Cuba: practical guide & good addresses

Identity card

Formalities

A visa is not required for tourist visits. However, you do need to obtain a "nominative tourist card" to enter the island. This card can be obtained from the Cuban consulate in Paris (22 e), via your travel agent or specialist companies such as Action-visas.

Area code : +53.

Time difference : -6 h. Currency Cuba has two

Coins : the Cuban peso and the Cuban Convertible Peso (or CUC), which is pegged to the dollar. In practice, visitors spend their money in CUC, which can be exchanged at the airport or hotel. Avoid exchanging US dollars, which are subject to a tax of 10 %. One euro = 1.23 CUC (Nov. 2014).

Best season

From early November to May. From June to September, the heat dampens the mood a little and the threat of hurricanes dampens enthusiasm.

Group size

The main destinations have large hotels that can accommodate large groups. But the 'offbeat' nature of the destination means that it is better to cater for exclusive groups.

How to get there

Air Europaa specialist in Latin America, offers a daily flight between Madrid and Havana, with easy connections from Paris Orly and Roissy. The airline, a member of the SkyTeam alliance - and affiliated to the Flying Blue programme - is often considered the most competitive airline on this route.  

Tel.: 01 42 65 08 00 Website: aireuropa.com

Air France offers one or two direct flights a day between Paris and Havana, operated by B777-300ER or B747-400.

Tel: 3654 or +33 (0)892 70 26 54 Internet: airfrance.fr

For more information

Cuban Tourist Office

280, boulevard Raspail. 75014 Paris. Tel: 01 45 38 90 10.

Havana

Hotels

History

NH Capri

It was one of the great hotel events of 2014: the reopening of this legendary hotel-casino in the heart of Vedado, in a building designed in the mid-1950s by architect Jose Canaves. The complete renovation did not affect the hotel's fifties touch, finely expressed in the decorative details of the lobby and restaurant, and of course the famous swimming pool perched on the 18th floor. Ideally located between the Malecon and the Avenida 23 nightlife strip, the hotel has 220 rooms with all modern comforts, including WiFi.

Calle 21 entre calle N y O - Tel: +53 (7) 839 7200 - Email: reservas1@capri.gca. tur.cu - Internet: www.nh-hotels.com

Haban Riviera Cuba

This former hotel-casino, built in 1957 on the orders of mafia financier Meyer Lansky, is also very fifties. The Riviera has changed a lot since then, but fortunately it has retained the spirit of the place, with its vintage lettering, bold curves and original sculptures. The hotel is also renowned for the quality of its public spaces: the magnificent view from the Miramar restaurant or the swimming pool and its vintage diving board...

Paseo y Malecón - Tel: 0145389010 Internet: hotelhavanariviera.com

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

A national monument listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Hotel Nacional is a must-see. Its visitors' book is probably one of the most impressive on the planet. Since 1930, the establishment has welcomed all the celebrities who have visited Cuba. A for Ava Gardner, B for Brando and C for Churchill: they are all pictured in the lobby of this hotel, which can be visited like a museum. Note: the hotel is also known for its Parisian Cabaret which, as its name might not suggest, hosts Cuban shows.

Calle 21 y O - Tel: +53 (7) 836 3564 Email: reservas@hotelnacionaldecuba. com - Internet: hotelnacionaldecuba.com

Intimists

Hotel Saratoga

This is the feuron of the Habaguanex empire, the company responsible for managing the heritage of the historic city. An empire from which lovers of the "colonial" aesthetic will be able to draw many other options, scattered throughout the beautiful residences of Habana Vieja: the Ambos Mundos (where Hemingway stayed for a long time), Raquel, Santa Isabel, Marques de San Felipe and Santiago de Bejucal hotels, or the Hotel Sévilla, managed by Mercure.

Prado 603 (corner of Dragones) - Tel: +53 (7) 868 1000 - Email: info@saratoga. co.cu - Internet: www.hotel-saratoga.com

Florida/Marques de Prado Ameno

Among the boutique hotels in Old Havana managed by Habaguanex, the Florida stands out for its sublime patio surrounding a marble-paved courtyard and its English club atmosphere. Built in the early 19th century, this aristocratic residence is linked by a corridor to another four-star hotel, the Marques de Prado Ameno.

Calle Obispo - Tel: +53 (7) 862 4127 Internet: www.habaguanexhotels.com

Conde de Villanueva

Extremely cosy with its dozen or so rooms, this boutique hotel with character is in keeping with the charm of the old town. It will especially appeal to cigar lovers, incorporating one of the city's best shops - Casa del Habano - and offering the services of a 'torcedor' who rolls the leaves on request.

Calle Mercaderes 202. Tel: +53 (7) 862 9293 - Internet: www.habaguanexhotels.com

Restaurants

Café Laurent

Overlooking a quiet alleyway in the Vedado district, Café Laurent is one of the pioneers of the wave of private restaurants (paladares) that are changing the gastronomic landscape of Havana. There's nothing exceptional about the food, but the setting and service are very pleasant, and the decor is nicely enhanced with a touch of arty flair.

