As I've written, my friend and I decided to book home stays for our time in Cuba. Our homestay in Viñales couldn't have been better. As it turned out, we got lucky in Havana, too.
Dropping us off in Havana, our Viñales host, Jesus, insisted he know where his "two daughters" were going to be staying. He made sure we were alright before leaving, and the transition to Casa Randy in the capital couldn't have been more smooth.
Fanny owns and runs the 3-bedroom B&B in the old town of Havana with her husband and two small children (both adorable and well behaved). She speaks English very well, and we were impressed by her business acumen. If you sit and speak with Fanny (in Spanglish), you can learn a lot. Fanny herself comes across as a down-to-earth, pragmatic entrepreneur. She takes care of her guests and does the best she can in a difficult economic system within Cuba.
The apartment, a four bedroom flat, houses the whole Randy family in one room to keep three open (air conditioned) rooms for guests. One bedroom has an en suite bathroom, and my friend and I shared a hallway bathroom with another set of guests.
Breakfast at Casa Randy is included in the stay. Fanny and her mother flit around the kitchen cooking, serving, cooking, and serving -- offering up what seemed like a three-course breakfast feast. We had eggs to order, fresh fruit, tea/coffee, bread, bacon, and a different juice daily. For our first breakfast in Havana, we had intended to eat quickly so as to maximize our time exploring. However, with three sets of guests and a talkative host, we ended up spending two and a half hours eating, chatting, sipping tea and coffee, and chatting some more. Those two hours learning firsthand about the country were more precious to me than the rest of the day walking around plazas in Old Havana later that day.
The apartment, located near one of the main boulevards in Old Havana, was easily accessible to most of the important tourist sites. Only a 5 minute walk from Museum of the Revolution, the Cuban Art Museum, the Capital building, and the Malecon (boardwalk), the accommodations were quite central.
If you have the chance, I would highly recommend staying with Fanny at Casa Randy in Havana.
How to reach Casa Randy:
Phone: 7-866-3057
Mobile: 5-804-4797
Email: randyjesuscasares@yahoo.es
Mobile: 5-804-4797
Email: randyjesuscasares@yahoo.es
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Double bed; single bed on the other wall. Room included a fan and air conditioning.
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The breakfast area, which had three tables, one for each guest room. Breakfast was delicious.
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