Hotel Central Santa Clara

Loved it!

We really liked Cuba overall. There is not just one thing but the best included: Private tour in Havana was excellent as the guide was first rate. The town of Trinidad which we just loved. We thought it was really good to stay at a Casa and would recommend that experience for at least one section of a holiday.

PD, Dublin

Highlights?: Topes de Collantes water fall. Visit to Santa Clara Che Guevera monument. A day spent with a family we met in Bayamo, visiting their home & the local market, food preparation, and just chilling with them.

DW, Mirfield

Highlights?: Watching an elderly Cuban couple dancing the salsa at Artex in Santiago. Amazingly beautiful and exciting dance. Unforgetable! Pink classic car cruise in Havana. 'Swimming' in a remote cave outside Baracoa.

MF, London

Cuba is a very diverse country and fulfilled our expectations.  Parakeet is an adventure rather than a holiday so go with an open mind and immerse your self in the Cuban way. Colour, music and smiles more than make up for what some people may find frustrating if comparing Cuba to life in the UK. 

GW, Birmingham

Most Memorable Moment?: The perfect travel arrangements, staying int he homestays, seeing how much things have changed The refurbished Alicia Alonso theatre is amazing and not to be missed.

AW, Watford

Highlights? Everything! The casas for showing us how Cubans live, the guides and their information, the sunset from the Palacio at Punta Gorda (Cienfuegos), the casa at Punta Gorda, the music everywhere, the food, the cocktails, the nice and hospitable people.

EV, Enfield

We had a great time in Cuba, very pleased with the literary suggested and implemented by JLA. Hannah (W) was a pleasure to deal with. We would certainly recommend JLA to anybody thinking of travelling to South America / Cuba etc.

JH Bedford

Spending time with the guides gave us an insight into other aspects of life in Cuba.

SW, Woking

Highlight?: Our stay in Trinidad

PD, Woking

Highlight? Driving across Cuba and the fact that having a car allowed you to go off the beaten trip and experience life there at our own pace. Walking round Havana - spent hours walking round both the old town, Centro and Vedado, which was totally fascinating. Groups of horsemen riding the wrong way down the Autopista!
 

RF, Henley on Thames

Highlight?: Rafting in Tena

RF, Dorking

Really enjoyed all of it, especially Havana and Trinidad. Loved the music, the atmosphere and the people. Very good walks.

GG, Diss

Highlight?: Havana, trip to the ballet at the Opera House

PF, London

Highlight?: The walk through the 3 valleys in Vinales.

MK, Brentford

The food was better than we had feared (but they routinely overcook seafood, so stick with chicken) and there was more English spoken than we had expected. Weather was great. The state of the buildings generally was better than we had been led to expect - although there is a lot of work outstanding in the southern parts of the Old Town in Havana. People are helpful. The country is clearly at an interesting stage of its development - which is why we wanted to go - and might go in many directions from here; not all of them favourable. Roads, particularly outside towns, were empty.

PR, Edinburgh

Wonderful holiday

We found Cuba utterly seductive. It is rare to find anywhere still as distinctive. But it is a country for travellers; to go just to the beach is a waste. But if you find beauty in dilapidation and warm to extrovert people; if you have a grain of curiosity in your soul and a twitch of rhythm in your toes, this is a wonderful holiday.

PH, Pimlico

Highlights “We really liked Cuba overall. There is not just one thing but the best were 1.The private tour in Havana was excellent as the guide was first rate. The town of Trinidad which we just loved. We thought it was really good to stay at a Casa and would recommend that experience for at least one section of a holiday” 

PD, Dublin

Cuba is such a different place that it is hard to pick out an individual experience....Overall, the tour was fantastic. All the guides allocated gave us an excellent description of the area, in each of Havana, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Trinidad and Vinales. We used our free time to retrace part of our guided tour, to explore further ourselves, or to enjoy the food and ambience, especially the music and dancing of Cuba! We were warned that the food provided at Homestays (breakfasts and dinners) would be huge, and indeed they were. We were unable to finish any meal because of the quantity!  We did a few of our own trips, catching a taxi to the beach in Trinidad, being driven around Havana in a classic car, museum visits and trips on bicycle taxis. We found the people friendly and very helpful.

IB, Stockbridge

Highlight?: The road journeys through eastern Cuba.

JB,

Each destination had its own character, they were all good, none more so than others” 

IM, Edinburgh

It was an overall experience that we will remember rather than one specific moment.

MB, London

Highlights: The music/case da la culturas. driving and getting off the beaten track.

RGJ, London

Overall a great holiday and a fantastic introduction to Cuba, while travelling in comfort.

ER, Richmond

Many happy memories but loved the guided tour of Havana in the vintage car (huge 1953 Ford pink and cream convertible). Also enjoyed walking in the beautiful Vinales valley, it was like travelling back in the past with oxen ploughing and tobacco drying in huge thatched barns....It exceeded my expectations. Great organisation, informative guides, careful and punctual drivers and accommodation in convenient yet quiet locations, near to tourist attractions and restaurants.

JR, Cambridge

Most memorable experience: “the vibe and architecture of Havana; driving on the roads of Cuba - empty motorways, gigantic potholes, no signs, picking up random people who flagged us down; cigar rolling and smoking on a tobacco farm in Vinales; daily daiquiris and mojitos, especially those in Hotel Nacional garden; gorgeous peaceful countryside; noisy people and music everywhere; but also extreme poverty and areas that had barely moved from early 20th century; every Cuban we spoke with said how hard living was and that no one could survive on one job. We had such an interesting and wonderful time and will definitely return.”

SB, Lewisham

Food is, of course, difficult in Cuba and we had low expectations.

JG, Isle of Colonsay

Although I loved the history, architecture, parks, animals wandering about  and music everywhere etc, I'm afraid I fell hopelessly in love with the people most of all. I felt more at home here than anywhere else I can think of. 

PP, Sawbridgeworth

All places were well worth visiting for their particular character etc. Our over-riding memory was of the lovely people we met and the sounds and rhythms of Cuba.

IB, Chesterfield

Visiting Trinidad and listening to all the music being played around the city.

RS, Southampton

Highlights: Meeting the local guides and owners of casas particolares, who were unfailingly helpful, friendly and genuinely keen to welcome us to their country. On of the highlights of the trip was probably the transfer in a wonderful red and cream American classic car with a skilful driver (you have to be on Cuban roads!)

RP, London