Thread: Havana
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11-24-22 18:08 #7068
Posts: 7Airbnb is a convenience that you end up paying more for. A lot of the casa particulars can be had for a fraction of the price and they often advertise locally and on airbnb. Try sites like revolico and look for apartments for foreigners. You will have direct access to the owners plus at decent prices.
Ask your cab driver to find you a place. They get their cut but they have stacks of business cards and contacts. Always good to have a driver that can hook you up and help you navigate the lay of the land on your first visit. Of course that comes at a cost but it's part of the Cuban initiation for first timers.
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11-23-22 14:17 #7067
Posts: 9Thanks for the info
Originally Posted by MrJibb [View Original Post]
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11-23-22 07:59 #7066
Posts: 118Cuc Peso Dollar
I am not a young handsome Euro surfer boy, I guess Better to call me an ugly American, who tries to be good and nice to everyone.
I have many more weeks on the ground in Cuba than You cite, mostly in Havana and each time registered properly in an nice Airbnb apartment on the Malecon, not some flea bag room or hostel and each time I had permission for girl as guest. Yes, I had a girl every night and yes I registered them. There is No problem how you arrange accommodations for your stay, but you better make sure you and she are registered with immigration if the law comes knocking. The apartment owner is supposed to do this within 1 day of rental. Yes, I know first hand about police / immigration inspections and they do happen, more so to catch apartment owners renting OFF the books and not reporting income, than to catch you with some girl. Yes, You will be in trouble if they catch you unregistered to an apartment along with the owner.
I do not care what the money is called CUC or Cup but you are crazy if you think the banks or any other business comes close to giving You the black market exchange of 200 pesos to $1 usd presently, especially while the government ratio is 25 pesos to $1 usd. I would estimate I have exchanged over $20,000 usd on the streets and only got 1 counterfeit bill returned to my knowledge. Yes, the US Dollar is KING. The Euro and Canadian money is accepted, but, not as freely. Note, where are All the desperate Cubans trying to flee? Dang sure is not Canada or Europe, it is the Good ole USA, specifically Miami. Yes, read this article in Reuters? Is that an American news source? (https://www.reuters.com/article/cuba...-idUKL1N2UY27G). They must be misinformed also about the USD in Cuba, you need to enlighten them. I just left Havana last week. As an example, The 2 outside restaurants at the Havana T3 Airport terminal had a total of about 18 hamburgers at one location and a bag of juice being sold by the glass. No water, No beer, No soft drinks, NADA. The other location had Nothing. Yes the mall you cite takes the MLC card. I do not have such, but, it is in USD increments, not Euro or Canadian basically only the upper class of Cuba has such card. Remember US credit cards or Bank cards are not accepted on the island. Everywhere I did spend USD, I got USD in change basically. Basically there are no stores open for food; water or necessities, also cited in article above.
I guess we visited different planets Buddy?
Finally if cheap food is so easy to find, please help all the other Cuban people standing in the streets for hours on end to get a morsel for their families Buddy.
Forgive me, you must have been wearing some of those a Elton John Rose colored glasses.
Cuba is in a sad state of affairs.
God have pity and bless these people now.
Rainman.
Maybe you can afford a membership after your trip.
There seems to be a lot of people here writing and speculating how things work that don't have a clue so I (as a traveller who's now been here 4 weeks) thought I'd clear some things out. I'm euro, surfer, very experienced traveller all over the world to give you an idea of my preferences and how I think. I speak decent "street Spanish" from travelling, but faaar from fluent. If you're very different to me then you may look at things differently, but then that's you.
First off, CUC is no more, it's CUP now, Cuban Peso. You can exchange it with cash at the CADECA https://www.cadeca.cu/ around most towns, and the rate changes daily with exchange rates. They accept most larger currencies and give you different rates. Because the people want USD / CAD / EUR / GBP they will give you a higher rate on the street. You find these people everywhere offering, but you risk getting ripped off and getting "fake money", so if you want to do this, make sure you find someone reliable, maybe someone your landlord or similar recommends. USD is not "king", many want EUR too. You can pay most things with EUR / USD, even in restaurants (if you find them) and they will give you change back in peso according to whatever rate they tell you there, which sometimes is same as CADECA, but less than on the street (obviously). So bring lots of cash but also smaller notes if you want to "keep" your currency. You pay drinks or dinner for 5 USD with a 50 you get 45 USD x the CADECA rate or less at the bar, which you could have taken to a guy on the street for more CUP.
