Hotel Los Jazmines
Prepare yourself: the vista from this pastel-pink colonial-style hotel is one of the best and most quintessential in Cuba.
Pinar del Río Province hotels and hostels
Casa Colonial – José Antonio Mesa
Loads of space and an improvised Jacuzzi in the backyard. Not surprisingly José is a Pinar stalwart and his two rooms and lovely communal living spaces are perennially popular.
Villa Chicha
This is a basic but comfortable room in the home of gracious señora. Meals are shared with the Villa Blanca ( [tel] 69-69-44) next door, which rents a similarly-sized room.
Hotel María La Gorda
This is the most remote hotel on the main island of Cuba and the isolation has its advantages. But, while the adjoining palm-fringed beach is pretty, most people come here to dive; reefs and vertical drop-offs beckon just 200m from the hotel.
Hotel Mirador
The Mirador is a low-key gem. Predating the Revolution by five years, the hotel was built in 1954 to accommodate spa-seekers headed for the adjacent Balneario San Diego.
La Ermita
While Los Jazmines might edge the prize for best view, La Ermita takes top honors for architecture, interior furnishings and all-round services and quality. It's also a lot less frenetic, thanks to the absence of any tour buses.
Villa Los Reyes – Yoan & Yarelis Reyes
A great modern house with all amenities and a secluded patio for dining; the young owners can organize everything from salsa dancing to Spanish lessons. Yarelis is a biologist at the national park and Yoan has Viñales running through his veins.
Villa Leonila Blanco
The town has six legal casas including this one. There are two big rooms with bath, garage and meals, and the option of an independent house out back with a bath.
Campismo Dos Hermanas
This place, trapped between the sheer-sided jaws of the Dos Hermanas (literally ‘two sisters’) mogotes and in view of the Mural de la Prehistoria, is (along with Aguas Claras) one of Cubamar’s best international campismos.
Villa Playa Bailén
For a sandier stretch of beach, try Villa Playa Bailén 8km further on, where basic A-frame bungalows sleep four.
Villa Laguna Grande
Something of an anomaly, this rough-around-the-edges fishing resort, 29km southwest of Guane and 18km off the highway to María la Gorda, is Islazul's most isolated outpost.
Carlos Alberto González
For a decent casa particular, this house can oblige. If this is full, the owners can point you toward others.
Hostal Doña Hilda
One of the first houses in town on the road from Pinar del Río, Hilda's house is small, unpretentious, and classic Viñales – just like the perennially smiling hostess – with truly wonderful food. The mojitos are among Cuba's very best.
Villa Boca De Galafre
The Villa Boca de Galafre, 3km off the main highway, has 32 rock-bottom cabins on a scruffy beach. The train to Guane stops on the access road 2km from the resort, which is often closed in the winter.
Villa Dora González Fuentes
This is enthusiastically recommended by readers. It has two rooms with bath and great food.
Martí 51 – Laura González Valdés
In a house stuffed with more books than Pinar’s main library you won’t be stuck for things to read.
Villa Pitín & Juana
With two wonderful rooms on separate floors (the top floor with the private double patio is the classic traveler retreat) and a fantastic family atmosphere, this place also benefits from scrumptious home cooking.
Villa Nelson
Loquacious Nelson has been around for ages surviving Gustav, Ike, high taxes and more. He still offers a prized local cocktail known as Ochún (rum, honey and orange juice) in his homely backyard along with two recently renovated rooms with baths.
Ubaido Chirino Suárez
After having chunks ripped out of her house by Hurricane Gustav, Ubaido was planning a 2009 relaunch. This place is a separate apartment with its own entry, terrace, lounge, rocking chairs, kitchen and two bedrooms.
Villa Liana & Lily
Wonderful hospitality. Liana is new to the game and rents one room with private entry and cooks meals made with vegetables plucked straight from the garden out back.
Motel Alexis
Try Motel Alexis, a casa; it is signposted just off the main highway.
Hostal Las Magnolias
This small, lackluster building with three rooms (restaurant attached) opposite the Cueva del Indio offers a cheap alternative to Hotel Rancho San Vicente. Self-caterers will appreciate the shared kitchen.
Oscar Jaime Rodríguez
Oscar’s something of a local legend, not so much for his casa (though he rents two rooms), but for his role as the king of climbing in Viñales (and consequently Cuba).
Hotel Marina
A rock bottom peso place that will probably take you if you pay in Convertibles. Facilities are basic and the reception more than a tad fly-blown.
Gladys Cruz Hernández
A splendid house with tasteful colonial furnishings situated near the train station; there are two rooms with baths and fridges, a TV and a vast rear patio.
Hotel Cayo Levisa
With an idyllic tropical beach just outside your front door, you won't worry about the slightly outdated cabañas (cabins) and dull food choices here.
Mayda Martínez
Apartment with kitchen, meals.
Villa Aguas Claras
This plush campismo lies 8km north of town on the Carretera a Viñales (off Rafael Morales) and has the facilities of a midrange hotel. The 50 bungalows with hot showers sleep two (10 have air-con).