Are we mad to consider Airbnb in Cuba!?

[Howdidthathappen1]

So after the package holidays of taking children me and oh are looking to spread our wings a bit.
He works in a school but has managed to get agreement for taking 2 weeks leave with the first being the week before the summer hols.

We like the idea of Cuba- Havana followed by the beach and just out of curiosity looked on Airbnb and have found a couple of really lovely looking little places in Havana with good reviews but before I get engrossed in further planning I wondered if anyone had an informed view on this - we've only ever used Airbnb in this country but we like the idea of it seeming a bit more like an adventure rather than off plane on coach!

I'm fairly sure it's cheaper to get there and back via a package deal but I could be wrong

I've used AirBnB all over the place, think we might have used it in Cuba too although may have been booking.com, not entirely sure. As long as there are other reviews I would do it - the only bad experience we've had was when we stayed somewhere newly put up that had no reviews.

I've never had a good experience with Air BnB, so no I wouldn't risk not having accommodation on arrival. I'd use booking.com or similar.

I've been to Cuba 3x and would have no qualms about staying in an Airbnb.

Wonderful people!

But like previous posts, I'd do it through booking dot com.

Surprised by some of the comments. Went to Cuba about 4 years ago and it was incredibly dangerous to the extent that we weren't allowed to leave our tour guides side when walking through Havana. The poverty there is immense . I wouldn't risk it personally

@Truthseeker456 i think your tour guide might have just been trying to stop you wandering off. I’ve been to Havana many times and only once felt even slightly at risk and that was my own fault for wandering down a little alley in a dodgy area. Some kids threw stones and shouted stuff at me but that was way off the tourist track. Yes, there is huge poverty but it is fine to walk around, certainly between the main sights in Havana

That's not been my experience at all. I think your guide was trying to keep you close, maybe in case you went off with another one.

We loved Cuba! We spent a few days in an all inclusive but didn't really like it so spent the rest of the time staying in casas particulares - private homes that rent out a few rooms - it was great and the prices and quality were regulated by the state so it was very unlikely you'd get ripped off. I imagine a lot of those same people are now using AirBnB. I'd definitely do it! This was ten years ago, so not sure how much things have changed but we didn't feel unsafe in Havana at all. DH ended up getting into a dodgy trade in some run down block of flats trying to buy a t-shirt from the cigar factory but it was really friendly - loads of kids around and just generally a nice vibe. We loved Trinidad on the Caribbean coast too. Had a great time in Cuba!

I think we stayed in this exact one... looks like they've decorated it since!

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/28025966?checkout=2022-10-16&children=2&adults=2&checkkin=2022-10-10&s=42&uniqueshareeid=7B2139CF-14AE-42C5-AA13-CF21A5900F24

Thanks all. Never did the whole travelling backpacking thing when young so think we're going to give it a go😀

We went about 15 years ago and did a mix of state run hotels and private homes 'casa particulara' which predated airbnb but were amazing. We stayed in a casa particulara in Old Havana and another in Cienfuegos. We stayed in hotels in Trinidad and Vinales. We hired a car and drove ourselves around and also took taxis.

We booked everything apart from the casa particulara with a company called Cuba Direct and they arranged vouchers for the hotels which gave us flexibility on our itinerary.

We went in 2018 and stayed in an all inclusive in Varadero and then a casa particulare in Havana near to Plaza del Cristo. Felt very safe just be wise like you would anywhere else. Go to El Chanchullero for a drink and some food if you can. Amazing vibe in Havana….you will love it!

We stayed at Casa Tania Miguel on Neptuno in Havana. They are on TripAdvisor and now have a Facebook page too! The reviews are just as good as when we went and we stayed there as our friends had been the previous year.

I'll try to find the one we stayed in in Cienfuegos too as that was also great.

Never felt unsafe or ripped off anywhere in Cuba.

Thanks so much for advice and recommendations- if anyone has any further advice on the beach part I'll happily recieve it!

I went to cuba and travelled from Havana to Santiago de Cuba and then back to Havana on a different route

stayed in a mixture of accommodations from 5 star hotels and cash particular

I enjoyed my time there immensely, hope you have a great time. Lots of interesting history and do find a ration shop

bay If pigs was decent beaches and Airbnb places

@NoFitStateMum wow I've just looked casia tania miguel - and all the reviews - it's sounds so amazing
Really looking forward to planning our trip now!

Went to Cuba in 2018 & stayed in Airbnbs in Havana, Vinales & Trinidad. Havana was great, the next door neighbours looking after the Airbnb were some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Definitely recommend Vinales & Trinidad too, Vinales is where they grow tobacco for the cigars & Trinidad is a really vibrant city but also close to a beach. We spent about 10days travelling round, used buses to get between the cities. Then spent 4nights at an all-inclusive resort on Cayo Coco which is an island of the northern coast. We flew into Havana & out of Cayo Coco via Canada.

DH and I went to Cuba 5 years ago, and loved it. We booked a few places through Airbnb and never had any issues. I think quite often the listings are managed by family members who live overseas (I think because of international payment restrictions in cuba?) who speak good English. It does mean that the person you're communicating with is not always the person hosting you, instead it might be the son or cousin of the person running the airbnb. I never had any issues though.