The Ultimate Visiting Cuba Thread.

[oliverdst]

Sorry, guys, I didnt read all the posts but I can confirm:

a) the old partagas factory will be going to turn in a "cigar hotel";

b) there is a new partagas factory where there are tours (Calle San Carlos in Central Havana).

[Bill Hayes]

On 2/20/2016 at 4:21 AM, bundwallah said:

Here's a recent list of rollers that was put together. See credits below.

Roller || Address || Notes

• Alejandro Gonzalez Arias || Hotel Comodoro Cigar Shop at 3ra Ave. & Calle 84, Playa || Replaced Santos. Word is good on his sticks.
• Leopoldina Gutierrez aka 'La China' || Partagas LCDH at Calle Industria #520, Centro Habana || Great personality, excellent roller. Get whatever you can. She can't roll as much as she used to.
• Yolanda Medina || Hotel Melia Habana LCDH at 3ra Ave. between Calle 76 & 80, Playa || Classy lady. Piramides are her signature roll. Blends are on the sweet side.
• Maria || Quinta y 16 LCDH at 5ta Ave. and Calle 16, Miramar || Unknown to me.
• Jorge Lopez || Club Havana LCDH at 5ta Ave. between Calle 188-192, Playa || Worth the visit for his Monsdales alone. His new Robusto Largo is also a winner.
• Reynaldo Gonzalez & Jorge || Conde de Villanueva LCDH at Mercaderes #202 corner of Lamparilla, Habana Vieja || Another master roller. Known for rolling monster sized cigars. Full bodied blends.
• Juanita Ramos Guerra || Hotel Melia Cohiba LCDH, at Paseo Ave. between Calle 1 & 3, Vedado || Ask about her Elefantes. Short, chubby cigars, packed with flavour.
• Milagro Morales || Hotel Nacional LCDH at Calle 21 & O, Vedado || Unknown to me, but a stop for a smoke here is a must.
• Arnaldo Alfonso Ibanez || Hotel Palco LCDH at 146 Ave. between Calle 11 & 13, Playa|| Great old guy. Can do it all. I like his shaggy foot Lanceros myself.
• Cueto || El Morro Castle. La Habana del Este, Havana, Cuba || Roller of the world's longest cigar (268.4 ft Guinness record).

^Credits:

^{* List: Matteo Speranza for Cigar Inspector}

^{* Notes:My own.}

Anyone know if there are any changes to this list from 2016? I will be in Havana after Christmas for a week and looking to purchase some customs.

[garagedragon]

The list appears to be accurate except for Jorge Lopez (Club Habana). He is now living in Chile. Amaury, and Reynol are now rolling there.

[Lunettesman]

1. Your favourite Hotel (nominate the city it is in)

Iberostar la Habana because of the great lobby, breakfast.

5. Your favourite Paladar or Govt restaurant for dinner

Pizzeria downtown Habana, dont remember the name but home made and everyone knows it.

6. Your favourite Bars

La casa de la Musica in Trinidad: outside, good music and ambiance, beautiful spot.

8. Favourite places to purchase cigars

Been to many...LCDH at the old Partagas Factory where I ve seen the most stocks available.

9. Favourite place to enjoy cigars

Roof top of Iberostar hotel for the incredible view.

10. Must sees during a stay.

Vinalès, the region the people, the nature, the tobacco finca.

 

[Chas.Alpha]

On 11/26/2019 at 3:03 AM, Lunettesman said:

1. Your favourite Hotel (nominate the city it is in)

Iberostar la Habana because of the great lobby, breakfast.

5. Your favourite Paladar or Govt restaurant for dinner

Pizzeria downtown Habana, dont remember the name but home made and everyone knows it.

6. Your favourite Bars

La casa de la Musica in Trinidad: outside, good music and ambiance, beautiful spot.

8. Favourite places to purchase cigars

Been to many...LCDH at the old Partagas Factory where I ve seen the most stocks available.

9. Favourite place to enjoy cigars

Roof top of Iberostar hotel for the incredible view.

10. Must sees during a stay.

Vinalès, the region the people, the nature, the tobacco finca.

 

Parque Central, Havana. Pricy, but live music all weekend, a nice little shop upstairs and walking distance to everywhere. Awesome breakfast buffet featuring the worlds greatest croissant!

[LLC]

Parque Central, Havana. Pricy, but live music all weekend, a nice little shop upstairs and walking distance to everywhere. Awesome breakfast buffet featuring the worlds greatest croissant!

If you get the Parque Central as part of a package it is heavily discounted. Most people staying there are doing it that way.


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[Monocle]

So when does everything one think it will be safe to return again to the island?

[JohnnyO]

The problem with Cuba is they don't have a vaccine ready as they have told the world. The first 3 were failures. The 4th one SOBERANA-2 is still in its testing stages and they will most likely be at it for the rest of the year. Because of national pride they wont accept the US or European versions. They owe the Russians too much, from bad deals in the past to take on their version. So they'll just keep stumbling around in the dark in the hopes of finding a solution. Meanwhile everyone will keep getting sick and these continuous shutdowns will happen. John

[Fuzz]

Cuba may end up with either of the 2 Chinese vaccines, if their own vaccines fail.

[JohnnyO]

On 2/26/2021 at 11:29 PM, Fuzz said:

Cuba may end up with either of the 2 Chinese vaccines, if their own vaccines fail.

