We stayed 2 times 1 night in this place.
It is very clean, very well located in Habana Vieja (in the center, so it is close to what ever you would like to see), and the owner is very helpfull.
We had an extra bed for our 3 year old son.
It was quiet. We could spend some time and use the bathroom until the evening of the day we've left. For us it was the best place we could imagine in Habana.
Wonderful accommodation, helpful owner, great food (dinners in were better than those in restaurants!) Highly recommend staying here in one of their 4 rooms.
The owner even booked us on a 9-person van for our trip to Cienfuegos, thus we were picked up at Casa Obrapia and delivered right to our next accommodation, more comfortable and more convenient that bus travel.
Having stayed at quite a few casas particulares throughout Cuba, I was VERY pleasantly suprised by La Casona de Obrapia... This is not "a spare room in someone's house" as per most casas, but rather an old building in Havana Vieja specifically renovated to provide basic accommodation for tourists. As such, it feels much more like a high-end hostel, or a budget hotel, than a typical casa (so if you're looking for the "living with a Cuban family" experience, you won't get that here; but if you just want somewhere clean & simple & inexpensive to stay, with a more hotel-like level of privacy, this is the place for you!). Since everything is new, the place feels relatively modern and is spotlessly clean. Yes, the bathrooms are tiny - but they are brand new and that counts for a lot in Cuba! The rooms are very basic but provide everything you need - a/c, fans, blankets, crisp white sheets (a luxury in cuba!) and comfortable beds. And pillows that don't feel like lumps of mushed-up foam (you'll know what I mean if you've spent any time at all in Cuba!). The ceilings are high, and the common area with sofas is a nice touch. Only real downside is no windows/natural light in rooms - but this is pretty common in Havana casas I think.
The owner, Raydel, is very helpful and speaks decent English. He can also help you out with finding accommodation in other towns (eg. Vinales) if you're moving on from Havana...
For 30ish CUCs per night, I think this is a great value accommodation proposition you'll in Havana. Excellent location in the middle of Havana Vieja - street feels a bit gritty, but you're just one block away from all the cafes & restaurants of Calle Obispo.
Despite its outer appearance this casa is beautiful inside. High ceilings, beautiful colours, large communal space and we had a lovely, clean en suite room with a very comfortable bed. Breakfast was good but we only had it one day as we found a great little bakery on Obispo.
We spent 3 nights here and its location just one block from Obispo was great for exploring Havana Vieja. It was very safe and quiet, we had no problems walking back at night.
Unfortunately for what we were hoping from our first experience in a casa it was not what we expected, especially compared to our experiences since...the owners were not as helpful/forthcoming with advice as some places we stayed but i would definitely recommend this casa to anyone wanting to stay in a casa particular :-)
On our first trip to Cuba and decided to stay with the locals. A little put off when we pulled up outside but as with all the casa's we stayed in it was a hidden gem once in side. Very clean, individual style bed rooms colourful bathrooms and aircon. Breakfasts of fresh fruit and eggs with plenty of coffee. It could not be better placed being in the heart of the old town and the owner could not be more helpful. I would recommend any one to stay at these Casa Principals and especially this one.
We missed the entrance at night, dragging our bags from where the taxi deposited us, as no name outside, only street number. Once inside it was a different world: very bright, clean, comfortable rooms, teeny bathroom but with all one required. In our opinion, it's not necessary to change the bedding daily! Reydel was charming and recommended a good place to eat. Although only one block from the main hub of activity in the old town, it was a quiet location. Enjoyed our three days [24-26 Jan] and would definitely stay there again. Excellent breakfast and, as someone else commented, the best coffee we had during our two weeks.
