Hotel Palacio Marques de Prado Ameno, Havana

Standing in the 18th-century courtyard of this home once belonging to a noble family, it’s not hard to imagine the Marquis in his breeches, white stockings and black patent leather shoes walking beneath the stone arches and columns. This hotel breathes history with its mosaic tiled floors, wooden staircases and banisters, and well, dating from centuries past. These elements provide the charm; contemporary fixtures and service provide the comfort. Attesting to the hotel’s modernity is the on-site cyber café. Although the interior combines bright yellow, blue and orange hues, patches of original painted frescoes have been retained to provide a window onto historic decorative style. An interior corridor takes guests to another era and property – the 19th-century Hotel Florida, right next door.