There are scores of private rooms for rent. All are air-conditioned and most serve meals. Here are a few of my faves.

For an independent apartment, try Casa Fernando y Natasha (Flor Crombet #115 e/ Frank País y Maraví, tel. 021/64-3820, CUC20), taking up the ground floor below the owners’ home. You get a TV lounge and modern bathroom. The friendly owners were tremendously attentive when I stayed here in 2009.

I also enjoyed my stay at Casa de Josefina (Flor Crombet #269, c/o tel. 021/64-1928, CUC15–20), where the pleasant hosts offer one room with a firm mattress, fan, private bathroom, and terrace.

Casa Particular El Mirador (Maceo #86, e/ 24 de Febrero y 10 de Octubre, tel. 021/64-2647, ilianacu09 [at] gmail [dot] com, CUC15–20) is one of the best room rentals. Hostess Iliana Sotorongo Rodríguez’s attractive colonial home has two spacious upstairs rooms with fans and lofty ceilings that open to a balcony with rockers and views.

An excellent and similar alternative, Casa de Isabel Castro (Marian Grajales #35, tel. 021/64-2267, CUC15–20) has 1950s retro decor. The patio to the rear gets the sun and opens to a large garden with fruit trees. It has secure parking.

Casa de William Montoya (Martí #287, e/ Abel Díaz y Glicerio Blanco, tel. 021/64-1917, CUC20–25) is a lofty-ceilinged colonial home with a pleasant lounge, two rooms with private bathrooms, plus secure parking.