Hi there, welcome to HT, sorry that no-one's replied so far but you're asking for quite a bit of info...

I'll try to help and I'm sure that some of our other members who are au fait with Cuba will also pitch in....

May I assume that it's your first time to Cuba?

As far as your hotel is concerned, there are no reviews of PCV in the HT database so I can only assume that either none of our members have been there, or if they have, then they haven't posted a report.. (shame!) - perhaps you could be the first, on your return..

In the meantime, there are some reviews on a rival site, just "google" the hotel and you'll find them, also have you consulted the copy of the "insider info" in the travel agent?

You're staying on the north east coast, presume that you're flying in to Holguin?

As all beaces in Cuba are "public" - you often don't have to go very far to find a local or two... Cubans are a very friendly people who will be very happy to share the time of day with you... do you speak spanish? - If not, don't worry.. English is widely spoken in the resort areas...

You will be able to strike up a bargain with a local Taxi driver who will take you to some places of interest... possibly even his own home or a small restaurant that he knows... barter the price... a common saying when offered anything is "it was cheaper yesterday!"

IF you're going to mix with the locals, be aware that although most are friendly and helpful to holidaymakers, there are always a few unscrupulous types who will try to c o n you... usual s c a m s include "jineteros" : http://somuchworld.com/cuba/jinetero/travel_guide

Also, be aware of the currency... you should always be in possession of CONVERTIBLE (tourist) Pesos NEVER the indigenous Pesos, they are worthless....

Always change your money at an OFFICIAL Cabana.. there is usually one in the arrival hall at the airport....

I'm sure that there are childrens homes in Cuba, but I think that they are few and far between... Cuba prides itself on it's "family values" and children are VERY well cared for within the system... having said that, they LOVE little gifts such as pens, crayons, hair slides and braids... stuff that you can pick up for pence at places like "Claires" they have to pay a fortune for....

Cuba has some of the best beaches in the Caribbean... I've travelled widely round that area (including Cuba three times) and the beaches in Cuba are my favourite... generally very safe and I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to swimming in the sea!!

TVs - can't comment at this particular hotel, But my general experience is that there will be a couple of local stations and possibly CNN and one or two other english channels - it's variable... but I never bother with TV when on holiday anyway....

Excursions from where you will be - well the City of Santiago de Cuba must be well worth a visit.. and if you've got a couple of days to spare, well Havana is a must... (to do it in a day from where you are will be a VERY long day - unless you get an internal flight) but you'd need an overnight stay at least....

I've rambled on a bit.. sorry not to be more helpful concerning your specific questions... please feel free to pm me or post anything else that you think we can help with..

ATB,J.

The reviews are here:

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/reviews/caribbean/cuba/guardalavaca/playa-costa-verde-hotel/

I think there is confusion on here sometimes between resorts and hotel resorts.

We were there 4 years ago there is further info and photos on my website below.

Hi, we have been to Cuba three times. The first time we stayed at the PP which is next door to your hotel. The beach and sea are lovely. You can get a taxi and go to the nearest town, its about 10 miles away. There is a nice beach which is for tourists and locals alike, a few shops that don't sell very much, a few bars on the beach and a little local market, its worth a visit. We went to Santiago de Cuba on the organised trip because its too far to go in a Taxi. It was a good trip and worth the money. I think if its your first time maybe organised trips are best because you learn a lot more. On our first visit we were told to take crayoning books and crayons and pens but to be quite honest the people who work in ghte hotels are not poor. They get plenty. I think tipping for good service is the best way to go. If you must take clothes for gifts a church would be best to donate to because they will distribute them to who needs them most. We now go the Cayo's which are more isolated. We went to Havana on a two day trip and that was brilliant, so much so we want to do it again. During the day was organised but we went off on our own at night going round the salsa bars and had a great time. A trip well worth doing. This year we want to go to Trinadad on a trip. I did quite a lot of reading about the country before we left so I had an idea how the country works under comunist rule. In fact the education system they have is excellent as is their Health system.

Nick and Pansy... thanks for helping me out on that one!

ATB,J.

My wife and I would like to give heartfelt thanks to everyone who has responded to our questions.Once we have been we will put a full report on here so it may help others who like us have never been to Cuba.We normally go to Sri Lanka,Goa, or other far flung places.We just fancy a real change this year and I believe Cuba will give us that.

You're most welcome..... the only other point that I would make is that Cuba is a relatively poor country outside the confines of the AI hotels (probably like Sri Lanka or Goa)... bear this in mind and I'm sure you will have a trip to remember!!

ATB,J.

If you are wanting to see the real Cuba then staying in an AI hotel in a resort like Guardalavaca, especially if it is some distance from the town itself, is not really the best way to do it. The big AI hotels tend to be fairly isolated from local life and you might find a two centre holiday more suited to you. I would endorse Mersygull's suggestion of trying to include visits to Santiago da Cuba and Havana in your itinerary, both are very atmospheric with excellent music scenes and the same is true of Trinidad.

As Pansypotter has pointed out, the people you meet around your hotel are on the whole going to be doing quite well by Cuban standards. The extended family system is very much alive and well in Cuba with the result that most children who cannot be brought up by their parents will be cared for by grandparents, aunts and uncles etc. The people who will be really grateful for things like pens, pencils, books and notepads etc are the schools, giving them to the school allows them to pass them on to those kids that they know come from the poorest families and will eke out the often meagre supplies that they have access to. You don't say when you are thinking of going - Cuban schools take a long summer break when the weather is at its most humid and hottest but at any other time of year the schools are pretty easy to locate because all schoolkids wear an identical uniform of maroon trousers, shorts or skirts, white shirt and a maroon neckerchief. Any building with a gaggle of kids dressed like that at the gate is the local school!

