Hotel Roc Presidente is housed in an elegant vermilion and beige building that rises gracefully with its 10 floors in the corner of Calzada and Avenida de los Presidentes, in the beautiful neighborhood of Vedado , only 2 blocks from the famous Malecón (Havana’s seaside promenade).
The hotel, built in the second half of the 1920’s was the first skyscraper in the city and still boasts some of the grandeur of the time, with its antique furniture and more than 400 classified pieces of art.
Exquisite care was taken to preserve every detail during its complete restoration in 2000. Today it could do with a makeover but it’s still very adequate.
Some of the rooms have bathroom and/or mattress issues but they are very large, clean and well furnished, with great views of Vedado and/or the ocean.
The hotel features two restaurants and a veranda that surrounds the property which is ideal for relaxing, sipping a mojito, or just enjoying the ocean breeze and the live music at nights. Wi-fi is also available at the terrace and there’s always plenty of guests making good use of this great (not so common in Cuba) facility.
There’s also a small though nice swimming pool; maybe not ideal for swimming since half of it is very shallow, but Ok for getting a tan or relaxing. Food and drinks are offered in this area as well.
Staff is corteous, helpful and there are always taxis available outside which can come in handy, the hotel being 3km from Old Havana and the city’s main attractions. We should also add that the Presidente is better priced than most hotels downtown so the few cuc’s spent on taxi might be a good investment after all.
In closing, a very good money value hotel in Havana, perfect for those who prefer a quiet but still very historical neighborhood and for those who enjoy the proximity of the sea.