Havana, Cuba: best hotel?
Feb 10, 2014, 4:01 am
#16
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Unfortunately, that is all true, due to the embargo / OFAC / "el bloqueo". US-issued credit cards are not accepted anywhere in Cuba for any reason; one can not earn (or spend) points or miles in US-based schemes (or if your account uses a US residential address) for any travel in, to or from Cuba.
With currency-related issues, as the US Dollar is not accepted and there is a significant surcharge for exchanging US Dollars to CUCs, it's a very good idea to take Euros for your cash expenses (in my experience) - and I have heard Canadian Dollars are nearly as acceptable.
With currency-related issues, as the US Dollar is not accepted and there is a significant surcharge for exchanging US Dollars to CUCs, it's a very good idea to take Euros for your cash expenses (in my experience) - and I have heard Canadian Dollars are nearly as acceptable.
Feb 10, 2014, 8:50 am
#17
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I stayed at the Habana Libre twice, once prepaid using Melia Rewards points and once on a prepaid revenue stay that included breakfast and dinner. As is to be expected in Cuba, absolutely nothing worked quite as it should. Elevators had a mind of their own and exposed wiring, room doors had broken locks, breakfast was included but the staff kept insisting on seeing a voucher which reception kept insisting I did not need (cue 45 minutes of arguing back and forth between two floors) and the water seemed to come on and off depending on the hour of the day. On both occasions the front desk tried to charge me for the stay, refusing to accept any evidence that it was prepaid. Oh, and the cleaning staff "liberated" anything that was not locked in the safe, including my personal toiletries, a book and a bottle of water. All these things I had expected, indeed is part of the Cuba experience.
On the other hand, the brand new Melia Varadero Marina was delightful. Staff were exceptionally pleasant, helpful, the whole property was safe and welcoming, all rates were all-inclusive but cheap, and the quality of the food was surprisingly good. No hassles whatsoever. I thoroughly recommend it.
Feb 15, 2014, 9:01 pm
#18
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Thanks, ajamieson, for the update!
IME, Meliá always tries to do a good job. The problems may come when things break down and they need to get scarce parts (imported from Europe), and the Varadero is newer, therefore (one hopes) fewer things breaking down and better employee orientation about customer orientation.
IME, Meliá always tries to do a good job. The problems may come when things break down and they need to get scarce parts (imported from Europe), and the Varadero is newer, therefore (one hopes) fewer things breaking down and better employee orientation about customer orientation.
Feb 17, 2014, 9:58 am
#19
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Agreed. The other benefit of the all-inclusive property is that it eliminates the need for transactions.
Each transaction at the Habana Libre took at least 45 minutes and seemed destined to end in frustration. For example, the room safe key did not work, so I returned to the front desk where they told me I would need to bay $2 in cash in order to get the key validated. (Genuine fee or a scam? I have no idea.) Inevitably, the key still did not work. When I returned to the front desk a second time, the same worker insisted we had never met and I would need to pay another $2. On the second day, the key stopped working again. "Ah, the charge is per day. You need to pay another $2". Repeat this for every interaction with every hotel employee, every day and it becomes very time-consuming and tiresome.
Each transaction at the Habana Libre took at least 45 minutes and seemed destined to end in frustration. For example, the room safe key did not work, so I returned to the front desk where they told me I would need to bay $2 in cash in order to get the key validated. (Genuine fee or a scam? I have no idea.) Inevitably, the key still did not work. When I returned to the front desk a second time, the same worker insisted we had never met and I would need to pay another $2. On the second day, the key stopped working again. "Ah, the charge is per day. You need to pay another $2". Repeat this for every interaction with every hotel employee, every day and it becomes very time-consuming and tiresome.
Feb 17, 2014, 7:26 pm
#20
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What a PITA! And definitely not in keeping with the "Libre" part of the name...
As it's illegal to use US dollars in Cuba, I take Euros - no 15% fees and smoother transactions at the desks for payment. And as I don't like being scammed, I always ask "por favor, deme un recibo" (Please give me a receipt") - that can often result in a "we'll forgive it this time".
(I may use a terrible accent with a cop in Mexico, say, so it comes out "oon ray-SEE-bow, pour fav-ore?".)
As it's illegal to use US dollars in Cuba, I take Euros - no 15% fees and smoother transactions at the desks for payment. And as I don't like being scammed, I always ask "por favor, deme un recibo" (Please give me a receipt") - that can often result in a "we'll forgive it this time".
(I may use a terrible accent with a cop in Mexico, say, so it comes out "oon ray-SEE-bow, pour fav-ore?".) Agreed. The other benefit of the all-inclusive property is that it eliminates the need for transactions.
