Old Havana Restaurants quietly going smoke free.

[El Presidente]

http://www.mercurynews.com/travel/ci_20233065/old-havana-restaurants-quietly-going-smoke-free

[CanuckSARTech]

Gasp.....

[ohioldd]

Bummer!

[sloth]

see. the culture is already being destroyed. time for a starbucks.

[PuffDaddie]

What the s....

[headstand]

talk about cooking the golden goose!

[IcedCanuck]

I never thought I would see this day ...

[winelover]

"Only sealed, air-conditioned dining rooms are affected"

If it is the case, I understand as when you are eating, do you really need to smoke or smell other people's smoke? What's wrong with going outside when it is a tropical 25C evening? Let people taste their food!

[Nino]

Well,

never had a problem in any restaurant as I always prefer to sit in a non A/C atmosphere and all HAV restaurants cater for that.

The funny thing is that the "Non Smoking" section of my fav Paladar La Moraleja consists of an ice cold glass house I jokingly call "The Aquarium" that seats maybe 10 people. You don't have to be stupid to sit inside ... but it helps.

The beautiful garden, the Bar, etc are all smokers delight - same at Rancho Palco, etc. so who's suffering here ??

Even at Jose Marti Airport, first floor, big A/C restaurant, always empty, clocks show time has stopped forever, I always order a Cristal and an ashtray, smoke a cigar or two before heading for passport/customs control. The bored waitresses sit around and smoke cigarettes ...

Naw, Starbucks and Stupid Laws have not yet arrived there

Only sealed, air-conditioned dining rooms are affected, and Habaguanex restaurants all still have open-air spaces for smokers. There is no word on a ban for bars or nightclubs, and the owner of one of Havana's private restaurants said he had received no guidance on whether the "paladares" must follow suit.

[cottierm]

I am with you on this one.

Michel

[harryleech]

Ehhhhh, no they're not. Or at least they weren't when we were there a few weeks ago. A case of lazy jurnalism I suspect. Jose Marti airport is the only place where no smoking rules are (sorta) enforced, and even then not really. In the departure area a few weeks ago I smoked a cigar outside the smoking area and blew smoke in the door - none of the staff cared and only the tourists glared. Long may it last...