Casa Mabel y Armando Reviews
April 2 2015
Name: David K
Country: Quebec
I stayed here at: 03/27/2015
I made a reservation at the casa directly
I paid: 25 CUC per night
breakfast was $4 CUC
dinner was $11CUC for a large lobster tail.
Beer was $1.50 CUC
I texted Mabel at 01153 53810329
Casa de Mabel y Armando
My review: The rooms were clean and the washroom had Hot/cold shower. They cleaned the room and washroom while I ate my breakfast.
The atmosphere was very good and friendly. They leave you alone when you want to meditate and take in the cool breeze in the evening at the patio.
You can give your clothes to be washed by the helper. ( do not forget to give her a tip, about $1.00CUC per day)
For dinner I had lobster and salad, and soup, and a nice local desert called "flam"
The seawall (MALECON) is within walking distance in a SLOW walk. the main boulevard is packed with entertainment during the evening hours at the weekends.
The city center is four blocks from the house.
I loved the place
How was your room?: Clean, clean clean, just love it.
How was the food they offer?: lobster, chicken, p[pork, shrimp, and other things like lots of fruits, rabbit if you want and will roast a small pig for you cost about $25 CUC to buy if there are any avaiable. give them enough time and they will try to get this ready for you
Other services they offer: They will wash your laundry but give the helper some tip about $1.00 CUC per day) for the work well done.
Other comments: Bring some ketchup, mustard and some peanuts and cashew nuts to eat while drinking your beer. and do not forget chewing gum. The kids will love you you for that.
March 21 2015
Name: Mary Beglan
Country: OTTAWA, Canada
I stayed here at: 01/25/2015
I made a reservation at the casa directly
i paid $20 per night for my husband and myself. This was a big room with two beds, there was a private washroom with a hot and cold shower. This is a welcome room after staying in the hotel which was all musty and enclosed near the beach.
There was a smaller room which was the same price, but my husband wanted to lay down on the bed by himself.
Casa de Mabel y Armando
My review: There is a big living room with red furniture on sokid chairs. a large flat television screen./ the dining room was an open air. There was a roof over it and the cool breeze flowed right through while we dined on our food. The food was tastey. We had chicken salsa with potates, rice and salad. They had a plate full of cut fruits. We enjoyed our food. Armando suggested lobester for dinner the next night and He cooked the lobester and it was beautiful. We ate it and thanked him for his hard work for this tastey lobester tail.
How was your room?: The room was clean, with clean sheets. The washroom was cleaned while we ate our breakfast.
How was the food they offer?: the food was deliciou, with lobester tail and chicken salsa. they showed us some pasta but we were not up for it. however, Armando made a small plate for us to share. It was just "MAGNIFICO"
we were off to havana and we still had the feel for Armando's cooking on our lips, the food in Havana was not as good in the hotel we stayed in.
Other services they offer: They offered us a place at the beach we had just come from and we did not want to spend any more time there. There was the city to explorer.
We will definitely come back here
Other comments: The hepler washed our clothes, we gave her some tips
March 21 2015
Name: George
Country: Canada
I stayed here at: 01/04/2015
I made a reservation at the casa directly
I paid
$20.00 CUC per night,(one CUC is equivalent to One US dollar) (one CUC is 25 CUP- local currency)
The dinner was #10 per person, with rice, chicken with salsa, soup and desert, you can get all kinds of fruits, just ask.
breakfast is $4.00 CUC per person, lots of fruit juices, egg, bread, cut fruits and coffee or tea
Casa de Mabel y Armando
My review: The living room is nice and beautiful.
There are two for your guests who may come by to visit you. the people in the city are very friendly. The room had one large queen size bed and a smaller bed. the linen were clean and washed. the room had a fridge with drinks in them which you pay at end of stay. There is an air-conditioner and a fan. the washroom is clean and is washed each day. there is a hot and cold shower, plenty of running water.
