Cuba Accommodations
Updated May 2022
So you are planning a trip to Cuba. How will you find Cuban accommodations, and how will you travel around? There are several options.
Beach Resorts
Most people stay at one of several beach resorts, such as Varadero. These resorts are located on the best beaches in the country. They are packed with big, fancy, luxurious hotels that cater to tourists who come here for the beach and sunshine.
Usually, these resort hotels are paid for in advance, with a credit card, as part of a package deal that includes airfare, hotel, meals and drinks.
You will be surrounded by other tourists. Although you will meet interesting people from different countries, you will not see much of Cuba, meet the people, or learn the customs. However, if you are going to Cuba for the sunshine and beaches, this will be the best option for you.
Hotels
Other than the beach resorts, every city and town has regular hotels. The prices range from $20 to $200 per night, and the quality of your stay varies accordingly. Except for the big, expensive hotels, most do not have the internet to make reservations and do not accept credit cards. They are seldom full, so you can travel around the country without reservations.
Casa Particulares
Casa Particulare means private house in Spanish. A few years ago, Cubans were given permission to rent out rooms in their houses, whereas not very long ago, this was strictly prohibited.
This is an excellent option for adventurous travellers. It is inexpensive and allows you to meet the Cuban people and learn their customs, which you will not be able to see any other way.
The only problem with this option is that private houses do not have an internet connection and do not accept credit cards, making reservations difficult.
Casa Particulares – Making a Reservation
You must make a reservation through a government agency that operates a website for this purpose. You will not be able to contact the house directly; you will need to go through this intermediate agency. After making a reservation, you may be given a telephone number to call the owners directly.
As you cannot make a credit card payment to hold your reservation, the house owners are never sure that you will show up and may rent the room to someone who shows up with cash. Such is life in Cuba.
The people looking after the house might be the owners, or they could be hired housekeepers. Either way, you get to live with and meet the local people. Usually, these houses will also offer meals for an additional price.
This is really a great option. It’s better than staying in budget hotels, and safer also. You are much more likely to have things stolen from your hotel room than in a private house.
Some of the houses don’t look so great from the outside but are modern and nice and clean inside, so don’t be afraid to check them out.
Why does the Communist government allow this? For the money, of course. The house owners must pay $5 per reservation to the agency that runs the website and buy a licence from the government, which amounts to about 11 day’s rent per month (whether the room is rented out or not).
Links for Casa Particulares
Casa Particular Cuba This is a good website in English but not secure. Do not give too much personal information. You don’t need to provide a credit card number. You pay in cash when you get there.
Alojamientos in Cuba This is a good website, but it is all in Spanish. Right-click on it and click “Google Translate to English”. (Depending on your browser, Google might automatically translate it).
The process is a little complicated, but it is a great way to learn about the people and culture of Cuba, and much cheaper than hotels or resorts.
Booking Scam
The advent of renting rooms in private houses has also created a booking scam. A place with one or two rooms to rent out might accept four or five reservations for these rooms. When you arrive, you will be told that the space is unavailable (this happened once to me, even though I telephoned and confirmed the reservation the day before). You will be given some flimsy excuse for not having a room. For example, the toilet is being repaired, or someone lost the paperwork.
If this happens, you will not be left in the street without a place to stay. Instead, the owner will have another room for you nearby at a friend’s house.
Why do they do this? If a house accepts four reservations for two rooms, the extra people will be housed nearby and then encouraged to return for their meals at the original house. They sell more meals this way. They also charge their friend $5 per night for sending you to their home.
What Should You do if this Happens to You?
When this happened to me, I refused to return to the first house for our meals, and I heard they were angry about that. Too bad!
This may or may not happen to you. I am not sure of the frequency of this scam. But it is not something to be too concerned about as there are many rooms for rent. In some towns (such as Playa Larga), almost every house has a room for rent. So, if you are not fussy about having a specific place, it is safe to travel around without reservations, as you will be sure to find somewhere to sleep.
Sometimes, it may not be a scam, but simply that the owners overbook in case someone does not show up. An empty room is a considerable loss for them. In addition, they have no way to make credit card reservations as they do in most other countries.
Don’t worry too much about this. It could happen, but you will not be left without accommodations.
Transportation
So, you have decided to avoid the touristy beach resorts and explore Cuba independently. How do you do this? The best method is by bus with a company called Viazul (pronounced veea-sool). Viazul has a fleet of new Chinese-made buses. They are very nice and comfortable because they are new. Not sure how long they will last. Already the toilets in some of them are not working so don’t rely on using the toilet on the bus.
The only problem with Viazul buses is that there are not enough of them. There may be only one or two per day to the place you want to go. So it is advisable to purchase your tickets a day or two ahead of time.
Viazul has its own bus stations, so do not go to the central bus station for city buses and other bus lines. In Havana, the Viazul station is near the corner of 26 and 17 streets on the opposite side of Havana from the old city. (Even number streets run in one direction and odd numbers in the other direction.) In Veradero, the Viazul station is in the same building as other bus lines but operates separately at the opposite end of the building.
Some cities will ask for your passport for identification, but others might not.
A Bus Station that is not a Bus Station
Beware of towns that have bus stations that are not bus stations. For example, Playa Larga is a popular destination but does not have a bus station yet; if you ask anyone, they will say they do. This bus station is even marked on a map of the town. That is because what we would call a “bus stop” is called a “bus station” in Cuba. The one in Playa Larga is just a bench with a roof. It is called a bus station, but there is no place to purchase a ticket. In towns like this, you wait for the bus and pay the driver. This works fine if the bus is not full, which is possible. In this case, you will need to have alternate plans. For example, you can stay another night and try again the next day. Another option is to find someone who wants to go to the same town as you and share the price of a taxi.
Thatched Hut
You can even stay in a village of thatched huts in the jungle.
Go for it!
Everything in Cuba is an adventure, including routine things such as making a hotel reservation or buying a bus ticket. Don’t let this deter you. Independent travel around Cuba is fun, and the country and its people are lovely. It is much safer than most Central or South American countries. A few days at a beach resort would be nice, but you need to travel off the beaten path to explore Cuba. Be adventurous. Go for it!
Other posts on this website about Cuba