User:Andree.sk/Havana-hotels

Havana (Spanish: La Habana) is the capital city of Cuba, and one of the fourteen provinces of the Republic of Cuba.

Understand
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Sleep
Online services: Airbnb | BBinnVinales | cuba-junky

There are 3 main areas that travelers generally stay in: Old Havana is the liveliest (some would say hectic and dirty), Central Havana is slightly quieter and parts can be a bit seedy, and Vedado is the quietest with more greenery, and is the place to find the large hotels and nicer casas particulares.

Hotels vary. Do not be surprised if you have no hot water and bad TV-reception in a hotel that still goes to the effort of having an in-hotel doctor and hosting extravagant shows of synchronized swimming in the hotel pool.

List of casas particulares




































Mid-range








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Connect
The city code for Havana is 7. Prefix with 0 or 01 when calling from within Cuba.

Internet cafes can be found at ETESCA (the state telephone company) offices, in Hotel Habana Libre, Hotel Inglatera (cheapest but slowest), Hotel Nacional and at the Capitolio.

Wireless Internet access - some high-end hotels such as Hotel Parque Central sells wi-fi scratch cards at the rate of 8 CUC per hour, which can be used inside the hotel and works well with iPhone/iPod Touch.

The emergency number is 116. The information number is 113.

Stay safe
Havana is quite safe for a large city. Heavily dependent on tourism, Cuban police are everywhere and pay especial attention to spots where travelers congregate (Habana Vieja, El Malecón. etc.), so you don't have to be afraid of being accosted in the daytime. Prison sentences for crimes involving tourists are extremely harsh, a fact which residents are well aware of, which adds an extra layer of deterrence. At night, however, there have been muggings in the dark streets of Centro Habana. While this part of town is perfectly safe to explore in the daytime, and can be crossed safely while going to Habana Vieja or Vedado, it's best not go there at night. If you are going to walk, do so along El Malecón, where there are lights and a lot more people.

Be wary of hustlers (jinteros/as) offering to show you a nice bar or restaurant, or offering a tour of the city, as you'll be stuck paying hefty prices to cover their commission. Just walk away and continue walking—soon enough they will leave you alone. There are a few well established scams you should learn about in order to be prepared.

In local restaurants, ask for menus or prices before ordering anything; there can be special 'tourist price menus' that get pulled out after you have consumed food or drink.

When paying, it is recommended to give the exact amount of cash. If you don't have it, it is wise to state clearly how much money you are giving and how much you should get back. Otherwise, they might try not to give you your change back.

If you're male, expect to be accosted regularly by prostitutes and/or their pimps, especially in Habana Vieja. While technically illegal, erstwhile mandatory jail time for prostitution filled prisons so quickly that the government had little choice but to start looking the other way. The result is a steady, depressing stream of solicitations that can wear down even the most cynical traveler unless he's prepared for it. Particularly disheartening are the offers from young girls, some no more than 11 or 12. Accept this situation as a fact of life in modern-day Cuba—and don't contribute to it.

People on the streets try to sell you cigars, especially in Havana Vieja. Often they say (after asking when you arrived in Havana) that the "Cigar Festival" is on today or that there is a "Cigar Cooperativa", where people sell cigars in their homes for half the price. These are usually fake cigars and they try to push you to buy a whole box of cigars even if you just want to buy a few.

The air in Havana is very polluted because of old cars and factories. This will cause respiratory conditions to some visitors.

Embassies and High Commissions

 * 🇨🇦 Canada


 * 🇨🇳 China


 * 🇪🇬 Egypt


 * 🇬🇷 Greece


 * 🇯🇵 Japan


 * 🇿🇦 South Africa


 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom


 * 🇺🇸 United States


 * 🇮🇷 Iran

Go next

 * Enjoy the beach in Varadero
 * Taste some nature in the Valey of Viñales
 * Isla de la Juventud
 * Visit the French style city Cienfuegos, the small town Trinidad and the adjacent Topes de Collantes national park
 * Go east to Santiago de Cuba

La Habana