Nov 25 2013
Name: Emanuela Giacometti
Country: Netherlands
I stayed here at: 08/11/2013
Bella Perla Marina
My review: My friends and I staid at Waldo' and Amelidis casa for 2 nights. We found a clean and very welcoming environment. The room and the house are very nice and well kept. I would definitely recommend if you stay in Cienfuegos.
They dinner and breakfast experiences are also a big plus of of the casa.
Casa specifics: Elegant, Comfortable, Safe, Patio
Amenities: Safety box, Private bathroom, Breakfast service, Dinner service, Bathroom with shower
Other comments: At the end of the stay Waldo gifted all of us with some nice local handcraft. I am wearing mine in the picture attached (no picture found)
March 9 2012
Name: David Tiffin
Country: UK
I stayed here at: 3/1/2012
Casa Bella Perla Marina
My review: This casa is undergoing extensive renovation at the moment and, in our opinion, should not be taking in guests. There was so much noise that it was impossible to rest in the afternoon, and the dust and dirt on the terrace were very unpleasant, and meant there was nowhere to sit outside.
The hosts stated that it was "against the law" to close but, at the very least, we feel we should have been told about the work before we arrived, and given the option of another casa, especially as we had booked some 3 months in advance. Our recommendation is not to visit this casa until the work is complete.
On a positive note, the dinner was very good, hence 2 stars, rather than one.
January 18 2012
Name: Carmen Bedard & Tom Cunningham
Country: Canada
I stayed here at: 1/3/2012
Casa Bella Perla Marina
My review: This casa was the #1 choice in the latest Lonely Planet Guidebook , with good reason!
Waldo and Amileidis are wonderful hosts with a charming and gracious colonial home, complete with an elegant rooftop that offers spectacular views of the city and bay and a wonderful atmosphere for dining.
Casa specifics: Quiet, Fantastic hosts, Elegant, Comfortable, Colonial, Hidden gem, Roomy, Romantic, Charming, Beautiful, Safe, Garden, Patio
Amenities: Airconditioning, Private bathroom, Minibar, Balcony, Garden, Breakfast service, Dinner service, Queensize bed, Extra bed available, Bathroom with shower, Private parking
How was your room?: Our room was elegant and comfortable for the three of us. We felt like royalty!
How was the food they offer?: Amileidis is a wonderful cook and we dined with other travellers upstairs on the patio.
Other services they offer: Waldo is very knowledgeable about the city and is willing to point out the major sights whether you are there for a day or a week. Many of the sights are within walking distance, but we took a cab back from Punto Gorda.
Other comments: A private garage was perfect for parking the rental car.
November 13 2011
Name: Dayna
Country: UK
I stayed here at: 11/7/2011
Casa Bella Perla Marina
My review: I stayed with Waldo and Amileidis for one night; I arrived earlier than expected and both of them made me welcome and offered me breakfast, even though the room wasn't ready and I wasn't expected.
The casa is one block from the main street (37/Paseo El Prada) and everything is walkable, although some people might prefer to take a taxi to Punta Gorda.
Casa specifics: Comfortable, Patio
Amenities: TV, Airconditioning, Garden, Breakfast service, Dinner service, Bathroom with shower
How was your room?: Good room - double bed with night stands and fridge/freezer and TV. Ensuite bathroom with shower over bath.
How was the food they offer?: Breakfast and dinner available, served on the rooftop terrace. Breakfast was fruit, bread, cheese and omlette; dinner I had fish and "chips" with rice and salad plus ice cream.
Other comments: Cienfeugos has a Coppelia ice cream parlour - 2CUC for 6 scoops; no choice in flavour (it's basically what they have on when you visit), but worth a visit, even if you only have a mouthful or two.
Pictures 1 | 2 | 3
November 2 2011
Name: Bonnie Martin
Country: Canada
I stayed here at: 10/23/2011
Casa Bella Perla Marina
My review: The guide I always use while in Cuba made our reservations here for us. Waldo's nephew met us at the bus station which we weren't expecting and was a lovely gesture.
When we arrived Amileidis invited us to sit down and we had a short visit and were served an ice cold glass of juice. Waldo joined us and showed us the beautiful roof top patio where we would take our meals. It is lush with greenery and has a bench and a swing. He pointed out some landmarks as well as giving us some of Cienfuegos history.
We were shown both rooms and we could choose which ones we wanted. I chose the room with a beautiful antique brass bed so Juan, my guide refered to me as Queen Bonnie the rest of our stay. The room also had a single bed and a fridge.
We had breakfast and supper there both nights and the food was delicious. Their nephew also brought up a CD player so we could dine with music.
I highly recommend this casa.
Casa specifics: Quiet, Fantastic hosts, Elegant, Comfortable, Colonial, Hidden gem, Roomy, Romantic, Charming, Beautiful, Safe, Patio
Amenities: TV, Airconditioning, Private bathroom, Minibar, Breakfast service, Dinner service, Queensize bed, Extra bed available, Bathroom with shower
How was your room?: My room was spacious and clean with a very comfortable bed.
How was the food they offer?: The food was delicious and plentiful.
Other services they offer: Waldo is a wealth of information and gave us suggestions of places to visit.
Other comments: Lovely people who go out of their way to make you feel welcome.