China is in kind of the same marketing boat. They say they will supply vaccines for 27 countries. When the AP asked them for the list, they didn't have one. They have manipulated the data on their vaccines, efficacy rates in the 90%'s have tumbled down to the 70%'s and then 51% according to Brazil. They are also trying to hide behind the facade of: "We don't want to make money, we just like to help people". The two Chinese manufacturers cant produce sufficient vaccines for their people in a years time, but they are going to supply the rest of the world. Wouldn't surprise me if they wanted a pair of Siglo VI for every vaccine. John

[JohnnyO]

All 7 flights from MIA-HAV were cancelled today on American. Received a call from them about my upcoming flight 3/5 and all flights are cancelled for the month of March. The agent told me you still have to quarantine in your room if you want to go in April. Cuba is looking to vaccinate locals starting June or July. John 

[Fuzz]

5 hours ago, JohnnyO said:

China is in kind of the same marketing boat. They say they will supply vaccines for 27 countries. When the AP asked them for the list, they didn't have one. They have manipulated the data on their vaccines, efficacy rates in the 90%'s have tumbled down to the 70%'s and then 51% according to Brazil. They are also trying to hide behind the facade of: "We don't want to make money, we just like to help people". The two Chinese manufacturers cant produce sufficient vaccines for their people in a years time, but they are going to supply the rest of the world. Wouldn't surprise me if they wanted a pair of Siglo VI for every vaccine. John

Just a little quid pro quo. I'll give you all these doses of the vaccine, you let me build that super highway right through the middle of your country.... and you will also pay us to use that highway that we now own.

Nothing suss there...

[Monocle]

Has anyone come back from the Island to the States since the personal importation ban was imposed last fall? I'm curious if customs is enforcing, or even asking, about the ban.

[timourka]

Hey fellow aficionados!

New here and looking to pick up cigar as a hobby the smell is simply hypnotic. Anyways was looking for suggestions on what type of cigars to get for aging like a fine bottle of wine. Seasoning right now my desk humidor. 
Travelling to Cuba very soon!

Appreciate any help, thanks!

Tim

[Fuzz]

If you are only just picking up smoking cigars as a hobby, I wouldn't even bother trying to age anything. Go buy a bunch of samplers and work out what you actually like first. Asking what to age is like asking how long is a piece of string. If you have no idea what you like, you are just wasting your coin on buying cigars to age.

As for going to Cuba, you really wanna be going there now?!

[Fsonicsmith]

Four of us had tickets on AA from Columbus OH to Miami to Havana to depart on 10/9 and return on the 16th. Today AA canceled our flights and informed us that Cuba is not allowing any flights from the US. We knew the trip was off as not being  a good time to go and were planning on using the money spent for trip somewhere else. But this still came as somewhat of a surprise. 

[JohnnyO]

If you are not going on a Monday on the 10:30 am flight from Miami and returning on a Monday on the 1pm-ish flight, American will eventually cancel you. BTW, that flight is a Dreamliner 787 it takes twice as long to load the 300 passengers and their bags. John 

[Puros Y Vino]

NOTICE

Given how much has changed over the years.  Anyone with some updated info is invited to post here.  I will add them to the ReFOHrence thread as well.  Also, if any of the data hasn't aged well, I can make the required edits.

 

[JohnnyO]

Tough to find water lately, even at the airport. John

[JohnnyO]

Some bad news this week. The Cuban government stated that they will not be fumigating for mosquitoes in the coming months and cited "fuel shortages" as to the reason why. Unscheduled power outages wont help the cause either for the locals. On my last flight I spoke to some travelers coming from Pinar and they were talking about 15 hour outages. I get the feeling this will be standard for the rest of the year, the longest outages being in the countryside. The biggest concern is if you get sika, dengue, or god forbid chiconguya from the mosquito bites. Ya'll are a lot braver than I am if you wander off into the woods. John 

[shokao]

On 7/8/2022 at 9:09 AM, JohnnyO said:

Some bad news this week. The Cuban government stated that they will not be fumigating for mosquitoes in the coming months and cited "fuel shortages" as to the reason why. Unscheduled power outages wont help the cause either for the locals. On my last flight I spoke to some travelers coming from Pinar and they were talking about 15 hour outages. I get the feeling this will be standard for the rest of the year, the longest outages being in the countryside. The biggest concern is if you get sika, dengue, or god forbid chiconguya from the mosquito bites. Ya'll are a lot braver than I am if you wander off into the woods. John 

That's really bad. I was planning to visit the Island in a couple of months and knowing that is a no go.

[JohnnyO]

On 10/14/2022 at 8:12 AM, shokao said:

That's really bad. I was planning to visit the Island in a couple of months and knowing that is a no go.

Heard from several travelers this week that Pinar might be without power 2 months. John

[puromaniac]

4 hours ago, JohnnyO said:

Heard from several travelers this week that Pinar might be without power 2 months. John

That's sad and bad.

[Chiberia312]

Off to Havana on Thursday. Any specific things you guys are interested in me investigating for you? I'll check back here before I go to see if there is any specific items. I went twice in 2019 (Jan & April) and have been dying to go back. I have hears that Old Havana is a ghost town. Obviously I'll be there 3 to 4 weeks before Habanos Festival, so I would assume that they will be holding back stock for the event. Who knows, I may be wrong. But if you have any questions regarding food, money, cabs, etc....let me know. 

[LLC]

5 hours ago, Chiberia312 said:

Off to Havana on Thursday. Any specific things you guys are interested in me investigating for you? I'll check back here before I go to see if there is any specific items. I went twice in 2019 (Jan & April) and have been dying to go back. I have hears that Old Havana is a ghost town. Obviously I'll be there 3 to 4 weeks before Habanos Festival, so I would assume that they will be holding back stock for the event. Who knows, I may be wrong. But if you have any questions regarding food, money, cabs, etc....let me know. 

A general report of what you found for all those things would be great.