The Hotel Florida is a magnificent building from the beginning of the 19th century that was originally the mansion of a Count.
In 1885 it was turned into a hotel, promptly becoming one of the finest of the capital. Afterwards it served as bank, law offices, stores...until the Office of the Historian of the City rescued it in 1994, carefully restoring it and reopening it as Hotel Florida in 1999.
A gorgeous statue of a semi-naked woman placed at the entrance welcomes guests and draws passers-by with its beauty and elegance. Behind it there is the lobby and then the inner courtyard of the aristocratic mansion, which invites one to rest and enjoy the distinguished ambiance and colonial charm provided by the stone colums, archs, lush plants, sliding glass roof and comfortable seats.
The Florida's 25 rooms are large and beautifully decorated, with vintage furnishing, black and white marble floors, wrought-iron beds, framed reproductions of old prints on the walls, and many of them feature high ceilings of huge mahogany beams.
The hotel is also proud of its refined restaurant and very popular piano bar which offers live performances of cuban musicians at night. Another charm of Florida is a corridor connecting it to the adjacent Hotel Marqués de Prado Ameno, more than a century older than Florida. Guests are free to use services (such as breakfast) in both accommodations.
Its location is perfect, right in the heart of the old town and near most plazas, historical buildings, churches, museums, art galleries, bars and restaurants, which is great for getting to know the city.
It is worth mentioning that the hotel could turn out to be somewhat noisy, even late at night and early in the morning, specially from the rooms overlooking the street.
This said, we recommend to enjoy this undoubtedly fine, elegant, full of charm hotel.