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Myself and a friend have just booked flights to Havana for about a week in early September. We'll be getting our visas before we go (both on NZ passports in the UK) but want to get a bit of an idea of where we should spend our time and what we should do. I'm quite happy to spend a couple of nights in Havana and the rest of it at a nice beach resort drinking but if anyone has any recommendations it'd be great to hear them. We've both done a fair bit of travelling in poorer countries and are wise to obvious scams. Also much keener to stay at an Air BnB rather than a big hotel.
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Jun 1, 2015 17:02
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GiantAmazonianOtter posted:Myself and a friend have just booked flights to Havana for about a week in early September. We'll be getting our visas before we go (both on NZ passports in the UK) but want to get a bit of an idea of where we should spend our time and what we should do. I'm quite happy to spend a couple of nights in Havana and the rest of it at a nice beach resort drinking but if anyone has any recommendations it'd be great to hear them. Is there anything in particular you want to do in Havana? Are you more into history/museums, eating, drinking, nightclubs, smoking cigars, etc.? You'll probably want to pick a location based on this. I've been around 9 times, so I've seen a fair bit of the city at this point, but I need to have a better idea of what you're looking to get out of this trip and what your budget is like before I can recommend anything concrete. Scam-wise, you'll want to be especially weary of the cigar hustlers. If you want to buy cigars, do it in a government store, and demand the invoice for export (you'll need your passport for this). No one on the street actually has a brother or sister who works in the factory and can steal a whole bunch of cigars -- I have a friend who used to work in the factory, and now manages one of the flagship stores, and I promise you that boxes of real cigars don't simply "go missing," and if they do, they don't for long.
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Jun 3, 2015 02:31
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History, eating, drinking and probably a bit of partying. We wont have a massive budget but something like £50 a day on top of accommodation? Good to know re cigars, we'll probably buy a few but neither of us are massive smokers. I've just realised that we can't book Air BnB places in Cuba from the UK so we might just book our first night at a hotel in Havana (we get in late) and go sort out something else the following day. Would it be worth firing up a proxy server to pretend that we're from the US?
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Jun 11, 2015 12:06
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GiantAmazonianOtter posted:History, eating, drinking and probably a bit of partying. We wont have a massive budget but something like £50 a day on top of accommodation? Good to know re cigars, we'll probably buy a few but neither of us are massive smokers. I'd be surprised if the US is better than the UK in terms of preventing you from accessing Havana... and actually I'm surprised the UK cares at all? I bet having a VPN/DNS spoofer showing you in the US would block you. Try a Canadian one? I just checked Cuba on AirBNB, from Switzerland, and actually to my surprise there are a TON of places from all over the price and quality range over the entire country, although not a single one in Guantanamo (either the black site or the Cuban town).
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Jun 11, 2015 12:24
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GiantAmazonianOtter posted:History, eating, drinking and probably a bit of partying. We wont have a massive budget but something like £50 a day on top of accommodation? Good to know re cigars, we'll probably buy a few but neither of us are massive smokers. The pound is still worth quite a lot, so that budget will do decently. My favourite places to eat are Paladar Los Mercaderes and Ivan Chef Justo (in the old town) and Doctor Cafe (in Miramar). Those aren't going to be cheap, but they compare favourably with nearly anywhere in the world. El Aljibe in Miramar is great for all-you-can-eat chicken, although it's gone downhill a little bit lately. You can't really go wrong with any of the places you see if you're just looking for a cold beer or something, but if you're into mojitos and that sort of thing, good quality isn't particularly cheap or easy to find. I would recommend a stop at Taberna Vieja (I think that's what it's called) in the corner of Plaza Vieja. It's the closest thing to a brewpub I've found, and the beer is quite good, though not amazing or particularly unique. I'd suggest having some drinks at the Hotel Nacional, although I would advise against eating or staying there under any circumstances -- the view and ambiance is the attraction. That's all I can think of for the moment, and the last few times I was there things were improving very quickly, so I'm sure there's plenty of good new places I've never even heard of. History-wise, I'd recommend the Cemetario Cristobal Colon and the El Morro fortress. I can't think of anything else offhand, but I might be able to remember a few other places if I think about it for a while. I've heard great things about the Hemingway museum but I haven't been there personally. I've always paid for drat near everything in cash, and I would advise you to do the same whenever possible. Credit card systems are less than reliable. When you need to change foreign currency, do so at the biggest casa de cambio you can find to avoid getting ripped off. If you're staying near the old town, I advise going to the big one on Obispo. It's large, air-conditioned, open late, and I've never been shortchanged there. The one on Plaza de San Francisco has managed to short-change me on several occasions, even though I'm careful about watching everything and doing my own count, and I've yet to figure out how they do it.
