Due to the inefficiencies of the state-run communist economy the Cuban government has needed to make some free market concessions over the years. One of these being the ability of citizens to rent out their homes to tourists traveling in Cuba.
Casa Particular literally means “personal house†and is a term used in Cuba to describe a room that is rented out by a private person to a tourist. They usually consist of a medium sized room with an attached toilet and shower. Air conditioning is considered standard while refrigerators and TVs are considered optional. Most owners will give you a room key as well as a house key. So you can lock up your valuables in the room while your out on the town.
Casa Particular’s will vary in price from $15 to $40 CUC, with $20 to $25 CUC per room per night being the most common price range. Most are not available for booking online but its easy enough to just walk around and find one on the spot. Just look for the symbol below.
In addition to offering you a room, most Casa owners will also try and sell you a breakfast. This is usually a pretty good deal at around $3 to $5 CUC.
If you don’t like the idea of staying in someones house, your only other option is a hotel. There is no hostel network in Cuba at present.
