Rating: 
Summary: compact and comprehensive
Review: I wrote the first and second editions of this book, and although the third edition has been prepared by Conner Gorry, I feel it's still the best all-round guide to Cuba. It's compact and comprehensive, although the small typeface on the maps is a problem. I suggest that you make enlarged photocopies of the maps you know you'll be using before leaving home. And if you'd like to see some of my Cuba travel photos from earlier editions of Lonely Planet Cuba, they're on www.cuba-pictures.com together with brief introductions to the regions.
Rating: 
Summary: Is this Lonely Planet?
Review: I've used Lonely Planet books for several major trips and always found them to be definitive and essential for budget travel. This book, however, seems to be far more geared to the Canadian package tourist than the independent traveler. The author notes what shape the recomended hotels' pools are, noting that better hotels have non-rectangular pools. "Mayabe Beer" is listed as one of Cuba's top 10 attractions.Moon's Cuba book by Chris Baker looks really great, and will be the book I take with me. Incidentally, I found it much better laid out and easier to read than the LP series. It has everything that you would usually find in a Lonely Planet book.
Rating:
Summary: The best guide by far
Review: It is not easy to write a book about Cuba, whether it be a book on politics and society, or whether it be simply a travel guidebook. Cuba remains a communist island under the iron fist of a minority, and all research work, all travel, all writing, is closely scrutinized by the central apparatus. Despite the restrictions he must have met in such a situation, author David Stanley has produced a truly outstanding work, a perfect guide for the traveler who may wish to go to Cuba for the most disparate reasons, from sightseeing to good food, from snorkeling to biking, etc. David has truly been throughout the island, getting to know all its cities and places far better than a local. Well done ! It will be hard to replace, with a book, the emotions, the warmth, the spirit of Cuba which can only be found on the island itself. Nevertheless, this book is certainly very close to achieving that, and will be a true companion throguhout your journey to this wonderful Caribbean island, the star of the Caribbean, the biggest of the Antilles, as it has been called on different occasions.
Rating:
Summary: An outstanding work, despite inevitable local restrictions
Review: It is not easy to write a book about Cuba, whether it be a book on politics and society, or whether it be simply a travel guidebook. Cuba remains a communist island under the iron fist of a minority, and all research work, all travel, all writing, is closely scrutinized by the central apparatus. Despite the restrictions he must have met in such a situation, author David Stanley has produced a truly outstanding work, a perfect guide for the traveler who may wish to go to Cuba for the most disparate reasons, from sightseeing to good food, from snorkeling to biking, etc. David has truly been throughout the island, getting to know all its cities and places far better than a local. Well done ! It will be hard to replace, with a book, the emotions, the warmth, the spirit of Cuba which can only be found on the island itself. Nevertheless, this book is certainly very close to achieving that, and will be a true companion throguhout your journey to this wonderful Caribbean island, the star of the Caribbean, the biggest of the Antilles, as it has been called on different occasions.
Rating: 
Summary: Written by a wanna-be political writer
Review: Of the three major publishers of Cuba guidebooks (Moon Handbook, Fodors and Lonely Planet), I found the Lonely Planet guide the least useful. The maps are terrible and (be warned) inaccurrate for driving outside Havana. The most recent edition is outdated in many respects, with museums and hotels having been much changed since this edition was published. Then, there's the book's politics. And the reason that I mention the politics in this book is because they are not just merely in the political or history sections of the book, but that the author permeates even the descriptions of the attractions throughout the island with his all-too-rabid political thoughts. In a rather unorthodox (and well-hidden) forward to a travel guidebook, the author writes, "I admit I'm sometimes politically incorrect... The negative approach usualy taken by the US mass media certainly doesn't foster understanding." Frankly, neither does this book. I have never thought that The New York Times nor The Washington Post have been particularly supportive of the embargo, nor of the CIA's highly negative actions in Latin America. As a left-leaning American who is staunchly anti-embargo, I still found the writings in this book warped and unnessarily anti-American. The politics in this book are staunchly pro-Castro and do not begin to offer the more balanced accounts of Cuba in Fodor's and Moon (both of which discuss the good as well as the bad in Castro's Cuba). It seems the author did not remotely try to understand American politics, that the majority of the American people are and have been against the embargo for quite some time, and that the embargo continues to be in force mainly AND ironically because of the strong political clout of Cuban-American exiles in Miami (by contrast, these facts do appear in Fodor's and Moon). I came away from Cuba feeling that the Revolution in Cuba has created much that is good for its people, but also that its citizens are denied freedom of speech and the press, and that everyone is in a state of poverty. I found Costa Rica, for example, as equally and proudly independent as Cuba, with similar good literacy and health care as Cuba, but also with a free press and a higher standard of living than Cuba. Cuba, in fact, should logically have a higher standard of living than Costa Rica since the former was heavily subsidized by the USSR for decades. But you cannot escape the author's America bashing in the Lonely Planet guide, nor the rampant politics. For a more balanced approach, and a much better guide to the attractions, try the Fodor's or Moon guides.
