蜜月自助旅行|古巴民宿沒有線上訂房系統,只能寫mail詢問

國外旅遊 古巴遊記 國外住宿 古巴回憶 旅行故事 2010古巴

古巴畢竟還是個網路”不可能”發達的國家(應該連電話都不方便…),這次找飯店才發現甚至連美國都沒有台灣發達…



阿冠留言板:我們還在孩忙期,再等幾年才能回歸喔!

古巴上有政策下有對策,對外雖然明訂不能私自用網路,很多民宿根本連電話的聯絡方式都沒有,更別提網路訂房了,所以第一家找有mail的民宿,而且他有提供之後的住宿諮詢及旅遊建議等等的。

所以我們只先訂前一週的住宿,後面就到古巴再”便看”囉!因為在台灣根本無從訂起,那古巴的交通也沒有辦法讓我們的行程能夠很精準的計畫,只能邊走邊觀望,哈哈!我們真的要出發去”流浪”囉!

Hola casa Antigua,

Hay habitaciones el 30 de marzo o mas?(mas o menos siete dias)
Nosotros (yo y mi marido ) somos Taiwanes, de Taiwan.
Hablamos un poco poco poco poquito Espanol.(haha~~~)
Vamos a visitar cuba un mes.

Espero tu respuesta

Gracias

Carmela
De Taiwan

接著我收到落落長的一封信………………………..

Hello Carmela:

Welcome to Cuba.

We sincerely sorry but at this stage in our house both rooms are reserved during your requested nights, nevertheless we have a very well organized network with other excellent family houses. All rooms feature similar conditions and facilities, comfortable rooms and beds, mini-fridge, air-conditioner , hot and cold water 24 hours and more, as so as breakfast and laundry service and in some houses also meals service. In other mail I can attache some pictures regarding to the available house, just few meters from our house where you can feel welcome at any time.

Room price is 30cuc/night per room with bathroom ensuit, 25cuc/night per room with shared bathroom and 35/night small apartment. Breakfasts are not included but available

Payment in advance is not easy as there are so many restrictions with Casas Particulares, reservation is always made under mutual confidence, we can confirm you room booked and you pay when you arrive to the house.

In any case you have planned to visit other towns we can assist you to organize your whole trip, as so as reserve accommodation in every place, this is free service.

All our houses are of course officially licensed by the government and of course safeness is absolute and families are always nice and interesting people.

I take a chance to paste you few answered question which may help you to better organize your trip to Cuba.

Warnings

1-Cuc is Cuban convertible currency and this is the money you will mostly need for pay for service and more.

2-for rates you can visit http://www.banco-metropolitano.com/moneda.php?pid=moneda&l=es

3-for American citizens or other countries where you are expecting to bring Us dollars remember over standard exchange rate us dollars have an extra discount of 10%.

4-Any American or related with some American bank money cards will work in Cuba.

5- Very few debit cards works in Cuba verify it with your bank before to come.

6-there is only on bank in Havana where you can exchange traveller checks, so you will mostly waste time making line, at least in Cuba avoid this practice.

7-there are very few places where you can pay using credit cards and those are mostly expensive places.

8-Standard commission for get money from your credit card is around 12%, so we suggest to bring enough cash and if you go to appropriated license Casa Particular you will never have any trouble with your money as in most houses landlords are very careful about or safe boxes are available.

9-You can get cash from your Visa or Master card at any CADECA (exchange house), hotels and banks and for this activity you must to show your personal passport.

10-there are enough ATM machines in many places in the Havana city.

11-Never try to exchange money out from official places and don’t believe any story someone can tell you about better rates or stronger new currency.

12- Before you leave Cuba you must to pay an airport tax for 25cuc.

13- It is sometime common practice by taxi drivers to redirect people to other houses alleging those other could be better options for localization or rates, they do it for get commissions at houses they have previously contacted but government have advise this practice is always under  risk for travellers as  have been so many reports for rob and troubles. This can’t be of your concerned it is only an advice to go to the place you have previously contacted under your confidence.

14-Sometime ago was common practice to offer transfer from airport to our houses but Cuban government have forbidden this practice trying to control any possible risk for travellers using not trusty transportation and only official taxi ran by government are allowed to operate at airport.

15-Even when car hiring could give you more flexibility on your trip besides high prices some time online website are not considered trusty and it is usual practice not to have all what you have paid for. It is better you consider to hire the car once you arrive to airport or days later in many of car agencies you can find in the city. In other way Viazul bus company www.viazul.cu is one of best options to go to everywhere, this company connect all main places in Cuba with at least couple departures per day.

We can supply you with straight phone number to some car rental offices, but we can’t promise you could find who speak good English or some other language and besides remember phone calls from abroad are mostly very expensive.

We are waiting your confirmation for book you, it is enough you send us your flight number and expected arrival time to Havana it could be made in the term of 72 hours from our answer.

Best regards

阿冠回信……………………………..

Hola Horacio&Marta,

Thanks for your reply and important information!

Would you please send me the pictures of the available house (not hotel)?
I hope the house host can speak a little English.(If they can’t. It’s ok!)
Because we will go to Los angels on 24 March (we don’t have Internet in our trip.) ,at least we have to make the Havana room reservation before 23 March. Thank you!!