You will enjoy the patio at the back. the main boulevard is one block away. the city center for all the places to go are only four blocks away.
Many restaurants around to eat. You MUST ask for the price before you go in. The beer is like the Canadian beer, and cost about $1.10 CUC each, or up to $1.50 CUC. the local beer is called "bru-ha" it is just as good and is about $0.60 CUC per bottle the government restaurant uses CUP.
You can change your money at any bank. The one at the square is best if you do not want to wait for a long line.
How was your room?: The room was very clean and they cleaned the room each day including the washroom and change the towels.
They do laundry, just give the helper some tip about $1.00 CUC per day for helping you wash your clothes, just double check the price, before you give it to them some casa go crazy with the charges for washing your clothes.
How was the food they offer?: The food was Fantastic. Plenty of fruits, fresh Mango juices during mango season. no water added.
Ask for the lobster tail, they are large and beautiful to eat.
They will provide cooked beans for your local guests and rice and a lobster tail for them to eat. We all ate the same food. Loved the service and the fresh fruits and fish.
Other services they offer: They wash your clothes.
Other comments: Close to everything.
Armando will take you to the store to buy you your case of beer, as they do not have a lot at times. about $1.00 CUC per can, and you can get some rum at the store at the same time. about $16.00CUC per liter for a 7 year rum.
March 21 2015
Name: Greg Gammon
Country: Canada
I stayed here at: 09/09/2014
I made a reservation at the casa directly
I paid
$20 CUC per night. I stayed for four nights. Love the place will go there again this fall.
The price for the food Breakfast was $3,00CUC, and dinner varied from $8.00CUC to $10.OOCUC per person, for Lobster tail and rice with fried bananas, French fries, salad, and a local sweet desert. They provided some bean dishes for the local friends I had over for dinner, We all ate the same food, lobster, fish, chicken and the famous staple bean food.
Casa Mabel y Armando
My review: The house was beautiful inside, very spacious inside, the living room has some nice furniture and a large flat television. The dining room is nice and a cool breeze flowing through while you eat and chit chat with your friends. The patio has another dining table, with a local made BBQ to cook the food on it. We had a small piglet cooked and it tasted great. This we had to buy from the local farmer, you have to ask the people there to help you find one. They do all the preparation and the cooking, just give them a tip at the end of the stay.
Bring some of your own condiments, like ketchup and mustard. There is none in the Stores for sale.
There are plenty of fruits to eat and cheap, if that is all you want for dinner that can be provided.
The bedroom was large with one king size bed and a small bed. This has their own private washroom with hot and cold shower.
The second bedroom was smaller with a king size bed with their private washroom with hot and cold shower.
How was your room?: The room was large with one king six bed and one smaller bed. It has it's own air-conditioner, a small fridge, and a fan, plus a small television. The washroom was very clean with a hot and cold shower. The washed the washroom everyday and cleaned and made the bed for us.
How was the food they offer?: There was lobster tail (large ones), you get two small ones if they are small. Deep fried by Armando, tastes great, they make chicken with tomatoes and potatoes, the way you like it and some seafood.
The breakfast we had sunny side up eggs with coffee. There was always a fresh plate of cut fruits. Ask for more if you want.
The beer is like the Canadian beer, there is a local beer at half the price of $0.60 CUC called "Bru-HA" it tastes just as good after five beers. The regular beer is about $1.00CUC per can.
Other services they offer: They will find the foods you want if available, they are helpful for what you want and if they can help out they will.
Bring a Spanish dictionary and you will be good.
Other comments: bring your slippers for the beach, and some shampoo and soap. these are hard to find in the stores and they do not have your brand.
March 17 2015
Name: Valentina
Country: Italy
I stayed here at: 12/29/2014
I made a reservation at the casa directly
I paid 20 CUC per night
Casa Mabel y Armando
My review: Di questa casa ho tanto da dire,e una casa molto confortevole spaziosa, pulita,ha tantíssime cose positive, sono andata gia parecchie volte e tornero sempre a casa di Mabel y Armando.
