Andrea

We will be going to Varadero and staying in a five-star hotel. (A new one--Arenas Blancas) Although the messages I've been reading here mention problems with theft, would there be a problem in a good hotel? I'd appreciate any feedback.

tobias theobald

Do you need to take it with you? If so, pack yourself a good surge protector (with a ups installed) the power is very unstable. <BR> <BR>Theft.. Well... if you take it, keep it far away from your windows when it's in the rooms. (Don't be fooled by window bars. They use sticks to reach through the Window bars.

exoticism

<BR>Oh please, Andrea relax. I think if you follow what the previous user said in the previous response you would get the impression that there is theft everywhere. About theifs using sticks through the window bar, i am not surprised if that occurs in the cuban villages and cities where the cubans live. However, you are not going to stay in a private house, you will be staying in varadero, at a 5 star resort. So, i would not be paranoid, i would just take the common sense precautions that you would normally take at a hotel everywhere. And i certainly would not worry about theifs coming from outside the resort. The resorts in varadero are very secure and protected, especially if you are talking about a five star resort.In fact, in many all inclusive elegant resorts only guests can enter, so even if you are a tourist, you are not allowed in unless you are actually staying there.So, as far as people using sticks to get your computer through the hotel window of your five star resort sounds ridiculous and humorous. It is very true that things like that occur within the cubans, in the homes, and that many houses use iron bars to protect the winows, but not in varadero. Varadero is a tourist meca, very modernn, very safe, and the hotel security is inmense. So, just use common sense precautions, and yes, be careful about voltage, however, there is never pwer failures in varadero, since most resorts, and certainly a five star resort have their own electrical generators just in case. So, i dont think your computer is in danger ha ha ha ha ha sorry for laughing, is just that i cannot picture anyone with a stick stealing your lab top at a five star resort.In fact, most resorts are very very pretty, and there is no need for window bas on them. Again, cubans do not have access, and are not allowed to enter or loiter around in tourists resorts unless they are employees, or in the unlikely case that they are guests. <BR>Now, arenas doradas, is located right in an area not far away from the center of town. Although i heard that the sewcurity of the resorts have done an excellent job clearing the resort off prostitution and hustlers, many cbans are still found at the beach there. so, although cubans are wonderful people, you might take common sense precautions like not leaving any valuables unattended at the beach or so, but the again, this sounds as ridiculous as the sticks, the iron bars and the windows, since most resorts and certainly a five star would have security there to ensure that the guests have a quite relaxed worry free holiday. So, relax, enjoy your trip, you will love the beach, the resort is a new one, so i hope it meets your expectations, i probably would have picked a different one, because i dont like the location of arenas blancas.Not that the beach is not gorgous, in fact this is one of the prettiest, but it is not as exotic as the resorts that are found further towards the end of the peninsula.BUT STILL, this resort looks very very beautiful, i saw it as it was being built last summer and it looks nice. So, relax, and enjoy your trip, somehow i find it humorous to see how people's perception of cuba is very much on the "extremes". There does not seem to be a middle ground there, until you actually visit it and realize how gorgous it is. And varadero is a very modern resort, so no security concerns at your resort if you ractice common sense precautions. To the credit of whomever responded earlier, it is true that these outrageous things such as the " stick in the window" story do occur. But they occur in th areas where the cubans live, within themselves and not at the tourist resorts, not in varadero at least. I still have to see the first resort in varadero that has iron bars in the windows ha ha ha ha ha ha, if there is any iron used it would be for pure decorativ purpoess. NOw, i would make sure that i knew if it was alright to introduce a computer into the country and the legalities and technicalities that you would go througfh when you are going thruogh cuban customs at the airport. While most people dont have any problems at the airport, varadero tends to be geared more for the kind of people that would not normally be travelling with a computer. so if i were you, i would call whomever(the cuban consulate? , the cuban tourist board?)to make sure that i know if i am allowed to take a computer.also, know if you have to take any document, or just know what the whole process would be like. Although this may sound ridiculous, sort of like "the stick in the window deal", since people travel with computers in airports all over the world, the cuban customs tend to be strict about their rules. i am sure is always better not to be paranoid, but to inquire and know your thing, before going.It might just be fine, I DONT KNOW, BUT i would just ask. dont assume anything. <BR> <BR>amnyways, i hope i did not eliminate your enthusiasm to visit varadero, because i am sure you will love. varadero is very beautiful, and the beaches are breathtaking, you can even take excursions to other cities and important historical sites like havana. relax, it will be fine. i hope you have yourself a wonderful trip,and that the weather is nice during your stay.bye for now, and BONNES VACANCES

Kellie

E, <BR> <BR>Thanks for a great message. Stealing a computer with a stick. I love it!!! <BR> <BR>

exoticism

I also loved the stick thru the bars.............heh, I'd love my husbands laptop to be stolen on vacation...........if he's stupid enough to work on vacation...he deserves it. Now I would drag the Handy-Cam along to get some little guy attempting to snaggle a laptop with a stick............heh, could be on funniest home videos. Going to Varadareo April/99, and if I find bars on my hotel windows I'll know that I drank too much and landed in the jail.