Rating:
Summary: Written by a wanna-be political writer
Review: Of the three major publishers of Cuba guidebooks (Moon Handbook, Fodors and Lonely Planet), I found the Lonely Planet guide the least useful. The maps are terrible and (be warned) inaccurrate for driving outside Havana. The most recent edition is outdated in many respects, with museums and hotels having been much changed since this edition was published. Then, there's the book's politics. And the reason that I mention the politics in this book is because they are not just merely in the political or history sections of the book, but that the author permeates even the descriptions of the attractions throughout the island with his all-too-rabid political thoughts. In a rather unorthodox (and well-hidden) forward to a travel guidebook, the author writes, "I admit I'm sometimes politically incorrect... The negative approach usualy taken by the US mass media certainly doesn't foster understanding." Frankly, neither does this book. I have never thought that The New York Times nor The Washington Post have been particularly supportive of the embargo, nor of the CIA's highly negative actions in Latin America. As a left-leaning American who is staunchly anti-embargo, I still found the writings in this book warped and unnessarily anti-American. The politics in this book are staunchly pro-Castro and do not begin to offer the more balanced accounts of Cuba in Fodor's and Moon (both of which discuss the good as well as the bad in Castro's Cuba). It seems the author did not remotely try to understand American politics, that the majority of the American people are and have been against the embargo for quite some time, and that the embargo continues to be in force mainly AND ironically because of the strong political clout of Cuban-American exiles in Miami (by contrast, these facts do appear in Fodor's and Moon). I came away from Cuba feeling that the Revolution in Cuba has created much that is good for its people, but also that its citizens are denied freedom of speech and the press, and that everyone is in a state of poverty. I found Costa Rica, for example, as equally and proudly independent as Cuba, with similar good literacy and health care as Cuba, but also with a free press and a higher standard of living than Cuba. Cuba, in fact, should logically have a higher standard of living than Costa Rica since the former was heavily subsidized by the USSR for decades. But you cannot escape the author's America bashing in the Lonely Planet guide, nor the rampant politics. For a more balanced approach, and a much better guide to the attractions, try the Fodor's or Moon guides.
Rating:
Summary: Take a copy of this guide with you
Review: Over the last 7 years, I have made many trips to Cuba becauseof the business that I do there. I have a copy of David's guide and Iread it regularly to find out about new places to visit, refresh mymemory about places I missed and to keep track of new developmentsthat are appearing throughout Cuba. There is so much happening downthere right now, that this guide is a must and if you are lucky enoughto visit Cuba in the near future (before mass tourism) make sure youtake a copy of this guide. With it, you can leave the regular touristareas and visit those fantastic out-of-the-way places that still existin this country.
Rating:
Summary: this book is Ok only, too much politics and propaganda
Review: The book is very unorganized and often contains contradicting information. I found it heavily geared to Canadians and much to political for a travel book. It read and sounded like official communist propaganda...badmouthing Cuban exliles in the USA and repeating Cuban economic and social facts of dubious truth. Often, timetables and other basics were given but they were generaly not authentic. They seem to be Official info but with little regard for the obvious or reality on the ground. It read like a political satire laced with travel info. It was as if somebody was trying to convince me to sway my opinions and not to evaluate the Island and its people on my own, It is almost patronizing in scope. I will recomend the Moon Handbook to anyone that goes. I was able to to see a copy of the Moon book three times in cuba and found it a saving grace. it was practical and real. Buy The MOON handbook and learn of the real cuba . I found that The Lonley Planet book is not very usefull in cuba.
Rating: 
Summary: Very informative.
Review: This is a very good book to take on your trip to Cuba.
Rating:
Summary: Vastly improved over the old version
Review: This is the definitive guidebook for planning a more adventurous, independent vacation. It lists lots of offbeat attractions and activities, as well as exploding a lot of myths about travel in Cuba. I found it most helpful for arranging airfare and a study program. Exhaustive while entertaining to read.
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