October 28 2011
Name: Anthony
Country: Australia
I stayed here at: 6/10/2011
Casa Bella Perla Marina
My review: This place is situated within walking distance of the bus station as well as the city centre. We did not need transport whilst in Cienfuegos. The house itself is beautiful, decorated with old Victorian and other European art. It has a great rooftop terrace where we were served dinner whilst watching the sun set. We do not eat meat and this was no problem at all. The food was delicious and plentiful. We did not need to eat lunch whilst in Cienfuegos!
Amileidis & Waldo made us feel right at home but the whole family helped us feel very welcome. From tips for things to do, to history lessons and even taking care of plans for our onward journey, we loved our stay in Cienfuegos thanks to these guys. Waldo and his nephew Carlos speak very good English and were instrumental in getting us on to our next destinations as our Spanish is non-existent.
One thing that is very evident is that this family welcomes the company of guests and invests much of their takings back into the guest accommodation.
Highly recommended.
Casa specifics: Quiet, Fantastic hosts, Elegant, Comfortable, Hidden gem, Romantic, Charming, Beautiful, Safe, Garden, Patio
Amenities: TV, Airconditioning, Private bathroom, Minibar, Balcony, Garden, Ceiling fan, Breakfast service, Dinner service, Extra bed available, Bathroom with shower
How was your room?: Spacious and quiet. We were able to sleep with our window open despite being situated close to the road.
How was the food they offer?: Food was great. Obviously in a seaside city, fish is a specialty. We are very picky eaters and were very happy with the great cooking. Serving sizes were very generous and we got into the habit of not eating lunch just so we could enjoy a great dinner.
Other services they offer: Assistance in booking, confirming and planning other travel as well as sightseeing tips and plenty of Baseball trivia!
Other comments: We remember Cienfuegos as a highlight of our trip thanks to the generosity and friendliness of the family.
September 18 2011
Name: Elena Orsini
Country: Italy
I stayed here at: 8/19/2011
Casa Bella Perla Marina
My review: We spent two night in this elegant casa particular. We had good time and made nice tours in the town and at El Nicho, a very nice place in the country with wonderful waterfalls. Waldo advised us to go there and he was right!
We played cards with Waldo and Amileidis' son: he was enjoying so much!
Casa specifics: Quiet, Elegant, Comfortable, Charming, Safe
Amenities: Airconditioning, Private bathroom, Balcony, Breakfast service, Dinner service, Queensize bed, Bathroom with shower
How was your room?: In the house there is period furniture, statues and pieces of porcelain, some are really elegant. Even in our room there was a big and elegant bed, but also a big fridge (useful!) with lots of beverages. The private bathroom (with shower) was very small but it was clean. Our window didn't overlook the street, but a corridor in the house!
How was the food they offer?: The food was good. The roof terrace where meals are served to the hosts is wonderful! Full of wonderful plants and with a beautiful view on the town.
Other services they offer: Waldo loves very much his town and he likes to speak about to their hosts. He gives good advices about tours. He knows a very nice taxi driver called Reiniel Carrazana! Ask about him!
Other comments: I thank Waldo very much for the cd with traditional music from Cuba he gave to us as a present.
May 13 2011
Name: Richard and Greg
Country: United Kingdom
I stayed here at: 04/28/2011
Casa Bella Perla Marina
My review: We stayed in Casa Bella Perla Marina for 2 nights and it was a great place to stay in Cienfuegos. It's only a few blocks from the bus station and just one block from the main and famous Calle 37 of Cienfuegos. Our hosts Waldo and Amileidis were warm, friendly and welcoming. Very helpful too. They helped us go to El Nicho in a private taxi for the day and Waldo was good at helping us with our Spanish! The Casa is only a 5 minute walk from the main pedestrianised area of Cienfuegos and 10 minutes from the Parque Jose Marti.
Casa specifics: Quiet, Fantastic hosts, Elegant, Comfortable, Safe, Garden
Amenities: TV, Airconditioning, Private bathroom, Minibar, Garden, Breakfast service, Dinner service, Queensize bed, Extra bed available, Bathroom with tub, Bathroom with shower
How was your room?: Our room had a double and single bed, plenty of room and air conditioning. The street outside is quiet so you're not disturbed. Our bathroom/shower was clean and spacious. We had a fridge, which our hosts kept supplied with cold refreshments. We both had a great nights sleep!
How was the food they offer?: Dinner and breakfast was served on the roof top terrace with views over Cienfuegos. Food was wholesome, hearty and traditional - kept us going after breakfast and feeling well fed after dinner.
Other services they offer: Waldo was great at helping us with our Spanish as he also speaks English too. He was kind enough to arrange a taxi to El Nicho on our second day... very helpful and worth a trip out of Cienfuegos to go and see!
March 31 2011
Name: Wendy and Chris Whittaker
Country: England
I stayed here at: 03/14/2011
Casa Bella Perla Marina
Review
Place is amazing, like a museum, the roof top terrace is quite a garden. Waldo is very helpful and the food is copious and great. He speaks very good English. The only thing I would warn about is not to let him arrange your transport for you. We ended up getting a taxi instead of the Viazul at 3x the price. He promised that it would be a very special car for the price. When it turned up (1 hour late) it was the standard Lada with the boot falling off and a couple in the front whose minds were on anything other than the driving.
How was your room?: Beautiful, colonial
How was the food they offer?: Really, really good
Other services they offer: Will arrange transport (see above) don't accept it.
February 15 2011
Name: Penny Stevens
Country: UK
I stayed here at: 12/06/2010
La Bella Perla Marina
A quiet centrally located, friendly family - food plentiful and good quality. Lovely terrace and garden. Secure garage, for one car, on premises. |
