Hotels Are Out: Travelers Crave Cozy Homestays
Millennials, Gen Z ditch hotels for unique, personal stays.
Forget sterile hotel rooms—today’s travelers are chasing warmth, community, and authentic experiences, fueling a boom in homestays, hostels, and home exchanges across India. World Tourism Day highlights a seismic shift as millennials and Gen Z swap cookie-cutter chains for spaces that vibe with their wanderlust, from fairy-lit youth hostels buzzing with backpacker tales to sprawling villas perfect for family bonding over home-cooked meals.
Pankaj Parwanda, founder of goSTOPS, a leading hostel chain with over 30 Indian locations, sees beyond affordability driving the trend. “Travelers want community, design-led spaces, and experiences that go beyond just a bed,” he told PTI, noting hostels’ appeal for social, budget-conscious explorers. Meanwhile, Airbnb’s meteoric rise in India underscores demand for everything from budget homestays to heritage havelis and luxe treehouses. “Guests crave personal, unique stays that connect them to the destination,” said Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb’s India head, pointing to group and family travel as key growth drivers.
Take Pallavi Tandon, a 28-year-old who’s sworn off hotels. Solo, she picks hostels to swap stories with fellow travelers; with family, she opts for homestays to cook and connect under one roof. “Travel’s about how you live, not just where you stay,” she shared, reflecting a broader rejection of generic hotel amenities. Price helps—Airbnb listings in Delhi start at Rs 890 per night—but travelers will splurge for private villas or local market access if it delivers the right vibe.
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India’s hospitality giants are taking note. IHCL’s Amã Stays & Trails, launched in 2019, now boasts 311 private bungalows, with 169 more in the works, raking in Rs 41 crore in FY25. “Guests want hotel consistency with homestay intimacy,” said IHCL’s Deepika Rao, highlighting their model of curated bungalows serviced by nearby hotels. Meanwhile, HomeExchange, a global home-swapping pioneer, entered India this year with a Rs 7,500 annual membership, tapping the middle class’s travel itch. “Why let your house sit empty while paying for hotels?” asked CEO Emmanuel Arnaud, noting rapid growth in cities like Bangalore and Goa.
Hotels aren’t sitting idle. Ecko Hotels & Resorts, led by CEO Perkin Rocha, is borrowing from the homestay playbook, rolling out flexible check-ins, local experiences, and co-working spaces for digital nomads. “We’re blending hotel reliability with homestay warmth to grow our share,” Rocha said. Beyond business, this shift is transforming lives. Nisha Puri, a 68-year-old from Jammu, turned her empty nest into an Airbnb homestay, finding income, purpose, and global friendships. “We eased our loneliness and made lasting bonds,” the superhost beamed, proving travel’s new era is as much about connection as it is about adventure.
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