General
How is Adventure Homestay different from other accommodation marketplaces?
What differentiates Adventure Homestay is the focus on authentic cultural immersion experiences, and the careful vetting of host families.
Other marketplaces have become dominated by commercial listings, in which professional property managers maintain rentals that are akin to hotels. In contrast, we focus on travelers who are specifically looking for an authentic cultural experience and interaction with local people.
Whereas other marketplaces allow anyone to post listings, we only admit hosts who have passed a rigorous verification process and have a track record of providing wonderful homestay experiences.
How are host families vetted?
We verify that each host has a substantial, recent track record of providing quality homestay experiences to international guests. A host's previous experience may be through hosting international volunteers in partnership with local NGOs, visiting students of language schools or universities, or other online travel platforms.
How are payments handled?
At the time of booking, guests pay a small service fee to cover the costs of administering the platform. Guests then pay hosts directly upon arrival.
Why do guests pay hosts directly, instead of through the platform?
Payment transfers to individuals outside the US are often difficult for hosts to access, and carry high fees. Direct payments to hosts allow us to bypass these costs, so that hosts can receive the full amount paid by guests.
Guests
What sort of amenities do hosts offer?
Our platform includes a variety of options reflecting the range of living conditions in traditional communities. Each listing describes the home in detail, and you can filter search results for amenities that are important to you.
Some travelers prefer to stay with host families who are able to offer comforts like air conditioning and hot water. Others opt to stay in more basic homes as a way to experience daily life for a typical member of the community. We encourage you to review listing descriptions carefully, and clarify with the host to ensure that any necessary amenities will be available before booking.
Regardless of the specific amenities offered, all of our hosts provide clean, secure lodging and a warm welcome into their family home.
Will I be expected to follow any rules?
Each home has its own set of rules, which are specified in the listing. In addition to these, we ask that all guests be considerate and respectful of the host family's needs and cultural norms.
What if I need to cancel my booking?
Bookings may be canceled at any time from the dashboard of your account. We offer free cancellations up to the date specified in each listing. After that, a cancelation fee equal to the first day of your booking is collected to compensate hosts for income that was lost by making their space unavailable to other guests.
Hosts
What are the qualifications to become a host?
To become a host, you must fulfill the following criteria:
- Have a friendly personality and enjoy getting to know people from around the world
- Be able to offer a safe, clean private or shared room in your home to international visitors
- Have daily access to the internet and email in order to respond to guest inquiries
- Be willing to spend a reasonable amount of time helping your guests to become situated in your neighborhood
- Have previous experience hosting international visitors, which can be verified by a qualified organization
- Have the legal right to host paying guests in your home, including any permits that may be required in your locality
Please see the Host Guidelines page for the complete list of criteria.
Do I need to be fluent in English (or other languages)?
The ability to communicate in your guests' language is helpful, but not required. Languages spoken in the home are specified in each listing page, so guests can choose to match their preferences. Some guests may also speak your language and look on your homestay as an opportunity to practice in an immersive environment.
Should I provide meals to guests?
We suggest that you provide guests with a simple breakfast along with the rest of your family. You may optionally offer other meals at an additional cost.
Will I have the ability to accept or decline guests?
Yes. Each time a guest requests to book, you will have 48 hours to accept or decline the request. Bookings are only finalized after you confirm acceptance.
What if I need to cancel a reservation after it is confirmed?
We ask that you make every effort to honor reservations that you have already confirmed. If something unexpected comes up that requires you to cancel, you may do so from your hosting dashboard.
Will I be compensated for no-shows or late cancellations?
Guests may cancel at no cost up to the number of days you specify in advance of their arrival date. After that date, they incur a cancellation fee equal to the cost of the first day of their reservation.
The cancelation fee is paid to hosts via PayPal. You must be able to accept transfers via PayPal in order to receive payouts for cancellation fees.
How can I become a host?