Meet Ivan
Creative, Sociable, Friendly
Somos guias turisticos.
On a typical day...
I have a very open house. My house is your house.
When I host guests...
I’m helpful and hands on. I can show them where to go and help them get there.
Family Hobbies
Cycling, Running, Swimming, Cooking, Hiking
About the Homestay
- Welcomes
- Males
- Females
- Couples
- Families
- Students
We offer you a typical Cuban experience in a perfect combination of beach and green nature. We live in a peaceful place surrounded by fruit trees at 5km from the most beautiful beaches in the country (10 minutes by car). We have 2 comfortable rooms with capacity for 5 guests and we include the daily transfer to the entrance of the beach area and the town of Santa Marta (round trip) in a horse-drawn car which will add color and adventure to your vacation .
The house is located in the rural area of Varadero, in a property of 1/2 hectare of fruit trees such as mango, avocado, guava, coconuts, which makes it the perfect combination between beach and nature. We have a room with independent entrance, private bathroom, air conditioning, fan, hot and cold water, 2 beds (double and personal), capacity 3 guests and another room with two personal beds, private bathroom, fan (2 guests), that will allow a total capacity of 5 people. A picturesque transfer in the horse carriage takes you in the mornings to the beaches through the town of Santa Marta where you will be able to know the daily life of the local inhabitants and you will have access to the small shops, restaurants and bars much cheaper than in the part merely tourist and in the afternoon they are collected back according to agreed schedules. We have cheap local taxi service available for guests. We coordinate excursions and transfers to other destinations in the country such as Havana, Trinidad, Viñales, Bahía de Cochinos, with the possibility of a guide in the languages of Spanish, English and French, as well as Snorkeling and visits to the caves. For more than 15 years we have worked as tour guides for one of the major travel agencies in the country, and now we have decided to start our own project to welcome visitors to our house. Using our experience and language skills we can guide them and help them learn more about our beautiful country.
House Facilities
- Garden
- Patio
- Parking
- Air Conditioning
Bedrooms available for booking
About the Area
We are 5 km from the beaches of Varadero, only 10 minutes by car, in a rural area, surrounded by fruit trees, 35 minutes from Varadero airport. A transfer in the horse carriage takes you in the morning to the spa through the town of Santa Marta where you can learn about the daily life of the local inhabitants and you will have access to small shops, restaurants and bars much cheaper than in the part merely tourism and in the afternoon they are picked up according to agreed schedules.
Local Area Facilities
- Beach
Meals
Hosts can offer a complimentary light breakfast at their discretion. All other meals, including a full breakfast, might incur an additional cost, if offered. Meals and any additional payment should be arranged directly with your host.
Included in the stay
- Complimentary Light Breakfast
- Use of Kitchen
House Rules
Smoking Rules
Your host is a non-smoker.
Smoking is allowed outdoors only.
5 Reviews
July 2019
Unser Aufenthalt in der Finca war wunderschön und wir wären gerne noch geblieben. Ludmila und Ivan sind wundervolle, sympathische und herzliche Gastgeber und wir haben uns sehr willkommen gefühlt. Zur Begrüßung servierte Ludmila uns frischen Mangosaft. Das hübsche Haus liegt idyllisch mitten in der Natur und ist umgeben von Mango-, Avocadobäumen und allen möglichen weiteren Bäumen und Pflanzen, eine großartige Erfahrung. Die Zimmer sind hübsch und sauber mit eigenem Bad. Ludmila hat uns ein leckeres Frühstück serviert mit frischem Mango- oder Guavensaft, frischen Früchten und ganz besonders lecker war die selbst gemachte Mangomarmelade. Wir wussten vorher nicht, wie lecker Mangos schmecken können. Jeden Morgen wird man mit der Pferdekutsche abgeholt und in das ca. 4 Kilometer entfernte Santa Marta gebracht, von dort aus gelangt man bequem über eine Brücke nach Varadero in die Stadt und zum herrlichen Strand. Santa Marta ist ein hübscher Ort mit vielen netten Restaurants und Cafes. Abends wird man wieder mit der Kutsche abgeholt. Sergio, der Kutschfahrer, ist herzlich, aufgeschlossen und unglaublich sympathisch. Er erzählt viel über das was man unterwegs sieht, so dass die Kutschfahrt schon zum Erlebnis wird. Ludmila spricht perfekt Englisch, so dass wir uns mit ihr viel über Land und Leute unterhalten konnten. Unsere Fragen hat sie gerne und geduldig beantwortet. So haben wir einen für uns sehr wertvollen und interessanten Einblick in das kubanische Leben bekommen. Ivan spricht Französisch. Besonders auch unsere 8 -jährige Tochter hat den Aufenthalt in der Finca geliebt. Wenn wir noch einmal nach Kuba kommen, dann zu Ivan und Ludmila. Muchas gracias para todo!!!!
