Joining Instructions
Joining Hotel
Hotel Colina
Calle L e/ 25 y 27
Vedado, Havana
Tel/Fax: + 537-836-4071
The hotel is centrally situated in Havana’s vibrant district of Vedado just down the road from the Hotel Havana Libre, which was formerly the Havana Hilton. It is diagonally opposite the University of Havana and 2 blocks from Vedado’s central park and Cuba’s largest ice-cream palour - La Coppelia. Vedado is also known as “New Havana” as many of Havana’s newer hotels, business and government offices, restaurants, and bars are found there. The hotel is also just a few blocks from the Malecon, which is the scenic walkway along the bay of Havana and a thriving centre of Havana social life.
Please note: Day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned, so you may arrive at any time. Similarly the last day is a departure day in which no activities are planned.
Group Meeting
Your Tour Leader will organize a short meeting soon after arrival, where you will meet other tour participants and receive information about general and specific aspects of the trip. Look for a welcome notice in the reception area and if you can't find one, don't hesitate to ask the receptionist. This first official group meeting is usually arranged for the morning of Day 2 of the tour by which time all group members will have arrived, as some flights can arrive late at night on Day 1. If you do arrive late, the leader will leave you a message detailing what time and where you should meet the next morning.
The leader will usually also set a time for those who have arrived early, to meet in the evening of Day 1 to go out for dinner and drinks, and to explore the city at night for those who are keen. The normal itinerary allows time at the end of the tour to explore Havana so there is no need to arrive early to do this.
From the Airport
The best way to get to the arrival point hotel in Cuba is via taxi from the airport. The official taxis are easily spotted and will charge you between 20 and 25 CUC (Cuban dollars) for a ride to the hotel. It is a 25-30 minute drive (depending on traffic) into the city. There are no official buses running from the airport to the city.
Official taxis in Havana run on a conventional taxi-meter, and you are expected to pay the price stated on this meter at the end of your trip. Most tourists leave a small tip for the taxi driver if they are pleased with the service they received. Taxis from the airport will quote you a slightly inflated price beforehand so as to make a few extra dollars.
