Hotel Balcón del Caribe

The tremendous setting next to El Morro fort is counterbalanced by the usual humdrum Islazul hotel-chain foibles: flowery curtains, ancient mattresses and furnishings salvaged from a 1970s garage sale. But there's a pool and the view is stunning. Get a room inside the complex, not a grottier external cabin. It's located 10km from the city center, making transport a headache.