Our Accommodation in Cuba
Comfortable, Authentic Casas Particulares on Every Tour
For our small group Cuba tours, we use private guesthouse accommodation almost all of the time. On some specific tours we also use a hotel on some nights.
Guesthouses in Cuba ("casas particulares")
Guesthouses, Bed and Breakfast, B&B, casas, casas particulares, family stays, and homestays - these are all names for the same type of accommodation in Cuba.
Many travellers discover that the guesthouse accommodation is a major highlight of their visit to Cuba. This is not just because of comfort levels, but also because the casas are generally run by local families and located in residential neigbourhoods, so they provide a great opportunity for travellers to interact with everyday Cubans.
Better than Cuban Hotels?
Guesthouse rooms are generally quite basic but reasonably comfortable and very clean, and the families in Cuba will try to make you feel at home as much as possible.
They are usually not as roomy as typical hotel rooms, however the casas are consistently rated by travellers, as more enjoyable than staying in hotels and about the same comfort level as perhaps a 3 star Cuban hotel. It's the level of service and personal attention in the casas that is generally far superior to the hotels in Cuba. This is because the casas are privately run, profit making enterprises that rely on word-of-mouth recommendations among travellers, so the owners and staff are highly motivated to provide the best service possible and the families take pride in their work. This is in contrast to government run hotels where the staff are State employees on a fairly low wage - the consequence of which is low staff morale, poor maintenance, inefficiencies, and generally poor service.
Variety is the Spice of Guesthouse Life
While every family and every casa in Cuba is unique, with slightly different levels of comfort, the guesthouses we use in Cuba on our tours are much nicer than the average Cuban dwelling. The casas particulares are a form of accommodation for foreigners in Cuba that is legal and formalised, and the rooms for guests are required to meet a certain standard of comfort for the house to obtain a licence to rent.
Our Guesthouse Categories
We include these accommodations on our Ultimate Cuba style tours, private and custom tour packages and our Havana Short Stay packages. Here is a sample of casas in this category in Cuba to give you an idea of what we can provide, availability of premium guesthouses is limited.
Standard Guesthouses
Within this category, the style and comfort levels can vary, however each room will have air-conditioning and an ensuite bathroom. We make ongoing efforts to select the best casas available, with every house and every room being unique. Our standard guesthouses are more likely to be run by a family, where the family members provide the services to the guests, therefore depending on the family and the province the standard will vary a great deal. Standard guesthouses & rooms in Cuba provide simple & safe, no frills style accommodation. Standard casas are featured in our Classic Cuba style tours.
Comfort Guesthouses
This category is only slightly more comfortable than the Standard Guesthouses. They are still B&B in style, and cannot compare to the comfort levels of a modern western hotel. However every Comfort room has modern air-conditioning, an en suite bathroom, a window to the outside or to an interior courtyard with natural light, it also includes modern imported mattresses, and cold and hot water. While these are our minimum requirements for Comfort rooms, every Comfort casa is different, and has its own unique charms. Many rooms (but not all) have a security box, mini-bar fridge, and hair dryer. We use these guesthouses for our Essential Cuba Tour, Birdwatching tour, and Ultimate Cuba-Style tours. Comfort Guesthouses are also an option for the private and custom tours we offer.
Premium Guesthouses
These are very stylish private guesthouses in Cuba, mostly in Havana. These properties benefit from a larger private investment and have interiors that sit far above the vast majority of private guesthouses in Cuba. Each of these properties is unique and the characteristics cannot be easily generalized. Premium guesthouses are obviously superior to the two above categories of standard & comfort style guesthouses and include as minimum all that a comfort guesthouse would provide plus good quality cotton linen, larger rooms with ample space, and modern appliances. Some of these places are truly inspiring in their decoration and levels of artistic charm. Since each of these places is different, their costs vary and are generally much higher than the other categories.