Parlando di loro come persone sono stupende, persone in cui si puo avere fiduscia, sono persone molto semplici e ti danno il cuore, li ti sentirai di sicuro a casa? io vado e Andro sempre li mi sento in famiglia,faccio come se sto a casa , ti mettono súbito a tuo aggio , adesso che faccio questi commenti mi e venuta una forte nostalgia...penso ci torno presto.
How was your room?: La mía stanza molto confortevole,ha un letto matrimoniale e un lettino singolo, ha la televisone di fronte al letto sospesa e ha pure il dvd,ha l'aria acondizionata, ventilatore,frigorifero,ha uno specchio grande vicino al letto, Aqua calda e fredda tutto il giorno e ha pure un ventilatore in bagno,una cosa molto importante per me e sono le lenzuole, in questa casa sono rigurosamente bianche e li cambiano 1 giorno si e uno no per tutti i giorni che ci stai li, puliscono no solo la stanza ma tutta la casa ogni giorno,la pulizia per me e molto importante e in questa casa la trovo .
How was the food they offer?: Ahhhhh ragazzi il mangiare... Mi e venuta l'aquolina in bocca, vi posso dire che offfono delle collazioni ottime,succo di frutta di staggione naturale fatto al momento,frutta mista di staggione molto bene decorata, pane tostato, burro, uove( li chiedi come li vuoi, occhio di bue oppure frittata semplice , o frittata prosciutto e formaggio) oppure un sándwich di prosciutto e formaggio caldo e crocante, latte,caffe,miele,puoi chiedere delle frittele da mangiare col miele, e davvero una abbundante colazione.La cena altrettanto, non vi dico tutto il menú perche non ho lo spazio ma ... Vi leccherete le dita, tutto fresco, la mattina ti chiedono che vuoi cenare e lo vanno a comprare, tutto quello che vuoi, si mangia buenísimo nel terrazzo música a basso volume bellissima atmosfera.
Other services they offer: Questa casa offre anche servicio di lavandería , ti mostra dei catalogui dei luogui turístici che puoi visitare nella citta, ti fa tutte le riserve se vuoi delle case nei diversi posti in cui vai, sempre sono delle case pari a questa , hanno un posto stupendo in famiglia, e una paladar(ristorante) al mare, 22,23 kilometri di li e trovi il paradiso, e un posto al aperto ed offfrono scurzioni a caballo , ci sono dei cayac , ce un mollo puoi fare il bagno ce il bar, música , cara ole,ed il fine settimana ce anche uno spettaculo che dura 1 hora, e un ambiente familiare molto tranquillo e molto frecuentato dai cubbani, ed in piu puoi stare tutto il giorno e pasare davvero una gjornata da vacanza.
March 14 2015
Name: Kim KO
Country: canada
I made a reservation at the casa directly
I paid
$25 CUC per night. this is the high season. but if you stay for a longer period it is about$20 CUC. The exchange rate is about the equivalent to the American dollar
Casa de Mabel y Armando
My review: The house a very large living room with chairs and tables, a large Flat screen TV.
The dining area is a nice place under an open patio with a roof. There is a second area open to the sky. Great for smoking.
There are two rooms. One large room with one king size bed and a small bed. this room has it's own washroom, with hot and cold shower. there is an air-conditioner and a small wall fan.
The second room has one king size bed and the washroom is clean with a hot and cold shower.
We had a wonderful time there. We stayed in other houses, but the food and the atmosphere at the other casa particulars was not like this one. We enjoyed the food like we were eating out in Toronto and Hamilton.
We will go there again, this summer. their phone number is 01-53-43-550513
you will love this place, Armando is a fun loving erson.
They are strict with the local laws
How was your room?: My room was clean and ready for us. The Linen smelled it was washed and the room has it's own washroom. There are two rooms and I saw the other room, they all have the same clean good look. The rooms and washroom was cleaned everyday while we were there.