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Jun 12, 2015 00:47
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Saladman posted:I'd be surprised if the US is better than the UK in terms of preventing you from accessing Havana... and actually I'm surprised the UK cares at all? I bet having a VPN/DNS spoofer showing you in the US would block you. Try a Canadian one? Yeah oddly, I think the US is the *only* place you can book Air BnB properties in Cuba from at the moment.... They all show up in a search but you can't actually book them. In any case, not really a huge problem as long as we don't have to go traipsing around Havana at midnight after a 15 hour flight looking for somewhere to stay.
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Jun 12, 2015 10:13
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PT6A posted:
Thanks for the warnings/recommendations, we'll be operating on a cash basis (although I'm taking a credit card for emergencies), Hemingway Museum sounds excellent as do the eaty drinky places you mentioned. A goon in another thread recommended a filthy but awesome sounding burger place as well.
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Jun 12, 2015 10:17
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GiantAmazonianOtter posted:Yeah oddly, I think the US is the *only* place you can book Air BnB properties in Cuba from at the moment.... They all show up in a search but you can't actually book them. In any case, not really a huge problem as long as we don't have to go traipsing around Havana at midnight after a 15 hour flight looking for somewhere to stay. Just FYI, pretty much everything that's on AirBnB will be listed on an alternate Casa Particular site. The concept of AirBnB is not new to Cuba at all, and all the properties there will have to be licensed casas particulares anyway.
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Jun 12, 2015 15:21
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GiantAmazonianOtter posted:Yeah oddly, I think the US is the *only* place you can book Air BnB properties in Cuba from at the moment.... They all show up in a search but you can't actually book them. In any case, not really a huge problem as long as we don't have to go traipsing around Havana at midnight after a 15 hour flight looking for somewhere to stay. I just checked from a couple of E.U. IP addressees and had similar results. Is there any reasoning behind this? I would have assumed it would be the opposite - you'd be able to book from the EU, but not the US.
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Jun 29, 2015 15:18
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GiantAmazonianOtter posted:History, eating, drinking and probably a bit of partying. We wont have a massive budget but something like £50 a day on top of accommodation? Good to know re cigars, we'll probably buy a few but neither of us are massive smokers. You'll be staying in casas particulares - private homes. The concept has been around in Cuba for at least 15 years, and is always the best value for accommodations. Service at tourist hotels is indifferent at best, and usually worse. Quality varies at casas, but they are generally well-kept, and often offer breakfast, which will be the best meal of the day you get in Cuba. Food there is improving, but still expensive and generally poor quality.
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Jun 30, 2015 20:38
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I'm totally down with the casa particulares thing, I just don't want to go traipsing around a foreign city late at night after a long flight, hence why a hotel just for the first night seems easier.
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Jul 3, 2015 16:39
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GiantAmazonianOtter posted:I'm totally down with the casa particulares thing, I just don't want to go traipsing around a foreign city late at night after a long flight, hence why a hotel just for the first night seems easier. That's silly. Hotels in Cuba are very pool value for poor service, and Havana is a very safe city. Your casa might even pick you up at the airport - it's far more likely with a casa than a hotel. Having stayed at both, I wouldn't choose a hotel outside of Varadero (and I won't be returning to Varadero) over a casa under any circumstances, including arriving from a long flight.
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Jul 3, 2015 17:29
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That's reassurance enough for me then, thanks guys!