Features of Different Guesthouse Categories
GUESTHOUSE CATEGORY | Standard | Comfort | Premium |
Room size | Small / Medium | Medium | Unique medium to large rooms |
Bathroom | En suite | En suite | En suite |
Air-conditioning | Aircon units can sometimes be of the older variety which are not as silent. | Modern "splitter" type unit (quiet) | Modern ac unit (quiet) |
Windows | Yes. However occasionally the only window is a small one and can sometimes be in the bathroom | At least 1 in every room – natural light | Yes, ample natural light |
Hot water shower | Yes. Often this is with a system where the water is heated by an electric element in shower head. Sometimes medium to low water pressure | Modern hot water heater. Medium to high pressure | Modern hot water heater. Medium to high pressure |
Stairs / access | Sometimes rooms are on upper floors where up to 3 floors of (sometimes narrow) stairs need to be climbed | On ground or first floor if no elevator access | On ground or first floor if no elevator access or a Porter is provided to assist guests |
Towels | Provided, sometimes quite small | Provided, medium or large. Usually hotel grade | Top quality linen provided including towels and sheets. |
Soap | Usually provided | Provided | Provided |
Toilet Seat | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Mattresses | Often Cuban made. Might be firmer or softer than your ideal. | Modern, imported | Good quality imported |
Ownership / Staff | More likely to be run by a local family whose family members provide the services. Because of this, some travellers prefer standard casas to the comfort ones. | A few of these are run more like mini-boutique hotels where staff wear uniforms and interaction is more formal than in the standard guesthouses. | Similar to a boutique hotels where staff wear uniforms and interaction is more formal. |
Meals in the Guesthouses
Most guesthouses outside of Havana offer dinner for their guests at an extra cost. If it is a family run guesthouse, the guests are generally served meals separately to the family.
Language Barriers
Most Cubans are very friendly and love to talk to you. In some casas the family members speak quite good English, while in others they are practiced at communicating with their non-Spanish speaking guests simply by gesturing and smiling. Overcoming these communication challenges is seen by most as part of the fun!
Our Network of Guesthouses
With our experience using casas particulares on our tours in Cuba since 2005, we have developed a network of houses with excellent levels of comfort and service. These have been carefully selected over time taking into account our traveller feedback.
The Base House — Explained
For the nights on our tours where guesthouse accommodation is included, we will most likely use a number of different houses depending on the group size. Most guesthouses have 2-4 rooms for guests. However with the recent change in laws, some homes now have up to 10 rooms.
For our tour groups, we chose one of the houses as a “Base House” or (central house) which typically has more rooms and a nice area for the group to meet. We use this house as an arrival and departure point for the group, and as a meeting point for any excursions or activities with the tour guide. Tour participants are distributed to different casas situated within a short walking distance of the Base House. Family members from those houses collect tour participants from the Base House. Typically between 1 and 4 group members will stay in each casa.
Sharing Arrangements on Our Tours in Cuba
All accommodation on our tours in Cuba is based on a twin-share arrangement. This means two people per room, and if you join the tour as an individual, you may be sharing a room of two beds, with another member of the same sex from the group.
- If there is no one to share with, and you end up with a room to yourself, you do not have to pay a single supplement.
- If you would like to guarantee yourself a single room throughout your tour, you can purchase the single supplement.
- If you do not purchase the single supplement but at some stage during the tour you decide you want to have a room to yourself, your guide may be able to arrange this for you at a cost of 25-50 EUR / night (paid locally) depending on the type of accommodation. However, this is subject to availability at the time of your request.
Tour Single Supplement Prices
| TOUR | Single Supplement Cost |
|---|---|
| 15 Day Original | $307 USD |
| 8 Day Original | $186 USD |
| 4 Day Cuba Tour - Havana Weekend | $548 USD |
| 9 day Cuban Life Tour | $819 USD |
| 15 day Cuba Heritage Tour | $930 USD |
| 14 Day Cuba Heritage Tour | $796 USD |
| New Years Rumba | $928 USD |
| 6 Day Western Cuba | $146 USD |
| 11 Day New Years Tour | $283 USD |
| 20 Day Complete Cuba | $467 USD |
| Essential Cuba (comfort class) | $292 USD |
| 10 Day Active Cuba Tour (multi-sport) | $221 USD |
| Birdwatching Cuba | $262 USD |
| Cycling Tour | $206 USD |
See the individual tour pages for more information.
You can see details of the joining and departure accommodation for each tour on each individual tour page.
Accommodation in Havana
If you are doing one of our tours, you can request extra nights of Guesthouse accommodation in Havana before or after your tour, on your tour booking form.
Our Havana Guesthouse Prices
| Standard Guesthouses | 2.5 stars | Prices |
| Extra night Single | Extra night Twin | Extra night Triple |
|---|---|---|
| $64 USD | $74 USD | $84 USD |
| Comfort Guesthouses | 3/3.5 stars | Prices |
| Extra night Single | Extra night Twin | Extra night Triple |
|---|---|---|
| $80 USD | $90 USD | $100 USD |
| Premium Guesthouses | 4/5 stars | Prices |
| Extra night Single | Extra night Twin | Extra night Triple |
|---|---|---|
| $232 USD | $246 USD | $260 USD |
Thinking About a Havana Hotel Instead?
