1 night in Varadero?
Sep 4, 2015, 9:09 pm
#16
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 1,894
Cuban Lodging 101:
All hotels are government owned and belong to one of five chains: Cubanacán, Gaviota, Gran Caribe, Habaguanex, or Islazul. There's no real rhyme nor reason why one hotel belongs to one chain and not the other. It's all the state. There are some great state hotels and there are some dreary ones, along with everything in between.
Cuba has entered into joint ventures with a few foreign (non-U.S., of course) chains to manage some of these properties. The foreign-managed hotels tend to be more polished and have better service. They are still owned by the Cuban government, but bear the name of the foreign chain.
The Spanish chain Meliá is the largest of these with 28 properties in Cuba, operating under the names Meliá, Sol, Tryp, and Paradisus. They have 10 properties in Varadero.
Then there are the casas particulares (private homes). Since 1996, Cubans have been allowed to open their homes to a maximum of 5-6 guests. In the past, you had to go hunting for these, or they sent jinteros (hustlers) to entice you into their places as you walked down the street. Airbnb has just gotten into the game as the middleman for a few of the casas, and if you've arranged through them, you'll be staying in one of these in Havana.
All hotels are government owned and belong to one of five chains: Cubanacán, Gaviota, Gran Caribe, Habaguanex, or Islazul. There's no real rhyme nor reason why one hotel belongs to one chain and not the other. It's all the state. There are some great state hotels and there are some dreary ones, along with everything in between.
Cuba has entered into joint ventures with a few foreign (non-U.S., of course) chains to manage some of these properties. The foreign-managed hotels tend to be more polished and have better service. They are still owned by the Cuban government, but bear the name of the foreign chain.
The Spanish chain Meliá is the largest of these with 28 properties in Cuba, operating under the names Meliá, Sol, Tryp, and Paradisus. They have 10 properties in Varadero.
Then there are the casas particulares (private homes). Since 1996, Cubans have been allowed to open their homes to a maximum of 5-6 guests. In the past, you had to go hunting for these, or they sent jinteros (hustlers) to entice you into their places as you walked down the street. Airbnb has just gotten into the game as the middleman for a few of the casas, and if you've arranged through them, you'll be staying in one of these in Havana.
Sep 5, 2015, 12:57 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Toronto-YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan, BA Executive- Blue, Lifemiles, AA Advantage, VIA Rail Preference, Iberia Plus
Posts: 565
Cuban Lodging 101:
All hotels are government owned and belong to one of five chains: Cubanacán, Gaviota, Gran Caribe, Habaguanex, or Islazul. There's no real rhyme nor reason why one hotel belongs to one chain and not the other. It's all the state. There are some great state hotels and there are some dreary ones, along with everything in between.
Cuba has entered into joint ventures with a few foreign (non-U.S., of course) chains to manage some of these properties. The foreign-managed hotels tend to be more polished and have better service. They are still owned by the Cuban government, but bear the name of the foreign chain.
The Spanish chain Meliá is the largest of these with 28 properties in Cuba, operating under the names Meliá, Sol, Tryp, and Paradisus. They have 10 properties in Varadero.
Then there are the casas particulares (private homes). Since 1996, Cubans have been allowed to open their homes to a maximum of 5-6 guests. In the past, you had to go hunting for these, or they sent jinteros (hustlers) to entice you into their places as you walked down the street. Airbnb has just gotten into the game as the middleman for a few of the casas, and if you've arranged through them, you'll be staying in one of these in Havana.
All hotels are government owned and belong to one of five chains: Cubanacán, Gaviota, Gran Caribe, Habaguanex, or Islazul. There's no real rhyme nor reason why one hotel belongs to one chain and not the other. It's all the state. There are some great state hotels and there are some dreary ones, along with everything in between.
Cuba has entered into joint ventures with a few foreign (non-U.S., of course) chains to manage some of these properties. The foreign-managed hotels tend to be more polished and have better service. They are still owned by the Cuban government, but bear the name of the foreign chain.
