End the Travel Ban on Cuba

Early news reports indicate major changes in the Cuban government. The Miami Herald reports "Cuba replaces top Cabinet ministers." 

Hotel Guide

UPDATED: 3/08

**Please be aware that information found here may be out of date. Check availability and room rates with the hotel.**

Budget hotels

Kalorama Guest House (B&B) (202) 667-6369

1854 Mintwood Pl NW (Adams Morgan)
Starting at $130 (shared bathroom), $145 (with private bathroom). Suite (queen size bed, cable TV, private bathroom, two rooms) starting at $175/night. $10 each additional person per room.  Breakfast included.

Kalorama Guest House, Woodley Park (202) 328-0860

2700 Cathedral Ave NW (2 blocks from Woodley Park Metro)
$130-155 and up
Offer AAA, discounts for certain government agencies – ask when booking room.

Gallery Inn Hotel (202) 234-8788

1850 Florida Avenue NW.

Woodley Park Guest House (202) 667-0218

2647 Woodley Rd NW (less than a block from Woodley Park Metro)
$90 (plus tax) until the end of February, $100-110 (plus tax) starting March 1st

The Inn at Dupont Circle at T Street.

1620 T St NW
Washington Dc 20009
202-467-6777
Nice rooms and very friendly staff/ Both private and shared bathroom arrangements. Prices vary but can be as low as $120
-OJO! There hotel has both North and South locations. Make sure you are clear about where you make a reservation.

William Penn House  (202) 543-5560

515 East Capital St, SE (6 blocks from Metro)
$ 40 /night/person 
Run by the American Friends Service Committee, hostel set-up.  Breakfast provided. 

Embassy Inn (202) 234-7800

1627 16th Street NW (short walk from WOLA)
$109-69 (Embassy, Windsor Inns owned by same people; mediocre, small, but respectable)
Discounts available: AAA, AARP, B&B clubs

Windsor Inn (202) 667-0300

1842 16th Street NW (short walk from WOLA)
$99 February –March 1st, $149-69 March – late May
Some rooms larger than Embassy

Windsor Park Hotel (202) 483-7700

2116 Kalorama Rd.
$179 (entirely separate from Windsor Inn, similar in quality to Embassy/Windsor Inns)

Brickskeller Inn (202) 293-1885

1523 22nd St. NW (right around the corner from WOLA)
$75 (shared bathrooms)

Andrew's House (202) 483-0799

2708 Ontario Rd NW (Adams Morgan)
Rooms rented out in private home

Bed and Breakfasts (general)

http://www.washingtonlodging.worldweb.com/BedBreakfasts/index.html
Call this number so they can check availability for you at a number of different b&b’s: Toll Free: (877) 893-3233  

Chester Arthur House B&B at Logan’s Circle

13th and P Street
Based on double-occupancy: $125-55/night, off-season; $145-205/night, in-season (from web)
Toll free Reservation number: (877) 893-3233
http://www.bbonline.com/dc/logancircle/specials.html

Hotel Lombardy (202) 828-2600

2119 Pennsylvania Ave NW (2 blocks from Farragut West Metro)
Starting at $359
Tommie Parker is sales manager will give discounted rates (direct: 587-2175).  NEW MANAGER  
Expensive but charming rooms in renovated historic building. 
www.hotellombardy.com
This company also has 4 other boutique hotels that can be good values because they are lesser known    (including the State Plaza--least expensive). They are linked to from the Lombardy’s website. Washington Plaza Hotel is the largest of these.     

Carlyle Suites (202) 234-3200

1731 New Hampshire Ave NW (couple blocks from WOLA)
http://www.carlylesuites.com/

Beacon Hotel & Corporate Quarters (202) 296-2100 (general hotel number)

1615 Rhode Island Avenue NW
$149-329 (regular rates, subject to change.  Lower on weekend)
(202) 787-1792

Club Quarters in Washington, DC

839 17th Street, NW (At 17th & I Streets)
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 463-6400
Fax: (202) 463-6401

Location

The Main Hall at Trinity College
125 Michigan Ave, NE
Washington DC 20017 

Room: Social Hall

Once you enter the Main Hall, please proceed straight ahead towards the Auditorium. Make a left in front of the main staircase and proceed down the hall. The Social Hall will be directly in front of you, at the end of the hallway.

Map of Trinity College campus: 
http://www.trinitydc.edu/offices/safety/Campus_Map.html

By Metrorail/Trinity Shuttle

Trinity is close to the Brookland/CUA Metro station on the red line. Trinity provides shuttle service between the Brookland/CUA Metro station and the Main Hall, the location of Cuba Consultation.

The Trinity shuttle runs every 30 min. from 8 AM - 12 AM. Last pick up from Metro @ 11:50 PM; see detailed schedule here:

http://www.trinitydc.edu/offices/safety/Metro_Shuttle_Schedule.html

To catch the shuttle at the Brookland/CUA station, exit to the right. At the top of the escalator, turn left and walk to the end of the iron railing and wait for the shuttle with the Trinity logo on the side.

By Automobile

From the Northwest: From I-495 (the Washington Beltway), take Exit 31B, Georgia Avenue South. Proceed approximately six miles, crossing the Maryland/DC line. Turn left on Irving Street (the three preceding streets are Morton, Lamont, and Kenyon). Cross Warder Street and at the next intersection, turn right onto Park Place. In one block bear left onto Michigan Avenue. Continue on Michigan, crossing First, North Capital, and Franklin Streets. Trinity College is on the right.
From the Northeast: From I-95 take I-495 South. Follow 495 to exit 19B, Route 50 West/Washington. Follow Route 50 West approximately five and one half miles to South Dakota Avenue and turn right onto South Dakota. Follow South Dakota one and one half miles to Monroe Street. On the right corner is a sign posted for Trinity and the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Turn left onto Monroe and follow Monroe, staying in left lane, approximately two miles until Monroe dead ends into Michigan Avenue. Turn left onto Michigan and proceed a short distance passing the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on your right. Cross Irving Street, and Trinity College will be on the left.

