Fodor's Expert Review Villa Playa Larga

Bay breezes help cool these basic, crinkle-top roofed bungalows that dot the lawn of this large property, which borders a good, sandy beach. All the bungalows, painted peach and turquoise, have separate sitting rooms, one or two bedrooms, and an outside covered sitting area. They are nothing fancy but they do all have air-conditioning. Ask for a bungalow as close to the beach as possible. As in most Cuban government-managed hotels, the food is nothing to write home about, but you won't starve. There's a pool and a breezy terrace bar where you can watch sunsets over the bay. This is a sound base for bird-watching treks and hikes in the Zapata wetlands, fishing excursions to the Laguna de las Salinas, or diving. It's encouraging to see some solar panels being used here.