Food and everything is sometimes scarce, and even finding a restaurant can be difficult, unless you stick to Old Havana, but I'm a traveller and want to explore the city, by foot. There's a shopping street behind Capitolio, and also a mall 10 minute walk from Old Havana and they have "everything" there, so you can find what you need, if you just search. I rented a place near the Viazul bus station, main station in Havana and walked 40 minutes before I found an (open) restaurant at 8 pm a Wednesday night. Some were closed, some were open but without food, drinks, and very few to choose from. Old Havana is better, there are a few good ones but you will get harassed with cigars, hustlers and so on more frequently, constantly. Bottled water you can of course drink, I have not drunk tap water but don't see the point as there's always bottled water around somewhere. I haven't gotten sick or even had any stomach issues from any food in 4 weeks and I eat with my dirty hands sometimes, haha. The food, if you find it, is clean as far as I've experienced. I've eaten from local joints, restaurants, on the street. A meal is anywhere from 400-1000 CUP, you do the math with your rate Beer is 200-300, or found as low as 90. Cocktails 100-300.
Regarding chicas. I've spent a few nights in different "Airbnb's" which is a casa particular / hostal / hotel, they call it pretty different, but it's more or less the same. I book through Airbnb because I can pay with my credit card and hang on to my CUP, but with this comes a fee to airbnb of course and all that. I'll rather pay that, and also they give you some safety and guarantee. You can also choose online, depending on location, reviews and such. It's absolutely possible to figure out how to contact the hosts outside of Airbnb, it's not difficult to figure it out, just think and be smart when you send them a message. But this takes extra time and effort, something maybe I'd like to spend on other things. Use a VPN for most things here on your phone. Wifi is more or less non-existent everywhere, so get a Cubacell sim, and also this can be very slow. Most hosts reply very fast as first of all most Cubans have SIM-card with 4 g and can reply, secondly, it's not uncommon it's their children working in and running the account from Europe or US and the parents are at the house to receive you, hand out keys and such.
The first one was stern "no visitors" and I'm sure they would have kicked me out if I broke that rule. I booked this through hotels.com, but it was a room in a casa particular.
The second one was a room in a "hotel / hostal" but it was a casa particular. I wouldn't have brought a girl there as it was next to where the host lived.
Third was an apartment in a building, private, but the parents to the host lived in the apartment next door. I brought a girl there daytime, just a girl I got in touch with on Badoo, we had drinks, a snack, and fucked. She just wanted to fuck a hot Euro surfer I guess Not all girls are prostitutes or want money, some just want fun. I picked up a girl at a marina in Varadero where a band was playing, had sex the next day. No payment, just wanted to have fun. Both Cuban and did not speak English but as long as you speak little and try and you're not a dick it's all good. Rest of Varadera / Santa Marta / Matanzas / Cardenas there are probably very few chicas to buy, but many to contact on Badoo and either go on a regular date (something I prefer as I get to practice Spanish and I don't know if there will be sex or not, and that uncertainty is exciting), or some want money. Forget Tinder, it's rubbish. Badoo has plenty of users and easy to get in touch. I've picked up girls on the beach too, but obviously it helps I'm a "sexy kitesurfer" but it's definitely possible to just approach girls, and not having to pay for sex, just drinks and be a nice guy. They are people and want to be treated as such. Girls in Havana you can pick up for as little as 2000 peso, and they will contact you and offer, pretty much all over the city, but obviously depend on many factors. I'd rather pay a bit more for "quality", but no more than 5000 You can also pay them in Euro or USD, but then you comply with "their" exchange rate" and make sure you have change because they won't have it. Smartest is to exchange to CUP for a high rate on the street, then pay the chica in CUP which you've bought for a high rate. The girl wanting 2000 CUP may want 20 USD if you have that. At 150 USD / CUP you would have gotten it cheaper, now you're loosing money paying her in USD. Same goes for all transactions. Many girls don't want 5000 CUP because it could be 50 100 CUP bills or 250 20's which is a stack.
The fourth Airbnb was a private apartment, but having that said, the walls are paper thin and on the other side of the bathroom was the landladys bedroom. This is difficult to see and figure out booking on Airbnb. Surprisingly she didn't take my passport or asked for a signature when I checked in which all other places have been very thorough about. Nevertheless I would not have taken a girl and "made noise" in that house. Luckily I had my "friend" visiting me, travelling around (and fucking) so I didn't need to search for anyone, but none of us where registered checking in at this place. So even if you book a "private apartment" you can still be "connected" with the host, or very close. It also has to do with respect, I personally don't want to get anyone in trouble just cause I want to fuck a girl, but I'm well mannered Euro so maybe the yanks don't give a fuck and that's why people dislike them everywhere because they always want respect but never show any.
