Habanos Cuban Festival XII - Feb 2010 [Archive]

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Deano

13-08-2009, 01:53 PM

Well, this is where I plan to be in Feb 2010.

http://www.festivaldelhabano.com/index.htm

Habanos S.A. Corporation and Tabacuba Business Group are honored to invite you to the 11th Habanos Festival, the most important event in the Habanos realm.

From 23rd to 27th of February La Habana, venue of the Festival will become the meeting place of the distributors, specialists and lovers of the best cigar in the world. It will be a unique setting for presenting the novelties to be incorporated to the Habanos portfolio in 2009, which guarantee the dynamism of our market.

Within the Habanos Festival, the Trade Fair and the International Seminar will provide a wide exchange of knowledge, experiences, products and ideas and create a unique atmosphere to fully enjoy the aroma, flavor and texture of the Habanos, the true stars of the Festival.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Havana where you will find pleasure in the tradition and future of the Habanos.

I'm thinking of doing what I did before - 7 days on the beach then 3 in Havana to soak up the experience, plus this time the festival.

Anyone been before? Do you need to pre-register etc?

Anyone else up for it!

Update: The actual dates for the XII festival are probably February 22-26, but yet to be confirmed - the site is still displaying 2009 details.

Pantomimehorse

13-08-2009, 02:06 PM

Im defo on for this, and if people get interested now and a rough guide to cost etc we can all get saving

TJCoro

13-08-2009, 02:13 PM

The Coros are looking into it as well.

:shocked:

HabanoSy

13-08-2009, 02:30 PM

I am definitely up for this...

Cheers, HabanoSy

Giulio

13-08-2009, 03:52 PM

I would be up for it as well..... would have to bring wife I guess but can leave her on beach all day... :P

cohibaIV

13-08-2009, 07:46 PM

Nope....:ballchain:

Simon-JG-hr

13-08-2009, 08:02 PM

I may be going, but it would eat into prime skiing time... :biggrin1:

cj121

13-08-2009, 08:44 PM

Nope....:ballchain:

Nor me, I'll be changing nappies:biggrin1:

Looks good though

TJCoro

13-08-2009, 09:23 PM

Nor me, I'll be changing nappies:biggrin1:

Looks good though

WHAAAAAAAA! WHO'S YOUR :pipe: DADDY? :eyebrows:

:bandit:

HabanoSy

13-08-2009, 09:27 PM

I may be going, but it would eat into prime skiing time... :biggrin1:

I can just hear the Doctor now...

'That's it Simon, you take it nice and easy and give that back a rest with some prime time SKIING...!!!' :eek:

LMFAO, HabanoSy

Simon-JG-hr

13-08-2009, 11:08 PM

I'm glad you find it so funny Sy... ;) :biggrin1:

Skiing's great for the back, works the core muscles that support it! :849:

Only heavy weights that really affect it now (pumps and eductors for example :( ).

Big_T_UK

14-08-2009, 01:37 AM

Depending on cost, certainly interested.

T.

cj121

14-08-2009, 07:08 AM

WHAAAAAAAA! WHO'S YOUR :pipe: DADDY? :eyebrows:

:bandit:

:eek: :biggrin1:

cbob

15-08-2009, 03:29 AM

Well, this is where I plan to be in Feb 2010.

http://www.festivaldelhabano.com/index.htm
<snip>

Anyone been before? Do you need to pre-register etc?

It's a good plan but note that your link and the dates are for the XI Festival in 2009. I believe (but can't confirm) that the dates for the XII Festival in 2010 will be February 22-26. Nobody seems to be advertising the 2010 event as yet.

I've been before (in 2008) and can tell you that it's a great experience if a tad pricey.

I registered and booked a complete package through these guys:

http://www.excelenciastravel.com/Default.aspx

I'm probably going to be in Havana at Festival time next Feb but will try to "cherry-pick" a few events to attend rather than the Full meal Deal. There are a number of daily features that you really only need to experience once or twice but I'll be considering the Welcome Gala, factory tours and probably the Closing Final gala.

If you would like more details and are on Facebook, I have a Photo Album with some seriously pornographic cigar pictures. My Avatar is from the Festival Tour to Vi</snip><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CMICHAE%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5 Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><style>  </style>ñ<snip>ales.

</snip>

reigndrop

15-08-2009, 05:58 AM

I only I could legally go ... :ohwell:

ACMCC

15-08-2009, 11:00 AM

Thanks for the info Bob, was thinking of going, have a few other things around those date's so still at the planning stage at the mo....but it is now at the top of the list.....:smoke:

Deano

15-08-2009, 11:08 AM

Good spot bob. Lucky you did or I might've booked it all wrong!

snooky

27-09-2009, 09:12 PM

Sounds good anyone got anymore details?

