January 2005
First Choice Holiday, Cuba
Hotel Sevilla, Havana and Barcelo Solymar, Varadero.
Flight.
When we checked in at Gatwick, my wife and I were told that our seats were not together side-by-side - but one behind the other. As you might imagine, we were a little upset about this, as we had paid for Premium seats, and sort of expected that we might get to sit together! The lady on check-in said there was nothing she could do about this. Luckily for us, one of the staff checking people into the boarding gate identified two single travellers in standard seats who might be prepared to move to Premium seats. We then completed the trip to Varadero in standard seats. Had it not been for the helpful lady at Gatwick, and the stewardess on the plane, who asked the two if they would move, we would not have been able to sit together on the (10 hour) flight.
It is not clear who is responsible for this ridiculous cock-up. However, the two Premium class rows in the 737-400 have an odd number of seats, 7 per row. This means they can only sit 3 and a half couples per row, with one couple having to be separated. It would appear that if you pay to reserve your seats, in addition to paying for Premium seats, you can guarantee adjacent seats. However, if you have only PAID for Premium seats (£125 per person!), and have not reserved your seats, then you could end up in this situation.
This ridiculous situation was repeated again on the return journey (as it must do on every 737-400 flight). Luckily, we were at check-in early enough to secure our seats together. Another couple had to endure being separated for the duration of an Atlantic crossing.
First Choice at no time told us that we were not guaranteed adjacent seats, even though we had paid an extra £125 for the Premium seats. This is quite dishonest, as this is clearly a problem on every flight to and from Varadero.
On top of everything else, we also had to watch Terminal, with Tom Hanks, which is rubbish.
Hotel Sofitel Sevilla la Habana, Calle Trocadero 55, Havana
The Hotel Sevilla is next to the Prado, in Old Havana. From our hotel room we were afforded a view of the Prado, and a view across the rooftops of the city. It is ideally placed to visit the city.
We were expected, and there were no check-in or check-out problems. The rooms were musty and high-ceilinged - much as you would expect from a property of this vintage. The bed was one of the least comfortable I've experienced, although all the linen was clean. The bedroom floor was tiled, and the dust on the floor was probably one of the characteristics of living in Havana. The shower was a bit complicated, and the water wasn't always hot, but this is Havana, and you shouldn't expect perfect plumbing. Room safe seemed secure, although a decent lever would have it off the wall in no time.
Internet access (slow) is available in the lobby area. The breakfast room is clean and airy, and we couldn't really fault the food or service here.
Warning - parents of excitable boisterous children should be wary of staying here. All of the rooms open onto internal balconies overlooking a cavernous atrium. The balcony walkways are bounded by walls that are probably less than four feet high and really inviting for children to climb on to. It would be easy for a child to slip off one of these walls.
The hotel lobby has several tables (and chairs). Snacks and drinks are available from the bar. However, the service here is particularly poor. You can sometimes sit for a long time at a table before being served - if at all. You improve your chances of being served by being closer to the bar. However, your order being taken is no guarantee of ever receiving it! If you're really thirsty, you're better off going up to the bar without waiting. We later discovered that this is not the only place in Cuba where the service is less than sparkling…
The hotel also allows different musicians into the lobby area each evening to serenade the guests. Should you be seated at the tables, you are, of course, approached and asked what song you would like. Saying "No thanks" is not an option. Neither is it a free song. Should you not be forthcoming with at least 1 peso, the singer will act as if offended - "Did you not like the song?" To be fair, the musicians in the Sevilla were reasonable performers.
We saw one of the bands from the Sevilla in The Floridita on a later night, and duly paid for our song - to go with the (expensive) Daiquiri. What annoyed us was that, because customers were (surprisingly) a little thin on the ground, the band started a second lap of the bar, approaching customers who had already paid once for a song. Some of the customers were less than pleased by the blatant nature of this, and the singer's reaction to the customers' reluctance to pay verged on the offensive.
Havana.
We only had 2 full days to see Havana. We could certainly have filled at least three more. We saw mainly Havana Vieja, or Old Havana.
We would recommend a leisurely snack on the terrace of the Capitolio.
We had an evening meal at El Patio, near the Cathedral. Unfortunately, much of the menu wasn't available (a common occurrence in Cuba). The food, when it arrived, was underwhelming - much like the service. Not recommended.
We also had a pizza at a restaurant/bar A Prado y Neptuno, near Parque Central. Would definitely recommend this place. Good food; good atmosphere.
TIP-always ensure you carry tissues and small coins (centavos). Public lavatories are scarce in Havana (and in Cuba generally). Those you do find will generally have no seat, no paper, sometimes no door (!) and you will have to pay a small fee for the privilege.
