Travel the world and stay in the homes of locals.
Stay at home and welcome people from around the world into your life.
If you travel because you love meeting people from different cultures then Homestay may be right for you.
A homestay is like what a B&B was a few decades ago. B&Bs have become like small inns and can be expensive. A homestay is a less expensive and also casual experience where you will live like the locals do on a daily basis during your stay in another country. And if you don’t speak the language if you want, you’ll have the opportunity to learn and practice it in a relaxed environment.
- People choose a homestay to connect with locals while saving a bit of money.
- Homestay hosts choose to open their homes to connect with the world while making a little money.
This is why I said yes when Homestay approached me with interest in sponsoring a post on Solo Traveler. This has value for readers as a way to save and a way to make money for more travel.
Here’s how you can make it work for you.
Save Money and Stay with Locals
Unlike a number of the new accommodation options in the shared economy every homestay has a host present. You’re visiting people, not just places. While you can explore independently by day you can also return to your home away from home in the evening. You might chat with the host or head off to bed – it’s up to you. And in the morning your host will offer you a light breakfast.
Before you book a home stay it’s important to examine the listing carefully for location, amenities, house rules and reviews. Get in touch before booking to get an idea as to whether the homestay will work for you. The Homestay site has video-calling built into it to help hosts and travelers get to know one another before arrival. This helps ensure a good fit.
The Homestay site has available more than 50,000 homestays in 150 countries. And the room options are diverse. You might sleep in a French chateau, an historical cottage, an ocean front condo, a Mongolian tent or even a jungle treehouse. The latter is exotic, yes, but it’s still a room in someone’s home. So looking at the whole picture we can say this, your accommodation prices are typically lower than other forms of accommodation.
Make Money by Becoming a Homestay Host
When you’re not traveling you can still experience the world by welcoming travelers into your home. And you can make some money while doing so. Signing up as a host is free and there is no long-term commitment required. You set the rate for the room in your home and keep 85% of that rate.
Once you accept a request the guest can confirm their booking with a 15% deposit which is also Homestay’s commission. The guest pays the balance of 85% to you either on arrival or in advance by bank transfer or PayPal. That’s up to you.
To sign up simply register your details on the Homestay site and you’ll be invited to complete your homestay profile with information about you and your home, together with some photos which potential guests can view to help them choose your homestay. They have lots of advice online about how to be a successful host.
Saving or Making Money is an Option in the Sharing Economy
So whether you’re interested in saving money, meeting locals as a traveler or making money and meeting travelers when at home, Homestay may be a good option for you.
This post was sponsored by Homestay.com.
