Though the figure of Ernest Hemingway is immediately and almost invariably invoked in any description of the hotel, the Ambos Mundos' most attractive attribute is doubtless its magnificent location: steps away from the Plaza de Armas, the restored, 1920s establishment stands at one of the liveliest intersections in the Old Town, close to just about all of the most interesting sites of Havana's colonial centre.Though the figure of Ernest Hemingway is immediately and almost invariably invoked in any description of the hotel, the Ambos Mundos' most attractive attribute is doubtless its magnificent location: steps away from the Plaza de Armas, the restored, 1920s establishment stands at one of the liveliest intersections in the Old Town, close to just about all of the most interesting sites of Havana's colonial centre. Hemingway, who stayed and wrote most of For Whom the Bell Tolls here during the 1930s (his room, 511, is today a much-frequented museum), is not the only famous writer or luminary the hotel welcomed in times past: Federico García Lorca is rumoured to have made a stop here, and Cuban filmmaker Tomás Gutierrez Alea (director of Strawberry and Chocolate) was among the young intellectuals who participated in the festivities once held in its roof garden. A spacious and tastefully decorated lobby opens to Obispo and Mercaderes, main arteries of the sightseeing circuit often crowded with tourists. The lobby, decorated with an attractive and modern-looking corner fountain, housing art exhibits and featuring a piano bar where jazz and other musicians occasionally perform, is itself often crowded with visitors and is a lively stopover in its own right. The old, 1930s elevator, though said to demand some patience, is a charming detail.At the vibrant intersection of Obispo and Mercaderes, the Ambos Mundos is just down the street from the Plaza de Armas and close the Old Town's other major squares. Horse-driven carriages, parked outside, offer tours down cobbled thoroughfares and historic sites of interest. The Bodeguita del Medio bar and restaurant is less than three blocks away. The beach Playas del Este is just 15 km away.Sparsely furnished and with a rather pale colour scheme, accommodations at the Ambos Mundos may strike some as somewhat plain. Rooms with windows, however, get plenty of natural light and have privileged views of the picturesque surroundings (the traditional, red-tiled colonial houses are particularly attractive). Atrium-facing rooms get no sunlight but benefit from greater quietude. Two mini-suites are balconied and have excellent views of the intersection. One corner suite has a rather awkward L-shape that makes for a cramped feeling, but extra space is clearly the advantage offered by these rooms.
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