Fodor's Expert Review Villa Santo Domingo

Its rooms may be on the musty side with furnishings that have seen better days, but this is the starting point for trips into the Sierra Maestra. The modest cabins are along the bank of the Río Yara, and the friendly ambience and cool, fresh mountain air make for a pleasant stay. The basic bar-restaurant serves hearty meals: breakfast is likely to be fried eggs served with rice and beans, dinner may well be barbecued chicken—again, with rice and beans. You can hire guides here for trips to the Parque Nacional Turquino or go for a horseback ride along the river and on mountain trails.