Gran Hotel
You'll swear you've been reincarnated as your father (or grandfather) in this time-warped city center hotel dating from 1939.
Camagüey Province hotels and hostels
Manolo Banegas
Great expectations spring to mind with this place (think Miss Havisham's house) and, mostly, they're fulfilled.
Gran Club Santa Lucía
Though claiming only three stars to Brisas' four, Gran Club comes out top on the strip for its 249 colorfully painted rooms (in well-maintained two-story blocks), prettily landscaped grounds and slightly less deafening poolside action.
Hotel Florida
This two-story hotel, 2km west of the center of town, has 74 adequate rooms. The entry drive is potholed, which sort of sets the tone for the place, but the staff are friendly and the price no more than a local casa particular.
Yamilet & Edgar
Edgar is a maletero (porter) in the Gran Hotel by day, and a casa owner by night, running this inviting place just northwest of the center with his wife Yamilet.
Hotel Isla De Cuba
An often-overlooked bargain bang in the center of town, the Isla de Cuba is cheap, friendly and keen to please – and because tour groups tend to shun it in favor of the Gran or Colón, it's usually half-empty. Budget backpackers, look no further.
Club Amigo Caracol
A newer version of the Mayanabo, the Caracol has the edge on its more worn partner and, with its large kids program, is usually promoted as the beach's family favorite.
Hotel Caonaba
This friendly, three-story hotel is on a rise overlooking the sea. It's at the entrance to town as you arrive from Camagüey, near a favorite local swimming spot.
'Los Vitrales' – Emma Barreto & Rafael Requejo
This painstakingly restored colonial house was once a convent and sports broad arches, high ceilings and dozens of antiques. Three rooms are arranged around a shady patio embellished with 50 different types of plants and a fantastic tile mural.
'Casa Monolo' Manuel Rodríguez Jaén
Rooms with private or shared bath, laundry, roof terrace.
Hotel Plaza
No two rooms are alike in this rough-around-the-edges colonial hotel built in the dying days of the Spanish era, so peek inside a few to see what's on offer. All have sitting areas, TVs and big fridges – and you can't argue with the price.
La Rusa
Russian lady with two rooms in large house. Serves up a mean borscht.
Casa Lancara
All mod-cons near the Iglesia de la Soledad.
Brisas Santa Lucía
This resort has 412 rooms in several three-story buildings.
Hotel Colón
A classic long mahogany bar, colorful tile-flanked walls, and a stained-glass portrait of Christopher Columbus over the lobby door give this place a mixed colonial/fin-de-siècle feel.
'Casa Blanca' Blanca Navarro Castro
Sleeps three, friendly.
'Casa De Caridad' Caridad García Valera
Friendly home, safe, huge garden/patio, meals, next to elementary school (read: early morning kid noise).
Casa De Magalis
Of the half dozen or so legal casas in town, this is one of the better ones; a super upper-floor apartment with, quite possibly, the largest bathroom in Cuba.
Club Amigo Mayanabo
You are the weakest link here – goodbye! Doing a good impersonation of a tacky postwar British holiday camp, the Mayanabo has seen better days – a long time ago. But if budget's your prime consideration, it's cheap and right on the beach.
Alba Ferraz
Two rooms sharing a bath open onto a rather grand colonial courtyard bedecked with plants. There's a roof terrace and your host, Alba, can arrange dance and guitar lessons for guests.
'El Hostal De Elsa' Elsa Espinosa
Shared bath, meals, quiet.
Carmen González Fonseca
A well-equipped, self-contained room on the top floor with its own terrace and fridge. Daredevil drivers who have already negotiated the confusing Camagüeyan maze ought to have no problem reversing into the tight-fitting garage (a rarity here).
Hotel Camagüey
A built-to-spec Soviet-era out-of-towner 5km southeast of the center, Hotel Camagüey presents that all-too-familiar mix of dodgy architecture, noisy disco and dated 1970s furnishings. On the plus side, it's cheap, clean and relatively friendly.
Alex & Yanitze
A huge bath, along with a TV and a comfortable bed. The room might be small, but the welcome's huge.
Hotel Tararaco
There are no casas particulares in Playa Santa Lucía, so thank Changó for the Tararaco, the strip's oldest hotel (it actually predates the Revolution) where the staff are keen enough and every room has a TV and a little patio, and is within stone.
Hotel Costa Blanca
The exception to the rule, Costa Blanca is a small but engaging low-rise Cuban cheapie situated in the micro-village. There's an on-site restaurant and the ocean is within earshot.