Cuba – Vedado, Havana 3BR

Havana, Cuba

7 days / 6 nights. 3 bedrooms, 2 or 3-bathroom luxury villas, up to 6 people

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Wonderful

100% of guests recommend

5 of 5 guest rating

* 7 days and 6 night accommodations in Vedado, Havana * Airport pick-up & delivery with personal meet and greet * Assistance with the required Cuban Visa documentation * Assistance with excursions to meet the US requirements ------------------------------------

Property Description

It’s hard to convey the wonder, sensuality, and alluring fallen beauty of Havana. It’s hard to imagine a city with such rhythm and verve, a city at once so tremendously vibrant and at the same time laid-back — that is, until you’ve taken a lazy stroll along the Malecón, gotten lost in the time warp of La Habana Vieja’s colonial cobblestone streets, taken a ride in a 1940 Dodge taxi through crumbling Centro Habana, danced salsa until dawn after catching the Tropicana floor show, or witnessed Afro-Cuban religious rituals on the street.

Originally established in 1514 on Cuba’s southern coast, San Cristóbal de la Habana had been moved by 1519 to its present-day location on the island’s north coast, at the mouth of a deep and spacious harbor with a narrow, protected harbor channel. Get there before its historic charm disappears. It is an extra-ordinary place, like nowhere else on earth. It is full of contrasts, with old colonial buildings, amazing vibes, old cars, Cuba Libre, phenomenal music, wonderfully blue ocean, great food, and fascinating history. Don’t miss our most popular tour to Vinales Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site and cigar farm. Step back in time to see the traditional techniques are still in use for agricultural production, particularly of tobacco. The quality of this cultural landscape is enhanced by the vernacular architecture of its farms and villages, where a rich multi-ethnic society survives, illustrating the cultural development of the islands of the Caribbean, and of Cuba.

We have 2 magnificent luxury villas in Vedado. Our Vedado Penthouse is luxury ocean view 3 bedrooms, 3 bathroom apartment, located in a high rise apartment building. It has a private swimming pool, and a stunning panoramic view of the whole city and the ocean.

Our 2nd luxury villa, Vedado Havana, has 3 bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms. It is a fully equipped luxury villa, with a private jacuzzi pool, with a convenient location in the city, just minutes from downtown Havana.

Want to bring more friends and family? Just ask, we also have 4BR, 5BR and 6BR accommodations available for an upgrade.

