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Paradise Hostel Backpacker

San Miguel #561, entre Belascoain y Gervasio, Centro Habana, Cuba - Havana, Cuba
+ reviews in all languages
anonymous, Netherlands - Oct 12, 2018
82%
I liked the hostel owner. She is nice and caring. Always happy to give directions. The hostel is nice, only central havana is not really downtown havana. Liked the rooftop terrace and perrito Dina. Thanks for the nice breakfasts!
Wouter, Netherlands - Jan 28, 2018
100%
Great place to stay if you want to stay in a hostel rather than a private room or appartment, although you can get your own room here too if you're with 2. The dorm we stayed in is good, although it can be a bit noisy early in the morning as it's next to the common area where people (or the family of the hostel) hangs out. During the night it was quiet though, so no big deal. The people from the hostel are very nice and there's always someone who speaks (good) English.

The location is perfect, somewhere between Vieja and Vedado. Especially to Vieja it's a nice walk to get a good insight of daily life on the streets. We came back to this place for our last night in Havana before returning home. Altogether a great hostel to stay and to meet fellow travelers if you want to.

Louise, USA - Aug 07, 2017
96%
Very helpful staff. Friendly atmosphere. Very good breakfast and excellent coffee.
anonymous, USA - Jun 12, 2017
84%
They get kickbacks for all recommendations that they make.
anonymous, Ireland - May 29, 2017
100%
Second time to stay at this hostel. Easy to meet other travellers and friendly staff. Its perfect walking distance to everything.

The only thing is the a/c doesnt work in the dorms and its very very warm there this time of year. Still enjoyed the trip. Cuba is very interesting, amazingly froendly people.

yuri, Brazil - May 10, 2017
90%
Nice staff, clean place, lack atmosphere. Avoid their recomendations about taxis. We paid 35 CUC on a trip to Trinidad, when it should have cost 25 CUC per person.
Aichata , France - Apr 04, 2017
100%
Best Hostel Ever:)

the Hostel is cute ( rooftop + bar) .

Staff is awesome ( they speak English ).Jenny is adorable

paul, England - Mar 24, 2017
100%
What a Great Hostel!

A Great place to start/end your Cuban visit. Traveling as a lone traveller i met so many other lone travellers with who I spent my time travelling Cuba. The staff friendly and helpful with where to stay/go next. the breakfast is plentiful and the social areas are great. I'll be staying at Paradise the next time I fly to Cuba!

Yi, China - Mar 17, 2017
98%
My friends and I stayed in Paradise Hostel for 2 nights, and it was absolutely amazing! The staff is incredibly helpful, especially the breakfast in the morning. I stayed in a four-star hotel the previous 2 nights and I'll say the experience in Paradise was much better! Truly highlight to our stay in Havana and definitely a recommendation!
Marta, Poland - Mar 11, 2017
100%
It has been a great pleasure to stay in Havana in this wonderful hostel. The place is very close to the city center. Rooms are clean and cosy. People working there are very nice and helpful! AirCanada lost my luggage and they were calling them everyday to make sure I will get it. I honestly recommand this hostel to have a great time in Havana as I had :) Greetings from Poland!
anonymous, France - Mar 09, 2017
100%
I spent a very good time in Hostel Paradise Backpackers!

I recommend !

Enjoy your stay in Cuba!

Anais, France - Mar 09, 2017
88%
good hostel, if we have to go back we will stop here again.
anonymous, Poland - Feb 20, 2017
86%
I'm quite happy with the hostel and I must say that it's by far a good value for price option for budget-conscious travelers:)

That said, if you guys want to travel a cheap and really Cuban way, which basically means low-cost and more fun bear the following in mind:)

1) Breakfast in the hostel is a few cucs (cuc is associated with tourists, average Cuban salary is 20 cucs a month!), just 300m away there's around 10 paladares (close to the hospital) where you can get breakfast for as little as 0.5cuc! Then remember any food in your casa will be up to 8 times more expensive than in the town in the local restaurant. Try to not pay in cucs but peso cubano!

2)Remember: if you order a taxi yourself/find accommodation in other cities yourself (there's plenty of it everywhere!), you will save money! If the hostel does it for you, they receive COMMISSION, which makes the price higher!

3) Bottled water around the corner (go left and then right) is 0.70 and not 1.20 cucs (water has a fixed price in this country and it's 0.70 for 1.5 liter)

4) Always negotiate the price and always ask for the price before you use the service/purchase anything - Cuba is a country where survival tactics are really on high alert.

