Hey raymond,
Here's some info on accommodation:
Vedado: Raúl Sarmiento, Paseo # 313, Apt #. 43, corner to 15 Street. Vedado, Habana. Phone 53 7 833-4174
email:
raul@enet.cu website
http://www.geocities.com/vedadohabana/,
Raul is a great guy. When I was sick there he even arranged a doctor to visit me, who in the true spirit of socialism even refused payment. Raul sent me to stay at Isabel Y Eddy casa: Calle 4 #108apto.1 e/5ta y Calzada Vedado. This place is across the road from Folkloric Nacional de Cuba and they have performances there every saturday afternoon. An ideal starting point in Cuba. Eddy's cousin Guillermo Lopez Clemente is one of the senior musicians there a the Folklorico. You can organise private study with him. I studied with him, he is a very good, methodical teacher.
I had a self contained apt, fridge , air cond, hot water. Very secure place. At that time it was $20 USD /night for a 2 week stay. Might be more now and Im not sure they still take u.s. dollars - maybe Euros - look into it b4 you go.
Vedado is great, very peaceful and relaxed compared to centro havana.
If you wanna stay in Havana where all the action is, heaps of live music etc etc. here's a great casa I stayed in for most of my 2 months in Cuba:
Casa Martha
Manrique #362, bajos
esq. San Rafael, Centro Havana
537 863 30 78
bienvenidoalcorazon@yahoo.comVery secure. Locking doors and gates.
Good private rooms and Nancy aand Augustin make you very welcome. Nancy is a great cook and makes great coffee in the morning!
A peaceful haven in the middle of the chaos of Centro Havana with Los Van Van sometimes playing within a 5 minute walk.
The longer you stay the cheaper it is.
Give everyone in the casas my regards if you see them!
Have fun.
regards
Pavlo