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Property Review

S. Hirzel
58 Reviews
"thank you for helping us arrange an unforgettable and enriching trip"
Since we were one of your first visitors, I thought that you would appreciate some feedback. It is very positive, but I wanted to you to know the negatives as well. Getting to Cuba. After we booked the condo, we ran into problems finding flights on the days that we needed. Ultimately it worked out by staying a night at Yanin (we actually enjoyed being able to see two places) and Zusel’s idea to coordinate our ride to Azul with the Architecture tour was fantastic. Cuba Travel Services was helpful in arranging the Visas. We had a lot of stress and back and forth over the travel affidavit, and the amendments to the Treasury department regulations the week before we left, but ultimately it proved unnecessary (see below). This should be easier based on the changes to the regulations on March 15th. Everyone should be able to check the Person to Person educational and cultural exchange. We felt that we had that requirement fulfilled by the end of the first day based on our conversations with Zusel and Rafael! Yanin. Fantastic Compound. Diani was a great cook. Her dinner the first night set a high bar. We were not that impressed with the “beach” and were glad that we did not stay there permanently. Azul was much more centrally located and better for all of the activities that we had planned. But we may not have been the “normal” group either. We were looking to stay active, not to lounge around by the pool for more than a few hours at a time. Azul Penthouse. We loved it. It was rough on the outside but fantastic on the inside. It was everything that we could have asked for. Having the Beer, Water and Rum available for purchase upon arrival was a great touch. The location could not have been better (we definitely preferred it over Yanin). There were some problems in some of the showers with hot water but we expected such inconveniences. It might be helpful to try to coordinate check--in and checkout times with the flight schedules. It isn’t a hotel, so it might be possible. We had a little scare the last day because of our late (9 p.m.) flight time, but it ultimately worked out by vacating the rooms by noon and having the pool deck until 2 p.m. Zaida and Alina were fantastic. Unfortunately, we lost Zaida to her medical condition, but Alina took care of what we needed, including a special birthday Dinner for Julia. Joel / Architecture Tour. Joel was great. He was highly informative, and he really knew his material regarding the architecture. This was probably our most educational tour. Rafael / Vinales / Angel (the farmer). We greatly enjoyed our time with Rafael and we loved his approach to the mural where he gave his views very subtlety and let us draw our own conclusions. Angel was fantastic. He was very friendly and welcoming. Getting to see how he and his family lived was a highlight. All that said, the ride was a little too long for our taste and I’m not sure that we would select it again due to the 6 hours of round trip driving time. But we do not regret doing it once. Some suggestions for improvement include adding a stop in the town (but I understood the reasons for not doing it) and doing more of a cigar tasting with a few branded cigars to compare to Angel’s organic cigars. It might also help to be a little more detailed in the descriptions of the touring. I’m not sure that we would have selected this one if we knew that it would require 6 hours of driving. Yuly / Old Havana / Independent touring. We loved Yuly and enjoyed her personal story. She did not have the same expertise as Joel and our old Havana time was interrupted by President Obama (Finally, we can actually blame Obama for something and actually mean it.). I’m glad that we saw old Havana, but I suspect that it is going to become even more touristy in the near future as the cruise ships fill the harbor. The independent touring was a bust -- but that was our fault. I would suggest that people not pick this option unless they have very specific plans in mind. We did not, and as a result it was not as good as it could have been. Yuly found some good places to take us, but I think that we could have done better with more planning. Beach day. The weather did not cooperate, but Zusel and Yuly’s efforts to find something that would work for everyone were fantastic. Santa Maria was a beautiful beach, and we had a good lunch before the weather became too windy. Buena Vista Social Club. We left early. The food was the worst that we experienced (and we tried gas station street food and the Kefeteria). The music was great, but there was no salsa dancing and Yuly was kept off in a corner by herself. We wanted to have her with us. This felt like a tourist trap, and it felt like a cruise ship had emptied into the restaurant. Convertible Tour. Fantastic. That was a great way to see the city. I would put this at the beginning of the week so that people can get a better feel for the city. I definitely have an email where we discussed combining this with the architecture tour, but that would NOT have been a good way to do this. One of our divers was a little more knowledgeable that the other and we had seen some of the sights previously, but we really enjoyed this tour. The Rolling Stones. Bucket List Item Checked Off! Zusel went above and beyond to find that house for us. We had every intention to go into the concert, but our spot was too good to leave. Enough said. Alejando. We loved him. We just wish that he could have been with us all week. Zusel. Zusel went above and beyond in many ways and has an expertise in coordinating schedules and simply getting things done that is simply a gift. I won’t belabor it because apparently, we gave Brendan enough information to ensure Zusel’s job future -- I understand that she was immediately promoted during the concert. As a more general matter, we would have preferred to have our Cuban hosts join us at meals. We enjoyed their company and we learned something new in every conversation. It was well worth an additional few bucks to have them join us, and I would encourage you to make that a “suggestion” as art of the tour packages. But again, our group may be a little “not normal.” Airport Issues. STRONGLY encourage guests NOT to check bags on the way to Cuba. If they need to check on the way home to bring home their purchases, that is fine. We waited over 2 hours for mine upon our arrival. The airport just can’t handle it and it is going to get worse before it gets better. Once we finally had our bags, Zusel made us feel very comfortable as soon as we met her. That was well executed. Wifi is now available in the parks. But don’t just give people cards. Make them work for it the way that we had to. It made it more interesting. Leaving Cuba. We lightened our load by donating some of our clothes to our Cuban friends. I often bring older clothes on vacation and leave them there. This time, they served a purpose. This is a good recommendation for other travelers. I think that arriving 4 hours in advance for departure was excessive. 