If you are thinking of staying in a hotel in Havana instead of a private guesthouse, here is some food for thought.
The vast majority of travellers who have been to Cuba and experienced both hotel accommodation in Havana and private guesthouse accommodation (also called casas particulares) will tell you that it is better to stay in a casa rather than a hotel. There are quite a few reasons for this including:
- Lower price for better service - Havana Guesthouse prices range from about US$25 to US$150 a night for a room, whereas hotels start at about US$100 a night. However only hotels above about US$150 a night provide decent service. Contrastingly you can get excellent service in guesthouses of all prices and comfort levels, and Guesthouses can be of quite a good comfort level from about US$40 a night upwards. To verify this all you need to do is check tripadvisor reviews.
- Cultural Experience - Most travellers visiting Cuba a looking to experience the Cuban culture and meet the Cubans. The often family run guesthouses beat the government owned hotels hands down in this aspect.
- Stimulating the private economy - If you are keen to support privately run businesses in Cuba, owned by the Cuban people, staying in a casa particular guesthouse will do just that. The casas are legal privately owned businesses in Cuba and they pay taxes to the government, however by providing business to them, you are effectively empowering them and helping money circulate directly among the people in Cuba, rather than the government controling the flow of this money.
- Making your trip to Cuba legal - If you are U.S. citizen, staying in a casa particular guesthouse in Havana will help you meet the requirements for the Support for the Cuban People General Licence category for legal travel to Cuba.
What people say about our services in Cuba
JosephJune 29, 2026My experience on the 9 day tour was fantastic from start to finish. Cuban Adventures were very helpful throughout the process and have well designed itineraries. Our tour guide was friendly, helpful, and informative. I met a lovely group of people and saw many parts of the island which would have been difficult to reach on my own. The activities were well thought out, with opportunities to spend more time with the group or do your own thing. This was one of my favourite trips after visiting many countries. Thoroughly recommended!- SimonMay 8, 2026Travel to and within Cuba has been severely disrupted by the oil embargo. Despite these difficulties Cuban Adventurers were able to provide an excellent tour. Our tour guide Adrian was able to make the trip interesting and informative despite potentially difficult circumstances. All the people we dealt with on this trip who were engaged by Cuban Adventurers such as local guides and accommodation providers were positive, helpful and friendly and added to our enjoyment of the tour.
- SophieApril 12, 2026I had a great time on the Women's Tour. Our guide was super friendly, knowledgeable and created a once in a lifetime experience for us all.
- GretchenMarch 22, 2026Cuban Adventures was the most accommodating tour I have ever taken. It was also the most interesting thanks to our tour guide, the history professor, Yoani Monteagudo Javier. Take the 15 day road trip for a very full picture of Cuba.
PhilipMarch 19, 2026To sum up the trip and company in one word. PROFESSIONAL. Quick responses, great guide, great driver. We were well looked after, always felt safe and enjoyed learning about the people, history, culture and great countryside. Thank you Cuban Adventures.
ElizabethMarch 15, 2026I recommend anyone who wants to visit Cuba to do it with Cuban Adventures. I always felt really guided visiting this beautiful but foreigner country for me. They had an excellent organization and sense of responsibility. All the members of the team are very friendly and really cared about the travelers. I felt completely safe traveling with them.- Andrea SuzanneMarch 7, 2026This has been one of the most amazing trips I have been on. Between the Cuban people and culture it was so memorable.
- CliffordMarch 3, 2026Our tour of Cuba was fantastic! It was a fun, interesting, and memorable adventure. It was extremely well-organized and seamless, and our tour guide Estefan was phenomenal. I highly recommend visiting Cuba and hope that I can return there in the future.
- StephenieFebruary 25, 2026My 10-day tour of Cuba with Cuban Adventures was an amazing experience. I didn't know what to expect and I was a little anxious beforehand, but this became easily my favorite vacation ever. My Cuban Adventures guide, Estefan, was incredibly organized, knowledgeable, and friendly. The staff that supported him, Dayana (local guide) and Carlos (driver) were wonderful too. Our trip took us to Havana, Viñales, Cienfuegos, and Trinidad, and I loved it all. Cuban Adventures made Cuba feel like home, and I was honestly sad to leave. I can't wait to return to Cuba, and when I do, I will definitely book my trip through Cuban Adventures.
Uncover more Cuba travel inspiration in our blog
If you've been dreaming of Cuba and want to learn more about this fascinating country before your trip, read our blog for a complete Cuban travel guide with tips and local insights.