August 2018
It was a pleasure to stay with Ivan and his wife. They were so friendly and welcoming and made me feel at home. They gave me advice for travelling in Cuba and we shared some interesting chats! All the best for you!!
July 2018
I want to explain something that might be unclear with the description of this Casa. There is a horse carriage round trip included each day in your casa room rental, as long as you are returning by 6:00 p.m. If you are later than 6, you will pay the driver, otherwise it is included. Transportation can be expensive in Cuba so this is a great feature with this particular Casa. Most people seem to use the carriage to go to the Varadero beach, but the driver can also drop you in Santa Marta if you prefer. Santa Marta is a town with a lot of little restaurants and more activity. The Casa itself is located in a more rural area not far from Santa Marta.
Ivan and Ludmilla are excellent hosts who go the extra mile to make sure you are fully taken care of in Cuba. If you need directions, a ride arranged, etc., they can make it happen. Ivan is a current tour guide and Ludmilla is a former tour guide. She speaks Spanish, English and French, Ivan speaks Spanish and French. They can give you suggestions, help you book or tell you how to get from Point A to Point B. Their son loves all things computer and they get some wifi sometimes at the house, but like all of Cuba is is unpredictable and sporatic. You will also need to buy a phone card (1 CUC per hour, a pretty good deal!) at one of the phone agencies to access wifi in most of Cuba.
The breakfast was simple but amazing. Fresh sliced mango from a mango picked from a tree in the yard. Fresh Guava juice, a little bread with either sliced cheese or ham and coffee. This is the breakfast that comes included in the price of the Casa, a more extensive breakfast can be requested for an additional fee. The offerings will probably vary depending on the season--I was lucky enough to visit when the mangos were ripe! I would recommend this Casa to get a taste of the real Cuba. Furnishings are simple and it is a home where people live- it is not a hotel so you can't expect that same standard at any Casa, but there is a lot of charm and authenticity to Casa experiences. Sergio is the driver of the horse carriage and he is a nice guy an he is good to his horse!
February 2018
Siamo stati benissimo,in mezzo alla natura, fuori dallo smog e una bella avventura con i trasporti. Consigliabile a tutti e per tutto saluti e abbracci Romina e Albino
January 2018
Gostamos bastante da Ludmila, pessoa tranquila, muito atenciosa, estava sempre pronta a nos dar informaçoes. Café da manhã maravilhoso. Sempre que pediamos um café da noite nos preparava com muito carinho. O Sr. Ivan também muito atencioso. Recomendo
How do I book?
Contact the host to check their availability and ask them any questions you have about staying with them. Once the host confirms they’re available for your dates, you can complete your booking.
When do I pay?
Once a host confirms they're available, you can go ahead and pay the 15% booking fee (maximum of 250 $£€ for longer term bookings) using a choice of payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, Laser, JCB & PayPal (not available in certain countries). You then pay your host on arrival or as stated by your host on their profile and agreed by you on booking. Please be cautious if a host requests advance payment if its not included on their profile. Our hosts have been advised that if they wish to request advance payment they must make this explicit in their profile. We do not recommend the use of Money gram or Western Union.
When can I share my contact details?
Host and Guest email address, phone number and home address will be exchanged in a confirmation email sent to both immediately after a booking is completed. It's against our policy for Guests and Hosts to exchange direct contact details via our messaging system.