Tips: Homestays

Traveling carries with it the curse of being at home everywhere and yet nowhere, for wherever one is some part of oneself remains on another continent.
Margot Fonteyn

What is a homestay?

Homestays are similar to hospitality exchanges except that travelers pay families to put them up in a room in the host's home. Often, homestays are part of a whole package of services provided to travelers to help them experience another part of the planet. Many learning and volunteer programs offer homestays to both provide an inexpensive place for students to stay. Sometimes travelers stay in homestays for several months at a time while they are volunteering or studying in another country.

What to look for in a homestay?

In many parts of the Earth, especially Eastern Europe, homestays are a normal option for accommodations for travelers. You will frequently be greeted by locals at train stations who will offer you the opportunity to stay at their home for a fee. As a whole these people are reputable, however, there are few things you should ask before agreeing to rent a room through these touts:

• Can you get from the homestay to tourist attractions easily? Unfortunately, many homestays, particularly in Eastern Europe, are offered in homes that are a long way by public transportation from the city center. Expect to pay more for convenient locations. 
• Can I see the place beforehand? That way, you?ll see if the place is clean and comfortable. In my experience, particularly in Eastern Europe, the homestays are meticulously clean and as comfortable if not more so than a mid-range hotel room. However, you don?t know. If the tout appears to be reluctant to show you the place, try to go to someone else. It usually means that the place is either in bad condition or (more common) way out in the middle of nowhere. If the tout says that the place is not ready, ask them when it will be ready and make arrangements to go with them, if possible, to see the place later.

Many cities have agencies (especially in Eastern Europe) that make arrangements for tourists to set up a homestay in their city. I would, generally, recommend that you use these agencies instead of the touts at a train station. Even though these agencies are slightly more expensive, they will be able to help you find a place that meets your needs and personality. Most guidebooks list the locations of these homestay agencies. Rick Steves does an excellent job of pointing out these agencies in Europe. Some tours also include homestays. A few even specialize in putting together vacations that feature a string of homestays.

Notes:

• Do you agree or disagree with any of these tips? Do you know any great tips that should be added? If so, send your comments to me (Paul Heller, founder of the Big Blue Marble) and I'll post them on my blog.
• Check out the my extensive library of book reviews and links about home and hospitality exchange, volunteer and educational programs, and unique tours abroad.