All in all we had a great time both at Club Acuario and on our almost daily tours into Havana. 3 star hotels are definitely not for everyone, but this resort served our needs well. The room was basic - the standard two 3/4 beds, shower, dresser, desk, table and two chairs, and a great balcony looking out onto a canal (part of the Marina Hemmingway). The first night we arrived the floor between the bathroom wall and the first bed was covered in a small pool of water, but we discovered that the water was running from the air conditioning unit. We damned it up with a towel so that it did not spread right across the room. We pointed out the problem to the cleaning staff the next day and they adjusted the unit - although there was still water coming out of it and we still kept a towel on the corner, it was not as bad for the rest of our stay. We asked for extra pillows - no problemo - they immediately responded with two more. I would recommend to anyone (unless you really like staying over a bar and entertainment area) to find a way to stay at the back of the hotel where we were. There are also several other Club Acuario buildings on the streets leading up to and away from the main building where we were. They seemed like good places to stay as well.
The guests who stay at Club Acuario are a great mix of Canadians from across the country, Cubans (who were on vacation that week), other Spanish speaking folks (probably from Venezuela) and one American (that I was aware of).
The food was to our liking, but in chatting with other guests, they were disappointed. I am not sure what they were looking for, but we were fine with the salads, pastas, assorted beverages, piles and piles of fruit, fish every day, pork on some days, lamb on others and twice there was turkey. It was, as with the room, basic, but quite good.
Generally, the Marina area is very interesting... we were not looking for beaches, so our daily 2 kilometre walks out to the sea wall and the Straights of Florida watching the fishing boats and the crashing waves were just perfect. There is a relatively well stocked grocery store, a cigar shop and a sports shop, and a bowling alley nearby - all within walking distance.
We took several tours with Graviota - the City Tour and the Hemmingway Tour and recommend them both highly. The caveat emptor associated with tours is that the excellence of the tour is related to the excellence of the Tour Guide. Our first guide (City Tour) was fabulous who not only knew his material but made sure he spoke with everyone and made us all feel comfortable, in both English and Spanish and could have also done it in French, if he had needed to. The guide on the Hemmingway Tour took us to some great spots including a fishing village (Cojimar) where Hemmingway had his ranch, but was lacking in the communication skills of the first guide. It's the roll of the tour guide dice, which could happen in any city. We also took advantage of the twice daily free shuttle into the city (about a 25 minute drive) to wander the streets of Havana and absorb the sights and feel of the city.
The staff at Club Acuario were friendly, hospitable and did whatever they could within their means to make our stay comfortable.
Tipping in Cuba is de rigueur. We tipped in relevance to services rendered. Employees in the tourism industry depend on tips and most of them work hard for them.
Tourists to Cuba should never be in a hurry. Things happen, but leave North American timing behind. A very good example of this was our return ride to the airport on New Year's Eve. It was not only a ride to the airport, but also a stop at a mountain top scenic viewpoint for coffee and a bathroom break and an opportunity to buy souvenirs. And, later the driver spotted a man selling legs of pig on his front veranda, and remembering that he needed pork for his family's New Year's celebration, turned the bus around and pulled up to the house so he could buy his leg of pig. Thus our drive to the airport included a pig stop ...try that on the way to the Ottawa airport and see what happens :-).
The next time we go, we will find a way to fly into Havana, rather than Varadero - the drive from airport is between 2 to 2 1/2 hours long. So if you leave Ottawa on the 4:30 pm Sunwing flight into Varadero (3 hours and 45 minutes to 4 hours), by the time you land (sit on the tarmac for 20 minutes or so), work your way through Immigration (which can take up to 45 minutes in length and a note here - have all of your paperwork in order and ready to show the immigration officer: your passport, tourist card, boarding pass from your point origin and proof of where you are staying), wait for your luggage, 20 - 30 minutes, exchange your money (if you are going to do it at the airport) - another 20 minutes, and then drive to Club Acuario (about 3 hours) - we finally arrived around midnight.
A recommendation about exchanging money into Cuban convertible currency - the Cadecos associated with the Banks in Havana have a better rate than the Cadeco at the Airport or at the Hotel. By the way, the hotel does not always have money available for exchange.
And just to sum up...as a 3 star goes, we were very pleased. If your expectations are 5 star and your food tastes are constant gourmet style, then you should probably stay somewhere else.
Room Tip: The middle back side of the main building facing the canal.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
