Casa Particulares
Instead of staying at an expensive (or even affordable) hotel, what many Cubans do when they travel is that they rent a "Casa Particular." It is pretty much a rented apartment, and you get complete privacy. This also means you have to make your own bed. You can use the kitchen to cook your own food, if you wish. When you step out of a Casa Particular, you're not in a hotel lobby or a large parking lot. You are right there in the midst of Cuba, with the non-touristy pollution, the non-touristy noise of the cars going by, the people walking to work, and you find yourself as part of the Cuban picture.
These Casa Particulares range from cheap to expensive, and we at Budget Travel can find you one that fits your budget and the location you desire. It may not seem like much. The exterior doesn't look too pretty and you may think the buildings need remodeling. All true. But therein lies the true beauty of it all. This is a special time in history where Cuba still looks like America in the 1950s. This won't last for long. Before they renovate and change like the rest of Western civilization, you can enjoy the rugged richness of this one-time Cuban society.