The Havanna Lounge
Paramaribo's Cuban-inspired late-night hideaway where salsa, rum, and cigar smoke keep the night rolling past 1am.
Why Go
Tucked onto a quiet stretch of Van 't Hogerhuysstraat in Beekhuizen, The Havanna Lounge trades the noisy strip for something more grown-up — a chic, dimly lit room that leans hard into Havana's rum-and-cigar mythology while pulling in a mixed crowd of Surinamese regulars, expats, and travelers who want a real night out rather than a tourist show.
The Experience
You slip in from a residential street and the room shifts key — warm lighting, Latin rhythms threading through the speakers, a bar stocked deep with rum, and just enough polish in the crowd to make you glad you swapped the flip-flops for something smarter. Early evening it plays as a lounge: low tables, cocktails, conversation, the odd cigar drifting past. Then the DJ leans in, the tempo climbs, and by late Thursday or the weekend the floor is a proper mix of salsa, reggae, and hip-hop with locals dancing like they mean it. It's less a club and more a night that keeps unfolding — the kind of place where one drink turns into staying till closing without quite noticing.
What to Try
Order a rum flight or a classic Cuban cocktail — a mojito, daiquiri, or an old-fashioned built on aged rum — and settle in with a cigar if you're inclined; that's the DNA of the place. If you're here on a Thursday, plant yourself near the floor before the salsa set that runs to 1am, then let the DJ pull the room into reggae and hip-hop. Weekends bring the strongest live-music and DJ nights, so time your visit accordingly.
Insider Tip
Thursdays are the local secret — the salsa crowd shows up early and the vibe is more authentic than the weekend tourist mix. Come around 10pm to grab a good spot at the bar or a small table before it fills, and dress smart-casual (no beachwear or shorts) — the room reads as upscale-lounge, and the staff and regulars notice. Cash in SRD moves faster than cards, and there's onsite parking if you're driving in.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Van 't Hogerhuysstraat 13, Paramaribo (Beekhuizen neighborhood), Suriname. Phone: +597 402258. Style: upscale lounge / nightclub with cocktail bar and cigar culture. Peak nights: Thursday (salsa till 1am, then reggae/hip-hop) and weekends (live music and DJs). Dress code: smart-casual. Parking: available on site. Best reached by taxi from the historic center — it's a short ride but the street is quiet and easy to miss. Bring cash (SRD) as a backup.
Pair It With
- 'T Vat Sidewalk Cafe Guide — Classic Paramaribo pre-game — grab a Parbo beer and bitterballen on the terrace at Waaggebouw before catching a cab over to Havanna once the night gears up.
- 168 Restaurant Guide — Solid dinner nearby so you can line the stomach with a proper meal before switching into cocktail-and-cigar mode at the lounge.
- 101 Suites Guide — Convenient walk-back-to-bed option in the same corner of town if you'd rather not worry about a late-night taxi after closing.