And on the jinetero/jinetera question, as a couple you are unlikely to be approached unless you look like you are sexually adventurous! Jineteros/Jineteras are essentially prostitutes looking to hook up with clients for the length of their stay and the hotels are very vigilant about this - prostitution is perceived as being bad for their reputations and damaging for the tourism industry. as a whole. The Cuban authorities are acutely concerned with ensuring that Cuba does not become a sex tourism destination.

What you are much more likely to encounter is something different - what amounts to unofficial guiding. In return for you picking up the bill for a night out and any other expenses incurred, you will get somebody who has the inside track, will negotiate with the management to get you a good table in bar or music venue etc, who will show you the sights and knows someone who knows someone who has an immaculate vintage Caddy to chauffeur you around in. And, yes, they will expect a 'tip' at the end of the day but it will be cheap compared to what an organised excursion booked through your TO would cost. And if you enjoy dancing, they'll dance your socks off in return for you picking up the tab and the offer of the taxi fare home afterwards. It's not really a s cam - view it as a business transaction - payment for services provided. There's nothing seedy about it - on the whole it's done with charm and discretion and it is often the only way that you'll really get to socialise with Cubans outside of the hotel staff because few Cubans can afford to visit the sort of bars and venues that tourists want to spend time in. And the opposite is true too - the sort of cheap bars and cafes that they can afford (ie those that deal in national/local pesos) are going to have little attraction for you as a visitor.

When I go to Cuba, it is usually to take dance classes and the accepted routine is that we invite the professional dancers to come out with us of an evening and it is just accepted that we pick up the tab. The equivalent of £10 per tourist head into the kitty more than covers the tab at the end of the night, including the 'cover' charge for entrance for everybody into any of the music venues that don't have free entry. Even when I did an organised tour, it was the accepted thing that if we invited our tour guide and driver to join us of an evening then it was with the implicit understanding that they were our guests and we paid for everything. Take the same approach with anybody who strikes up a conversation with you, that is regard them as your guest if you go to a bar etc, and they will behave like a guest and no doubt prove to be good company.

Don't flash the cash too much, don't behave crassly by making a public show of the fact that you are picking up the bill and you are unlikely to be taken for a ride. And if you feel that you are being taken advantage of - well say so and take your leave before the tab mounts up too much. But there is just as much chance that the hospitality will be returned in other ways with an invite to something that is affordable to your hosts.

SM

Thanks for that very interesting and informative post SM, very enjoyable and enlightening

Graham

SMa wrote:

And on the jinetero/jinetera question, as a couple you are unlikely to be approached unless you look like you are sexually adventurous! Jineteros/Jineteras are essentially prostitutes looking to hook up with clients for the length of their stay

What you are much more likely to encounter is something different - what amounts to unofficial guiding. view it as a business transaction - payment for services provided. There's nothing seedy about it - on the whole it's done with charm and discretion and it is often the only way that you'll really get to socialise with Cubans outside of the hotel staff because few Cubans can afford to visit the sort of bars and venues that tourists want to spend time in. Take the same approach with anybody who strikes up a conversation with you, that is regard them as your guest if you go to a bar etc, and they will behave like a guest and no doubt prove to be good company.

As always, SM is full of great advice!!, however I would add a bit more to the Jinetero/a thingy...yes, the term was mostly previously applied to the Sex industry, but in more recent times it has come to be more of a s cam where you might get approached in the street by an affable character who will offer to show you something of interest or introduce you to someone, the'll then take you to a local bar where all of a sudden you find that you've bought a round of Mohitos for the whole bar (at massively inflated prices!!) The interpretation of Jinetero is Jockey and they will "jockey" to get you into their bars for, presumably, a kick-back.....

ATB,J.

the'll then take you to a local bar where all of a sudden you find that you've bought a round of Mohitos for the whole bar (at massively inflated prices!!) The interpretation of Jinetero is Jockey and they will "jockey" to get you into their bars for, presumably, a kick-back.....

Just happened to me in Havana last week A guy started talking to me in the street I asked him what time the Revolution Museum would open he told me it would be in half an hour. I then made the mistake of asking where I could get a coffee, I was ushered into a nearby bar and left half an hour later after paying for 2 coffee liqueurs and 2 mojitos and 2 cigars I just put it down to part of he experience

I just put it down to part of he experience

Exactly! And while you were sat with him, I bet nobody else approached you? It can be one of the best ways to avoid being beseiged by streetsellers, buskers and barely disguised begging in Havana.

While we're on the topic it's perhaps also worth noting that the more colourfully dressed 'characters' that you'll see, especially on the streets of Havana, will expect a tip in return for you taking their photo. The best way of handling this is to ask their permission before you take the photo which will be graciously acknowledged with a slight tip of the head and then to shake their hand afterwards whilst palming a small tip.

And I do mean small - when in Cuba it's worth hoarding all your very small change, the 12-50 cent coins, for these occasions and also for tipping the toilet ladies when outside of your hotel. In most public places the toilets are very clean but the attendants dole out the paper on entry - you won't find any in the cubicle - and if you want enough for your needs you'll need to tip. If you don't, you'll get just a square or two. Ignore the saucer with a few prominently diplayed CUC coins - this is to tempt you into paying over the odds and othing will be said and you'll still get your paper in return for 10/20 cents. On one occasion I put a CUC in and took some smaller change without any comment being made other than a thank you.

SM