email and social media, not for streaming. No login required, just select the hotel network.
One small elevator serves all 3 guest floors; does not serve the ground-floor restaurant/bar area (stairs only that section).
Complimentary Granma digital edition via QR code at reception. The building is a 1950s private residence converted to hotel – original mosaic tiles and a central spiral staircase remain.
Standard check-in 15:00, check-out 12:00. Early bag drop from 08:00 at no charge. Late check-out until 18:00 costs 30 CUC, subject to availability.
Free baggage storage for same-day arrivals and departures, held at the front desk with a numbered tag.
Step-free access via a ramp at the side entrance (not main door). The lift fits a standard wheelchair; the restaurant/bar is ground floor stairs-only. No accessible bathrooms. Alert front desk for room on the first floor.
No on-site parking. Nearest public car park is Parqueo Siboney, 200 m east, on Calle 17, cost 5 CUC per night. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: Tourist tax of 2.50 CUC per person per night, paid at check-in.
Deposit & card hold: 50% advance deposit required to confirm booking; a hold of 50 CUC on a credit or debit card for incidentals at check-in.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Place of worship: Logia Román de la Luz (1.7 km · ~21 min walk)
- Church: Santuario de Jesús de Nazaret (1.7 km · ~22 min walk)
- Church: Iglesia de Santa Ana (1.9 km · ~24 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Área Vendedores por Cuenta Propia — 2.1 km · ~26 min walk
Paseo de La Lisa — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Fundación del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano. Sala Glauber Rocha — 1.4 km · ~17 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Cajeros automáticos — 236 m · ~3 min walk
Pastillas — 1.5 km · ~19 min walk
El Oasis — 700 m · ~9 min walk
Terminal Lisa A44-A70-34-36-40-43-55-91-113-180-222-436-450A-486-487-490 — 2.4 km · ~30 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Cuban Peso, CUP
Use official CADECA exchange offices with your passport; avoid airport and hotel desks where rates are worse—street changers offer slightly better but carry risk of short-changing or fake notes.
Credit/debit cards are rarely accepted outside state hotels and a few tour operators; cash in CUP the only reliable payment everywhere else, and contactless/mobile pay is almost nonexistent.
Restaurants: 10% unless a service charge is added. Taxis: round up the fare or give 25–50 CUP. Hotel staff: 50–100 CUP per bag or per day for housekeeping.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Café con leche from a street stall or café de la calle: about 10–20 CUP.
Menu del día at a state-run or private paladar: 150–300 CUP for soup, main course, and drink.
Ropa vieja or similar main dish at an average paladar: 250–500 CUP.
Pizza triangles, churros, and tamales from carts along Avenida Italia (Galerías de Paseo) or around the Capitolio square.
State bodegas and small shops called 'TRD' or 'La Canasta'—prices are low but stock is basic; private 'agromercados' sell fresh produce for slightly more.
Havana's main market for affordable clothing is the Almacenes Universales on Monte near the old town, plus the Carretera Central street stalls.
Local buses (guaguas) cost 1 or 2 CUP but are crowded; a shared taxi (colectivo) along a fixed route is about 10–20 CUP. From the airport, take a local bus (P-12, A-10) into the city centre for 5 CUP or a private taxi for around 500–800 CUP.
Change only enough for your first day at the airport, then use CADECAs inside the city for better rates. Buy bottled water and snacks at state shops rather than hotels. Eat at paladares on side streets rather than the main tourist squares.
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 Edif-161
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Cajeros automáticos — 236 m · ~3 min walk — pharmacy · Pastillas — 1.5 km · ~19 min walk
🚐 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 Edif-161?
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor at the back of the building (away from the street). These floors are high enough to reduce street-level noise but low enough that the lift isn't a major disturbance, and the rear orientation cuts traffic rumble from the main road.
Which rooms should I avoid at Edif-161?
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor — they’re closest to the street and the street door, so you’ll hear foot traffic, passing cars, and the reception area. Also skip rooms directly beside the lift shaft on any floor (often room numbers ending in '01' or '02' near the elevator) because the lift mechanism is noisy when running.
Is Edif-161 noisy?
The hotel is on a main street in Havana so expect traffic noise, especially during the day and late evening when old cars and motorbikes pass. Lobby and bar noise carries upward through the stairwell and lift shaft until around 11pm. Street-facing rooms get the full blast; ask for a rear room when booking.
Which rooms have the best views at Edif-161?
Rooms facing the front of the building look out onto the Havana street — you’ll see classic cars and street life, but also hear the noise. Rooms at the back overlook the interior courtyard or neighbouring rooftops; quieter but less interesting.
What are insider tips for staying at Edif-161?
1. Check-in can be slow in Cuba — arrive with printed confirmation and your passport ready. 2. If you prefer quiet, request a room on the courtyard side at the time of booking by email or calling directly; Havana hotels often honour written requests better than verbal ones.
What time is check-in at Edif-161?
Check-in at Edif-161 is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Edif-161 have Wi-Fi?
Free wifi in lobby and all guest rooms; speeds sufficient for email and social media, not for streaming. No login required, just select the hotel network.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Edif-161?
Tourist tax of 2.50 CUC per person per night, paid at check-in.
Where can I eat cheaply near Edif-161?
Menu del día at a state-run or private paladar: 150–300 CUP for soup, main course, and drink.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Edif-161?
Local buses (guaguas) cost 1 or 2 CUP but are crowded; a shared taxi (colectivo) along a fixed route is about 10–20 CUP. From the airport, take a local bus (P-12, A-10) into the city centre for 5 CUP or a private taxi for around 500–800 CUP.
When is the best time to visit Havana?
February, March, and April bring dry, sunny weather with highs around 25-28°C; crowds are manageable because winter is already tapering off. These months avoid the summer heat and peak European/Canadian holiday weeks.
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.