Past trips
Peter has previously stayed in 8 homestays.
Stayed in 一月 2018
La Habana - Cuba
Meet Maria del Carmen
Stayed in 一月 2018
Viñales - Cuba
Meet Daimarelys
Stayed in 一月 2018
La Habana - Cuba
Meet Maria del Carmen
Stayed in 十二月 2017
Trinidad - Cuba
Meet Maité
Stayed in 十二月 2017
Sancti Spiritus - Cuba
Meet Norma Belen
Stayed in 十二月 2017
Camagüey - Cuba
Meet Carolina
Stayed in 十二月 2017
Santa Clara - Cuba
Meet Anayansy
Stayed in 十二月 2017
La Habana - Cuba
Meet Yanet
I can't really review the room itself, therefore an average room evaluation. I can only say that apparently the room needed some repair first from the hurricane a few months before, without me being informed before arriving in Havana.
To make a long story short, a room was reserved for me in Casa Viola just around the corner, in Trocadero 157.
This room was quiet alright, at the back of the house, which means no traffic noise. The location is quite close to old Havana. Friendly hosts as well who were very helpful.
Note: I was there in December, not February as Homestay strangely takes always the date of writing the review, instead of booking date.
The room is at the front with a balcony, so you can have some view outside on the street. As a consequence you will have some street noise during daytime, but at night it's quiet though.
The room is clean with private bathroom. The bathroom is also very clean with a great shower with real hot water!
(Maybe not clear on the photos where the bathroom is. It is just outside the room, but the corridor is separated with a curtain for your privacy, so no problem really.)
Maria is friendly and helpful.
If you didn't have a plan yet of your activities in Viñales, you will have it soon from Daimarelys. After a 10 minutes introduction (in English) of possible activities in Viñales, your activities for the next days will be booked at once. So after half an hour all is booked and payed, including breakfasts (if you don't want them too early in the morning).
My room itself was apparently in another house (about 50m away at T-crossing), so the following is about this house.
The lady of the Rosa y Layr house was spontaneous and friendly (and didn't speak English at all I guess). One of the best breakfasts I had of my last 3 weeks in Cuba, with six different fruits, bread, toast, egg,... all you need.
My bike (booked at arrival) was not really new, the least you could say, but the gears worked fairly OK.
The room is in an apartment building, with other rooms for rent.
When her room is already booked, she possibly offers you (before you book) a room from a neighbour at the back of the building. This was the case this time, so I stayed in the quiet room at the back. I liked the room at the front a bit more.
It's a bit outside the city center but walkable distance to city center and even from Viazul bus station. The room is quiet, with Cienfuegos being a fairly busy city, this can make a difference. Also clean room and lying next to the roof terrace which is a bonus. Unfortunately the weather was sometimes a bit chilly when I was there.
They offer extensive breakfast and delicious dinner with various food.
Friendly hosts, and they've bought a bottle of wine and a cake for my birthday. Muchas gracias!
Maité and Luis are friendly and make you feel at ease.
Nice and clean room with a private balcony at the back of the house. You can also sit downstairs at the front of the house, if you want to watch the street life.
(For internet access, they can connect with your Etecsa username and password, and then you can connect on their WiFi.)
Good breakfast and dinner (you can also order snacks or cocktails).
They also invited me to their New Year's Eve family party. It was a great atmosphere with food, drinks, and a lot of dancing, while sometimes neighbours passing by.
Muchas gracias por la invitación!
It's only about 1 km from the bus station and a walkable distance to the city center. It lies in a street with barely no traffic. They are friendly and try to help you in any way to give you a pleasant stay. I guess one of their rooms is a bit older, but mine was nice and very clean. And a bathroom with a real hot and powerful shower. You can relax on their terrace with a view on the beautiful garden.
I guess they normally serve only full breakfast at additional cost, but it's sure good value. And dinner is delicious too with a variety on food.
Surely one of the best rooms I had in Cuba!
Maite tries to help you wherever she can. Her English is very good by the way (because she works as a guide for tourists on group tours).
The room is surprisingly quiet for being in the city center, because only the bathroom has a ventilated window. The breakfast is included, which was quiet good breakfast for being free!
Both rooms are next to the roof terrace. But I guess I was at the good place at the wrong time. Because the roof terrace was being renovated. (I.e. breakfast downstairs and laundry dries next to the kitchen.) Internet also wasn't available because of an upgrade by Etecsa.
This being a temporary problem, the room is really good value for a cheap and quiet room with breakfast included!
You feel very welcome in their house. (My room was at the back on the upper floor, next to the roof terrace.)
Carolina is a great cook. Every meal has various and delicious dishes, with a variety of food in both breakfast and dinner. She will take care that you don't leave (even very early in the morning) without a proper breakfast.
They will also explain you in detail how to get to the interesting places of Camagüey.
Anayansy is cheerful and helpful host. She can give you advice on how to get somewhere, or any other issues in Santa Clara. It's a walkable distance from the city center in a quiet street, Although you can have some traffic noise in the morning (difficult to avoid in Cuba).
Clean and spacious room. And you can relax at the terrace at the back of the house.