Cuba Journal 
While there are certainly several other contenders, right now the Hotel Saratoga in Havana is the best hotel in Cuba. It’s got the best all-around combination of luxury, culture, superb hotel design (by Mexico-based Arquitectura de Interiores) and service — and then there’s that show-stopping rooftop pool. (It’s the kind of place that has drawn Cuba’s … Read more
Friction over how to resolve the differences between the US and Cuba often obscures the various ways the two governments and people have cooperated. Here are the important ways the US and Cuba have looked past their respective differences and worked together over long periods of time: Ernest Hemingway’s Home, The Finca Vigía According to … Read more
AT&T has reached agreements for Cuba roaming and direct interconnection with Empresa De Telecomunicaciones De Cuba (ETECSA). The deal continues to enhance AT&T’s global coverage for customers. “Cuba is a growing international calling destination for our customers,” said Bill Hague, executive vice president, AT&T Global Connection Management. “With this agreement, AT&T customers soon will be … Read more
Born in Cuba in 1962, Ivonne Lamazares’ mother died when she was three, and she was raised by her grandparents in Old Havana. She emigrated to Florida at the age of fourteen and currently lives in South Miami with her husband, the poet Steve Kronen, and her daughter. Lamazares is on the faculty of Miami-Dade … Read more
Sure, you’ve had Cuban Coffee before, that sweet alchemy of spoonfuls of sugar and robust espresso. But have you had it in Cuba? Old Havana is increasingly filled with restaurants aiming to cater to travelers, but some stops are simply better than others. Some are for tourists, while others actually deliver something truly authentic. One … Read more
According to a report in the Miami Herald, American Airlines and JetBlue have received final approval from the Cuban government to begin commercial airline service to several airports on the island. JetBlue, with a flight scheduled to Santa Clara from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Aug. 31, will be the first regularly scheduled flight to … Read more
Madonna turned 58 Tuesday and celebrated with a trip to Havana, Cuba. Other guests along for the Cuban visit included Madonna’s two sons, Rocco and David, as well as her 19-year-old daughter Lourdes. Actress Debi Mazar posted an Instagram video of her ride from the airport — alongside pal Rosie O’Donnell — in a caravan … Read more
Havana does not lack for great cigar shops. But if you venture a bit further, you can find somewhere special, somewhere few travelers have been. Here, past the edge of Miramar, is a tiny cigar shop and smoking lounge inside the Marina Hemingway, a place where those without boats seldom head. It’s called Los Tres … Read more
Cuba announced in May the next step in its economic transition by allowing legal status for private businesses. Previously, the communist government permitted individuals to operate as self-employed workers under several hundred clearly-defined roles such as taxi driver. The latest announcement will likely take months to become law. “Private property in certain means of production … Read more
It’s the most famous hotel in Havana: the Hotel Nacional, where the ghosts of legends still roam the halls. And while it’s mostly celebrated for its imposing architecture and its long history of famous guests, there’s one major reason to come here, whether you stay the night or not. It’s Bar Rosa Nautica, the tiny … Read more