Luis Gustavo, Brazil - Feb 18, 2017
64%
Paradise Hostel is ok. It's near downtown, the rooms are good and I was lucky to find good pals there. Jessy - the atendant - is really nice, but Rosemary - the other one - isn't so gentle. That's a shame, I have had with her some really bureaucratic and unnecessary difficulties. But that's ok. If you just want to know Havana, it's ok.
Alyssa, USA - Feb 10, 2017
100%
This hostel was great! We stayed here when we first arrived and decided to return after a trip to vinales because we enjoyed it so much. Staff is very welcoming and helpful
anonymous, Spain - Feb 07, 2017
100%
This is an incredible hostel/house, I would totally recommend it to travelers that want to have some real exposure to la Habana. The family is very welcoming and helpful, rooms are very clean and food/drinks/cocktails are great! I will definitely be coming back :)
Paul, Ireland - Jan 30, 2017
88%
Really good location and the staff were very friendly. Room is typical dorm, but has all you need. Recommended.
Ricardo Bruno, Brazil - Jan 22, 2017
100%
Very nice hostel and very nice people! I do recommend!
anonymous, USA - Jan 20, 2017
100%
Location, people and the facility is good; eat breakfast but avoid dinner. I had a pleasant stay and recommend this place to other travelers.
anonymous, USA - Jan 19, 2017
100%
I really enjoyed my stay at this hostel. The staff (Jennifer) was great and it was a very cool space. Food was also good. Great value and location
elaine , Canada - Jan 19, 2017
100%
Beautiful hostel, enjoyed my stay!
anonymous, England - Jan 15, 2017
44%
The big drawback with this hostel is the unfriendly staff. I was greeted by a hostile 'What's your name?', not even a hello, let alone a 'Welcome to Cuba!'. I wasn't told anything about the hostel or the area or anything, just given my sheets and key and pointed to my bed.

Also, despite booking on this site for a 4-bed dorm, all the dorms are 6 beds. They had only one plug socket in the room (the one in the bathroom didn't work) and the toilet didn't have a toilet seat (although to be fair this is common in Cuba) or toilet paper.

One of the rooms opens onto the kitchen so is noisy at night and in the morning, you also can hear to doorbell which rings right outside. There are only 4 lockers per room of 6 people (and you will need to bring your own lock, although this seems to be standard in Cuba).

The pluses were that the showers were consistently hot, the aircon works, the rooms are cleaned daily, and the location is between Havana Viejo and Vedado so you can walk to either the clubs or to the historical centre in 15 minutes. The food was good and not expensive and the shared kitchen table means it's easy to meet people. They let you bring in your own alcohol and there doesn't seem to be a curfew on drinking in the hostel. It's also in a pretty colonial building with plants and little fish pond.

In the future they will have a rooftop bar but that is in construction so everyone drinks directly outside the rooms. So this is better as a party hostel than for a more relaxed stay - I didn't get much sleep.

Basically, I would recommend that unless you just want a party place, try and book at Rolando's hostel next door, which is much friendlier and has enough lockers and a rooftop bar so is less noisy.

Dmitry, USA - Jan 05, 2017
98%
Excellent hostel with great staff and nice, social atmosphere. I had a blast.
anonymous, USA - Jan 02, 2017
76%
This is located in a somewhat shady part of town. Virtually no lights at night and felt a bit unsafe walking back at night.

Pls stay away from this place and book a room closer to the tourist attractions.

anonymous, England - Dec 29, 2016
88%
Great Hostel. Met loads of great people, Havana is great with loads to do.
Geoffrey, Botswana - Dec 28, 2016
100%
I had a great time on my stay here. The staff were friendly and helpful. Room was clean, bed comfortable, bathroom clean and a good hot shower. I met a lot of travelers here which led to some great nights out on the rooftop bar and beyond. 100% recommend
lorenzo, Spain - Dec 27, 2016
92%
This is a place you should visit if you travel to Havana the atmosphere is amazing and the staff will make you feel at home
Ann, Australia - Dec 22, 2016
100%
lovely place and building with terrace, felt a bond with abuela and had a nice game with the little girl. Great location in centro Habana.
Gaby, Netherlands - Dec 11, 2016
100%
Really good place to stay ! Thanks for everything
Grace Emily, Mexico - Nov 30, 2016
100%
I would totally recommend Paradise Hostel Backpacker, for a number of reasons. First of all because it is located near the main interest spots in Habana, second because the staff is very warm and they'll give you advice as to how to manage yourself in Habana. Also the arquitecture is beautiful. For 4 CUC you can get a very filling breakfast and it has a roof top with a bar where they serve all sorts of cuban cocktails with rum.
anonymous, Algeria - Oct 30, 2016
80%
Nice hostel but not that social. The staff is nice. Beds are fine and the showers are amazing! Hot shower with good water pressure which you won'the find in other hostels in Havana.
Olivia, USA - Oct 21, 2016
100%
This is a lovely place to stay. The family is wonderful along with the other staff members. They were very helpful in getting me acquainted with the ins and outs of Havana very quickly. Some of them speak English. The beds are quite comfortable and the shower is excellent. They have a bar upstairs which is great to hang out and make new friends, but doesn't turn into a loud party. The other travelers staying there were good company. Additionally, the location of the hostel is good. It is right in the middle of central Havana which I think is more interesting than the more touristic old Havana.
dan, Israel - Sep 30, 2016
96%
great hostel with great atmosphere and the staff is really helping and informative. very recommended next time im in cuba will definitely will stay there again.
Sally, Australia - Sep 12, 2016
82%
Basic home stay. No real common area as its a home. Few dorm rooms, we were in a group so didnt need to meet people. Ig you are solo then this probably isn't for you. Owners very helpful with information and organised a taxi for us. 20min walk from old town i would want to stay closer to there next time.
anonymous, USA - Sep 05, 2016
100%
This was one of my favorite trips because of the hostel. I have never traveled internationally alone and I was able to meet 3 new friends from the UK at breakfast. We spent my entire vacation together, which was only 5 nights/ 6 days but it would have never happened if this hostel didn't have a welcoming environment and communal breakfast for a small fee.
Celine, France - Jul 15, 2016
96%
had so much fun here, i already miss Cuba so much!! Great place to meet a lot of people, great atmosphere,you feel at home directly. Such a good position in la Havana, thanksy ou su much!
anni, Estonia - Jul 07, 2016
86%
Paradise Hostel is nice easy chilled out backpackers in central Havana. It's speacially good if you are traveling alone, as its easy to meet other people in the hostel.