The Spanish chain Meliá is the largest of these with 28 properties in Cuba, operating under the names Meliá, Sol, Tryp, and Paradisus. They have 10 properties in Varadero.
Then there are the casas particulares (private homes). Since 1996, Cubans have been allowed to open their homes to a maximum of 5-6 guests. In the past, you had to go hunting for these, or they sent jinteros (hustlers) to entice you into their places as you walked down the street. Airbnb has just gotten into the game as the middleman for a few of the casas, and if you've arranged through them, you'll be staying in one of these in Havana.
I wasn't aware of the other properties.
I presume Melia is the "higher end", and then moving down with Paradisus as more basic?
Sep 5, 2015, 2:04 pm
#18
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 1,894
I didn't list those in any particular order. I'd say Sol is the least expensive of the four and a bit more geared toward families. Paradisus is their luxury-resort brand. Tryp is a little more "business class." Meliá is their standard high-end hotel.
Those are just the four brands Meliá operates in Cuba. They have a few other brands they operate in other countries.
Those are just the four brands Meliá operates in Cuba. They have a few other brands they operate in other countries.
Sep 5, 2015, 4:48 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Toronto-YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan, BA Executive- Blue, Lifemiles, AA Advantage, VIA Rail Preference, Iberia Plus
Posts: 565
I didn't list those in any particular order. I'd say Sol is the least expensive of the four and a bit more geared toward families. Paradisus is their luxury-resort brand. Tryp is a little more "business class." Meliá is their standard high-end hotel.
Those are just the four brands Meliá operates in Cuba. They have a few other brands they operate in other countries.
Those are just the four brands Meliá operates in Cuba. They have a few other brands they operate in other countries.
Def won't be going to Sol since it's just me travelling.
At least this gives me some other options besides just Melia.
Feb 9, 2016, 1:17 pm
#20
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 1
Tour Recommendation & Varadero Hotel...
If you are going to Vignales, I recommend just walking into a hotel concierge desk & booking a package-tour, since time is of the essence. You will be with other people too. Book it on a bad weather day or non-beach day. It's too hard to slap something together yourself. That's a long distance.
My Varadero recommendation is 4Palms (Quatro Palmas). My friends were there & liked it. Phone Sunwing Direct & book it (with a human) for the night that you need. Sometimes their rate is real cheap. The advantage of staying at 4 Palms is that since you only have 1 day to see Varadero, you won't be isolated on a resort, but staying at a (beachfront) hotel. If you walk southward you will walk towards town. You can get wine. I think that the hotel has evening entertainment & accross the street is the nightclub district (You may therefore want a seaside room) There are free nightclubs there with street dancing. You may want to book a transfer from your hotel to the airport thru Sunwing at the same time. It is $11 & hard to beat the price -especially late at night or super early. Sunwing transfers to Havana are about $48, so unless your flight arrives at night, you can probably do better hacking a ride or bus. Another option is spending your first night in Varadero as a bus ticket is $10 from Varadero to Havana.
Because you are a spanish speaker, on your next trip you will be probably going air only once you know the ropes & learn how to hitch-hike! Make a friend who will show you the ropes!
My Varadero recommendation is 4Palms (Quatro Palmas). My friends were there & liked it. Phone Sunwing Direct & book it (with a human) for the night that you need. Sometimes their rate is real cheap. The advantage of staying at 4 Palms is that since you only have 1 day to see Varadero, you won't be isolated on a resort, but staying at a (beachfront) hotel. If you walk southward you will walk towards town. You can get wine. I think that the hotel has evening entertainment & accross the street is the nightclub district (You may therefore want a seaside room) There are free nightclubs there with street dancing. You may want to book a transfer from your hotel to the airport thru Sunwing at the same time. It is $11 & hard to beat the price -especially late at night or super early. Sunwing transfers to Havana are about $48, so unless your flight arrives at night, you can probably do better hacking a ride or bus. Another option is spending your first night in Varadero as a bus ticket is $10 from Varadero to Havana.
Because you are a spanish speaker, on your next trip you will be probably going air only once you know the ropes & learn how to hitch-hike! Make a friend who will show you the ropes!