How was the food they offer?: The food was wonderful. I was offered spaghetti with meat sauce and chicken for lunch. There was salad, mango juice and a cold serving of sweet Flam. We enjoyed our stay there. My wife and I loved the patio at night, where we ate our dinner. They had lobster tail which was deep fried and a nice big one. There was a good plate of shrimps all peeled and cooked in a tomato sauce. They provided French fries and fried bananas. They had some cooked beans for our local guests with white rice.
I should have brought some ketchup to eat with the food. There was no ketchup in the stress for sale. It all tasted very good. The price varied for the lunch from $8CUC to $11CUC per person for the type of food you order, lobster tails would be the most expensive.
We went to some of the government restaurants, "The Hotel Union" and they had some beef steaks there. I enjoyed the food at the house more than the food at the restaurant which are overrated and more expensive.
The other government restaurants accept the local currency and did not cost as much about $20 CUC is equal to $500 CUP and fed a total of eight people.
The beer was very good tastes very much like the ones in Canada and cost $1.50CUC per can.
Other services they offer: They have direct access to a beach house restaurant "Rancho Crystal" (pictures below) We stayed there for the day and was served one good meal for $8 CUC and the beer was extra for $1.50CUC.
there were two horses you can ride or Kayak with the two kayaks around the bay.
They will help you buy any good rum at the store or lead you there. Or buy you a case of beer for your stay which is about $1.00CUC from the Government stores.
There are street vendors, outside looking for tourists to sell goods like lobster tails and fruits. You can bring back the lobster tails back to Canada.
They will help exchange some of your Canadian money for you from the banks.
Other comments: suggest you bring some of your own condiments, like ketchup, mustard and pepper in a shaker. When changing your money in the Bank or hotel get money no bigger than a $10.00CUC
Bring your own shampoo and soap, you will love yourself with these small things.
Leave a small tip of $1.00CUC per day for the helper that works in the house. Suggest you give the money directly to the helper.
Mabel and Armando are trustworthy.
Do not trust anyone else.
The seawall (MALECON) is a short walk from the house and nice to stroll in the evenings.
The main central part of town is about four blocks away. The main Parade boulevard is about one block away.
March 2015
Name: Gregorio
Country: Canada
I stayed here at: 06/06/2013
I paid 20 CUC per night
(price varies according to number of days you stay)
There are TWO rooms. Each room has their own private washroom. There is a TV and air-conditioning in each room. The big room has one King size bed and a small bed in the room.
He second room has a king size bed. Linen are clean and changed at your requests.
Casa de Mabel
My review: I arrived late in the evening.(about 11.00PM) I called them by text message and requested rice and fried chicken. They complied with my request. They had some fruits too. The beer is made in Cuba using Canadian technology. Cost $1.50 CUC. The dinner cost me $8.00 CUC.
My breakfast was ready for me at 9.00 AM. I requested for three sunny side up eggs with bread, I had a teapot of tea, several glasses of mango juice(they make the best mangoes juice, from REAL MANGOES. A plate of fresh cut oranges, mangoes, and pineapples, all natural and very sweet tasting. This cost me $4.00CUC.
For dinner I had seafood of all types during my stay. They make some great octopus(pull-pull), I had some reservation about eating it, but it was just too good not to eat it whenever they can get some.
They have some great spaghetti with their own meat sauces, this only occurs when they can get the spices for their sauces. This tasted like some of the great Italian restaurants in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I laughed when they said they can make Indian curry. I had to swallow the laughter, when they made the chicken legs curry with potatoes and tomatoes. It was spicy hot like Indian town in Toronto, on Gerrard St. They mild it down by adding more hot water to he sauce. This too, depends when they can get the spices. Bring some of hose curry powder in pre- packages and they will do the rest. They can make the best of things for you, if you have some patience, as there are many regular items we take for granted, that they cannot obtain in the stores.