Each transaction at the Habana Libre took at least 45 minutes and seemed destined to end in frustration. For example, the room safe key did not work, so I returned to the front desk where they told me I would need to bay $2 in cash in order to get the key validated. (Genuine fee or a scam? I have no idea.) Inevitably, the key still did not work. When I returned to the front desk a second time, the same worker insisted we had never met and I would need to pay another $2. On the second day, the key stopped working again. "Ah, the charge is per day. You need to pay another $2". Repeat this for every interaction with every hotel employee, every day and it becomes very time-consuming and tiresome.
Each transaction at the Habana Libre took at least 45 minutes and seemed destined to end in frustration. For example, the room safe key did not work, so I returned to the front desk where they told me I would need to bay $2 in cash in order to get the key validated. (Genuine fee or a scam? I have no idea.) Inevitably, the key still did not work. When I returned to the front desk a second time, the same worker insisted we had never met and I would need to pay another $2. On the second day, the key stopped working again. "Ah, the charge is per day. You need to pay another $2". Repeat this for every interaction with every hotel employee, every day and it becomes very time-consuming and tiresome.
Feb 25, 2014, 9:53 am
#21
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When my group went to Cuba, we stayed in a convent (Hostal Santa Brigida), but our guide took us to the Hotel Nacional for drinks in the garden.
The most fun part was seeing the pictures on the wall of all the celebrities who had stayed there. From the 1930s-1950s, it was just about anyone you'd ever heard of, but starting in the 1960s, there were only pictures of European and Latin American celebrities.
The most fun part was seeing the pictures on the wall of all the celebrities who had stayed there. From the 1930s-1950s, it was just about anyone you'd ever heard of, but starting in the 1960s, there were only pictures of European and Latin American celebrities.
Feb 26, 2014, 6:14 pm
#22
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Yeah, even the Mafiosi avoided Cuba after all their losses. 
(Don't forget, some of the "famous people" in the photos were brought there by the mob owners to entertain (them or on property).
How was the Hostal Santa Brígida?
(Don't forget, some of the "famous people" in the photos were brought there by the mob owners to entertain (them or on property).How was the Hostal Santa Brígida?
When my group went to Cuba, we stayed in a convent (Hostal Santa Brigida), but our guide took us to the Hotel Nacional for drinks in the garden.
The most fun part was seeing the pictures on the wall of all the celebrities who had stayed there. From the 1930s-1950s, it was just about anyone you'd ever heard of, but starting in the 1960s, there were only pictures of European and Latin American celebrities.
The most fun part was seeing the pictures on the wall of all the celebrities who had stayed there. From the 1930s-1950s, it was just about anyone you'd ever heard of, but starting in the 1960s, there were only pictures of European and Latin American celebrities.
Jun 1, 2014, 9:39 pm
#23
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http://www.iberostar.com/en/hotels/l...parque-central
Stayed here 3 weeks ago for 5 nights on my first visit to Havana. Made life easy especially with the onsite money exchange. Central to all the touristy things, with helpful concierge desk
Alot of tour groups stay here so the foyer is always busy!
Stayed here 3 weeks ago for 5 nights on my first visit to Havana. Made life easy especially with the onsite money exchange. Central to all the touristy things, with helpful concierge desk
Alot of tour groups stay here so the foyer is always busy!
Jun 2, 2014, 4:53 pm
#24
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http://www.iberostar.com/en/hotels/l...parque-central
Stayed here 3 weeks ago for 5 nights on my first visit to Havana. Made life easy especially with the onsite money exchange. Central to all the touristy things, with helpful concierge desk Alot of tour groups stay here so the foyer is always busy!
Stayed here 3 weeks ago for 5 nights on my first visit to Havana. Made life easy especially with the onsite money exchange. Central to all the touristy things, with helpful concierge desk
Alot of tour groups stay here so the foyer is always busy!
Jun 22, 2014, 8:47 am
#25
Join Date: May 2013
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JDiver do you know if there's a way to book Parque Central through a reliable agency? I've heard one must be ready to be moved to another hotel if it's a package kind of deal and it's busy season and things get overbooked.
Jun 22, 2014, 11:03 pm
#26
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http://www.iberostar.com/en/hotels/l...parque-central
Stayed here 3 weeks ago for 5 nights on my first visit to Havana. Made life easy especially with the onsite money exchange. Central to all the touristy things, with helpful concierge desk Alot of tour groups stay here so the foyer is always busy!
Stayed here 3 weeks ago for 5 nights on my first visit to Havana. Made life easy especially with the onsite money exchange. Central to all the touristy things, with helpful concierge desk
Alot of tour groups stay here so the foyer is always busy!
Jun 24, 2014, 7:18 pm
#27
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Parque Central is no longer owned by the Spanish company it once was, it is now under the Cuban government's control.
Jun 26, 2014, 8:57 am
#28
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Good to know. Maybe I need to figure out which Canadian or European companies book for the Cuban government. I think that means Havanatur, could be that there are other names.
Jul 5, 2014, 9:53 am
#29
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