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By far the best way of meeting real Cubans and getting to know about the Cuban way of life is to stay in a casa particular. A casa can range from a room in a pleasant villa or Russian built concrete apartment block to a magnificent colonial residence. They follow certain stringent rules and are obliged to provide a minimum standard of accommodation. With prices ranging from twenty to thirty CUCs (convertible Cuban pesos roughly the value of the euro) you can get your own comfortable room often with en suite bathroom and in many casas you will also be able to eat an excellent breakfast for three to five CUCS and/or dinner for 7CUC.
The casa particular network (homestay/ bed and breakfast accommodation) is arguably the most efficient tourism network in Cuba. Find your first casa and they will happily book you into a “friend’s” casa for your next destination, (“friend” being a very over-used word in Cuba. People talk constantly of friends when they mean acquaintances or people they have dealings with on an irregular basis). In this instance, these “friends” are people they have never met but whom they work with on a regular basis through mutual recommendation. This network is very useful when you want to tour around the country particularly if your Spanish is non-existent or limited.
The casa will also arrange for you to be met at your next destination and that makes life a lot easier. Unless you have hired a car, you will probably travel around by the safe and relatively inexpensive Viazul air-conditioned buses that trundle along the country’s main highways with their cargo of tourists and occasional Cubans. You will see your name held up as you drive into the bus station and this helps you feel very safe, especially as competition at the popular destinations such as Havana, Trinidad, Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa is very fierce and you can be lost in a mass of people trying to sell you a casa or a taxi. Having someone call your name and come to your rescue is very reassuring!
A few years ago casas were under threat from the Cuban government’s policy of wanting tourism to be held purely in the hands of the state but thanks to Richard Branson and Virgin Atlantic opening up flights to Cuba with the consequent arrival of thousands of independent tourists, the accommodation they provide is now essential and, as everyone knows, independent tourists often stay longer and spend more cash than the thousands of tourists milling to Cuba’s all-inclusive tourist resorts.
The great thing about casas is that much of the money goes into local pockets. Casa particular owners are privileged and they try to share out the benefits of what they earn with others through booking taxis, allowing “friends” to come and sell their wares, from artefacts to home-made jams. The owners employ local people to cook and to clean, so the money is spread around. There is still room for the all-inclusive resorts and hotels of course - I am still looking forward to booking a few days’ luxury rest at Guardalavaca’s Rio de Oro resort, situated on one of Cuba’s most beautiful beaches, with its excellent reputation for hospitality! However, casas work within the community and bring benefits to the community and are an excellent way for tourists to help the lovely people of Cuba.
For a few casa addresses please go to the Cuba page on this website.
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