Ask for fresh fruits, they will find them for you.
How was your room?: My room was very clean. Fresh linen when arrived. The air conditioner worked. The TV worked in the room. The personal private washroom with shower was clean and good, make sure you know how to get hot water for your shower. All was better than I expected.
I enjoyed my access to the living room area, where there is a very large flat screen TV. I had my own DVD player and watched some of my own movies.
How was the food they offer?: The food was better than I expected. They made me sunny side fried eggs for breakfast.
The lunch was exceptionally good.
I requested for tea most the time. They provide great coffee.
The beer is good, I buy my 7 year old rum for abut $16 CUC. per one liter bottle.
Ask for the octopus, it is great eating it. I had many friends over for dinner, cost me about $8 per person depending on the type of food I order. They have French fries made from potatoes, fried sliced banana which is a delight. Good white rice made to perfection.
Tomato ketchup when there are any available. There are some nice local made deserts, or fruits which you can have, there is ice-cream, flavours restricted to what is available.
Other services they offer: They couple who owns the place will do what they can to help you out. They have direct access to a private beach restaurant near the hotel resort. This place is call CRYSTAL RANCHO, this place has a couple of horses to ride two kayaks to take out to the middle of the bay which is encircled by the city and the suburban cities. They offer the day on the beach area with one meal for $8 CUC. The beer is extra $1.50CUC. Or bring some of Your own.
To get there is a taxi ride for $10CUC each way. You can ask the taxi to return to come and pick you up at the time of your choice. There are some local stars who entertain there.
Other comments: The outdoor patio is quite, unless there is a game in the park area. Great to stay out late for a smoke of your favourite cigars.
The seawall (Malecon) is about five minutes of a slow walk. Good for late evening strolls and the main street (boulevard) is just one block away. The main downtown is about four blocks away for an afternoon visit. There are many private restaurants which are very expensive, relative to the standard government restaurant. Check prices before you order,
The government restaurant are good and cheap, you pay using the local currency which is an exchange of 25 CUP to one CUC. When ordering beer from these restaurant make sure you keep tabs. The beer is about 1 CUC, the local beer called "brut ha" is half the price and just as good after five beers.
Aug 24 2012
Name: Michael wong
Country: canada
I stayed here at: 3/3/2011
Casa de Mabel and Armando
My review: The people are nice, but like most cubans they have the guts to give you old food. that is food already served to their family and then recook them for the guests. They will take the stuff you buy for them to cook for you, and then say they cooked it all. I got some ice-cream and put it away in their freezer, the next day there was no more. they say it was all eaten. (My family-Cuban girlfriend- and i did not eat any) They take most of the good food and take it over to their family who live acrooss the street.
They will treat ou nice, if you put your foot down.. Demand the price first before you eat, or go to the restaurant which are much cheaper and better than many of the casa particular. Many fo the casa particular restaurant are the same, demand to see the uncooked food before they serve it to you or you will end up with someone's left overs especially the rice from the other person's plate.
Casa specifics: Elegant, Comfortable, Colonial, Beautiful, Safe
Amenities: TV, Airconditioning, Private bathroom, Laundry service, Breakfast service, Dinner service, Queensize bed, Extra bed available, Bathroom with shower
How was your room?: Good, just need an extra key, but they will open the door at your time of your late arrival or returning from the club.
How was the food they offer?: be careful that the food is not their left over food.
Eat at the restaurants on the streets and at the Union Hotel which is good but around $20 for steak and coke with frieswith Ketchup-if they have any.
other restaurants are "El maderin" -cheap on the price.. but the barman cheats on the prices #doubles your bill# report it to the manager and the police and you should be fine.
"el Polito" #the chicken# good but no air-condition same as above but no bar service there is beer.
"Polynisian" at the Parc de Marte same as the "el Madarin" about $20 to feed six to ten persons depending on the beers you drink
Other services they offer: none
Other comments: enjoy your time... just ask for the prices before you buy |
