Life House, Little Havana

If you want to stay in Little Havana rather than visit it, Life House is one of the few proper hotels in the neighbourhood. It sits on SW 9th Avenue, a short walk from 8th Street (Calle Ocho), with its cafés, cigar shops and music. It's rated 8.2 out of 10 by 416 guests.

The lobby doubles as a café serving drinks, breakfast and snacks all day, and there's a bar, a terrace and a garden. Rooms have air conditioning, flat-screen TVs and showers, and Wi-Fi is free. You can order room service through a mobile app.

Worth knowing

There's no pool or gym, and no on-site parking is listed, so ask the hotel before you arrive with a car. The front desk is open 24 hours and check-out is at 11:00 AM. It suits travellers who care more about neighbourhood character than resort facilities.