Hostel itself its nice, not much, but everything you need for staying in Havana. Cold water in shower, Fan and aircondotioning, terass,etc.

anonymous, Germany - Jun 30, 2016
92%
A really great hostel to meet people from everywhere in the world and to have a good time in Havanna! Staff was really nice and helpful and it was easy to get from there to the city center and the old town, just walking straight down the street for some 10 to 15 minutes. Food was ok, but could be bought cheaper somewhere around the hostal. I can recommend to bring a lock if you want to keep valuable things in the room, because anyone in the hostal could open it from outside. It was not perfectly clean, but ok. The only bad thing was the air condition, that worked quite wwell, but got everyone in our room a cold by the second night.
Ioannis, Greece - Jun 27, 2016
98%
Had the time of my life! Perfect place to come together and meet strangers from all parts of the world. Most of the guests are traveling alone and you just end up doing everything together. The staff is top. Anna and Jennifer are always smiling and make sure you are feeling right at home. Highly recommended.
Janus, Canada - Jun 16, 2016
90%
It was a nice experience I had in Paradise Hostel. The staff were so awesome. I like them.
Elise, France - Jun 02, 2016
82%
Good place and good staff, but too bad that the terrace in the top close early. It' s a good place and offer to explore.
anonymous, Canada - May 20, 2016
86%
Nice hostel. A little run down but for the most part not too bad. The casa experiences provided better facilities and food. However, it's a great starting point for Cuba and great place to meet other travellers
Melissa, Canada - May 07, 2016
90%
Jennifer and all of the staff were so kind and helpful! They gave a recommendation of a fantastic Casa Particulars in Vinales and helped organize a ride share that picked us up directly. We were supposed to stay only 4 nights, but stayed for over a week. This place is great to meet other like-minded travelers and we will definitely be returning!
anonymous, Australia - May 02, 2016
98%
This hostel is centrally located. 10minute walk to old town and to majority of the sights. The staff were extremely helpful, would organise day trips, taxis or other stays in Cuba. The rooms have air conditioning, bathrooms and fans. Breakfast is an extra 3 cuc, eggs, bread, tea and coffee. Would reccomend to stay here, thank you Jennifer !
Kristi, Australia - Apr 24, 2016
100%
This hostel was such a great find in central Havana. The staff were lovely, met some great other backpackers staying there, and so close to the old town. Would definitely recommend staying at Paradise Hostel!
Mark, Canada - Apr 21, 2016
100%
Amazing hostel! Great experience. Couldn't have asked for a better place to stay in Havana. Plus Jennifer was the best!!!!!
anonymous, Mexico - Apr 20, 2016
40%
The owner did not checked our reservation, so when we arrived to the hostel there was no place for us, they managed to take us to another Hostel, not professional.
Jon, USA - Apr 17, 2016
100%
The owners Felix and Janet are great and the staff is the best. The hostel is close to the Malecon and within walking distance of Havana Vieja.The rooftop patio is excellent. Thanks to everyone at Paradise and hope to see you again soon.
Tommaso, Italy - Apr 10, 2016
86%
I loved this hostel! There are not many dormitory in havana in which you may sleep in rooms with more then one person.lovely staff,great people met. Suggested!
anonymous, Germany - Mar 26, 2016
100%
Amazing hostel! Nice people, beautiful terrace with a bar and the rooms get cleaned everyday. Very good for meeting people.