Budget gap year accommodation - other options

Budget hotels

Staying in a hotel will usually be the most expensive type of accommodation, and not a great option if you are trying to make a budget stretch. But if you are in a country where the cost of living is very cheap, then you may find that hotels don’t cost much at all. If you can afford a little touch of luxury, then it will be nice to spoil yourself every now and then!

Bed and Breakfasts

Staying in a B&B might not be every traveller’s cup of tea, and are more expensive than hostels. You probably won’t feel as independent and free to come and go, and depending on the B&B you could feel like you are imposing in someone’s house. But they can be warm, friendly places to stay. You could benefit from closer contact with the host and use this to practice language, or find out about the local area. Maybe you are fed up staying on hard mattresses and eating out, and fancy staying in a comfy bed and having some home cooked food for a night or two.

Global freeloaders

Interested in completely free accommodation??
An Australian called Adam Staines has set up a great website called globalfreeloaders.com. The site aims to create a global network of people who are willing to let travellers stay with them – completely free of charge. This could be sleeping on a spare mattress on the floor, or in a spare bedroom or anything really! The only snag is that the system works both ways – you need to be both a Guest and a Host. To make use of the free accommodation provided by others, you also need to be prepared to have travellers come to stay with you.

So, if you’re feeling sociable and keen to meet (and live with) travellers coming to explore your country, and you’re not fussy about the type of accommodation you will experience on your travels, then this site could be perfect for you. See Stay with Mark for a first hand account of freeloading experience.