Calle M 257 - Tel: +53 (7) 831 2090

La Moneda Cubana

Another paladar located in the old town, at the entrance to the cathedral square. The plus points: the décor, where paintings mingle with various ancient coats of arms, and the splendid views from the terrace over the bay and the fortress of San Carlos de la Cabaña.

Mercaderes y San Ignacio - Tel: +53 (7) 861 5304 - Internet: lamonedacubana.com

Santo Angel

An old aristocratic mansion with a large veranda overlooking the Plaza Vieja: the location is obviously one of the major strengths of this restaurant run by Habaguanex. With its private room, the venue is particularly popular for incentive dinners for up to 300 people.

Calle Teniente Rey 60. Tel: +53 (7) 861 16 26.

Le Miglis

Opened two years ago by a Swede of Greek origin who has lived in Havana for 17 years, this trendy restaurant respects the local architecture and offers Cuban and Swedish cuisine in a beautiful, intimate setting. It can accommodate groups of up to 45 people.

Lealtad 120 entre Animas y Lagunas Tel: +53(0)7-8641486 - Internet: www.casamiglis.com

La Floridita

La Floridita celebrates the memory of its most famous - and loyal - customer: Ernest Hemingway. The American author is depicted in photos, on the menu and even as a mocking statue leaning against the counter. After the customary daiquiri, the experience continues on the sofas and armchairs in the restaurant area.

Obispo No. 557 esq. a Monserrate. Tel: +53 7 8671300 - Internet: www.elforidita.net

Café Taberna

Café Taberna is the home of the Buena Vista Social Club, the famous clique of hunky soneros who scored a worldwide hit in the mid-90s with the song Chan Chan. Every night, the furious octogenarians, assisted by a few youngsters, continue to set fire to parties where everyone agrees to let themselves go, at the risk of finding themselves caught in the middle of an improvised caterpillar. It's bound to be fun.

Calle Mercaderes 531 Tel: +53 (7) 8611637.

The Songwriter

The Chansonnier also has a contemporary feel, offering eclectic cuisine that goes beyond traditional Cuban dishes.

J 257 e/ 15 y Linea - Tel: +53 (7) 832 1576 - Internet: lechansonnierhabana.com

La Imprenta

In the heart of the old town, a restaurant housed in a former printing works, with high ceilings and machines that bear witness to the past. Calle Mercaderes 208. Tel: +53 (7) 864 9581

Cayo Santa Maria

Playa Cayo Santa Maria

769 rooms, a dozen bars and restaurants, six swimming pools: no half-measures have been taken at this five-star all-inclusive resort recently opened on the enchanting shores of Cayo Santa Maria. It's obviously a popular spot for honeymooners, but participants in incentive operations won't feel out of place here, where everything has been designed to enhance their stay: meeting rooms, gymnasium, tennis courts, cigar bar... Not to mention, of course, the lure of a clear, warm sea 365 days a year...

Caibarién - Tel: +53 (42) 350800 - Email: reservas1@playacayosantamaria. co.cu - Internet: gaviota-grupo.com

Cienfuegos

Jagua Hotel

The "Pearl of the South", sheltered behind an immense bay in the Caribbean Sea, Cienfuegos is the natural stopover between Havana and Trinidad. It too has a Fifties heritage, with this hotel-casino due to open its doors just a few weeks after 1 January 1959, the day of the triumph of the Cuban revolution... From this misadventure, an aesthetic of clear lines and high volumes remains. The must of the hotel: the swimming pool overlooking the bay and the restaurant housed in the Palacio del Valle, an imitation of a Moorish palace built on the orders of a sugar tycoon at the beginning of the 20th century.

Calle 37 No. 1 e/ 0 y 2 - Tel: 01 70 91 86 82 - Internet: gran-caribe.com

Trinidad

Iberostar Grand Hotel

In the back streets of Trinidad, you won't find many large hotels. The Iberostar stands out from the rest. Located close to the historic quarter, this recently renovated hotel represents the city's top end. Half of the rooms have a terrace.

Calle José Martí y Lino Pérez - Tel: +53 41 99070 - Internet: www.iberostar.com

Brisas Trinidad del Mar

Trinidad's all-inclusive hotels are scattered along the spit of land known as the Ancon Peninsula. Alongside the clear waters of the Caribbean Sea, this four-star resort with 241 rooms offers everything you'd expect from a resort of this type: swimming pools, fitness, water sports, bars and restaurants galore.

Peninsula Ancón, Trinidad. Tel: +53 (41) 996500-6507. Internet: www.hotelescubanacan.com

Guides

Lonely Planet Cuba (2013).

GeoGuide Cuba (2014).

Cuba at your fingertips, Autentica Cuba.