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Jul 8, 2015 15:26
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This casa is outstanding, if you can book it. It's on Paseo del Prado, aka Paseo Marti, a couple of blocks from Malecon in la Habana Vieja. http://www.cubaradiso.com/en/vmchk/La-Habana-Vieja/Prado-Colonial-Formerly-Casa-Kenia/shop.cuba_flypage.html
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Jul 8, 2015 16:21
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TheImmigrant posted:This casa is outstanding, if you can book it. It's on Paseo del Prado, aka Paseo Marti, a couple of blocks from Malecon in la Habana Vieja. How's the noise insulation? It's not a big deal to me, but some people really can't handle it, it seems, and Paseo del Prado is busy as gently caress.
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Jul 9, 2015 18:32
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PT6A posted:How's the noise insulation? It's not a big deal to me, but some people really can't handle it, it seems, and Paseo del Prado is busy as gently caress. The room I've had there (I've stayed twice) is on an inner courtyard, without a window or wall facing Prado. Very quiet. Ceilings are enormously high, and there's a lot of fresh air. Kenia is an awesome hostess too. Location is perfect. You're walking distance from all kinds of sights, and an easy ride to Vedado if you're going out at night. They have a great breakfast too, with fresh fruit, eggs, ham, toast, coffee and juice. It was consistently the best meal of the day, by far.
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Jul 9, 2015 18:56
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TheImmigrant posted:This casa is outstanding, if you can book it. It's on Paseo del Prado, aka Paseo Marti, a couple of blocks from Malecon in la Habana Vieja. Thanks, I've emailed them. Hopefully there's a room available!
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Jul 13, 2015 11:48
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Any recommendations on best value place to look at flights into Havana? I'm planning on a S America trip at the moment and looking to go to Havana after doing San Blas Islands (arriving in Panama) but it seems I'm looking at 5-600$ for one way flight around there (will look to exit Havana direct to europe). Are there generally any central hubs which are lower in cost?
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Jul 14, 2015 04:02
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When I was looking, Aeromexico did a direct flight from Mexico City to Havana and the price was quite reasonable.
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Jul 14, 2015 09:21
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Adnar posted:Any recommendations on best value place to look at flights into Havana? I'm planning on a S America trip at the moment and looking to go to Havana after doing San Blas Islands (arriving in Panama) but it seems I'm looking at 5-600$ for one way flight around there (will look to exit Havana direct to europe). Are there generally any central hubs which are lower in cost? My girlfriend bought a ticket from San Jose (Costa Rica) to Havana to Geneva for like $500 two months ago for next January. That said we went through a travel agent, as looking for the same thing online was hilariously much more expensive (like $1500 for the exact same thing). We also checked for the same flights from Panama City and it was MUCH more expensive than going from San Jose. I'm pretty sure the ticket is Air France, but it could be with some co-carrier type deal.
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Jul 14, 2015 10:51
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Don't forget about Varadero. It's a 90 minute drive from Havana (about 80CUC for a private taxi, but only 12CUC for a bus), I personally prefer the airport itself because it's a bit smaller and less dysfunctional, and at least from Canada, the connections to Varadero are way, way better, more frequent, and cheaper than our flights to Havana (unless you live in Toronto or Montreal, in which case the schedules are more or less the same, but Havana's still more expensive). Also worth noting is that Havana airport isn't very close to the city itself.
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Jul 14, 2015 16:10
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Thanks for the tip on Varadero, came across a good deal to Berlin. It seems a cheap one way flight to Hav is impossible though, it's cheaper to go return Panama>Havana>Panama > NYC > Berlin than Panama>Havana>Berlin
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Jul 15, 2015 02:49
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Adnar posted:Thanks for the tip on Varadero, came across a good deal to Berlin. San Jose, Costa Rica is as low as $431 one-way to Havana, on Cubana. Generally though, any international fares within Central America/Caribbean are overpriced. Mexico City, Merida, and Cancun to Havana are as cheap as you'll find for regularly-scheduled flights. Travel agents in Central America can be a good place for deals that you won't find online.
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Jul 15, 2015 03:11
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Also, dealing with booking tickets and whatnot on Cubana may seem like you're in the midst of a fever dream at times, but their in-flight service is actually quite good in my opinion (compared to my alternatives of Air Canada and WestJet, mind you, not compared to a good airline). Most airlines punish you hardcore for one-way flights to or from Cuba because they're hell-bent on selling package vacations (and, to be fair, that's like 90% of the market if not more). They're basically charging you for both seats because there's a fairly limited chance that, on any given day, someone will be flying one-way in the other direction.
