Name: Villa Bacuranao
Address: Via Blanca Km 15 1/2 Celimar. Habana Del Este, Havana, Havana, Havana, 06760, Cuba
Rating: 6

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At the villa

Villa Bacuranao

Havana

If you book this hotel you are in prison.  Do not believe the line of stay 1 day in quarantine then enjoy your vacation.  Many hotels it is a 3 day quarantine and this hotel said had to wait for a message of negative results before I was allowed to leave or my Cuban husband was allowed to join me ( even though they told him to get test and bring negative results and he could join me)  By the 4th day of no results and with threats by 5 men surrounding me that they would call police or immigration if I put one foot across the front entrance the doctor just wrote a piece of paper that said negative.  I know that there were no results coming to hotel.  I immediately called Sunwing and asked to be moved and went to Marazul where my husband was able to join me immediately and where all travellers told me they where not even subject to 1 day quarantine ( just down the street at Atlantico hotel it is 3 day quarantine)  So if you want to be free go to Marazul.

Hell in Cuba

The first thing anyone travelling to Cuba has to get into their heads is that they are travelling to a foreign country. A foreign country that has been under Communist/Dictator rule for 60+ years, with nearly ZERO American influence.  IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LIKE HOME!!!!!   Once you get past that, let yourself relax and have some fun.  Villa Bacuranao is dated and in need of some repairs and facelifts.  But it's clean, safe, and the staff are amazing.  There are two different buses that will get you to Havana,  the first being the local up at the highway.  It's cost is pennies and you will be riding all jammed in with locals,  again - open your mind and have some fun!  The second is a "tourist" bus.  It will cost you 5 CUC but this also gets you on the hop on hop off in Havana and the ride  home. Just be aware that this does not run after 7 PM .  The Villa has a nice pool area with dirt cheep beer,  the restaurant has pretty decent food just a bit repetitive.  There is also a bar and dance area tacked on to the backside of the restaurant.  All in all we were very happy staying at this location.   

Better than expected

When looking for a package deal for our first trip to Cuba, we had all kinds of advice and recommendations. Looking at RECENT reviews for many of the hotels convinced me to ignore these recommendations! An insanely cheap deal popped up for Villa Bacuranao, and we decided to go for it, despite it being only a 2-star hotel. We were very, very glad we did. 
 The Villa is a collection of small single-storey buildings spread over a sprawling property right on the oceanfront. The shoreline is very rough (unswimmable), as is most of the Cuban coastline, but adjacent to the hotel is a bay with a beautiful sand beach. It was a one-minute walk from our room to some of the best swimming we have ever had! We didn't even bother to go in the hotel pool as the ocean was perfect, everyday!
The room we had was very basic, but everything worked (which, according to reviews, put Bacuranao ahead of almost all the other resorts!). Cold air conditioning, hot shower, toilet that flushed magnificently and even a mini-fridge. Everything you need. Bonus items were a tiled, shaded front 'porch', with wicker chairs and table for sitting out and listening to the surf roar in.  An added bonus was one of the local cats, who waited for us night and day on the porch and made the place feel like a home. 
So, food. Our package was for breakfast only, and the El Dorado is the restaurant at the Villa. It is right at the shoreline, so you can eat on their patio about 20' from the ocean waves. The coffee was great but the food is basic, you can get an omelet and toast or go for the 'canned meat' selection if you feel brave!. Food in Cuba is, well, plain. They do not get a large variety due to embargoes and supply problems, but they do their best. You just figure out what you like and stick with it. We ate dinner there a few times and were happy with what they offered. There is also a restaurant (El Bacura, hard to find!) about a 10 minute walk from the Villa, and it was GREAT for dinners. The Villa pool bar actually has a small kitchen and a grill and you can get lunch there as well.
The area around the Villa is kind of, well, empty! There were horses and a goat grazing in the field behind our room. I spent a day sitting on the porch reading 'Our Man in Havana' and listening to the surf and was as relaxed as a human could ever be. No hordes of vacationers drunk at the poolside at this place. Local families pay to use the pool so it was busy at times but that didn't matter to us as we liked ocean swimming (hey, you can swim in a pool at home!).
I have to say the staff were really great. There was security at the front entrance (and on occasional patrol) at all times, although it felt like it wasn't needed as the Villa is not really close to much, or has any foot traffic. It feels extremely safe. The front desk was very helpful and the rooms were attended to daily. Cubans that work with tourists are quite reliant on tips as a main source of income, so we were always mindful and repectful of that. 
A really big bonus of staying at the Villa Bacuranao: 20 minutes to Havana! It is a crazily vibrant city, tons of people and things to see everywhere. You have to go.

So, to sum up, the Villa Bacuranao is a simple but well-run and clean place to  relax, or use as a home base for exploring Cuba.

A low-key gem, great for relaxing!

