How to Stay in Cuba

Decide your route first. Cuban stays are usually booked city by city, not as one package, so sketch your nights per destination before you search.

Book through a platform that operates in Cuba. Several major international sites do not process Cuban reservations; use a partner that does and that confirms directly with the host.

Get a written confirmation with the host's name, full address and phone number, then save it offline. You may not have data when your taxi driver asks for the address.

Reconfirm a few days before arrival. Communication can be slow, so allow time for a reply rather than assuming silence means a problem.

Book high season early. December to March and July to August fill quickly in Havana, Trinidad and Viñales.

Confirm the property is privately owned before you pay. US travelers may not spend money at properties on the State Department's Cuba Restricted List, so ask the platform or host to state in writing that the casa is a private, licensed home rental.

Save the booking confirmation, receipts and your itinerary. US regulations require travelers to keep records of Cuba-related transactions for five years, and a written confirmation is the easiest record to keep.

Book each leg with a buffer night in the city you fly out of. Intercity transport can shift by hours, and a spare night near the airport city protects your departure.

Assume cash. Card acceptance is limited and unreliable, and cards issued by US banks generally do not work at all.

Bring USD, euros, Canadian dollars or pounds sterling in clean, undamaged notes. Exchange only at official casas de cambio or banks.

Budget your whole trip in advance and carry a contingency. Running out of cash mid-trip is the single most common traveler problem in Cuba.

Pay hosts in person, in cash, at check-in or check-out unless your booking platform already collected payment. Ask which applies before you arrive.

Keep small notes for taxis, tips and meals; change for large bills is often scarce.

Estimate roughly $40–70 per night for a private casa, plus $15–25 for a host-cooked dinner and $10–15 for breakfast, then add a 15–20% cushion for taxis and unplanned changes.

Ask for a written receipt from each host. Beyond being good practice, it documents that your lodging money went to a private household — the record US travelers should be able to produce later.

Split your cash across two places — a money belt and a locked bag — and never rely on a single ATM working. Withdrawals with US-issued cards are not available.

Prefer licensed properties. Legal casas display a blue sign and hold a rental license, which means the stay is documented.

Read the most recent reviews, not the highest-rated ones. Buildings and management change; a glowing review from three years ago says little.

Check what is actually included: air conditioning, hot water, breakfast, and whether there is a backup plan during power outages.

Be cautious with anyone who intercepts you at the airport or bus station offering a room. Arrive with a confirmed booking instead.

Confirm the exact address, including apartment number and floor. Many Cuban addresses are described by cross streets rather than numbers.

Ask the host directly whether the home is family-owned and self-managed. Private, licensed households are the only lodging US travelers should be booking, and hosts are used to the question.

Look for hosts who answer specific questions with specific answers — floor number, whether there is a lift, how hot water works. Vague replies before booking usually mean vague support after arrival.

Prefer hosts who can arrange an airport or terminal pickup at an agreed price. It removes the most common arrival friction and signals an organized household.

Bring your passport and travel documents to check-in; hosts are required to register every guest.

Buy connectivity on arrival — a local eSIM or data plan — and download offline maps before you need them.

Expect scheduled power and water interruptions in some areas. A flashlight, a power bank and a refillable bottle solve most of it.

Ask your host for restaurant, taxi and day-trip recommendations. It is the most reliable local information you will get.

Agree taxi fares before getting in, and carry small bills for tipping housekeeping and guides.

Keep a simple daily note of where you stayed, ate and what you did. It takes two minutes and becomes your travel record if you are ever asked to document your trip.

Spend with private businesses — family-run paladares, independent guides, private drivers and neighborhood markets. It is both the point of people-to-people engagement and the safest footing for US travelers.

Confirm which authorized travel category applies to you. US travel to Cuba is permitted under specific general licenses, most commonly Support for the Cuban People, and your trip should be planned to match it.

Buy your Cuban eVisa and check that your travel insurance meets Cuban entry requirements; many airlines include coverage in the fare, but verify rather than assume.

Complete the online arrival declaration within the window before your flight and screenshot the QR code — you may not have connectivity at the airport.

Cross-check every property you plan to book against the Cuba Restricted List, and re-check close to departure since the list is updated periodically.

Pack what is hard to buy locally: medications in original packaging, sunscreen, insect repellent, basic first aid and a universal drain plug.

Plan intercity travel at the same time as your lodging. Havana to Viñales or Trinidad is a half-day, and arriving after dark makes finding an unfamiliar address harder.

Private drivers and shared collective cars are the practical option for most routes; agree the total price, currency and stops before departing.

Ask your current host to arrange your next transfer. Hosts across cities know each other, and a referral is usually cheaper and more reliable than a street negotiation.

Give each new host your estimated arrival window and a phone number, then message when you set off. Delays are normal and communication prevents a locked door.

Treat the casa as someone's home, because it is. Greet the family, keep noise down late and ask before bringing extra visitors in.

Order breakfast or dinner the night before. Hosts shop daily and cannot improvise meals for guests who decide at the last minute.

Use water and electricity sparingly. Supply is genuinely constrained, and short showers and switched-off air conditioning are noticed and appreciated.

Leave an honest, recent review naming the household. Private hosts depend on visibility, and detailed reviews are how the next traveler finds them.