A perfect long weekend escape if you are looking for sunshine, fresh seafood, cocktails and rich cultural immersion on a quick trip. The ceviche, oxtail tacos, arepas and coconut lemonades are worth going for on their own. The streets are really quiet and fun to explore during the day, but come alive after sunset when it's time for food, dancing, and nightlife. Very safe, friendly, romantic, and charmingly beautiful and rustic. Would recommend dinner reservations at the below restaurants and having a real pool at your hotel is a must to beat the heat, unless you take a boat ride out to the national park beaches. Wear lots of linen and nothing too short at night as it is very windy!
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| View from our Hotel |
The Essentials:
1) Hotel with destination pool - Charleston Hotel and Sofitel Santa Clara have the best in the city. Highly recommend booking with Tablet for upgrades and add-ons like breakfast, one of my fav sites. The flowers in the lobby at Charleston are breathtaking and poolside coconut lemonades a must!
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| Lobby of the Charleston Hotel |
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| Perfect Pool |
2) Restaurants - Maria is by far the best in the city (oxtail tacos, chocolate mousse), La Cevicheria is touristy but delicious for lunch or dinner, Juan del Mar has paella that competes with Spain, and Aqua de Mar has eclectic tapas menu (Thai fish stew is the best, not really a soupy stew but better) and has extensive Gin list. Vera at Tcherassi was beautiful oassis for lunch. We tried to go to Cafe la Socorro in Getsemani and Cafe Havana but will have to make it next time.
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| La Vitrola |
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| Delicious Paella |
3) Coffee- Cafe San Alberto was a lovely little shop although my fav was the breakfast coffee at Charleston Hotel. You don't need any sugar, so lovely and smooth and delicious with arepas and fresh fruit. You can also buy coffee at a local grocery store or at the airport as a last grab if you really need something quick. You really can't go wrong with the coffee here, so smooth.
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| Lovely Quiet Streets in the Afternoons |
4) Cocktails - My fav were at the Santa Clara in their Cuban style bar area with live music, many with fresh fruit juices. The outside patio at Charleston is also nice but a bit quieter. The local beer Aguila is great at sunset at Cafe del Mar (it is lovely to see but a real tourist trap after dark). Wines, especially rose, were best with all the ceviche! La Vitrola is an institution and great for live music.
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| Cocktails at Sunset on the Wall |
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| Santa Clara Hotel |
5) Shopping/Spa - Wish there were more textile/home stores in the city as the restaurants/hotels have amazing local products like Tybso ceramics. A bit pricey overall, but Lucy is great for jewelry and St. Dom for bikinis. Tcherassi Hotel was lovely for a spa break, very small cozy spa, nothing fancy, but relaxing treatments at a reasonable price and the space is white and stunning.
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| Tcherassi Hotel & Spa |
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