2 hours would have been more than enough time. There simply are not many flights in and out of that terminal so it should not back up excessively. Bring books for the wait. There are money changes before and after passport control and there is food available. Some of the shops close, but we were told that the currency exchange does not. Tips. We wanted to give something to everyone, but when you spread it out, like that it adds up. Suggestions for future travelers would be welcome. US Customs in Miami. They looked at my travel affidavit and laughed. They said that you don’t need it. Only 3 of the 150 people on our flight were non-Americans. 5 of us went through separately and none of us had any issues -- or even questions about rum or cigars. Again, thank you for helping us arrange an unforgettable and enriching trip. I can’t wait to go back (with Christine) in a few years. As much as we enjoyed ourselves, we hope to find that some things are very different at that time.
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Mary Jo
58 Reviews
"I will ALWAYS recommend WOW Factor to everyone I speak to about our trip"
Dinner at the Villa, Santy, Donde Lis and Cafe Del Oriente was WONDERFUL! Thank you for helping us celebrate Libby's birthday and for the lovely gift. The Villa was great and the on-site rep family was so gracious, personable and so darn cute! I will ALWAYS recommend WOW Factor to everyone I speak to about our trip.
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Susan
58 Reviews
"Cuba is a wonderful country with the most wonderful people"
We were extremely pleased with our accommodations. Cuba is a wonderful country with the most wonderful people. Zusel was knowledgeable and very kind.
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Mike
58 Reviews
"Our favorite tour in Cuba was the country tour including the tobacco farm"
Our favorite tour in Cuba was the country tour including the tobacco farm. Zusel, WOW Factor's on-site rep, was there. She had each day planned with dinner based on our input.
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Michelle
58 Reviews
"I love the Cuban people... loveliest people I've ever met"
Our accommodations were clean, comfortable, and charming. The weather was nice and not too hot. I love Cuba I love the Cuban people... loveliest people I've ever met. Zusel; wonderful, organized and a delight to be with.
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Jan
58 Reviews
"The tours were exactly what we expected!"
Cuba is a country that is passionate about their revolution. Fidel Castro passed away while we were there and the government instituted nine days of mourning which put a damper on things. That being said, the people are friendly, helpful and interested in us as Americans. Zusel did a wonderful job taking care of us, translating and helping us do the unusual things we wanted to do. It was an experience for both of us, because some of our activities such as bird watching were new to her. She was enthusiastic and helpful. We loved Alex our driver who was always taking care to watch for our safety in travel. I was struck by his ingenuity when our taxi broke down; he managed to get it repaired quickly. My favorite tour was with Angel who took us bird watching; he helped me find many endemic species. It was an amazing day for me. The tours were exactly what we expected. Many were new tours; the caves, bird watching etc. The weather was wonderful; hot and sunny.
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D.G
58 Reviews
"Our favorite experience was the Art"
The trip was beautifully arranged and graciously delivered. The back and forth fine-tuning we did with Zusel before we left helped us have even better tours and a better sense of what to expect. The personal touch is what makes it worth the money.? Our favorite experience was the Art—it was specially arranged to go in studios with an art curator who was terrific. The weather was very pleasant and there was lots going on at this time of year.
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Keith
58 Reviews
"Cuba is a country where time stood still"
We have been telling everyone what a once in a lifetime trip we had! Cuba is a must see before the commercialization happens. The time of year was great because it was the beginning of the season where the weather was perfect. Our favorite tour was Vinales-This tour allowed us to see more of the Cuban country outside of Havana. The lunch @ Finca Paraiso (farm to Table) was an added bonus that day. The housekeeper at our location was a real GEM. She was always available to our every need (we just loved her)! We met the following people; Zusel (our in Cuba coordinator), Joaquin (Driver), Joel (old Havana and Vinales tour guide) Charley (Varadero Beach Tour guide) and Carlos (Modern Havana Convertible Tour guide). "All were exceptional" friendly and knowledgeable of Cuban history. We felt comfortable with all our interaction with them. Zusel was responsive to all our needs. Joaquin was always early for all our transportation times. I highly recommend this Cuban team that made our trip enjoyable. Cuba is a country where time stood still.
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Gary
58 Reviews
"I found Cuba EXTREMELY worthwhile and enjoyable!"
Our first impression of Cuba was great people, but the infrastructure needs LOTS of attention. Zusel, the on-site rep, was VERY helpful even with 4 tour groups going that week. Our favorite tour was the trip to the tobacco farm. The people were great and very informative. Cigars are great, and the coffee they grew and gave us was good. You can say that I found Cuba EXTREMELY worthwhile and enjoyable.
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John
58 Reviews
"WOW Factor's on-site representatives were excellent"
WOW Factor's on-site representatives, Zusel, Joel, Michelle, and Alex (taxi) were excellent. They were all very nice, kind and accommodating and offered to do whatever we wanted to do. They really made the experience very informative and educational.
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Sara
58 Reviews
"We knew that Zusel was the best!"
