2 Best Hotels in Holguin, Eastern Cuba

Partially paid for by the Bulgarian government (it's named for a town in Bulgaria), this Soviet-inspired hotel has more than 200 rooms and plenty of amenities, and, quite frankly, looks better from the inside than outside. Rooms are bright and sparkly, but plainly decorated. For a lively atmosphere, head to the pool. For better-than-average Cuban specialties and frequent live-music performances, make a beeline for the main restaurant, Sofia—named after the Bulgarian capital, of course.

At this countryside inn on the outskirts of the city, you can stay in one of the hillside cabins or in the gracious Casa del Pancho, whose rooms have balconies. Accommodations here are plain but comfortable. Cabins or main buildings, you'll have a good view of the Holguín Valley from any room in this hotel. The on-site bar-restaurant, Taberna Pancho ($), serves decent fare.