I am in Paris at the moment however spent four nights in Cuba prior to arriving here.
Not to disagree with you as you have had two great experiences, but my interpretation of the place was vastly different. The food was mediocre at best (one could say I am a fussy eater) and notwithstanding cultural barriers, I found the hotel staff to be rude who appeared to be uninterested at every given moment.
Didn't really get to mingle with the locals, which may have changed my opinion (and could have been of influence to your experience). The locals I did meet at local markets only seemed interested in trying to sell me imitation cigars and "black coral" - quite pushy and intimidating. Reminded me of Bangkok, just worse.
I am not one of those stuck up tourists who winge and complain at the drop of a hat, nor am I culturally insensitive. I understand the political climate and the financial situation that all Cuban people are under. The reason for travelling there was to experience one of the last countries in the world that had been yet to be infiltrated by western commercialism, yet I have come away with the opinion that what I was avoiding is not really such a bad thing after all...