Cuba - anyone been? Where did you stay?

[ruby1234]

Fancying Cuba for next year, just me and DH.
Would like a 5* hotel, beach, good food, and the chance of some day trips to see the sights.
What time of year would be best to go - we like the heat, but not the rainy season.
Can you recommend any hotels, thinking maybe Varadero Beach area. We like to be able to walk out in the evening for a drink and some people watching.
Many thanks.

I haven't been but sil and 2 friends have all been. their view is that you don't really get the cuba experience if you stay in a starred hotel. its not really that sort of place . there are other Caribbean islands that you could do this on far better.

I loved Havana, but found Varadero a bit soulless. There isn't really anywhere to walk to - it is just a string of hotels along the beach. And I would not go to Cuba for the food. We went over Xmas and the weather was gorgeous.

Agreed- go to Cuba for the experience! We travelled around and did some home stays and some hotels. The food is really bad (even in the 5* hotels) but it is a beautiful country and very interesting to see how the locals live.

I stayed in playa costa verde and then flew to commorodore bungalows in Havana. Havana is best for people watching. I think avoid October/November to miss the rain. The holiday you described sounds like it could work better in st Lucia. When I stayed in a town house near Reduit Beach there were some really lovely hotels where you could wander out in the evening and have drink etc in Caribbean bar and people watch.

We went 10 years ago and stayed at Varadero beach. It was a a Sandals. The food was pretty grim, no fresh at all. Could't really go anywhere outside the hotel grounds. The nearby shopping centre was awful, nothing at all to see.
We did go to Havana for the day and it was pretty amazing. We were on an organised coach trip which left us feeling pretty vulnerable as you were targeted by beggars as soon as you got off the coach.
One couple we talked to hired a private guide to escort them all over and they had a fab time. Much better than anything we did.
All in all I wouldn't go back. It was really boring unless you just like lying on a nice beach all day. There are far more interesting places to go to.
I would be careful though where you choose as often leaving the safety of a hotel complex can be a bit of a risk in some far flung places.

Thanks everyone - I think I'll try somewhere else!

We went to Cayo Coco and Havana a few years ago and absolutely loved it. We did loads of trips though and hired a scooter to see a bit more. The locals were really friendly. Stunning place with a really interesting history.