I returned home last night from Cuba and before I get immersed in my normal routines I would like to tell you about our trip! It was wonderful except the experience at a hotel NOT BOOKED by WOW Factor! What a difference!! You have collected wonderful guides, our driver, and Zusel. She took such wonderful care of us. The house, Sandow and his staff were great. I can't imagine what a different experience I would have had if I had not bought our trip in Lake Placid last summer to Cuba with WOW Factor! Their guides are experts in their fields and very personable. We saw many guided tours and watched as their tourists try to listen to our guide instead, we knew that Zusel was the best! Thank you for a wonderful experience. If you need me to tell someone about why your organization is worth the price or why he or she should book tours through you, I would love to help! The only advice I would give is to provide your clients with some guidelines for tipping. We would like to know in advance that tipping is recommended because the Cuban team definitely deserve it! I have been on hunting and fishing trips that I would not have brought tip money to, but knew to bring it because the company provided us with that information. Providing examples for a not so great tip amount, a medium tip amount and a great tip amount for the Cuba trip would be helpful! Guidebooks say food is terrible and costly in Cuba. We found this not true! The food is very good if you have the right people like we had helping us pick the restaurants. We stayed away from the government ran restaurants. We also found the food very reasonably priced. In regards to the people-to-people aspect of CubaÉstaying in the ÒhomesÓ was wonderful and their food was great. We would not have interacted with people in the same way if we stayed in a hotel. I took pictures of people who live in Cuba that I would like to frame and send to them. The tobacco farmer can't get a picture framed, so I would like to do this for him. We feel we have added family members and cannot wait to return to Cuba!" -Sara
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Joe
58 Reviews
"We all came away with such an appreciation for Cuba and its people!"
I wanted to let you know that it was an incredible experience and we loved every minute of it! The agenda was perfect. The house was in just the right location and we really enjoyed being able to sit out on the deck overlooking Havana each night. The restaurants were phenomenal. We all came away with such an appreciation for Cuba and its people – we couldn’t have asked for more! I’d also like to say that Zusel was the perfect host. I appreciate how she took care of our group the entire week and often went out of her way to make sure that everything was just right (especially when mother nature didn’t cooperate with our plans and they had to be modified). Most importantly, she was a welcome companion. She fit in with our group so easily and often felt like she was one of us (albeit a much more knowledgeable one). Thank you so much for all of your help in setting up the trip. Wow factor was excellent! I hope we get a chance to work with you again soon
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Brian
1 Review
"If you have an interest in seeing Cuba, GO! We had a FANTASTIC time."
We recently returned from 6 days in Cuba and our group will be sharing a LOT of fabulous memories for the rest of our lives. WOW Factor and their on-site team led by Zusel created an experience for us that may go down, for me, as the greatest overall travel experience of my life. Cuba is a complex, beautiful, sometimes sad, and for us, an always friendly and welcoming country. We stayed in the Vedado urban area and had nothing to do with the isolated resorts. We wanted to mingle with the residents of Havana and each day provided new directions and adventures. We asked a LOT of questions and came away with a new understanding of culture, art, architecture, history and, most importantly, the people. We arrived with open minds and departed transformed. The WOW team with Zusel leading in Havana were exemplary. Our guides were informative and when time permitted, flexible with what we found particularly interesting. Our driver/guides were always arriving a few minutes before our appointed times to meet and we met all our goals on each tour. Zusel also has an uncanny intuition about when we are needing to pause to reflect and when to move on to other areas. We couldn’t have been happier with our experience in Cuba and if/when we return to Cuba we will be traveling with WOW Factor. Hopefully Zusel will still be there to guide our trip – she is an extremely knowledgeable and hardworking Rockstar. Here are some semi-random notes to help nervous travelers (from a nervous traveler): GETTING INTO AND LEAVING HAVANA – I read a LOT of blogs that posted horror stories about the Havana airport both for entering and leaving Havana. Those stories created a lot of anxiety because I became fearful that it would take up to 3 or more hours being hassled by authorities in a disorganized mosh-pit airport. I’m not saying those anecdotal stories didn’t happen, but our experience was a breeze. The time from when we walked off the jet to the time we were in the parking lot greeting our driver was about 23 minutes. We don’t check bags and that eliminated one step but our companions who came in on a different flight with their checked bags said that added about 30 minutes to their entrance into the country. The passport control area is really close to the jetway and it’s self-explanatory. The officers in the booths are a bit officious but are also seem bored with stamping passports all day. The officials at the x-ray machine who check your bags to get into the country didn’t seem very interested at all. It was easy especially if you don’t have anything to declare. Exchanging money was a breeze and the wait at our money-changing kiosk was only about 5 to ten minutes. Leaving the country was a breeze and the security checks were just like any others we’ve been through (except Los Angeles – that’s a mess). FOOD – Cuba is complicated and has two general types of restaurants; the government run places and the private places (paladares). The paladares were wonderful and ultimately the only places where we ate. The folks in the private paladares understand customer service and show the best talent. All of the meals we had were very good to wonderful. The government-run restaurants have low-paid staff without an incentive to put forth effort so our brief experience inside one was fairly indifferent. The best way to choose the best restaurant for us was to ask Zusel to choose and make reservations; her choices were spectacular. CRIME – None but we are not stupid. We were on foot a lot and our interactions with the locals were friendly and helpful. We never even saw anyone getting aggressive. It’s a laid-back atmosphere with friendly, curious, and generally helpful people. In fact, I recall two separate occasions where a Cuban asked if I was “American” to which I replied, “yes.” In both occasions they thanked me/us for visiting their country and one said, “thank you for not being afraid of us.” Accommodations – We loved ours and offer one bit of advice to travelers. Our apartment was up two flights of stairs (which if fine for our group) and the building did not have an elevator. If you or anyone in your group has problems going up stairs, let WOW Factor know up front because Cuba is not an ADA-compliant place. Restrictions for Americans Traveling to Cuba – You can still travel though Cuba and WOW Factor knows the rules and knows how to make your trip compliant with the rules. We were compliant and sort of surprised that no one cared at Miami airport (either coming or going). Contact WOW if you have questions or concerns.
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