A great way to experience another culture and save expenses when traveling is to stay with locals rather than opting for an expensive hotel room.
Rome nightscene © Wojtek Kutyla
If you don’t already know people at your destination, check out these websites:
Couch Surfing: “CouchSurfing is a worldwide network for making connections between travelers and the local communities they visit.”
Global freeloaders: “GlobalFreeloaders.com is an online community, bringing people together to offer you free accommodation all over the world. Save money and make new friends whilst seeing the world from a local’s perspective!”
The Hospitality Club: “Do you love meeting people from other cultures? Do you love traveling? Do you love helping other people? Then this is the place for you to be!”
Free-Stay.com: “Why pay for a holiday hotel when you can stay for free in someone else’s home? Links to a great choice of holiday swaps worldwide.”
Travelroomers: ”This site offers you the chance to travel the world for a simple trade, become a part of the travelroomers community and it will will revolutionize the world of travel forever.”
Servas: “Open your doors to Servas International, a network of peace. Doors you will never close. Friends you will never forget.”
Possibly related posts:
Have you ever used any of these? I used to be on Couchsurfing… and I helped give people advice on my city, but I never had a couch to offer myself. Felt kinda bad about it…
Not yet!
Thanks for the list!! I had only heard about half of these!
@Matt, You’re welcome. It might come in handy when travelling!
Thanks nice details
Useful list, also some bed & breakfasts in Rome are good value
I have an article similar to that on my blog. I haven’t heard of some of the resources you listed, so thanks!
Thanks for the comments guys. Am glad you enjoyed my recommendations.
I will check out your article Janet.