Leaving for Cuba tomorrow ... couple questions

[IcedCanuck]

I'm leaving for Cuba tomorrow and have a couple questions I'm hoping someone who has been there multiple times could answer. I'm going to an all inclusive and usually I leave a dollar on the bed for the maids every morning. I have been told that American currency is the worst currency to have so I was only planning on bringing Canadian (I've heard they like Canadian and Euros). I was going to convert everything I bring at the airport to CUC. I have also heard that the locals cannot use CUC and they don't like Loonies (Canadian $1 coins) because they think of it as change and only want bills so what currency should I tip the maids with?

I have heard the LCDH at the airport is crap and the only place I should buy cigars is at the Partagas factory. The resort (Breezes - Jibacoa) I'm at sells cigars but I'm worried about fakes but I was thinking if I avoid high end stuff and stick with regular production (avoid Cohiba, Montecristo, Partagas) then the risk of fakes may not be as high; otherwise I pack my own because I'm not sure when I'm going to take a trip into Havana.

I read many reviews about this resort but one of them I read last night had me saying WTF? Apparently there are some type of anti-smoking laws in Cuba that this resort adheres to that others do not. Does anyone have any clue what anti-smoking laws they might have been talking about? I have never heard of any anti-smoking laws in Cuba.

[Ryan]

Tipping in CUC is absolutely fine. Cubans do use them. I don't know of any country where foreign coins can be used or exchanged, Loonies would be a pain, as would euro coins, pound coins etc.

Can't answer your questions about Breezes, haven't been there.

Cuba has fairly strict anti-smoking laws. Most places, in Havana anyway, ignore them. Though there are a few non-smoking restaurants now.

[PoohBore]

There are some areas in reception etc where you can't smoke. However you can on the balconies to the piano bar and the bottom end of the covered area between the restaurant reception and the cigar shop / pool room.

Hire a taxi for the day and go to havana and buy from any of the shops. My personal favourite is in the melia habana. Drive past the front entrance, first turning right and you can use the side entrance right by the shop.

[PoohBore]

These are a couple of notes on custom rolleds in Havana that i collected from various forums:-

Custom rolls are made by in house rollers at various LCDHs in Cuba. The most famous ones are:

Hamlet not at r& j factory now

Reynaldo (Villa conde de villnueva)

La China (Partagas Factory)

Yolanda (melia cohiba/habana)

Santos (La Casa del Tabaco 'La Escogida' at the Hotel Comodoro, Miramar)

Jorge Lopez (Club Habana)

Cueto (Morra Fortress)

They each have their own specific blend and size that they are known for. For instance, La China is well know for her fantastic Salamones. Enrique Mons and Jorge Lopez are famous for the 'Monsdale'

Enrique moms is worth a visit I think it's the hotel habana in Miramar

If you don't see what you want ask ! It's normally tucked away somewhere.

The Villanueva is a 2 minute stroll to the rum museum. The custom rolls are behind a picture in the lounge to the right of the entrance.

[PoohBore]

Last October I was given a cigar to smoke whilst I made my selections in the humidor in the melia Habana. Breezes is a nice resort, food is ok and not had any stomach issues each time I've been.

Bradley and Jose at the pool bar are tops.

The cigar shop isn't well stocked and the house roller has left.

[Scdalak]

Just keep an eye on those new customs duties!!

[maverickdrinker]

Hire a taxi and go to Havana. Hit the road at 6am and you'll be there by 9am, just in time for the shops to open.

Better to spend the day going to a few of the places mentioned and getting sticks that you will like. The other benefit is seeing Havana and picking up some custom rolls.

Go see Hamlet, he can hook you up on stock that you are looking for. He is at the RyJ factory.

Reynaldo has good stock as well.

have a great trip!

A

[IcedCanuck]

Cool, thanks for the tips guys I'd definitely like to score some customs while I'm down there.

[Squarehead]

Have a good trip Phil.Can't help you otherwise.

[bigfunkyg]

Convert Canadian $ into CUC's at your hotel and tip away. A few peso's goes a lot way.

I was going to give you the Varadero rundown but realized that your nowhere near there. Don't waste you time going there if you can go to Havana. Varadero has decent shops, but nothing like what Havana has I imagine.

G

[PoohBore]

Jibacoa to Havana is only 45 minutes !!!

I don't think hamlet is at the R & j factory at the moment.

[Ryan]

Hamlet was at the R y J shop in Feb. last I heard ( April) he was in the Hotel Sevilla. Not a million miles from the Partagas factory.

[maverickdrinker]

Hamlet was at the R y J shop in Feb. last I heard ( April) he was in the Hotel Sevilla. Not a million miles from the Partagas factory.

He is back at RyJ. Spoke to him last week.

[Nino]

Forget Varadero.

Jibacoa to HAV is about an hour.

Leave at 0800 and you will be in central HAV for a cafe con leche and morning cigar before the shops open.

When tipping the room help, what I do is introduce myself to the floor staff, ask who the maid for my room is, his/her name, and tip him/her at the start of my stay, not at the end.

More personal and gives a better relationship ... and lovely swans on the bed ( towels turned into swans ...

[papatrips]

Have a great time Phil!