I had a look @ this site and put in casas under $20US and nothing came up. I went for a month last year to learn congas and you just have to walk around the lovely streets of Verdado , Havana Viaja and you’ll see these blue inverted triangles on the doors of gorgeous houses. These are casa particulares. $15 a night for a double room was the usual price. People are really friendly and if the casa you find is full, they’ll usually help you by taking you down the road to a friends casa. Usually they give you breakfast and other meals if you want. Hava great time one really nice casa i found was http://www.casantigua.justincuba.com/ Horacio is really lovely. *)
Thanks for contributing , but i dont think you are rigth. If you see houses for less than $25 a nigth for a room, there is a big chance those houses are illegal, not given a license by the cuban government, and as a result of this, the tourist is always at risk of being evicted from the house and the owner of losing it.
3 things Eric, the blue triangle denotes a’legal’ casa particulare, most cubans dont have full internet access (only email) and can’t post their casa on the web and thirdly, ever heard of haggling (especially if you spend more than 1 night)?? (i think we stayed 4 days with horacio for $20/night) *)
I go to cuba every year, and I am positive that the usual price, especially in high season, its not 15 dollars a night. Its a matter of bussiness cost/benefit , if they charge that, they cant pay the license to the cuban government and have a profit.
Most cubans dont have the internet, but they have friends who do, so they post their houses with help from these friends.
I agree about haggling, and all the houses that are in the website i posted are subject to that when you get to cuba, like any other bussiness.
Hola a todos, les recomiendo el sitio http://www.livingcuba.com
Directorio de casas particulares en La Habana. Toda la informaciûn para su viaje a Cuba y más
If you are looking for a casa particular, I know of one in Havana which is very inexpensive. Great for backpacker etc.
2 bdrm with everything included. About $30/day or less.
Also, I know of a great chauffeur who will take you anywhere in the city for a great price.
I am in Canada and you can contact me at
for more info.
I am not an agent and do not make any money from this. I am just helping out some Cuban friends.
Cheers
Michele
Cuba has lots of casa particulares. Guides such as the Moon guide are good.
I have not had much success with the online directories of casas to be honest.
From the UK, TakeYourTime Travel, sets up cuban homestay holidays. I went on a music and dance course with them and found it to be a really good way to meet Cubans and get to know about their culture.
We have expanded the Havana Journal forums and have moved this post to the Cuba Lodging Forum so please feel free to add more comments and recommendations.
Hi
I have sent many people to Cuba to stay in B&B in Cuba and they have never been dissatisfied. If you go to my website http://www.lalengua.ca and go to the travel page, you can see pictures of the B&B. Its in a great location (Vedado) with modern decor, beautiful balconies, good food, the owners speak several languages and they can help you with car rentals, train travel, flights throughout the island, camp spots, keys, entertainment etc…....I live in Canada and Cuba so I am in close contact with this B&B (I stay in my own apartment—-which can only transpire via marriage or, if you are a high roller—-with my mother in law but I frequent Lilly’s casa due to friendship and I love to simply hang out in their huge apartment. I also provide custom itineraries to ensure you have a great time. Cuba can be tricky to navigate especially if you do not speak spanish and like to eat. My itineraries are guaranteed to cut some fat for you. i have been all over the island and know where to refer you regardless if you are there for a few days or several months. As well if you are interested in splitting your vacation in half: resort and B&B, many of my friends are flight attendants who stay in all of the resorts. They report back to me with the details. Chances are if the casa is under $20 per nite it is illegal which is not to say that it is bad but it could be real bad for the owner if they are caught and can’t pay off the inspector—-I am not willing to put them at risk, plus you may run into unwarranted/unsolicited problems. Same goes for eating illegal lobster—-they can do time for peddling it to tourists. Cheap yummy lobster! This all comes down to ethics and moral codes—-if you want it, go for it. No one passes any judgement. Casa Lilly is $30-$35 per nite and it is legal. Breakfast and /or dinner is 5 bucks and they provide laundry service. In short, have a great time and feel free to email me. I am back in Canada for 6 mths.