Big_T_UK

27-09-2009, 10:34 PM

Yes, any progress on this?

T.

Ryan

27-09-2009, 11:00 PM

As far as I know, there's nothing definite yet. The only mention I've seen is this, bottom of the page,
"The 12th Havano Festival will be held in the Cuban capital February 22-26, 2010, the organizing committee announced. "

http://www.cubanow.net/pages/loader.php?sec=18&t=2&item=6460

From what I can find, every festival for the last ten years has been held on the last week in February.
I have flights and the Parque Central booked for feb 18-28. It's my 40th next month and this is my wife's present to me. :smile:
I wanted to get in early as, from what I've heard, the shelves in the casas empty during the festival. The new export restrictions bother me though,

Pantomimehorse

28-09-2009, 12:04 AM

who have you booked with Ryan? did you go for a package or book flights and hotel seperate? think Im going to go festival time too

Ryan

28-09-2009, 08:55 AM

who have you booked with Ryan? did you go for a package or book flights and hotel seperate? think Im going to go festival time too

I booked separately.
I used this for the hotel.
http://www.cubahotelreservation.com/hotel.asp?hotel_code=sctpcentral#rooms

and Cubajet for the flights.
Flying with Air France, Dublin-Paris, Paris-Havana.

Pantomimehorse

28-09-2009, 09:19 AM

thanks Ryan I like they look of that place, I'm also considering renting out a house as that seems quite cheap but must admit the hotel looks great :smoke:

Ryan

28-09-2009, 10:20 AM

thanks Ryan I like they look of that place, I'm also considering renting out a house as that seems quite cheap but must admit the hotel looks great :smoke:

The Parque Central does look very nice, it's also very near the Partagas factory. I was considering a Casa Particular myself and found some nice looking ones on the web, this one for example.
http://www.cubaradiso.com/en/vmchk/La-Habana-Vieja/Prado-Colonial-Formerly-Casa-Kenia/shop.cuba_flypage.html

Very cheap at about 30 CUC/day but as this is my first time in Havana and I'm going with a friend who is very much on the cautious side, I chose the hotel. We also may need somewhat reliable internet access.
I've also heard stories of people being bumped from the casa they had booked to another due to double booking. This will be festival time, there will be a lot of return travellers, who have ongoing relationships with casa owners, who have not booked yet..so I didn't want to take the chance.

Pantomimehorse

28-09-2009, 11:40 AM

good points all round mate, think I might go for the hotel

Kdot

28-09-2009, 02:38 PM

I'd be interested in this but The prices i'm getting for flights is fairly expensive (£800 ish) from Scottish airports. I'll need to research this.

Any Scots looking to make the pilgramage, possibly do a group booking and get a discount?

Pantomimehorse

28-09-2009, 03:09 PM

Kdot similar goings on in my searching for London flights, seems £600 plus is the norm, somethings gotta be wrong with that ?

Ryan

28-09-2009, 03:53 PM

It's not cheap. Flights for me, with one stop in Paris, came to about €820, £750ish.
That's the cheapest I could find for February, there are cheaper deals out there but not for that week. At least not yet.

Simon-JG-hr

28-09-2009, 09:13 PM

I'm thinking about it. Will have to make a decision soon though.

It's looking like being about £630rtn, direct to Havana from London, plus about £550 for 7 nights of accommodation at the Nacional.

Anyone interested in sharing? The accommodation price would drop to around £315 for sharing a twin room (two singles by the look of the photos).

Big_T_UK

28-09-2009, 10:49 PM

Yep, interested.....

cbob

29-09-2009, 11:24 PM

good points all round mate, think I might go for the hotel

FWIW, the Parque Central is very nice with a great pool and a nice walk-in Casa del Tabaco (NTM the nicest washrooms in the neighborhood) but it's one of the highest priced in the East Centro/Habana Viejo area. If you are going First Class, it's one to look at but there are a number of smaller, older funkier (cheaper) hotels in the neighborhood.
If you are going for the Festival, there is some logic to staying "closer to the action" in Marianao or Playa or at one of the popular Vedado or Miramar hotels. Habana Viejo is great for a visit but most of the best eating, drinking and cigar-buying places are further west. Partagas is OK for "tourist" tours and of course is a great place to hang out to herf but Festival tours will get you closer access to cigar production.

.

