Independent travellers are often looking for different things from a holiday from other holidaymakers.  Often keen to venture onto public transport, mooch around markets selling exotic food and happy to explore places well off the beaten track, independent travellers tend to avoid staying in the big hotel chains.  If you are travelling in India and you like to do things your way and not as part of a package or an organised trip, then consider staying in a homestay.

Homestays are small guest houses, often with the owner and his family living on the premises as well.  Rooms tend to be clean and simply furnished and they often include a shower room and toilet. Nowadays, you will find that most rooms in a homestay will often have a wall mounted TV too  and, as English is a working language in India, you may find several channels broadcasting in English.  One of the nicest things about a homestay is that there is usually a communal area for guests to congregate in which gives guests the opportunity to meet other travellers from all over the world. Unless you are travelling in a very remote part of India, you should find good mobile phone reception and most homestays also offer free wi-fi to all guests.  As a rough guide, a night in a homestay costs from between about £5 a night per room to about £12.50 in a more luxurious place.