- WHAT DOES HOMESTAY MEANS?
- HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ACCOMMODATIONS?
- HOMESTAY V/S HOTELS
- HOMESTAY V/S MOTELS
- HOMESTAY V/S PAYING GUESTS
- WHY ARE HOMESTAYS MORE POPULAR?
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Travelling has been more fun lately, thanks to the unfolding global networks. When moving to a new city either for work, academics or simply to enjoy vacations, one can easily find a myriad of lodging options. From hotels to paying guests to homestays you name it. But among all the accommodations homestays are leading the race of popularity. Travellers especially if they are relocating for a longer duration prefer homestay over hotels. Why is it so? Why are homestays more popular?
You know I was wondering the same. And after some research and talking to some people I finally figured out the answer. Don’t worry I’m not going to keep it to myself. In this blog I’ll share with you what I found. And eventually you will understand why homestays are more popular.
WHAT DOES HOMESTAY MEANS?
Homestay is a type of accommodation in which a family turns the spare rooms in their house into lodgings. These rooms are then rented out to the visitors. The family who offers the accommodation services is called the host. The visitors get to know the culture of the city closely as they live with the locals, share their food and be a part of their day to day life. It is very much similar to the bed and breakfast lodging type. You may not get services like a pro hotel but you will definitely get the nostalgic feel here. Homestay, as the name itself suggests, means staying at a home.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ACCOMMODATIONS?
There are so many digs these days that they leave you with multifolds to choose from and at the same time they cause so much confusion as well. Some of the most common accommodations are hotels, motels, paying guests, guest houses and of course homestays. I’ll try to remove a bit of the dust here to help you differentiate between homestays and others.
HOMESTAY V/S HOTELS
The most common type of accommodation is without a doubt, a hotel. Hotels are establishments that offer you lodging services for short durations. The services and staff are very much professional. You get a variety of rooms from small rooms to large suits. A hotel offers a lot of rooms unlike the homestay in which there are only a few rooms. At homestay you get to live close to a family and learn about their culture and ethics. No such thing happens in hotels.
HOMESTAY V/S MOTELS
Motels were opened for the first time to provide lodgings to the motorists. They are established generally at the roadside not having more than two floors. The main feature of a motel is that the rooms are accessed directly to the parking. Whereas as in homestay there is no such specific layout. Spare rooms of a house are simply converted into accommodation for the visitor.
HOMESTAY V/S PAYING GUESTS
Paying guests are popular digs among the students and the working class. Here people either share a room with their roommates or have a single room. Sometimes there’s also a mess attached to the paying guest that provides the food facility as well. Living as a paying guest is more like living in a college hostel. Here also the numbers of rooms available may vary. However in homestay you don”t share your room with someone. Even if you live with family your privacy is not hindered. Also you get to eat tasty and healthy home cooked food.
WHY ARE HOMESTAYS MORE POPULAR?
Without further ado I will tell you 10 straight reasons for why are homestay more popular:
- You are away from home but you are at home. Yeah, you heard me right, homestay is someone’s home after all. So you won’t miss that homely feeling. You are living with a family and apparently they will treat you nothing like those professional hospitality staff. Gradually you will feel more like being at home. I’ve also heard some people saying that their homestay eventually turned out to be their second home.
- Who doesn’t want home cooked, healthy and hygienic food and you are going to get some here. You may also get a separate kitchen for yourself to cook but most of the time the hosts offer their visitors to dine with them.
- You get the chance to immerse yourself in the local culture. Watching the family closely let’s you know how things are done in the house, how the members interact with each other. If you are fortunate enough you may also get to witness the festivals and family functions.
- When in a new city the lonely feeling may surround you. But when you are in a homestay, close to a family, you will miss your family obviously, but you won’t feel lonely.
- Homestays are pocket friendly. They are cheaper than the hotels.
- Away from the city lights and off the beaten path you get to explore the city like a local. As most of these homestays are away from the tourist hubs so you will be able to explore more authentic and rustic parts of the city.
- Living in a homestay let’s you have a different and revitalizing experience which you definitely won’t get in a hotel.
- Homestay is a way to promote eco-tourism and to generate a source of income for the locals. To preserve and promote the culture is another objective. By opting for a homestay you contribute to these causes and are left with a self pleasing and satisfying gesture.
- Not more rooms are available for lodging so it is possible that the host will welcome only one visitor at a time. So you will be the only one getting all the attention.
- Privacy is another important factor when looking for a room and in homestays you get that.
CONCLUSION
I guess now you can answer yourself, “why are homestays more popular?” So next time when you plan to visit a different city, pack your bags, grab the tickets and find a beautiful homestay to make your trip even more memorable. Away from the urban crowd, with a homely feel you can know the roots of the city, travel more freely and have a lots of fun.
