So I booked, paid, received multiple confirmations from Hotels.com - the typical “Only a week until your next vacation” type of stuff, all with dates and confirmation number. Show up, greeted, shown to lovely accommodations and then at 6 pm I am told that we will have to leave because they have double booked. The story morphed over time from they never confirmed, the email was overlooked in their inbox, internet is unreliable in Cuba, etc. Long and short was it wasn’t their fault (of course not) but it was 6 pm and I was supposed to find last minute accommodations for my family of six. Once I indicated that since I had no internet access (Cuba) my phone data would work there, I have marginal Spanish and as an American my credit cards don’t work in Cuba -hence my pre-paid reservation they finally came up with a supposedly equivalent alternative - it wasn’t but the price was the same - so we moved to the new accommodations for which I guess we were supposed to be grateful. Long and short, attractive rooms, terrible water pressure (I had a shower and my son was unable to flush the toilet while we were there before we were thrown out), I’m sure that our stay would have been nice but it is incredibly disconcerting to be told that your booked, confirmed, pre-paid reservation will not be respected.

So I booked, paid, received multiple confirmations from Hotels.com - the typical “Only a week until your next vacation” type of stuff, all with dates and confirmation number. Show up, greeted, shown to lovely accommodations and then at 6 pm I am told that we will have to leave because they have double booked. The story morphed over time from they never confirmed, the email was overlooked in their inbox, internet is unreliable in Cuba, etc. Long and short was it wasn’t their fault (of course not) but it was 6 pm and I was supposed to find last minute accommodations for my family of six. Once I indicated that since I had no internet access (Cuba) my phone data would work there, I have marginal Spanish and as an American my credit cards don’t work in Cuba -hence my pre-paid reservation they finally came up with a supposedly equivalent alternative - it wasn’t but the price was the same - so we moved to the new accommodations for which I guess we were supposed to be grateful. Long and short, attractive rooms, terrible water pressure (I had a shower and my son was unable to flush the toilet while we were there before we were thrown out), I’m sure that our stay would have been nice but it is incredibly disconcerting to be told that your booked, confirmed, pre-paid reservation will not be respected.

Very good value. Comfortable and clean. Within walking distance from centre but just out of earshot, especially important on Saturday nights when Vinales becomes party central! Next to Botanical Garden and short walk to horse riding stables and tobacco farm.