My last night in Cuba is on Friday and I'm renting in a new location, private apartment so we'll see how private it is and what I feel comfortable doing and what the host indicates.
Any questions feel free to ask and I'll answer when I can.
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11-23-22 01:39 #7065
Posts: 249"I'm well mannered Euro so maybe the yanks don't give a fuck and that's why people dislike them everywhere because they always want respect but never show any. ".
Excuse me? How dare you, a foreigner, refer that way to your sovereign lords and masters, Americans of the US of A?
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11-22-22 18:22 #7064
Posts: 333Originally Posted by MjTravelLove [View Original Post]
And because I'm so impressive and you are so thankful I will tell you something more!
You can also use Telegram with fake location to join groups in Havana and find groups with people offering casas.
You can thank me later.
And yes, of course those Airbnb People are crazy, I already said that.
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11-22-22 18:13 #7063
Posts: 39Cuba update, 4 weeks in
There seems to be a lot of people here writing and speculating how things work that don't have a clue so I (as a traveller who's now been here 4 weeks) thought I'd clear some things out. I'm euro, surfer, very experienced traveller all over the world to give you an idea of my preferences and how I think. I speak decent "street Spanish" from travelling, but faaar from fluent. If you're very different to me then you may look at things differently, but then that's you.
First off, CUC is no more, it's CUP now, Cuban Peso. You can exchange it with cash at the CADECA https://www.cadeca.cu/ around most towns, and the rate changes daily with exchange rates. They accept most larger currencies and give you different rates. Because the people want USD / CAD / EUR / GBP they will give you a higher rate on the street. You find these people everywhere offering, but you risk getting ripped off and getting "fake money", so if you want to do this, make sure you find someone reliable, maybe someone your landlord or similar recommends. USD is not "king", many want EUR too. You can pay most things with EUR / USD, even in restaurants (if you find them) and they will give you change back in peso according to whatever rate they tell you there, which sometimes is same as CADECA, but less than on the street (obviously). So bring lots of cash but also smaller notes if you want to "keep" your currency. You pay drinks or dinner for 5 USD with a 50 you get 45 USD x the CADECA rate or less at the bar, which you could have taken to a guy on the street for more CUP.
Food and everything is sometimes scarce, and even finding a restaurant can be difficult, unless you stick to Old Havana, but I'm a traveller and want to explore the city, by foot. There's a shopping street behind Capitolio, and also a mall 10 minute walk from Old Havana and they have "everything" there, so you can find what you need, if you just search. I rented a place near the Viazul bus station, main station in Havana and walked 40 minutes before I found an (open) restaurant at 8 pm a Wednesday night. Some were closed, some were open but without food, drinks, and very few to choose from. Old Havana is better, there are a few good ones but you will get harassed with cigars, hustlers and so on more frequently, constantly. Bottled water you can of course drink, I have not drunk tap water but don't see the point as there's always bottled water around somewhere. I haven't gotten sick or even had any stomach issues from any food in 4 weeks and I eat with my dirty hands sometimes, haha. The food, if you find it, is clean as far as I've experienced. I've eaten from local joints, restaurants, on the street. A meal is anywhere from 400-1000 CUP, you do the math with your rate Beer is 200-300, or found as low as 90. Cocktails 100-300.
Regarding chicas. I've spent a few nights in different "Airbnb's" which is a casa particular / hostal / hotel, they call it pretty different, but it's more or less the same. I book through Airbnb because I can pay with my credit card and hang on to my CUP, but with this comes a fee to airbnb of course and all that. I'll rather pay that, and also they give you some safety and guarantee. You can also choose online, depending on location, reviews and such. It's absolutely possible to figure out how to contact the hosts outside of Airbnb, it's not difficult to figure it out, just think and be smart when you send them a message. But this takes extra time and effort, something maybe I'd like to spend on other things. Use a VPN for most things here on your phone. Wifi is more or less non-existent everywhere, so get a Cubacell sim, and also this can be very slow. Most hosts reply very fast as first of all most Cubans have SIM-card with 4 g and can reply, secondly, it's not uncommon it's their children working in and running the account from Europe or US and the parents are at the house to receive you, hand out keys and such.
The first one was stern "no visitors" and I'm sure they would have kicked me out if I broke that rule. I booked this through hotels.com, but it was a room in a casa particular.
The second one was a room in a "hotel / hostal" but it was a casa particular. I wouldn't have brought a girl there as it was next to where the host lived.