Front desk staff are friendly and helpful. They did a lot to assist me as a nervous, first time, solo traveler. The other staff spoke mostly Spanish and were very patient with me as I used google translate to communicate. The resort was pretty quiet. I was happy to see locals in the pool and on the premise. I came to Cuba for the people! I feel like the exchange for the money was quite high but it was convenient. If you stay here, be prepared to pay 5 CUC each way to and from Havana. If you are not all inclusive, the food is kind of pricey. As a vegan, the dinner was not worth it (8 CUC buffet). There is a restaurant "El Bacura" within walking distance with an extensive menu worth checking out. All in all, I am very happy I decided to go here and was pleasantly surprised by how nice everything way based on past reviews.

Worth it in a package deal. Good for solo females.

I've stayed here as a solo female about 9 times now.  
This place is amazing and very very safe.  
The food is bad, the rooms are basic, but it is my favorite hotel I've ever stayed at.  
The guests who stay here are THE BEST.  I meet the coolest people ever whenever I stay here.  Most of the staff is SUPER NICE as well.
The swimming pool is kept in EXCELLENT condition always.  It's so fun to hang at the pool area for hours.. it just sucks you in like a little slice of paradise.
The beach right next door is small and nice and basic.
Sometimes this hotel is relaxing, sometimes a full on party place - you never know what you're gonna get.
This hotel is only about 15 mins from Havana with many options to choose from :  5 cent local bus, 5 cuc round trip shuttle, or a taxi which will run you about 15 cucs.
Guanabo is a cool town about 10 mins away with very fun nightlife.  A must see !
THIS HOTEL IS NOT FOR FUSSY PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO COMPLAIN - this is more of a place for world travellers, or for those who know what a budget hotel is like in Cuba.
The little bar behind the restaurant is insanely fun some nights.  
There is a veryyyy good restaurant which is a 5 min walk away - Baccura.
Be careful though ~ this place is addictive, and many people I meet here have stayed way more times than myself.

Considering the package deal price - AMAZZZZING !!!

I love Havana; the people, the historic buildings, El Capitulo Buiding, the Malecon, the gardens and zoo.
Riding a horse drawn cart in the city is "off the hook" and what about the Cocotaxi - fantastic.
We rode various kinds of vintage cars. What an experience. The Tulipan Hotel was indeed homely and nice.
My final leg at the Bacuranao was so relaxing and wonderful. I enjoyed the food.

Very relaxing and serene. Havana is a top city to visit. The people very friendly and the city is a sleeping giant.

So I wanna start by saying the good things that this place has. The staff is friendly, helpful and kind. The manager was very helpful at any time.The views are awesome, the pool is great(the days that isn't full of locals). It is very clean and the gardens are quite nice. 
However, there is a lot of things that should be improved. There rooms aren't very nice, the bathroom needs immediate repairs, the towels that are given in the rooms are dirty, with stains and some of them are even torn. The same happens with the sheets and the bed covers. The maids don't clean the room properly, they just give you new soap and toilet paper. I asked once to change towels and the sheets and she left "new" towels (smaller and dirtier ones) and didn't bring new sheets.
The other thing that was very annoying for me and my family was that the hotel has the  opportunity that if you wanna hang in the pool but you aren't a staying you can do it by paying the entrance fee. Don't get me wrong,  that's a great idea. Nevertheless, the hotel is not able to restrict the access when the pool is full. During the weekend we couldn't enjoy the pool because it was extremely full of people and there was no space neither outside nor in the pool. They should create a mechanism to know how many people can entered the place without interfering with the wellbeing of the people staying in the hotel.
With that being said, I see a lot of potential in this hotel and if they improve the situation right know I'm pretty sure that it's going to be an awesome place for a vacation with your family

Not THAT bad

Despite being a 2 star dump, it has its charms. Not for vacationers, but fine for travellers. Though the pool is relatively decent, the grounds and little water front are a disaster of neglect, tripping hazards and garbage with endless stray cats and dogs, some of which are extremely friendly, and will gladly sleep in your bed, which at least stops them from barking at 3am. The buffet is ok at breakfast but horrific for dinner. Awful even by Cuban standards. It's surprising that Sunwing even offers a package to such a place, as the wrong person would be outraged and demanding their money back. But to those that want a truly Cuban immersion from beginning to end, this is the place. Friendly staff, safe, and again surprisingly, very comfortable beds. The room we had was recently renovated and far better than rest of the place would suggest. We stayed a few nights then spent most of our time in Havana, staying again at the end to get the shuttle in the morning. You can't beat the price. So go... but be warned.... it's not for everybody.

Classic 2 star dump

love this place from minute i arrived-staff was so friendly-called my first name the whole week---great breakfast included---bbq chicken is the best for dinner-lots of dogs and cats----very local so if you dont like that dont go---bus to havana every hour

best place for value

This is a basic villa for seasoned traveller, the previous reviews says it all. I have been many time in Playa Del Este area but I was my first time here , I wanted to try it . I will come again if the price is right .

Villa Bacuranao

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