It’s the most famous hotel in Havana: the Hotel Nacional, where the ghosts of legends still roam the halls.
And while it’s mostly celebrated for its imposing architecture and its long history of famous guests, there’s one major reason to come here, whether you stay the night or not.
It’s Bar Rosa Nautica, the tiny bar on the lawn at the Nacional that’s blessed with sweeping views of the Malecon and the majesty of Havana.
This is a place to spend an entire afternoon sipping a Rum Collins or Ron Santiago de Cuba or puffing on a cigar you just bought at the hotel’s downstairs Casa del Habano.
An aside: the Rum Collins, a favorite of Hemingway, is a kind of rum drinker’s mojito, without the mint and the excess sweetness — just lime juice, sugar, Havana Club white rum and club soda.
This is as tranquil a spot as you’ll find in all of Havana — a place where you can sit in the shade of a seagrape tree and own a moment in time.
And have another Rum Collins.
