Get in touch with the truly Cuban people: If you stay in a big resort in a beach, you will never get an opportunity to talk and to make friends with the real people. You will only meet workers of the hotel and other tourists like you. You will miss the main attraction of Cuba, its people. By staying in a hostel or apartment living with Cubans you will get a feeling of the "Real Cuba".

Lower prices: It is much cheaper to lodge in a private room or bed and breakfast than stay in a hotel. This does not mean you will be less comfortable, on the contrary, you will have the same conditions as a hotel, air conditioning, hot and cold water, a comfortable bed, and the price will be 3 or 4 times less than a hotel. Doing so you will save some money and extend your travel to Cuba.