Ryan

30-09-2009, 09:35 AM

FWIW, the Parque Central is very nice with a great pool and a nice walk-in Casa del Tabaco (NTM the nicest washrooms in the neighborhood) but it's one of the highest priced in the East Centro/Habana Viejo area. If you are going First Class, it's one to look at but there are a number of smaller, older funkier (cheaper) hotels in the neighborhood.
If you are going for the Festival, there is some logic to staying "closer to the action" in Marianao or Playa or at one of the popular Vedado or Miramar hotels. Habana Viejo is great for a visit but most of the best eating, drinking and cigar-buying places are further west. Partagas is OK for "tourist" tours and of course is a great place to hang out to herf but Festival tours will get you closer access to cigar production.

.

Thanks for the info. The pool (and the view from the roof) was one of the things that sold me on the hotel.
It is on the expensive side but I'm sharing a twin room for €70 a night each, it's the cheapest 5 star hotel I'll probably ever stay in, even if it's Cuban "5 star".
I tried the Conde de Villanueva but they were not taking bookings. It was either too early or already booked out for the festival, I suspect the latter.
The Parque Central looks to be within walking distance though.
Neither of the Melias "did it" for me and I've heard bad things about the service in the Nacional.
Are you going to the festival?

cbob

01-10-2009, 03:15 AM

Good value at the PC if you are sharing. Go for it!
The Villanueva only has 4 suites so it fills fast.

I'm going to be "in school" in Havana during the Festival so will try to find out how to pick a few events without taking the whole programme.

My hotel is in Miramar- close to school and great stores like 5ta y 16, Melia Havana and Comodoro but not so convenient to Habana Vieja.

.

sam12

12-10-2009, 01:11 PM

Welcome to the forum.Its nice to join it.I want to do my register.'m sure I will definitely enjoy this festival.

Don Andres

17-12-2009, 09:27 PM

Really looking forward to the event this year. I hope to be able to meet up with some of our new friends from the UK Cigar Forums.

Cheers
Drew P

cbob

05-01-2010, 06:32 PM

Programme now on the Habanos SA website.

http://www.habanos.com/GENERAL%20INFORMATION%20XII%20HABANOS%20FESTIVAL.p df

So who is going to be in Havana?

Ryan

05-01-2010, 09:13 PM

I'll be there, don't think I'll be at the gala dinner though. At the moment, I'm thinking the opening night dinner, factory tours and the plantation tour. That may change though depending on who I meet.
Whatever happens, I plan on being at the Nacional for drinks on the Sunday.

Flying Cigar

05-01-2010, 09:18 PM

Hola, buenas tardes Michael,

thanks for the programme - nice change form Karl Marx to better premises at the Gran Teatro, only wish they'd have the Welcome party at the Capitol like a few years back ....... but anything is better than Karl Marx !

As always, I swore not to return again to Cuba ....... so : see you in Havana :-))

I'll be there.

Nino

Flying Cigar

05-01-2010, 09:20 PM

Thanks for the info. The pool (and the view from the roof) was one of the things that sold me on the hotel.

The Parque Central looks to be within walking distance though.

Are you going to the festival?

Hi Andy,

you sure had a good hand when booking ..... or maybe "insider info" on the venue of the Welcome Gala ??

Anyway, all you have to do is cross the street and you are there.

Hope to share a Bucanero at the Nacional terrace with you.

Nino

Ryan

05-01-2010, 09:29 PM

Hi Andy,

you sure had a good hand when booking ..... or maybe "insider info" on the venue of the Welcome Gala ??

Anyway, all you have to do is cross the street and you are there.

Hope to share a Bucanero at the Nacional terrace with you.

Nino

Hi Nino,

Very glad to hear you're going, I'd very much look forward to a cocktail with you:beer:.
No insider information, at least not yet..

Andy

Flying Cigar

05-01-2010, 09:48 PM

Will do Andy,

forget sharing a Bucanero, lets have a six-pack :beer: and 2 custom rolled ....:smoke:

Ryan

05-01-2010, 10:08 PM

Will do Andy,

forget sharing a Bucanero, lets have a six-pack :beer: and 2 custom rolled ....:smoke:

Sounds like a plan :smile:

cbob

06-01-2010, 03:42 AM

Is there a plan for a UKCF meet-up /herf? Someone mentioned Hotel Nacional -what date?

Ryan

06-01-2010, 10:09 AM

Is there a plan for a UKCF meet-up /herf? Someone mentioned Hotel Nacional -what date?

I'd be certainly on for that, at the moment I have no set plans other than being on the terrace at the Hotel Nacional for the afternoon of Sunday 21st.

Flying Cigar

06-01-2010, 01:19 PM

Not sure if I can make it but I'll jot it down and will try to be there.

cbob

07-01-2010, 03:32 AM

Saturday is nominally my "Nacional" day in Havana but I'll head over on Sunday instead. Maybe we can accumulate a group!
I'm also planning to hook up with a fellow Canuck @ 5 Y 16 on Monday after about 15:00 if anyone is in the neighborhood.

