Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Ambos Mundos

Hemingway stayed here in 1928 on his first trip to Havana; he went on to make it his hideaway before moving to Finca Vigía in 1939. The piano bar overshadows the small reception area, behind which you find a small pond. Room 511 is kept as it was in 1938, when Hemingway lived here while writing For Whom the Bell Tolls. In one of the magazine articles collected here, you can read Hemingway's description of the sun rising over eastern Havana "to wake you up fresh, no matter where you've been the night before." The tasteful rooftop restaurant is a must-see, offering beautiful vistas. Avoid rooms with inside views in favor of the 27-odd units with a view of Plaza de Armas.