Our flight number and arrival time at Havana for your reference:(the wrong date we sent in last letter)

LACSA – LR 652      FROM         TO                DEPART   ARRIVE

WED 31MAR     SAN JOSE CR         HAVANA CU        1035     1455

NON STOP                           TERMINAL 3             DURATION 2:20

Next is our trip simple plan and the sequence can be change:

We want to go to
Havana and Pinar del Rio around 7days.(live in Havana)
Matanzas and Santa clara, Cienfuegos and Trindad around 5days.(live in one house)
Camaguey and Cayo coco around 5days.(live in one house)
Las Tunas, Holguin, Bayamo, Guantanamo, Santiago de cuba and Baracoa around 7days.(live in one house)
Batabano and Nueva Gerona around 2days.(live in Havana)

May I ask how to get to Havana downtown from the airport?

Can we get the Cuba map or travel advice at the airport?

Would you please tell us the domestic flights web sites or schedual which is likewww.viazul.cu

Thanks for your help!!!

Carmela, Taiwan

Hi Carmela:

Casa Marilú have confirmed me availability for 7 nights, have would be less if you decide, although at least I suggest you 5 nights in Havana if you have enough time left, house feature excellent conditions, everything very clean, nice and well conserved, there are 2 Verandas and standard facilities, Bathroom ensuit, minibar, air conditioner, breakfast available but hostess doesn’t speak good English, anyway you will be just 1 block from my house where you can feel welcome at any time, for receive information, make plans for forward days or just for talk. I have attached some pictures, but conditions right now are pretty better, as they have renovated the house just few weeks ago.

Then tell me if you like this option for confirm them. Nevertheless, be free to tell us any observation about please.

room price 30cuc/night, breakfast not included but available checkin march 30 checkout april 5 confirmed

if you need more formal confirmation let us to know please

Casa Marilú address
Calle 26 Nº261
entre 21 y 19
Vedado, C.Habana
Telefono (537) 833 6771
Best regards

Hi Horacio&Marta,

We will check in Casa Marilú  on 31 March. (maybe 5 or 7 nights)

Our flight number and arrival time at Havana for your reference:(it was the wrong date we sent in last letter)

LACSA – LR 652      FROM         TO                DEPART   ARRIVE

WED 31MAR     SAN JOSE CR         HAVANA CU        1035     1455

NON STOP                           TERMINAL 3             DURATION 2:20

We’ll ask you some travel information when we arrive to Cuba.

See you~~~

Carmela

Perfecto Carmela:

Welcome to Cuba and of course to Casa Antigua and all our network.

Room price is 30cuc/night and it must be paid just when you arrive to our house, breakfast is not included in the price but it is available at extra between 2, 4, or 6cuc/person while ones for 4cuc/person always work for most people and it will be paid at end(for money exchange rates I suggest to visit  http://www.banco-metropolitano.com/moneda.php?pid=moneda&l=es) there is a safe box at each room and I suggest to bring enough cash as commission for get money from credit cards is pretty high (around 12%) and there are very few places where you can pay using credit cards. For Traveler checks there is only one bank in the city and most debit card doesn’t work
Just next to airport exit gate you can find exchange offices (CADECA) where you can get few Cuban money enough for pay for a taxi (20cuc) your accommodation and some extra for any possible activity or some dinner not far around. Very close from our house there is a CADECA and couple banks (one feature ATM machine) where easily you can get Cuban convertible pesos. In all big hotels (some not far from our house) there are also CADECA or small banks where exchanges can be easily made. Rate in all places is very similar.

To come to our house, everything will be easy, everything is ran by government, so safeness is absolute, although there are different companies, there are different prices and almost all will want to take a chance with just arrived people and they will try to charge you top tariff, so I suggest to print your address and when you’ll be asked for where to go you answer you are only looking for 20cuc taxi to this address, few taxi drivers will use meter but rate is bit lower, so with 20cuc consider tip included. In other way taxi drivers are very professional and kind, so 25 or 30 minutes you’ll be ringing to your door which is righter one seen from street, door lights will be lighted (at night) and ring is to your left in righter door, behind door fence. No matter flight delaying or whatever about… We’ll be waiting you.

Be free please to ask us, all you like to know in advance about your trip! Anyway we can talk once you arrive

Best flight

Best regards

How’s the weather in Havana(and other place) right now?

Carmela

Hi Carmela:

I clarified with Marilu about your arrival day, everything is fine

You can check weather report with yahoo, anyway  it is being around 17 to 25ºC but pretty humid, I can say weather is fresh, nice for walking but no so for beach bath, at least for us, but although no so cold I suggest to bring something extra not standard tropical dresses in case would be necessary, it is not raining every day but it is being occasionally but for a while

Bye

信件聯絡了兩三天,到出發前一天還在信件聯繫,因為在美國可能無法使用網路,所以得在飛出去前將所有的事情聯絡好。

另外,語言是用來溝通的,就照你想說的想辦法表達出來就好,到後來也不太管文法及用法了…

 

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3 留言

  • 回覆
    阿賴
    2010-05-14 於 20:33:18

    冠老師:
    看你網誌大約都二分鐘以內可以完成,
    這一篇可能要100倍以上的時間
    而我這懶惰學生就先跳過此篇吧!!
    版主回覆:(03/22/2010 04:12:33 PM)
    咳咳~~~
    ㄟ,那看完這篇才能畢業嘿!

  • 回覆
    Tony
    2016-02-01 於 23:21:35

    請問貴婦阿冠,當時妳們是怎麼找到民宿的email?我猜民宿也沒有網站吧?

    • 回覆
      跪婦阿冠
      2016-02-04 於 11:07:34

      我們是在背包客棧上看到人家分享,就去搜尋看看,有旅人回國後幫他們做了一個很簡單的民宿資料網頁,幾張照片跟聯絡資訊。但後來民宿改建,我們也聯絡不到了。

    該你說說話囉!不用登入也可以留言喔!