Deano

07-01-2010, 10:41 AM

As I've just started a new job it's going to be incredibly difficult to get any time off, if any :(

snooky

30-01-2010, 05:07 PM

Cant make the festival though will be at the Nacional for a few nights in April then onto Varadero for a few days. Will be asking for best places to buy and eat once you guys get back, have a good time. :cowboyic9:

Cigar-aficionado

02-02-2010, 01:40 PM

Missed it by a week or so last year as we spent end of January between Conde de Villanueva in Havana and Los Jazmines in Vinales but would love to be there for it one year

Flying Cigar

04-02-2010, 03:42 PM

I'd be certainly on for that, at the moment I have no set plans other than being on the terrace at the Hotel Nacional for the afternoon of Sunday 21st.

Sorry Andy,

won't be able to make it Sunday as we land late in Varadero ( 7:30 pm ) that very day.

But I am sure we'll run into each other there - I'll attend the welcome night, the Intertabak night and the Gala dinner.

Nino

celsis

04-02-2010, 03:45 PM

Sounds like a plan :smile:

Never tried a Bucanero. What are they like? Or am I getting this all wrong......

Ryan

04-02-2010, 04:24 PM

Sorry Andy,

won't be able to make it Sunday as we land late in Varadero ( 7:30 pm ) that very day.

But I am sure we'll run into each other there - I'll attend the welcome night, the Intertabak night and the Gala dinner.

Nino

That's a shame Nino. I'll be at the welcome dinner too so I'll see you there. Ian Pepper is going by the way, I believe you've met.
Looking forward to meeting you. :smoke:

Ryan

04-02-2010, 04:26 PM

Never tried a Bucanero. What are they like? Or am I getting this all wrong......

Don't worry, it's not code for something.
It's Cuban beer, I believe there's a light and a dark version.
I've never had it as I haven't been to Cuba yet..

cbob

05-02-2010, 04:00 AM

Don't worry, it's not code for something.
It's Cuban beer, I believe there's a light and a dark version.
I've never had it as I haven't been to Cuba yet..

There isn't really a light version! (Unless you count Cristal, made by the same company)

The "regular" brew is Bucanero Fuerte which is 5.4% but the Bucanero Max is a whopping 6.5%. Not a beer to pound on an empty stomach. They also make a "Malta" which is non-alcoholic and to be avoided.

http://www.cerveceriabucanero.com/english.php

If you are on Facebook, there is a good Bucanero Fan Page with some great pix.

smokeymo

08-02-2010, 07:06 PM

I'll be there Wednesday to Sunday if anyone wants to meet up for a herfette:-)

SmokeyMo

Ryan

10-02-2010, 11:12 AM

MO, I'll be in Havana until Sunday 28th, I'm sure we'll get a chance to have a smoke at some point. :41:

uksmoker

13-02-2010, 03:11 AM

New to this forum but not new to Havana. Will be there for the festival. Would love to hook up in Havana for a herf.

uk:cowboyic9:

Ryan

13-02-2010, 02:01 PM

I still plan on being at the terrace at the Nacional on Sunday afternoon/evening for a couple of hours, it would be good to see you then if you're around.

nicwing

13-02-2010, 02:04 PM

is it not possible for you bastards to do your Cuban Cigar dating by PM, I'm getting jealous as hell here!!!!:mad::cool:

Big J

15-02-2010, 02:42 AM

is it not possible for you bastards to do your Cuban Cigar dating by PM, I'm getting jealous as hell here!!!!:mad::cool:

Me too! Sounds like it would be a blast. Wish I could be there.:smoke:

Ryan

15-02-2010, 11:08 AM

is it not possible for you bastards to do your Cuban Cigar dating by PM, I'm getting jealous as hell here!!!!:mad::cool:

Me too! Sounds like it would be a blast. Wish I could be there.:smoke:

Sorry guys, I'll take pictures. :849:

:smile:

PoohBore

17-02-2010, 10:43 PM

Could any of you guys find out aboout the Party P1 jars in between your fun and frolics ???

Need to know how much spending money to take in April

Ryan

18-02-2010, 12:04 AM

Could any of you guys find out aboout the Party P1 jars in between your fun and frolics ???

Need to know how much spending money to take in April

I'll do what I can.

smokeymo

19-02-2010, 05:49 PM

Cool-look forward to seeing you and UK smoker at the Nacional for a herfette :-) I'm leaving Sunday afternoon but usually have a smoke on the terrace in the morning or Saturday early evening I'll be around for a smoke as well

Saludos

Mitch

I still plan on being at the terrace at the Nacional on Sunday afternoon/evening for a couple of hours, it would be good to see you then if you're around.