Have you ever wondered what it’s like to stay in a stranger’s home while you’re traveling the world? Meet Altruvistas collaborator and ethical traveler Sam Chen, who shares what it’s like to globe trot from ‘casa particulares’ in Cuba to a neighborhood community in Vinales.

—

As an independent travel enthusiast, I was excited to try out private bed and breakfasts (casa particulares) on my first trip to Cuba.  Similar to homestays and guesthouses, casa particulares foster cross-cultural exchange between visitors and hosts and provide deeper insight into contemporary Cuban life.

Prior to my arrival in Cuba, a friend recommended a casa particular to stay at in Havana.  I emailed the family to make a reservation but to my disappointment both rooms in their apartment were booked for my requested dates.  Rather than turn me away, they offered to find me another room in their neighborhood for the same price.

The only details I got for the other room were: “The other place will be always very close mine, 2 or 3 blocks, I have to 
check which house will be available. You can come to my place and then I´ll
 bring you to the other one.”

I was initially a bit reluctant to accept this offer without the security of knowing the exact location and condition of the other room.  After a brief moment of hesitation, my adventurous backpacker sensibilities took over and I replied, “Thank you very much!  Looking forward to meeting you soon!”

On my arrival in Havana, I took a taxi to my contact’s home in the Verdado district, an urban neighborhood in Havana.  After exchanging greetings in my rudimentary Spanish and their English, we walked a few blocks over to his neighbor’s apartment where I’ll be staying.  To my surprise, rather than renting a room they gave me an entire 1-bed room apartment for my stay.

At my next destination in Trinidad, the casa particular owner told me she only had availability for the first night of my 3-night stay.  Similar to my experience in Havana, she offered to find me a room with her neighbors for the remaining nights.
After the first night, her neighbor came over to meet me while I was having breakfast then we walked over to his house for the remainder of my stay.  In small towns like Trinidad, it almost seems like every other house is a casa particular with “Room for Rent” signs displayed on the windows and doors.

Since 1997, the Cuban government has allowed Cubans to rent out rooms in their homes and apartments to tourists as supplemental income for local families.  These privately operated accommodations are similar to bed and breakfasts and guesthouses and offer more varied and affordable lodging options for tourists, especially independent and budget travelers. Casa particulars are an integral part of the Cuban tourism infrastructure and with visitors to the island at an all time high (4 million international visitors in 2014), they offer viable alternatives when hotels are at capacity.

Rooms in casa particulars usually come with private bathrooms and cost between 20 – 40 USD, depending on location, amenities and travel seasons. Breakfasts are usually included in the price and prepared by the hosts with other meals available on request at an additional cost. Casa particulars are licensed tourist accommodations and residents have to pay a monthly tax and meet certain conditions to sustain the license.  With average monthly local state salaries at about 25 USD, casa particulars are important supplemental income streams for families.

By the time I got to my final destination in Vinales, I was pretty confident that even though I didn’t have any accommodations pre-booked, I was going to be able to find something on the spot. I asked the taxi to drop me off at a popular casa particular recommended by my guidebook.  Unsurprisingly, there was no availability but the receptionist said she would ask her neighbors if they had room.  She asked me to follow her and we literally walked from house to house, neighbor to neighbor around her block before finding availability. Needless to say, I was truly touched by this woman’s compassion and generosity.

Not only do casa particulares provide pragmatic lodging options and solutions for Cuba’s increasing number of international visitors. They’re also great opportunities for visitors to truly experience the wonderful hospitality of the Cuban people and their inspiring and strong community network.

—

Altruvistas makes sure that our travelers get to experience the true essence of the places we visit, and get to know the people they meet throughout their journey. But lodging our trip participants in strangers’ homes is not often logistically possible when we are dealing with groups of travelers. Having said that, we support the cultural and human connections that happen when  travelers step outside of their comfort zones like Sam did!

Experience Cuba for Yourself

Speaking of connections, here are a few upcoming Altruvistas journeys that involve plenty of cultural exchange, and a whole lot of fun!

*Photo Credit: Sam Chen