Trinidad
Nelson's place above the lovely Restaurant El Dorado bears all the hallmarks of a fine Trinidadian homestay – lush patio, romantic terrace and Unesco…
Must-see hotels in Cuba
Casa El Balcón Mignelys & Juanito
Viñales
Situated a block south of the plaza, El Balcón has four modern private rooms upstairs (there is another house for rent below), a street-facing balcony and…
Hotel Beltrán de la Santa Cruz
Habana Vieja
An excellent location and plenty of old-world authenticity make this compact inn just off Plaza Vieja a history-evoking place to stay. It's housed in a…
Havana
Guarding the entry to the diplomatic 'hood of Miramar, the Eulalia is a new hotel set in an old mansion that was recently floated as one of Cubanacán’s…
Santa Clara
A charming cornerstone of Santa Clara's accommodations scene with three bedrooms (one big enough for families), a leafy back courtyard, a front terrace…
Camagüey Province
Within the ranch, simple and countrified Hotel Finca La Belén has recently been renovated. The property includes a swimming pool, restaurant, TV lounge…
Camagüey
In front of the Teatro Principal, this impeccably kept 2nd-story apartment features modern art and colonial style. There are two rooms with leather…
Trinidad
Handy to the bus station, Victor's place has three rooms with TV, air-conditioning and private bathrooms. The best are upstairs. Guests share spacious…
Playa Ancón
The queen of kitsch, Idel is a lovely grandma offering simple rooms. This is La Boca life personified, with rockers and hammocks on a wraparound porch…
Holguín Province
There's more stunning Gibara beauty in Villa Caney, captured in a sturdy stone colonial house that withstood the Category 4 force of Hurricane Ike. Two…
Cienfuegos
Friendship's the word in this venerable colonial house stuffed full of family heirlooms just off Parque José Martí. The senior owners have been renting…
Habana del Este
The three rooms here are realistically mini-apartments, with their own kitchens and eating areas. Teresa has put a lot of work into renovating her house…
Holguín Province
This casa, with signature Gibara stained glass and baroque colonial splendor, has a bright shared courtyard patio and five big, dark bedrooms behind large…
Las Terrazas
For total seclusion (at night, at least) book one of these 11 strange triangular cabins that perch on stilts above a trimmed lawn 5km south of Las…
Santa Clara
This architectural stunner with lovely antique beds, original tile work and a patio serves amazing breakfasts and is just one block from the main square…
Baracoa
Though a bit of a walk from the plaza, this is one of your best bets for lodging. This quiet 2nd-story apartment has clean rooms with lovely decor flooded…
Matanzas
This gated house with green foliage close to the water has three rooms and a large garden overlooking the bay. A narrow spiral staircase built into the…
Villa Clara Province
Long-standing colonial renter near the church of the same name with a courtyard that will transport you back 150 years. The house offers three bedrooms…
Holguín Province
Despite the faux veneer, the Costa Verde has top-notch facilities including a Japanese restaurant, a gym, colorful gardens and a lagoon you cross to get…
Camagüey
A dose of Seville with beautiful blue-and-yellow azulejos (tiles), this welcoming colonial is overseen by Andalusian fanatic Alejandro and his wife,…
Havana
A welcoming homestay close to Playa's main hotel zone that outsmarts most of the hotels in terms of price, service and comfort. On offer are two…
Santa Clara
Another of those fascinating Santa Clara casas, this one is art deco on the outside and a wonderful mix of styles within. There's a fabulous roof terrace…
Villa Clara Province
With 769 rooms, the Playa is a big beast that offers pretty reasonable rates compared to the nearby competition. It's currently the only Cuban-managed…
Sancti Spíritus
On the edge of Parque Serafín Sánchez, this is courtside seating to great people-watching. Public spaces, such as the romantic patio bar, shine. Rooms are…
Vedado
So close to the US embassy that you can practically hear the diplomatic sighs, this casa (affiliated with a similar one in Centro Habana) is big on the…
Habana del Este
Hay Perro reads the sign, but don't worry: the mutt that resides here is friendly (really), as is hostess Elena, who once lived in Italy. There's great…
Habana Vieja
These two rooms in a private 1st-floor apartment amid the action of Habana Vieja are set back far enough from the street to deaden the noise. The house…
Guantánamo Province
This Islazul hotel with an on-site restaurant is a decent choice in an outstanding, if not particularly convenient location, (about 11km from the actual…
Isla de la Juventud
A block from the ferry terminal, this place is handy if you’ve just staggered dull-eyed and disoriented off the boat (as Isla virgins are prone to do)…
Cienfuegos
You'll be amigos two sips into your fruity 'welcome drink' at this lovely place with two ground-floor rooms set a long way back from the road here, making…
Cienfuegos
Classic family-run place where you can enjoy a welcome cocktail in the lounge, partake in substantial home-cooked breakfasts on the back patio and relax…
Cienfuegos
At this hospitable house, you'll be looked after by two doctors who run a highly polished operation with two bedrooms, new air-con units, wi-fi, roof…
Camagüey Province
With 412 rooms in several three-story buildings, Brisas covers a monstrous 11 hectares. It has the strip's top rating – a hugely flattering four stars …
Las Terrazas
Ecotourism doesn’t have to come at a cost. This farmhouse 2km before the eastern entrance of Las Terrazas has two spick-and-span rooms, a fridge full of…
Santiago de Cuba
Decked in white, this thoroughly modern casa sits in a renovated building in the colonial core. There are three smart rooms and a private terrace. Nelson…
Sancti Spíritus
Sancti Spíritus doesn't often get one over on Trinidad, but it does have a better collection of hotels. This beauty has bright spaces, antique furnishings…
Pinar del Río Province
A colonial throwback with high ceilings and striped Parisian window awnings, this dustily atmospheric hotel has rooms so spacious the furniture struggles…
Santiago de Cuba
Not to be confused with the namesake rumba district of Matanzas, or the resplendent home of Louis XIV, this modest hotel is on the outskirts of town off…
Havana
On the border of Vedado and Centro Habana, just a baseball-bat swing from the Hotel Nacional and Malecón, this 1st-floor apartment offers two large rooms…
Dulce Hostal – Dulce María González
Havana
This house is all about the lovely hostess, Dulce, who has been renting out just one room in her neocolonial house for well over a decade. Nothing has…
