Issue №15 — Subletter Homestays

Live like a local, not a guest.

Homestays are real homes with real families, not staged short-term rentals. Eat the breakfast, learn the language, get the local pharmacy recommendation. Hosts pay a one-time listing fee per place — guests browse and book without a Subletter cut.

30+
Countries with hosts
0%
Commission on what guests pay
4.9★
Median host rating
1
One-time listing fee per place
Family kitchen with morning light
— Plate №15 / Long table, full plateLisbon homestay, breakfast ↗
— What makes it different

Six things you don't get at a hotel.

List my home →
Family homes

Family homes

Spend the week at someone's real kitchen table — not a stage set built for short stays.

Home-cooked meals

Home-cooked meals

Most hosts include breakfast or dinner. Some teach you how to make it. The fridge has a name on the milk.

Cultural exchange

Cultural exchange

Practise the local language at the dinner table. Pick up the holidays, the slang, the radio station nobody streams abroad.

Private rooms

Private rooms

Your own bedroom, your own key. Common spaces shared on a schedule that respects everyone.

Local guidance

Local guidance

The host knows where the bread is good, where the cab queue is shorter, where not to go after dark.

Worldwide options

Worldwide options

From Lisbon attics to Kyoto townhouses to Bangalore family compounds. The network keeps growing.

Travellers exploring a city street
For travellers
— Why book a homestay

The trip that stays with you.

A

Authentic immersion

You're a guest, not a tourist. Mealtimes, conversations, weekend drives — included.

B

Verified host families

ID-verified hosts, full reviews, government-document checks where the country requires it.

C

Friendly to your wallet

Homestays are usually 30–50% cheaper than equivalent hotels. Meals included sweetens the maths.

D

Language practice on tap

Live with a native speaker. Two weeks beats two months of an app.

— For host families

Your home, your rules, your income.

Hosts pay one one-time listing fee per home — Subletter takes zero commission on what your guests pay. The fee keeps fakes out of the marketplace.

01

Earn from the spare room

Turn an under-used bedroom into reliable monthly income, on your terms and on your calendar.

02

Set your own house rules

Curfew? No shoes inside? Vegetarian kitchen? List the rules upfront — guests filter for them before booking.

03

One-time listing fee

A small one-time fee per listing keeps the marketplace genuine. Zero commission on what your guest pays.

04

Real conversations, real applicants

Chat with prospective guests before you accept. You decide who sits at your table.

A warm family living room
For hosts
— From browsing to breakfast

Three steps to a kitchen table.

Guest

Find your host

Filter by city, dates, household type, language, dietary fit. Read the reviews from real past guests.

Both

Chat, agree, book

Open a chat directly through Subletter. Discuss arrival, meals, expectations. Confirm in-app.

Guest

Move in for the stay

Show up with the address, the host's number, and an empty stomach. The rest happens at the kitchen table.

— Homestay FAQ

What guests ask first.

Every host completes ID verification through Subletter. Hosts in countries that require additional documents (e.g. India's C-Form requirement for foreign guests) must upload them before going live. Reviews from previous guests are public and unfiltered.

— Pull up a chair

The kitchen table is set.