5 benefits of staying in a homestay over a hostel

Our Snap Gap competition winner Denae from the USA is working her way across the globe during the trip of a lifetime. Her three-month adventure is seeing her take in ten countries across five continents.

One-third in, her world tour is well and truly underway. Denae took some time out from her travels to reflect how she's found staying in homestays compared to other types of accommodation. She tells us five benefits she's identified from staying with a local host, in their home.

1Help is at Hand

It's easy to forget to pack a thing or two when trekking around the world, and I've found that my hosts along the way have been more than helpful when I've been caught out. I wasn't prepared for the chill of the Sydney winter (who knew Australia could get that cold?), but both of my Sydney hosts, Julie and Zoe, lent me jackets or a scarf to help me thaw out.

My host Linda in San Francisco also had the handy habit of providing a transportation card for her guests. Topping it up for my stay was much simpler than bumbling around a train station trying to figure out how to pay for a train. I could just grab the card and go!

2Comforts of home

Some hostels can get pretty swanky but nothing quite feels like a home. I've found that while meeting new people in a hostel and finding new places to go night after night can be fun, eventually I just needed to rest. And when you finally crash in your homestay's bed, you don't have to pay an extra fee for a comforter or wonder how many thousands of people have slept on that mattress before you.

After a long journey, there's nothing quite like a warm welcome and your own bed. And another bonus, you don't have to deal with tripping over piles of strangers' stuff or climbing up creaky bunk beds if you come home late at night.

3Privacy

While it can be fun to make friends with the 13 other people you're sharing a dorm room with, or to chat with a stranger while you're waiting for a shower in the shared bathroom, sometimes it can be nice to have some space all to yourself.

With a homestay, you get a private room and some are even en suite! It's great fun going on Moroccan food runs for dinner or dancing to 80's music with your host family, but at the end of the day, you have your privacy when you want it. So you can get involved with your homestay family or enjoy a quiet moment to yourself over a cup of tea at sunrise, which is the best of both worlds.

4Local Knowledge

Many hostels have brochures and pamphlets galore to help you get involved with the city but sometimes you can't help but feel like you're in one ongoing commercial. Homestay hosts already know things to do around the city that are off the beaten path, and they're not trying to sell you anything when they give you advice.

Aside from things to do, hosts are also knowledgeable about helping you get around. My host Sabine in Lima drove me all around the neighborhood so that I'd know where to catch the bus, and I still remember Jo taking out her big atlas of New Zealand and helping me plan a route around the South Island that would save me time and money. She was quite the lifesaver!

5Safety

Lastly, it's reassuring as a solo female traveler to know that I'm not just a numbered bed in a dorm room when I'm staying with a local host. And, it's especially comforting to know that you have a local there for you if you want someone to hang out with or to call if things don't go to plan.

Not only did my host Tomoko in Tokyo make sure I found my way around the city, but she also took the time to help me find ways to engage with it. She introduced me to a family friend, Saya, who took a Sunday afternoon to show me around one of the most eclectic districts of Tokyo: hanging out with Saya meant I didn't have to worry about exploring an area that new to me without knowing the local language.

During my stay in Auckland, I took the wrong bus and couldn't find my way home one night. After a call on my quickly-dying cell phone, my host Annette came and picked me up!

Aside from personal well-being, you don't have to stress about those valuables you're packing around. Staying in your own room in a private residence means you don't have to struggle with hostel lockers or find a creative place to hide your passport!

Want to hear more about Denae's adventures? Stay up-to-date by following her personal blog as she travels across the globe in just 3 months or keep an eye on her Instagram account for the latest snaps from her most recent destination.

Want to plan your own adventure?

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