accommodation for tourist visa

It's a bad idea not to plan for Cuba.

You can put down the name of any legal casa or hotel on your tourist card, they seldom check.

I disagree with #1 as I frequently arrive with no reservation. I always put the name of a major hotel in the space on the Tourist Card where is asks for your "Address While in Cuba," and when I exit the airpost I get a cab and go to my favorite casa. If that casa is occupied, I have the cab driver take me around until I find one on my list that is available. If you don't have a list, it's no problem to just tell the cab driver the general area of town where you want to stay and he will find you a casa.

Plan all you want, odds are pretty good you will be looking for a place as the one you arranged is already rented. I don't bother anymore. I have managed to find places as late as midnite by the simple method of asking at the first open bar/restaurant I see. All those hustlers who hastle people all day long do have their uses. Do take a list of places you think you would like however as another method is to have the owner of a casa that is rented, hook you up with an unrented casa. To sum it up don't worry, you can always rent a hotel room.

I recommend you book a hotel for a night or two.. I know after a long long journey from London I just want to go straight to a hotel on the first night with no messing around with finding a casa, bartering a price etc as im too knackered.. its better you book a hotel for the first night atleast as you can find a casa with a clear head the next day.. (try www.gocubaplus.com) but beware of booking casa's online, ive heard of many many people turning up to find it isnt what they were expecting, or worse- the room is not available.. I have never heard of anybodys tourist card address being checked.. Just write any major hotel; Hotel Nacional or something.. enjoy

ps Out of interest who are flying with? have you a direct flight? or is it via Paris, Madrid etc?

The application form for the tourist card says you need to send them confirmation of your flights and accommodation. Does anyone know if they want confirmation for the whole duration of stay or a booking for a couple of days would be enough?

Will they send my application back if there's no hotel booking confirmation?

Nat, You do not need to provide confirmation, put the name of the legal Casa or hotel for your first day and that is sufficient.

Thanks 2025, I guess I'll risk it without hotel confirmation.

rob01, you were asking about flights - if you're still interested there are some good deals from Virgin Atlantic, direct flights from LGW on Sundays only £400, just booked mine for August.

No worries nat, in Matanzas (I stayed there for a month a couple of times) one day they came to check to see if I had actually been there and I waved from the balcony jejeje