What is a homestay? How it differs from a B&B, a hotel and a holiday rental
A homestay is when you stay in someone's home while they live there, usually in a room of your own, and share the house with them for your visit. It sits between a hotel and a holiday rental: you'll often have less privacy than in a rented flat, but a host who lives in the place you're visiting, and you pay for a room rather than a whole home.
The word has been around since at least 1952, and Merriam-Webster still defines it with students in mind: a stay by a traveller "and especially by a visiting foreign student who is hosted by a local family" (Merriam-Webster). That's why so many search results are about language schools. This guide is for adults travelling for a city break, a long weekend or a few weeks somewhere new.
Homestay, B&B, guest house or holiday rental?
The names overlap, and people use them loosely. The real difference is whether someone lives there, and how much of the place is yours. The table shows the typical set-up, but listings vary, so check each one.
| Typical set-up | Does the host live there? | What's yours | Breakfast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homestay | Yes, it's their home | Your room, and shared parts of the house | Sometimes, if the host offers it |
| B&B | Often, but it's run as a small business | Your room, usually with its own bathroom | Usually, included or for a fee |
| Guest house | Sometimes | A room in a house run for guests | Often |
| Hotel | No | A room, plus a front desk | Sometimes included |
| Holiday rental | Usually not | Usually the whole place | Rarely |
Merriam-Webster calls a bed and breakfast "an establishment (such as an inn) offering lodging and breakfast", and a guest house "a house run as a boardinghouse or bed-and-breakfast" (Merriam-Webster; Merriam-Webster). A homestay is defined more by sharing a home with someone who lives there than by its size or style. The kitchen you walk past is the one your host actually cooks in.
So a "gay B&B" with one spare room in someone's flat may work more like a homestay, if the host lives there and you share the home. We look at that in our guide to gay bed and breakfast.
What a homestay is actually like
You arrive, your host shows you round and hands you a key. You'll learn where the towels are, how the shower works and whether there's a quiet time at night. Routines and access vary from home to home, so check before you book when you can come and go and how keys work.
Some things vary a lot from home to home, so the listing should tell you:
whether you have your own bathroom or share one
whether you can use the kitchen, or just make a coffee
house rules, such as no visitors, no smoking or shoes off at the door
pets, which matter if you're allergic and are a bonus if you're not
breakfast, and whether it's included or costs extra
Often the best part has nothing to do with the room: you can ask the person who lives there where to eat, or which bar is worth the walk.
Who a homestay suits, and who it doesn't
A homestay works well if you're happy to fit in around someone else's routine and you like having a local to ask. If you're travelling alone, it can be good to know there's someone around.
It's not for everyone. If you'll be coming in at four in the morning or need total privacy, a holiday rental will make you happier.
What to ask before you book
A short message before you book saves awkward moments later. Good questions:
Will anyone else be staying while I'm there?
Is the bathroom shared, and with whom?
What time do you usually go to bed, and is there a quiet time?
Can I use the kitchen?
How do I get in if I arrive late?
Is breakfast included, and what's it like?
A quick, friendly answer tells you as much as the answers themselves.
Why the host matters when you're LGBTQ+
In a hotel, the person behind the desk changes every shift. In a homestay, you share a kitchen with the same person every morning. So it's fair to want a host who's glad to have you, whether you're two women checking in together or a trans traveller arriving alone.
That's the idea behind Stay with a local on Among Our People. Hosts list on a platform made for LGBTQ+ people, and they say who they'd love to welcome and how they live at home, from early nights and a dog on the sofa to a sociable house or a clothing-optional one. Each stay shows how well it matches you. Every new listing is checked before it goes public, and you pay your host directly, with no commission taken by us (Stay with a local). We're still new, so see who's hosting in the city you're heading to.
If you're weighing up the bigger sites, our misterb&b review and our guide to gay Airbnb compare the main options.
Questions people ask
Is a homestay the same as an Airbnb? Sometimes. A private room on Airbnb in a home where the host lives is a homestay by another name. A whole flat on Airbnb isn't, because nobody lives there with you.
Do you get meals in a homestay? Not always. Some hosts offer breakfast, sometimes for an extra charge, and a few offer more. Check the listing, and ask if it isn't clear.
Is a homestay safe? You're staying in a stranger's home, so do some checking first. Read the profile and reviews, ask questions, and see what verification the platform offers, remembering that an ID check is one signal among several. Keep messages and payment on the booking site.
Can couples stay in a homestay? Yes, if the room suits two. The listing should say how many guests it takes and what the bed is.
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