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Jul 17, 2015 01:53
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I want to go to Havana this December for 7-8 days. Can someone tell me if this pricing trick will work? It's the ol' switcheroo: I plan to book this flight-and-hotel package from Toronto to Havana at a 2-star hotel for $500 round-trip: http://tinyurl.com/cuba-goon And then after arriving, I plan to just stay at a Casa Particular instead of the hotel. This seems much cheaper than booking a flight alone ($750+ without the hotel component). Is there anything (fine print, laws) preventing me from doing this?
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Jul 21, 2015 02:42
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Jolarix posted:I want to go to Havana this December for 7-8 days. Can someone tell me if this pricing trick will work? It's the ol' switcheroo: Why not just check into the hotel, use any perks like transfer, and move on to your casa?
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Jul 21, 2015 14:29
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TheImmigrant posted:Why not just check into the hotel, use any perks like transfer, and move on to your casa? Seriously. If you have useful perks at the hotel take advantage of them. The hotel isn't doing a bed check to make sure you're actually there. Check in and roll out to whatever private accommodation you're using.
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Jul 22, 2015 15:13
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Really. Where is the hotel? If the package includes any meals, you definitely should jump on those. It's been a few years since I"ve been to Cuba, but unless the dining scene has undergone a radical change, it's best to seize on any edible meal opportunities you have. A lot of casas will serve up a decent breakfast, but beyond that eating well is the biggest challenge to visiting Cuba. If the hotel offers an airport pickup, jump on that too, as the airport is a ways from la Habana Vieja and Vedado, which are the areas where you'll almost certainly be staying.
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Jul 22, 2015 15:38
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TheImmigrant posted:Really. Where is the hotel? If the package includes any meals, you definitely should jump on those. It's been a few years since I"ve been to Cuba, but unless the dining scene has undergone a radical change, it's best to seize on any edible meal opportunities you have. The dining scene has undergone a really big change, actually. Outside Havana, not so much, but there are a few paladares in Havana that are actually good now (service and food!), not just good by Cuban standards. They are, of course, fairly expensive, but still considerably cheaper than the equivalent in Canada.
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Jul 22, 2015 17:13
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PT6A posted:The dining scene has undergone a really big change, actually. Outside Havana, not so much, but there are a few paladares in Havana that are actually good now (service and food!), not just good by Cuban standards. They are, of course, fairly expensive, but still considerably cheaper than the equivalent in Canada. Share the names and addresses! I'm thinking about taking my girlfriend down there this fall.
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Jul 22, 2015 17:20
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TheImmigrant posted:Share the names and addresses! I'm thinking about taking my girlfriend down there this fall. My three current favourites are, starting with the best: Paladar Los Mercaderes (Calle Mercaderes #207, between Lamparilla and Amargura) Ivan Chef Justo (Aguacate #9, corner of Chacon) Cafe Laurent (Calle M # 257. entre 19 y 21 (Penthouse), Vedado) You'll probably want reservations for all of them, if it's anything like last time I was there. There's also my old standby of Doctor Cafe out in Miramar (Calle 28 between 1st and 3rd), but I think there are better options now especially if you're not already in Miramar for some reason. It's been almost two years since I've been, and over the two years before that, the number of good restaurants was increasing exponentially, so my guess is there are a few more good restaurants that I don't even know about at this point. EDIT: And one thing to stay away from: Dona Eutimia. For some reason it's always busy and gets consistently high ratings. I don't know why, because it loving sucks. Nothing I had there was any good, and it's a shame that it gets better ratings than other restaurants just because it's cheaper. It's not even the best paladar in that alley. PT6A fucked around with this message at 18:01 on Jul 22, 2015 |
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Jul 22, 2015 17:41
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I'm finally off to Cuba on Tuesday! Thanks for all the tips goons!
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Aug 28, 2015 09:39
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If you want/need to use the expensive-as-gently caress, slow Internet, there's Wi-Fi available at the Melia Habana and you don't need to be a guest to use it. There are probably other, newer places that have it now too, but I'm not certain.
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Aug 28, 2015 14:28
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