What is Realstay?
The concept of homestay is pretty popular across the world. But we believe it has greater significance to travel in India. The travel industry in India grew in the protective environment of the licence raj. So the word hospitality is only paid lip service in an industry that should be all about hospitality.
Homestay provides an opportunity for change. It brings in a fresh group of vendors who are true representatives of the country. A country which has traditionally always welcomed the guest and whose culture prescribes that guests be treated as divinity. So homestay in India goes beyond being an alternative to hotels. It can offer travellers genuine hospitality, which is part of Indian tradition, but sadly lacking in the typical hotel. This is the reason why we call it Realstay. Most of the Realhosts (as we call them) you see on this site would have been personally screened by one of us. What we look for in a real host is a friendly, proud person with dignity. A person who would provide a quality service without trying to fleece customers. We hope it will simply be a genuine Indian experience.
Realstay will NOT be about servility. It will not be the Raj served again. It will not be about exotica. It will not be India dressed up for westerners to gawk at.
Realstay for travellers
Realstay offers you an opportunity to experience genuine Indian hospitality first hand. If you are a foreigner, this may be a first for you. But even for an Indian there is so much that it can offer.
You can get to experience the lifestyle, to taste the food and to know the people of that region. You get to customize your travel, choosing from the diverse set of options that Realstay offers.
RealStay enables you to
- Get see the lesser known local attractions better.
- Save on expensive room rents and spend on other activities - real value.
- Travel more, spend less.
RealStay is a home away from home
How to choose a stay option?
- Search by towns.
- Search by price range and facilities.
- Check for availability using the calendar (coming soon).
- Contact the owner of the RealStay.
- Make a reservation with an advance payment using our payment gateway or direct payment.
Realstay for home owners
Realstay offers home owners an unique opportunity to profitably use extra space at home. But it goes a long way beyond that.
Why real stay?
Being a realhost, you get to be a representative of your state or region. Short-sighted hoteliers tend to exploit the potential of a location too quickly and aggressively thus destroying the very reason why people want to see it. Realstay ensures that the income generated from tourism reaches the people who have the greatest stake in the region - the people who LIVE there. By being a Realhost you are protecting your interests and the interests of your children.
You get to interact with a diverse set of people from various cultures. Having guests at home can be a learning experience for you and your children.
We have noticed that guests at a homestay never stop being just that. Strong relations are built that continue to remain long years after your guest has left.
Realstay is a movement that we hope will change the very face of travel in India. You will have the personal satisfaction of having participated in a movement that could eventually make your own travel experiences a memorable one (for the right reasons of course)
How to rent out?
- Extra rooms with basic amenities can be rented out.
- Basic amenities should include a clean spacious room and attached toilet/bath facilities.
- Register your place for free on our website and get your page customized with the help of our designers. We have provided default options for key information that we believe is essential for a person to choose a Realstay.
- Name and address
- Contact Information - Phone, E-Mail
- Number of rooms available. Area in sqft. Maximum number of persons allowed
- The amenities of your home like TV, Geyser, Washing machine, Computer, Net connectivity etc
- Smoking or drinking permission
- Cooking facilities
- What details do you require from guests
- Photographs of your home, the bedroom, the bath and toilet, the kitchen, the surrounding places and preferably your own photographs
- A comment section for the travellers to give their views and comments of your place.
- Distances from the railway stations, bus stand and the nearest airport.
- The information about the season and off-season rates can be displayed.
- Pick up facility. And cost of same if available
- Parking facility
- Details about yourself. A brief profile would be appreciated
- Giving out information of the festivals or good season and other unique upcoming events or attractions in and around you place can vastly improve business.
- Prospective clients will directly contact you for availability and other enquiries.
- There is an option to use the Real India payment gateway to get advances or full payments.