From the South: From I-495 (the Washington Beltway), take Exit 4B, 395 North, Washington. Continue on 395 North. Watch the exit signs. After Exit 10, get in the right-hand lanes (after Exit 11, the road divides and the left-hand lanes funnel onto Route 1). Continue on 395 North. Watch the exit signs carefully but do not take any of them, as you want to remain on 395. Continue on 395 North (follow signs) until it ends at New York Avenue. Turn right onto New York Avenue. Go through 2 traffic lights, take first right-hand turn after 2nd light (this is M Street). Continue on M Street for a short distance; at 2nd traffic light, make a left-hand turn onto North Capitol Street. Proceed approximately 1 mile; at 8th traffic light make a right-hand turn onto Michigan Avenue. Trinity College is on the right after first traffic light.

Parking:

You must obtain a visitor’s pass in order to park at Trinity College. Please see the Security Officer located at the circle drive in front of the Main Hall at 125 Michigan Ave, NE. He will issue your parking pass and direct you to a lot.

Senator Richard Lugar's (R-IN) office released a staff trip report to the Committee on Foreign Relations today, see it here . In Senator Lugar's Dear Colleague prefacing the report, the senator states:

Please consider these documents general resources for those interested in United States Treasury Department travel licenses to Cuba. These are not legal documents, but rather informational documents. For those interested in licensed travel to Cuba  please consider speaking with a legal representative and the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) before traveling. 

Overview of licensed travel to Cuba (PDF)

Who Qualifies for the General License? (PDF)

Cuba Religious Travel License Infromation (PDF) 

S. 428, "Travel for All," is the Senate companion to H.R. 874 introduced two weeks ago by Representatives Delahunt (D-MA) and Flake (R-AZ). The Senate bill, introduced by Senator Dorgan (D-ND) with Senators  Enzi (R-WY), Lugar (R-IN),  and Dodd (D-CT), calls for the lifting of travel restrictions so ALL Americans can travel freely to Cuba.

Senator Dorgan (D-ND) along with Sen. Lugar (R-IN), Sen. Enzi (R-WY),  and Sen. Dodd (D-CT) introduced legislation in the Senate on Thursday (Feb. 12) calling for the lifting of travel restrictions so ALL Americans can travel freely to Cuba.

Washington DC

To register for Cuba Consultation 2009, "Travel for All" to Cuba please fill out the word document below and follow the directions on the form to return the registration form. 

Cuba Consultation 2009 registration form (DOC)
Cuba Consultation 2009 registration form (PDF)

Recently many organizations have called for an End to the Travel Ban, either completely or partially. 

Cuban Americans

• The Cuba Study Group (PDF)

• ENCASA/US-Cuba (PDF)

• Letter from Miriam Leiva and Oscar Espinosa Chepe (PDF)
• Cuban-American Sign On Letter (PDF)

Business/Agricultural Community

•  American Farm Bureau Federation, Bob Stallman, President (PDF)
• U.S Chamber of Commerce (PDF)
• Joint Letter to President Obama on 01-21-09 (PDF)
  American Farm Bureau Federation, American Meat Institute, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Chicken Council, National Corn Growers Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Milk Producers Federation, National Oilseed Processors Association, National Sorghum Producers, National Turkey Federation, North American Export Grain Association, North American Millers Association, Northarvest Bean Growers Association, USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, USA Rice Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council, U.S. Grains Council, U.S. Rice Producers Association, U.S. Wheat Associates
  

• USA*Engage and signers (PDF)

  American Farm Bureau Federation, American Society of Travel Agents, Business Roundtable, Coalition for Employment through Exports, Emergency Committee for American Trade, Grocery Manufacturers Association, National Foreign Trade Council, National Retail Federation, Organization for International Investment,  U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Council for International Relations, USA *Engage
• National Association of Wheat Growers, U.S. Wheat Associates (PDF)
• USA Rice Federation (PDF)
• The National Tour Association (PDF)
• The Port of Corpus Christi, TX (PDF)
• The U.S. Dairy Export Council and the National Milk Producers Federation (PDF)

Human Rights and Policy Organizations

• Amnesty International (PDF)

• Freedom House (PDF)
• Human Rights Watch (PDF)

• Brookings Institute (PDF)

• Washington Office on Latin America (PDF)
• Latin America Working Group (PDF)
• Center for Democracy in the Americas (PDF)

• TransAfrica Forum (PDF)

• Council on Foreign Relations (PDF)

• NGO Sign on (PDF)

Religious and Ecumenical Organizations

• National Council of Churches USA (PDF)

• Church World Service and denominations (PDF)

  Church World Service, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), The Episcopal Church, Church of the Brethren Witness, Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Americas, Lutheran World Relief, National Council of Churches USA, Presbyterian Church (USA), Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc, United Church of Christ, The Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society
• U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (PDF)

• NAFSA and signers (PDF)

  AASCU, American Friends Service Committee, Church World Service, Fund for Reconciliation and Development, Latin America Working Group, Latin American Studies Association, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, National Foreign Trade Council, Operation USA, Social Service Research Council, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, USA*Engage, WOLA

Cultural Organizations

• U.S.-Cuba Cultural Exchange (PDF)

It takes persistence and patience to work to change U.S. policy toward Cuba – 50 years of it!  And we aren’t there yet.  But we probably have the best chance that we’ve had for decades.  We don’t intend to fail.  We’d like to count on you to join us in this effort, and then join us in the international celebration that will occur when the travel ban is lifted.