Rent from a licensed host
The foundation of a legal beach stay is renting from a household that holds the state licence to accommodate guests. Licensed casas particulares are registered and recognised; an unlicensed sublet is not the same thing. Licensed hosts commonly display or can show their status, and in many places they record guests as local rules require. For a visitor, choosing a licensed casa is the whole of "doing it legally" — the licence is what makes the rental legitimate. Foreigners rent through this system rather than buying property, which is largely reserved for citizens and permanent residents.
Immigration and paperwork basics
Beyond the lodging licence, a legal stay depends on your own entry status: visitors typically enter Cuba on the appropriate tourist card or visa and must respect its validity and any extension rules. Some travellers are asked to show where they are staying on arrival, and a licensed casa is a recognised address for that purpose. Keep your entry document and your host's details together. This page does not give immigration advice, and requirements change, so confirm current entry rules with an official source before you travel; the point here is simply that a licensed casa fits cleanly into the normal system.
How the deal is made
Once you have chosen a licensed home, the arrangement itself is personal and direct. Short stays are booked much like a hotel room; longer or monthly stays are negotiated privately with the host and renewed as you go, since there is no standardised visitor lease. Agree clearly on the rate, what is included, how meals work, and how the home handles power and water. Payment is in cash. The clarity of that conversation is your real protection, because it defines the terms far more than any paperwork. Done this way, a beach stay in Cuba is both legal and simple. To summarise the whole process: choose a licensed casa particular, keep your own entry documents in order, agree the details directly with the host, and pay in cash. There is no need for foreign property purchase, no complex contracts, and no grey area — the licensed private-home system was designed exactly for visitors who want to stay near the coast, and following it keeps everyone on the right side of the rules.