Casas particulares in Cuba: how to book, what they cost in 2026 and what to ask before you stay

What is a casa particular?

A casa particular is a family home with one or a few rooms for guests – we never saw more than three. Most rooms we looked at had a private bathroom and hot water, and many houses had beautiful colonial details: high ceilings, tiled floors and rocking chairs on a balcony.

You live alongside the family, which is why many travellers prefer casas to hotels. Some larger places are run more like small guesthouses, with staff and a manager. In our experience the businesslike ones were not better: the food cost more and one ‘fancier’ room smelled of damp. If you want everyday Cuban life, choose a real family home.

Cuba in 2026: read this before you book

Travelling in Cuba is much harder now than when we went. The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel. The national grid has collapsed several times, fuel is rationed, and water supply can be unreliable. Airlines have suspended or changed flights because of aviation fuel shortages. 1

Money is the other big change. According to the same advice, international Visa and Mastercard cards are no longer accepted and cannot be used at ATMs, so bring enough cash in US dollars or euros for your whole stay plus emergencies. 1

For a casa stay this means two practical questions come first: does the house have a generator for power cuts, and a water tank (cistern) for when the mains supply stops? A booking platform's 2026 guide notes that homes without a generator can be without power for six to ten hours on bad summer days. 3

How much does a casa particular cost in 2026?

Prices are per room, not per person, and are usually quoted in US dollars. One booking platform's June 2026 ranges give an idea of the spread: 3

Breakfast is often included in Viñales and Trinidad and usually costs extra in Havana, around 4–7 US dollars per person. A home-cooked dinner is typically 8–15 dollars per person and should be ordered a day ahead. 3 The convertible peso (CUC) quoted in older guides, including our first one, no longer exists; read our notes on money in Cuba.

• Havana: from about 24 dollars a night in Centro Habana to 200 in Miramar
• Viñales: about 24–80 dollars
• Trinidad: about 28–90 dollars
• Cienfuegos: about 24–80 dollars
• Varadero: from 28 dollars for a room to 350 for a villa with a pool

How to book a casa particular

There are three ways to book: through a platform such as Airbnb or Booking.com, through a specialist agency, or directly with the host by email, phone or WhatsApp. Specialist platforms typically cost a little more than booking direct, while direct bookings rely entirely on trust. 3

When we travelled, Dario did the bookings himself. We used TripAdvisor reviews to shortlist the best ten to fifteen houses in each town, found their contact details and wrote to them one by one. Internet in Cuba is slow, so answers can take days. A small agency we tried first stopped replying for weeks, which taught us that with a baby you want confirmations in writing, not promises.

Hosts also told us that a large share of what guests paid through big booking sites went to intermediaries abroad, because Cubans could not register on those sites themselves. When you can, booking directly means more of your money reaches the family.

How to recognise a licensed casa particular

Licensed casas display a blue sign at the entrance; a house without one is not a legal casa particular. 3 Hosts have to record every guest in the house's registration book, so you will be asked for your passport on arrival – the Havana host who wrote our 2018 guest article listed it as a house rule, along with no unregistered visitors.

Before arriving, complete the D'Viajeros online form within 72 hours of entering Cuba and carry the QR code on paper or offline, because Wi-Fi may not be available when you land. You also need a tourist card (tourist visa) arranged before travel. 2

Casas particulares with a baby or children

Staying with a small child was never a problem for our hosts, but baby cots were usually missing, or in questionable condition. Instead, ask for an extra single bed: pushed against the double bed and the wall, it makes one big family bed that a baby cannot roll out of.

Check the stairs too. Many Havana homes are upstairs, and the 2018 casa on our blog had two flights with no lift. With children, a ground-floor room or a house with a roof terrace for play is worth asking for.

Questions to ask the host before you book

These are the questions we would ask any casa today:

• Is there a generator, and what does it power (fans, air conditioning, the fridge)?
• Is there a water tank for when the mains water stops?
• Is the bathroom private, with hot water?
• Is breakfast included, and what does dinner cost?
• Which currency do you want, and do you need a cash deposit?
• Can you arrange a taxi from the airport or bus station?
• Is there a cot or an extra bed for a child, and how many stairs are there?

Travelling between casas around Cuba

Every host knows other hosts across the island. Many travellers book only their first nights and let each host recommend and phone the next casa. With a baby we preferred to book ahead, but we still asked each host to call our next casa a few days before to confirm our arrival.

That call matters for two reasons. If the next host has not heard from you, they may give the room to someone at the door, because nobody pays in advance. And the new host can send a taxi to meet you at the bus station, so you avoid the jineteros – touts who offer taxis, rooms and restaurants to every arriving tourist. For the journeys themselves, see our Cuba transport notes and the Cuba with kids guide.