Be at home while you travel

If exploring places means connecting with new people everyday, ditch the hotel route this summer. Instead, opt for warm homestays where you can experience a place through the eyes of a local.

If you're travelling in India, log on to saffronstays.com, a social community that is your go-to place for homestays, bed & breakfasts, serviced apartments and vacation rentals.

Their motto is the ancient belief - Atithi Devo Bhava (the guest is god). The Mumbai-based platform offers the options of either volunteering as a host or registering a guest anywhere across India.

Once one registers via email, Saffronstays ensures that the people who enlist are verified. Also, those hosts that tend to provide memorable stays can be chosen as hosts, and prominently be featured on the website with pictures et all.