In both Havana and Viñales my friend and I stayed at Casa Particulares, which just means a "private homestay". The Cuban government allows private citizens to run their own small businesses, such as B&Bs, restaurants, taxi services, etc. However, in doing so, the proprietors give a large portion of their earnings back to the government. In the case of Casa Particulares, the owners have to pay the government a fixed rate per room each month -- whether or not they have a guest to occupy it.
Based on the "people to people" requirement of traveling to Cuba from the United States, my friend and I decided it would be best to stay with locals rather than at a hotel. In both Viñales and Havana this proved a wise decision. We not only enjoyed our stays immensely but also learned an incredible amount about the Cuban people, government, culture, and way of life.
We booked through AirBnb and Homestay.com, excellent resources for connecting people with Cuban hosts. However, if you have the ability to connect with hosts directly (as I've provided direct contact details below), prices can often be less expensive and the hosts get to keep more of the money directly. It's a great deal for both sides.
Where to stay in Viñales
During our stay in Viñales, we lodged at Casa de Maxdey y Barbi. The family who owns it includes:
Jesus (husband)
Maxdey (wife)
Barbi (Maxdey's mother)
Two daughters*, ages one and ten
*Jesus also has three other grown daughters who live elsewhere
*Jesus also has three other grown daughters who live elsewhere
All five of them welcomed us warmly. Jesus picked us up from the airport, a 30 CUC charge per person, in his 2006 Toyota, and we drove in relative luxury (read: air conditioning) for the 2.5 hours from the Havana airport to Viñales.
None of the family members spoke a whole lot of English. (My friend speaks native Spanish, so that was a big help for us.) However, don't let language discourage you. Similar to any other country, it is always possible to understand the basics with images, gesturing, and a lot of smiling! At Casa de Maxdey y Barbi they're well prepared with images on the wall for what you can do during the day, and they've put together a small food menu if you decide to eat at the house.
For 8 CUC per person, Maxdey prepared dinner for us on the first night. The meal consisted of a plate of veggies for each of us (cucumber, tomato, and chopped cabbage -- a typical refrain we saw throughout our stay in Cuba), a bowl of bean soup, and an overly generous portion of chicken. She placed a bowl of rice in the middle for us to share and cut up some beautifully fresh fruit for dessert.
We later learned that 8 CUC is on the slightly more expensive side for food, since you can get 4-5 CUC meals in town. However, after eating at one of the private restaurants in Viñales, we were glad to spend the extra few American dollars to get such delicious home cooking over the small-portioned, ill-seasoned food in town.
Breakfast was waiting for us the next morning. The charge is only 5 CUC per person and is just as sizable. In addition to made-to-order eggs, we had side dishes of sweet small pancakes, bread slathered with farm fresh butter, a plate of fruit, squeezed juice, and strong coffee.
For 8 CUC per person, Maxdey prepared dinner for us on the first night. The meal consisted of a plate of veggies for each of us (cucumber, tomato, and chopped cabbage -- a typical refrain we saw throughout our stay in Cuba), a bowl of bean soup, and an overly generous portion of chicken. She placed a bowl of rice in the middle for us to share and cut up some beautifully fresh fruit for dessert.
We later learned that 8 CUC is on the slightly more expensive side for food, since you can get 4-5 CUC meals in town. However, after eating at one of the private restaurants in Viñales, we were glad to spend the extra few American dollars to get such delicious home cooking over the small-portioned, ill-seasoned food in town.
Breakfast was waiting for us the next morning. The charge is only 5 CUC per person and is just as sizable. In addition to made-to-order eggs, we had side dishes of sweet small pancakes, bread slathered with farm fresh butter, a plate of fruit, squeezed juice, and strong coffee.
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| Our second breakfast at Casa de Maxdey y Barbi |
During our time there, Jesus and Maxdey really took care of us. Jesus drove us places he didn't need to, Maxdey brought me medicine, and both of them welcomed us into their conversations, their homes, and their family. On our second afternoon together, we took a trip to a nearby river where locals go to soak and cool off in the shallow water. Along the way, we picked up one of Jesus' older daughters who has since moved out of the house and manages a local clinic. Jesus spoke with great pride about his daughter's performance as the province's top scholar and told us about her upcoming government-sponsored trip to Brazil to practice medicine in under-served communities there. By the end of our stay, we truly felt at home. When Jesus drove us back to Havana, he told us to be cautious in the "big city" and wouldn't leave until he found out if his "daughters" had chosen a nice place to stay. Once he was satisfied with our safety, he gave us big hugs and drove away.
How to reach Casa de Maxdey y Barbi:
Phone: 4-879-6219
Mobile: (+53)01-5-834-2884
Mobile: (+53)01-5-245-3215
Email: maxdejesus@nauta.cu
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| Our air-conditioned room with a single bed and double bed. |
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| The en suite bathroom |
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| The living room/kitchen area just outside the bedroom |
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| Gate that separates the guest area from the rest of the house. A gate lock and a room lock make this already safe town feel perfectly secure. |