Cuba Small Group Tour with Casa Homestay

Welcome to joining us to explore Cuba! From the Havana Jose Marti International Airport, your English-speaking guide and driver will transfer you to a guesthouse, or what locals call “casa particular”, and help you check in. The rest of the day is free for you to rest. You can have a dinner with your guide and fellows to know each other if you want.

● Why should you stay at casa particular while traveling in Cuba?
Simply put, to immerse in local life. Casa particulares are home-turned guesthouses legally run by Cuban locals, which means they have official licenses to operate and are paying taxes. It’s one of the biggest tourist drawcards of Cuba, and locals are actually proud of joining this still pioneering cause. You get to see what local house looks inside, eat homemade breakfast, interact with locals, and by the way support Cuba’s local communities; there is only one thing of particular note: you should boil the tap water before using it to wash your face or brush your teeth, to prevent you from getting infected. This would be the right place to stay especially for American travelers, as they are only allowed by the US government to support private businesses while in Cuba.

Given Cuba’s planned economy, casa indeed represents the country’s initiative for itself to become more market-oriented. What was forbidden in the past now seems to be embraced, and what was considered normal before now seems against the trend. On one hand, casa and other private business are springing up; on the other, such antiquated structures as the rationing system are still working. You can check our photo gallery to imagine how the system actually works: at plainly-setup state-owned shops "bodegas", locals are rationed basic foodstuffs like cooking oil or rice over a long counter, with a ration card to have the purchase recorded. This type of allocation might bring us back to the 1930s, when the Soviet Union used the same method to tide over the famine. But it’s said a reform is possibly underway; so instead of rationing the whole country, it might happen that the government will support the poorer only. There are many a change, perhaps you will want to talk with your casa owner about them and feel them for yourself!

As an emerging industry, casa is still on its way to catch up with hotels, but casa owners are doing their best to provide guests with whatever is needed, and you will see their efforts! Of course there are also other options. If you want to stay at more expensive superior casas or hotels, we are glad to upgrade the service for you.

Accommodation: Standard/Authentic Cuban B&B's