Our department of tourism once had a program for cheap tourist accommodation. It involves private citizens who are willing to rent out a room for the foreign tourists. They have to register with the department for proper screening before being added to the list of accredited lodging option for tourists. One experience from a friend was a good one because the tourists were kind of generous. Another experience was not so good because the tourist was a family that loves curry... they don't like the smell of that in their house.
Air BNB does this in a bit less official way. I've booked through them once and I was really pleased, so much nicer staying in a home rather than in a hotel.
I've heard of a few companies that offer that service but it a not something I'd ever consider doing to be honest. I wouldnt want to rent a room out in my own home to a total stranger, and I certainly wouldn't want to go and live in anybody else's either. Surely to go and live with somebody else in their own home, probably in a foreign country aswell, your going to feel a little awkward?
Last summer, we went to the province of Batanes, the northernmost part of the country which is very rural - no 7-11, no restaurants, just mountains and the beaches. The hotels are few and when there is an influx of tourists, they have the so called homestay. That scheme is to give the tourist accommodation in ordinary houses who are willing to join the program. The house owner gets paid and more often than not, the house owner also acts as tourist guide who earns good money that can tide them over for a week of expenses. We were lucky to have stayed in the hotel because we saw the houses as small and with no amenities, not even electric fan.
In AirBNB you can filter through a few different options, including private room, whole apartment etc. A lot of the options are people renting out an extra room, and that could be a bit strange. Then again the people are really friendly and if you are going for a trip on your own then I guess it could also be nice to have a local there to show you around and possibly even go for a night out together etc. But I've always gone for the "entire apartment" option. That way you meet the owner (or often one of their friends) who gives you the keys and explains a few things etc. and then the apartment it all yours. A lot of people give out their apartment like this when traveling as it allows them to basically pay for their own accomodation where ever they are going.
I agree, many times the services offered by airbnb beat hotels both at quality and price. The issue is that many people still don't know about it and how they can make their place worth money.
I don't fully understand that BnB but I am guessing that it is the bed and breakfast. Over here, arrangements like that are availed of the young and restless, those so called backpackers whose aim is to explore the place. They would only come back to the accommodation when it is time to sleep. But for a family like us, we prefer a real hotel that has comfort and amenities particularly air conditiong and space to relax. In our tours, we normally go out after breakfast and come back in the afternoon to take a rest.
This is exactly my feeling towards this. I have no interest in staying in a complete stranger's home. I would feel too uncomfortable. I would much prefer to stay at a hotel. We have lots of BNB in my country but they have a different set up but I wouldn't be comfortable in one. I prefer my privacy. The BNB were originally much cheaper then the hotels so that is why people stayed there but now the prices are about the same price as a high end hotel room.
In our recent trip to the northernmost part of the Philippines, Bnb is the only other choice when you run out of a hotel. I also would not be comfortable with the so called homestay arrangement because of the lack of amenities we city people are used to. But on the point of view of backpackers and nature lovers (count me out, hahahaaa) that homestay is one good way of learning the culture of the natives. Oh, I couldn't eat dried flying fish anymore after having it for breakfast the first time. That flying fish is the place's common breakfast.
It could also end badly. I read an article on a travel blog written by someone who had rented a room in an East African country. He said that even though their stay in the crowded apartment was tolerable at first, things began to drift South fast. The natives believing that tourists are quite rich expected them to buy all of them food. Once they learned that they'd be forced to spend more than it would have cost to stay at a hotel, they left. Abruptly. For me though, I hate mingling with strangers and if I had to find a place to stay then I'd want an apartment all for me.