Barcelo Solymar Resort Hotel, Varadero
We asked to be accommodated within the main hotel building, following comments read on the internet. The rooms in themselves were fine. Clean with reasonable facilities. Clothes storage space was in short supply, and my clothes were laid onto the suitcase in the bedroom. A coffee machine was provided, although in our first room no coffee cups were provided. The safe appeared to be well fixed, and reasonably secure. The linen was clean, although the mattress was as soft and lumpy as you would find in most other hotels. The TV was ok, with all the usual foreign channels plus CNN and a couple of movie channels.
The biggest problem with the room was the noise. Some of the rooms in the hotel open onto open walkways overlooking the hotel's main lobby area, as did ours. This is a large cavernous area containing the reception desk and the hotel's main bar - known as the Lobby Bar. This bar is open 24 hours every day, and the constant noise of singing, laughing, talking, shouting, clinking glass, birds squawking etc. carries right into all of the rooms that are adjacent to this area. We tolerated this for a couple of nights before approaching the First Choice rep and asking for a room change. We asked on Wednesday, and were given a different, much quieter, room on Friday. We suspect all Tour Operators know of the problems with these rooms…
Not really sure how the food in the restaurant compared to other all-inclusives, as haven't done one before. There was always plenty to choose from - the problem sometimes was finding something appealing.
On offer for breakfast was the usual selection of breads, and eggs. Cereal and juices were also on offer; however finding a cereal bowl or a fruit juice glass was sometimes a challenge. They did seem to run out quite quickly, and were a bit slow to bring clean ones out. If you really wanted, you could try the previous night's vegetables, as they were usually available. Even sprouts! They also serve the worst coffee you will ever taste.
Lunch was generally the time when the best and freshest food was available, as they never appeared to offer the previous night's food. Also, lunch was when they cooked fresh chips. Those not eaten lunchtime were generally offered again in the evening - but warm (ish). Mmm.
The biggest problems with the food was not a lack of choice, but a failure to fully appreciate how non-cubans liked some of their foods cooked and presented.
There are 5 main bars within the complex, some of which serve food at various times. We found significant differences in the service at each of the bars. The best service was had from the 2 pool bars, where you would not have to wait long at a table before being waited. The worst service was at the Lobby Bar. Unless it was obvious you were brandishing a tip, you could wait forever before being waited. The waiters at the Lobby Bar appeared to be happiest in a glass-collecting role, and were well practised in managing to collect the glasses from all of the tables while avoiding eye contact with any guests. The best way to get a drink here was to stand at the bar. The bar staff were usually happy to serve guests at the bar, although one or two saw even this as a chore.
The culture of tipping in Cuba (which is not generally a problem) appears to have developed, at the Barcelo Solymar (although I suspect the other all-inclusive hotels are the same), to the point where the unwritten rule adhered to by some key staff is "The food and drink might be free, but you will have to pay to receive it. It is only a few staff who work this way. Unfortunately, it is those particular high-profile staff who know the position they hold gives them the access to the most tips, and who, consequently, abuse their position. The majority of staff we encountered within the complex were helpful and courteous. There are, however, a few who are visibly less so. We made a point of tipping after good service. We were not about to provide tips for grudging, reluctant, indifferent service.
There are within the hotel, a number of vendors selling various goods. Almost without exception, the same goods can be bought significantly cheaper in Varadero. If the wind is in the right direction, you occasionally get an oily whiff from the refineries.
Best things about Barcelo Solymar were: proximity to the beach; proximity to Varadero (important if the weather is poor, or if you want to try a different restaurant); cleanliness; apparently secure.
Poor things about Barcelo Solymar: too many rooms close to lobby area; bizarre presentation of some foods; too many reluctant waiting staff.
I suspect the Barcelo Solymar is probably one of the better hotels in Cuba, and some of the above might be thought of as petty, but they remain important issues, that will continue to be an issue.
We were at Varadero for 10 days. Only on 4 of those days did the wind abate sufficiently to not have red flags on the beach. We would have liked a trip on the catamaran but, unfortunately, the weather was a little unpredictable. Varadero Varadero town is dull. It has a few markets, and a few restaurants, and not much else. The Barcelo Solymar is, however, close enough to the town for bored tourists to stretch their legs with a walk into town.
On one day we visited Matanzas. This is a town where many off the hotel staff live, and is more typically of Cuban towns than Havana. It certainly has enough to see to warrant spending a few hours here away from the sterility of Varadero.
We enjoyed our trip to Cuba, and would recommend it as a destination. 3 days in Havana is certainly not enough; 10 days in Varadero is certainly too many.