Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Accommodation Options
All inclusive Resorts
The great majority of tourists who visit Cuba stay at all-inclusive resorts. They are
a good option for travelers looking to relax on the beach and experience a fun va-
cation where they don't have to think about day to day issues. These accommoda-
tion options do not offer much opportunity to experience the authentic Cuba. Most
inclusive resorts are situated away from major cities, in specially built resort towns.
Since the food, drink and entertainment is provided on the resorts, there is little
reason for the average tourist to leave the resort campus and explore the sur-
rounding area.
Considering that this guide is aimed at travelers who intend to experience the au-
thentic Cuban culture, I will not go into great detail on the subject of all-inclusive re-
sorts. I will, however, provide a brief overview of their main services, as their pre-
valence on the island and popularity with foreigners cannot be ignored. I will go in-
to a bit more detail describing the resort town of Varadero, as it is located only a 2
hour drive away from Havana, and many visitors to Havana come as part of a day
trip excursion from Varadero.
Varadero is the largest resort town in Cuba and the top tourist destination in the
country. It offers accommodations for every age and price range. All-inclusive re-
sort stays can be booked through a variety of websites and many airlines offer
flights to Varadero along with package trip discounts. Often, the price of booking a
travel package, which includes air travel and accommodations at an all-inclusive
resort, will be only marginally higher than the price of booking a flight alone. This is
another reason why most tourists choose to book all-inclusive package vacations.
Prices for all-inclusive packages vary considerably throughout the year. The low
tourist season generally runs from May to September, but frequently, the best
prices can be found on vacations occurring in early January or late November. By
far the most expensive time to book a vacation is during the Canadian spring
break, from mid February to mid March.
In order to get the most up to date information about a particular resort, I recom-
mend researching the hotel on review websites like TripAdvisor.com. In many
cases, there is a direct correlation between the price paid for the hotel and the
quality. The commonly used “star” rating system is not directly applicable to most
Cuban resorts. What might be called a 4-star resort in Varadero, might only trans-
late to a 3-star Mexican resort. In general, a Cuban hotel rated at 3.5 to 4 stars will
offer the most cost effective and comfortable experience. Anything rated below 2.5
stars will usually be disappointing and hotels of that caliber are frequently mar-
keted as “Cuban” hotels rather than tourist resorts.
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