They say that the best way to experience a place is to experience its local life and live like a local person, even if it is just for a few days.
When it comes to visiting different places in India, we often look forward to finding out what the local life of a place is like, what do the people eat and how is their lifestyle? But honestly speaking, we hardly come across such options where we get this chance to mingle with the locals and live like them.
Generally, the India tour packages offer choices to stay in hotels and luxurious resorts, but some of them provide homestay options that are indeed remarkable. The concept of homestays is actually wonderful and gives you the best opportunity to experience the local lifestyle and cuisines of a place from close quarters.
So, the next time you are looking for accommodation, why not choose the Best Homestays In India over the Luxury Resorts. You will certainly experience a different a whole new way to live your vacation days! And in case you are hunting for the homestays that are both comfortable and plush, we have got an entire list for you.
Here is a list of top homestays in the best places to stay in India:
- Dalethorpe in Kodaikanal
This homestay facility is spread over 1.5 acres of land. It is surrounded by patches of greenery all around in the form of trees and gardens. You can also be lucky enough to find out a few wild animals like the White Eye, serpent eagle and the Nilgiri laughing thrush. Kodaikanal is a district in the Southern part of India in Tamil Nadu and is famous for the beauty of nature.
Special attractions: Barbecue with a bonfire, hammocking.
- The Hidden Valley in Chikmagalur
This is considered as one of the top affordable accommodation on a vacation in India. This place is very close to Bangalore and can be easily visited from there for weekend trips. You have to take a car via Mudigere Road.
Special attractions: Boating, tree tower, trekking at Devi Gudda and tour of Shankar Falls. And by paying some extra charges, you can also take a tour of the Muthodi Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Hidden Forest Retreat in Gangtok
Lying in the midst of the forest, the Hidden Forest retreat is an ideal place to plan for a lovely vacation trip. Here you will be able to enjoy the solitude of nature as well as its beauty. The area is surrounded by dense areas of forest. The guest house itself is spacious enough and has balconies that will give you the views of distant mountains.
Special attraction: The nursery that blooms with flowers during the months of March and April.
- The Homestead in Nainital
The Homestead is a peaceful place in between forest, grassland and swamp. It has excellent interior design and is a bit expensive as compared to the other places. But the prices are justified since you will be getting the best services. The interior designs are just superb.
Special attractions: Bonfire and barbeque, observatory, manicured gardens and lawns.
- Nature’s Treat Homestay at Munnar
This homestay is located on the way to Cochin from Munnar. If you ever visit Kerala, you can choose to stay at this place. It is a good place for home staying with your family because the host is a very friendly person. Take a car from Munnar because it is situated at a distance of 18km.
Special attractions: Wide variety of fruits and spices.
- The Cottage in Jeolikot
Jeolikot is a very well known hill station in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. This place is breathtakingly beautiful, and is also known as “Gateway to the Naini Lake”. This cottage offers you a good position for homestay and you will be able to get a glimpse of the Himalayan Ranges from here. It comprises of suitably designed bedrooms with a living room which has a small garden outside. The weather is cool here and you can visit the rest of Nainital for site seeing from this place.
Special attractions: Naini Lake, Jim Corbett National Park and Ramgarh.
- Vembanad House in Alleppey
The house is situated in the middle of lush greenery in the form of tropical trees and paddy fields. It lies next to India’s longest lake, Vembanad Kayal. If you stay here, you will be able to enjoy the traditional dishes of Southern India. The interior designs of the rooms are also done likewise, with wooden furniture and artefacts.
Special attractions: Fishing with the locals, exploring the paddy fields, boat rides on the lake.
- Arco Iris in Old Goa
Goa itself is a grand option among the top attractions in India. To spice things up a little more, you can opt to stay at Arco Iris, a quaint homestay with modern amenities. This is a 200-year-old Bungalow in Goa, that is grand and will surely make for a lovely experience. It will take you back to the time when high ceilings and thick stone walls were used. Soothing music and aromatic incense produce a mystic atmosphere around the house and makes it a reminiscence of the period when Goa was under Portuguese rule. There is a beautiful front garden covered with the most vibrant seasonal flowers, and it leads up to a verandah constructed out of red stone.
Special attractions: Well stocked library with books on various topics, fishing in the ponds nearby, boat ride to the Zuari river which is hardly a kilometer away.
- Mitali in Shantiniketan
If you are not aware, then you should know this that Shantiniketan was one of the abodes of the world-famous poet, dramatist and songwriter, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Here he introduced the teaching of arts in the open. He believed that people should learn from nature as well and there mind should not be congested within a few rooms. Mitali homestay will offer you traditional mouthwatering Bengali dishes like Khichudi, along with ghee, papad and homemade chutneys. For dessert, you will get curd and Bengali sweets. Once you taste these traditional Bengali dishes, it will be a memory of a lifetime. The bungalow has been designed with Moroccan architecture with whitewashed walls and large windows.
Special attractions: Mind smoothening Baul songs, a museum containing works of the poet, attractive handicrafts.
- Sunnymead Bed And Breakfast in Himachal Pradesh
This beautiful homestay is located on the outskirts of Shimla, in Himachal Pradesh. It has a garden that was made in the European style. The variety of colored flowers in the garden will catch your eyes and won’t let you turn away. The caretaker of the place looks after the garden and he lives here with three dogs and two cats. The rooms are spacious enough and contain balconies overlooking the valley. Big curtains cover the windows and once removed aside, will give you a scintillating view.
Special attractions: Sightseeing, Trekking and local markets.
Conclusion
Deciding how to spend your vacations by yourself will turn them into wonderfully tailor-made holidays that enrich your travel experience. Check out the details about these homestays so that whenever you visit any of these places, you will be able to get a distinguishing India tour.