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What's New: An Online Update
for Frommer's Cuba
By Eliot Greenspan, Frommers,
January 10, 2005.
As of November 8, 2004, the US Dollar is
no longer being accepted as legal tender
in Cuba. Travelers arriving with US Dollars
can exchange them for the Convertible Cuban
Peso (CUC) at a one-to-one ratio at the
airport and at CADECA official exchange
houses around the country. A 10% fee is
charged on all US Dollar exchanges into
Convertible Cuban Pesos. However, no such
10% fee is assessed for changing your Convertible
Cuban Pesos back into US Dollars upon leaving
the country. Moreover, the 10% fee is not
charged on exchanges of Euros, British Pounds,
Canadian dollars or other foreign currencies
into Convertible Cuban Pesos. (A lesser
exchange fee of between 1%-2% may be assessed
as a service charge).
Cuba was hard hit by several hurricanes
this year, particularly Charley and Ivan.
The worst damage was sustained on the western
end of the island in Pinar del Rio province.
However, while crops and buildings were
battered and destroyed, loss of life was
very minimal and rebuilding of most tourist
attractions, as well as hotels and restaurants
has been quick.
Cuba did not "fall back" onto
Eastern Standard Daylight Savings time this
fall, and will remain on Eastern Standard
Time, 5 hours behind GMT year round, as
an energy saving measure.
The Spanish Pullmantur cruise ship company
(www.pullmanturcruises.com) has made Havana
its Caribbean home port. The company's standard
7-day cruise docks at Havana, Montego Bay,
Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Cancún.
You can also begin the trip in Cancún.
Havana
The Hotel Ambos Mundos has received much
overdue remodeling and maintenance. Both
the rooms and public spaces have gotten
a mix of fresh paint, new furnishings and
updated décor, while still maintaining
the hotel's historic ambiance.
Habaguanex has opened a small, but modern
gym in the Hotel Raquel (Calle Amargura
and San Ignacio; tel. 7/860-8280; www.habaguanex.com).
Use of the facilities costs US$5 per day.
You can also get massages, private trainers,
or take a sauna for additional fees.
The Terraza Mirador San Carlos is a beautiful
new rooftop bar and restaurant located at
the Hotel San Miguel (Calle Cuba N°
52 at the corner of Peña Pobre, La
Habana Vieja; tel. 7/863-7283). The bar
offers a beautiful view of Havana harbor.
Another new restaurant, El Templete, has
been opened besides its namesake historical
monument, just off the Plaza de Armas. Located
at the corner of Calle San Pedro and Narciso
López, this historic restaurant specializes
in seafood, and also features a rooftop
bar with wonderful views of Havana harbor.
Havana's famed Tropicana Nightclub is revamping
it's nightly show somewhat. The new presentation
will be called "Tabores en Concierto
(Drums in Concert)". Apparently the
new show will tone down some of the more
overt sexuality and skimpy costumes and
highlight the country's Afro-Caribbean culture
and song.
Viñales and Western Cuba
Cruise ships have begun calling again at
Isla de la Juventud, with at least one or
two large ships per week making a stop at
the beautiful beach of Punta Frances.
Varadero and Matanzas Province
Originally built to be the Superclub's
chain's flagship Gran Lido resort, the new
Sandals Princesa del Mar (tel. 45/66-7200;
sales@princesadelmar.co.cu) is up and running
with 434 luxury rooms and an impressive
array of facilities. This is a couples-only
resort.
The Cuban company Gaviota and the Spanish
chain Barceló have recently opened
the five-star Barceló Marina Palace
Resort (www.barcelo.com) towards the far
eastern end of the Varadero peninsula on
beautiful Playa Azul. The resort has 296
rooms, and four suites.
Trinidad and Central Cuba
The once isolated, always spectacular and
almost always deserted beach of Playa Ensenacho
will soon be home to the 400-plus room five-star
Occidental Royal Ensenacho (www.occidental-hoteles.com).
The beach will still be beautiful, but it
will no longer be an isolated wonder.
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago's main east-west avenue, Enramadas
is getting a major facelift in honor of
the city's 490th birthday. Beginning at
Plaza Marte and extending down to the harbor,
the street, sidewalk and fronting buildings
and parks will all receive various amounts
of restoration, repair and general maintenance.
Take
part in discussions with fellow travelers
on our Cuba Message Boards today.
© 2000-2005
by Wiley Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
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