Homestays offer a unique holiday experience, especially if you are going to an off-beat location. Far from the crowd, closer to nature, homestays epitomise sustainable travel and local culture

My first experience of a homestay was at Off The Grid, located in Kali Tiger Reserve, Karnataka. Located on the forest edge, with nothing but mountains all around, and a life that took you back to the yesteryears, it was a true brush with nature.  

With an open kitchen, rooms without locks and bare rustic room, run by solar power, warm water heated on wood, a neighbouring waterfall pool, fresh meals by the brook, chirping birds, treks in the jungle and no internet, I spent a blissful three days. It introduced me to life beyond the city boundaries and with warm people. I would have liked to spend more, but this was work and Delhi called.  

Since then, I have stayed in a plush homestay in Palampur, Lodge at Wah, and a backpacking ground at Drass, Ladakh. I also had a memorable stay at a scenic location in Tanakpur, which is enroute Champawat, Uttarakhand. Each experience has been different.

The owners wanted to retain the natural ambience of these places. They added amenities to their homes without creating additional burden on the surroundings. The unique locations added to the charm, that became the USP of the warm experience.

Homestays need approval from the government. To offer unique experiences to tourists, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, has different guidelines for bed ‘n’ breakfast and homestay establishments.

Homestays promote sustainability

Every homestay is different, depending on the location, owner, facilities, pricing. But the essence remains the same. It is all about a holiday with a warm community and a lower carbon footprint.

There is less wastage in all senses of the word, be it natural resources like water, food, or man-made resources like electricity or other comforts.

You don’t need constant water or food, as this would depend largely on the number of rooms and guests. Most homestays have three to four rooms. Guests are encouraged to switch off all the electrical appliances when going out.

There is no need for extra electronic appliances such as a kettle as they can use the kitchen. You also don’t need to keep the air-conditioning on at all times, especially in green locations. In both Ladakh and Kali Tiger Reserve, there were no fans, the fresh breeze eliminated the need for this.

There is no need to stock food for more than a day or two, so no big refrigerators. Laundry, if needed, can be done in smaller washing machines.

Most of them grow their own fruits and vegetables, as the guest turnout is akin to a large family and that much can be grown easily in a small plot.

Some have volunteer programmes such as gardening, artistic creations and more. Off The Grid had pottery classes. Drass offered nature walks and brown bear trails.  

Advantages of a homestay

Homestays are more affordable. They normally range between Rs 1,000-4,000, unless they are super luxurious homes such as the one, I stayed in Palampur.

Backpackers, students and foreigners learn more about the community when staying in a homestay. In Ladakh and Tanakpur, the native family shared a lot about their hometowns and their upbringing.

A good homestay owner will offer clean linen and bathroom, well-cooked fresh food and happy service. With a good family, you can listen to more local stories, get familiar with the local culture and enjoy the perfect ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (Guest is God) experience.

If you get to stay in a heritage home, then you can experience the old-world ambience along with stories related to the family and the region. Most oral stories keep changing over time and through different family members, so you could get different versions of the same tale.

In locations frequented by backpackers, homestays can offer dormitories and twin-sharing rooms.

Homestays also more energising, but that would largely depend on the hosts. By choosing a homestay, you support local economy, and promote circular economy, learn about the diversity of your country and give natives a chance to earn better.

Travel and tourism are two of the largest industries in India, with a total contribution of about 122 billion U.S. dollars to the country’s GDP.
…Of the nearly two thousand in all, star hotels dominated the numbers, with homestays becoming popular since the pandemic.

Statista.com

What tourists expect from homestay owners

Sustaining a homestay over a long period requires skills. Owners need to be good relationship managers. Most people like to go back to a place they have a happy experience in.  They need to train their helpers and keep them happy, too. At Tanakpur, a server was there 24X7 to give the guests any help they needed.

Going an extra step for the guests makes them feel special such as an offer to take them to a unique spot that only they know or helping out with their luggage. Helping them with buying local stuff, getting them a doctor if they fall sick, guiding them on local dialect and dress code.

How does a homestay become successful

It offers good services at a competitive price.  For competitive pricing, owners can check B ‘n’ B, Airbnb, aggregator sites such as booking.com, makemytrip.com, even Google Maps.

Good and genuine reviews establish trust.

Loyal customers spread the word.  

Extra services such as a doctor-on-call, a reasonably good package for a longer stay or an extra bed, parking facility.

Gifting the guest, a personalised yet branded souvenir.

Have you stayed in a homestay? Do share your experience with us.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023

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