Third was an apartment in a building, private, but the parents to the host lived in the apartment next door. I brought a girl there daytime, just a girl I got in touch with on Badoo, we had drinks, a snack, and fucked. She just wanted to fuck a hot Euro surfer I guess Not all girls are prostitutes or want money, some just want fun. I picked up a girl at a marina in Varadero where a band was playing, had sex the next day. No payment, just wanted to have fun. Both Cuban and did not speak English but as long as you speak little and try and you're not a dick it's all good. Rest of Varadera / Santa Marta / Matanzas / Cardenas there are probably very few chicas to buy, but many to contact on Badoo and either go on a regular date (something I prefer as I get to practice Spanish and I don't know if there will be sex or not, and that uncertainty is exciting), or some want money. Forget Tinder, it's rubbish. Badoo has plenty of users and easy to get in touch. I've picked up girls on the beach too, but obviously it helps I'm a "sexy kitesurfer" but it's definitely possible to just approach girls, and not having to pay for sex, just drinks and be a nice guy. They are people and want to be treated as such. Girls in Havana you can pick up for as little as 2000 peso, and they will contact you and offer, pretty much all over the city, but obviously depend on many factors. I'd rather pay a bit more for "quality", but no more than 5000 You can also pay them in Euro or USD, but then you comply with "their" exchange rate" and make sure you have change because they won't have it. Smartest is to exchange to CUP for a high rate on the street, then pay the chica in CUP which you've bought for a high rate. The girl wanting 2000 CUP may want 20 USD if you have that. At 150 USD / CUP you would have gotten it cheaper, now you're loosing money paying her in USD. Same goes for all transactions. Many girls don't want 5000 CUP because it could be 50 100 CUP bills or 250 20's which is a stack.
The fourth Airbnb was a private apartment, but having that said, the walls are paper thin and on the other side of the bathroom was the landladys bedroom. This is difficult to see and figure out booking on Airbnb. Surprisingly she didn't take my passport or asked for a signature when I checked in which all other places have been very thorough about. Nevertheless I would not have taken a girl and "made noise" in that house. Luckily I had my "friend" visiting me, travelling around (and fucking) so I didn't need to search for anyone, but none of us where registered checking in at this place. So even if you book a "private apartment" you can still be "connected" with the host, or very close. It also has to do with respect, I personally don't want to get anyone in trouble just cause I want to fuck a girl, but I'm well mannered Euro so maybe the yanks don't give a fuck and that's why people dislike them everywhere because they always want respect but never show any.
My last night in Cuba is on Friday and I'm renting in a new location, private apartment so we'll see how private it is and what I feel comfortable doing and what the host indicates.
Any questions feel free to ask and I'll answer when I can.
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11-22-22 13:46 #7062
Posts: 39Originally Posted by RainmanSahut [View Original Post]
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11-22-22 06:54 #7061
Posts: 250Role models
You are so damn impressive. You're probably the first person who ever rented a casa directly from the owner / manager in Cuba. And then you got one chica on the bed and the other in the bedroom. Those airbnb people are such idiots it's crazy right? I highly commend and support you as a role model for all, primarily due to superior disposition that you're, frankly, not afraid to toss around.
Originally Posted by DzikaBomba [View Original Post]
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11-20-22 11:13 #7060
Posts: 333Originally Posted by EMode [View Original Post]
I have found and contacted casa owners this way directly.
I have a few groups and even casa owners.
But this is all in german, so I think this will not help you.
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11-20-22 06:47 #7059
Posts: 1096Originally Posted by Muzungufotsy [View Original Post]
As far as Cuba goes all bets are off. Most owners don't even have their own access to the internet so interesting that you have so many ways to do this. Now if you already know someone there, and they do have access to the internet, then perhaps you can do it. Most people don't have that option if they are booking from outside.
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11-19-22 17:40 #7058
Posts: 25Originally Posted by Zeos1 [View Original Post]
If anyone has a site other than airbnb to see casas on, I'd love a link (not sure if that's allowed on this forum though). I'm hoping to be out there in May, so I'd love to find a place by March / April.
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11-17-22 04:09 #7057
Posts: 1096Originally Posted by DzikaBomba [View Original Post]
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11-17-22 00:58 #7056
Posts: 20Originally Posted by DzikaBomba [View Original Post]
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11-16-22 21:40 #7055
Posts: 333Airbnb?
I really don't understand why you always need this Airbnb BS, especially in a country like Cuba.
This is sooo american.
I will arrive next year and I alreday have private contacts from casa owners or middle man, who can provide casas.
First Facebook Contacts, than Whatsapp and I make a private deal.
Why should I use an american company, which takes high commissions, only for renting a room?!
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11-16-22 17:22 #7054
Posts: 537Originally Posted by DrewFromTexas [View Original Post]