Travellers looking for a haven (heaven?) in Havana can at last check into SO/ Paseo del Prado La Habana again, a stunning showcase property that opened briefly in 2020, only to be shortly shuttered by the pandemic.

Located at the intersection of Paseo del Prado and Malecón in the Cuban capital, the property re-opened on Feb. 1 with a playful style meant epitomize the rebellious luxury of the high-end, fashionable SO/ Hotels & Resorts lifestyle brand: modern, sophisticated, and bursting with local energy – and, claims the company, “unlike any other property in historic Havana.”

With 250 light-filled guestrooms on nine floors, including eight suites, the design of each room is subtly infused with the creative spirit of one of three dance styles ¬ – Classical Ballet, Salsa or Son Cubano. Every room features spectacular floor-to-ceiling views of the sea, the neighbouring Malecón, Paseo del Prado, and the hotel’s sweeping patio and showstopping rooftop pool.

And as any urban hotel ultimately serves as a base for discovery of the surrounding city, guests will conveniently find themselves merely a minute’s walk from Havana’s crown jewel – Habana Vieja (Old Havana), the World Heritage Site filled bursting with ancient monuments, forts, churches and palaces, as well as colourful outdoor cafés and rum/mojito bars, like the famed Hemingway haunt, La Bodeguita del Medio.

A slightly longer walk will takes guests to Central Park and the Gran Teatro de la Habana, while a stroll along the Malecón boardwalk to the El Vedado district provides a glimpse into the city’s wide avenues, aristocratic villas, and ubiquitous 1950s American-series cars.

Originally created as an exclusive label of Sofitel, the SO/ brand can now be found in destinations such as Berlin, Mauritius, Bangkok, St. Petersburg, Singapore, and now Havana.