I hate hotels. They’re generic, expensive, and located in nondescript areas, isolating travelers from the rare treats only known to locals. Alternatively, a hostel, or Couchsurfing can provide a hyper-local experience – but prepare to share a room with the younger crowd, late night parties, and Olympic snoring contests. A bed and breakfast can be a compromise, but there is another alternative.
Consider joining a travel club. They provide the best combination of native lore and a comfortable (and private) bedroom. There are several of these clubs, one of the more popular is Affordable Travel Club (ATC) with about 2,000 members worldwide.
My wife and I joined ATC in 2008 at the prompting of a friend. We have always been adventurous and gregarious, and consider the best part of travel to be connecting with the local culture, rather than finishing a checklist of the ten-best sites in a city. We have found that once a restaurant makes it into the guide books, it becomes hopelessly popular and loses its charm as it is drowned by the swarming masses. Our travel preferences require that we find people who know the scene, and can give us the insider tips on what to see, where to eat, and what to do. ATC has provided us with that local connection – at an amazing value.
In addition to recreational travel, I’m self-employed, so the bottom line matters. If I have to, I can stay in a hotel. But I’ve found that ATC members are delighted to let me borrow a bedroom, usually within walking distance of work and public transportation. The cost difference is significant, and meeting a new-found friend makes the experience less alien.
ATC members contact each other through the official directory via email or phone, and request access to a room for one to three days. The host family can decline, but most often accepts the visit. When the guest arrives, they receive a brief orientation and a good sleep in a comfortable bed. The next morning, the host provides a breakfast, and then everyone goes about their daily business or touring. Cost of the stay – $15 for a single guest, or $20 for a couple.
When we are hosting, we are usually contacted via email two or more weeks prior to the visit. We make sure our guests know how to get to our home, where to park, and when they arrive, house protocols such as which room is theirs, location of the bathroom, and how to make tea should they wish a late-night cup. Typically, they show up late-afternoon, say hello, then head out to dinner at one of the local restaurants we’ve recommended.
Joining ATC requires that you are at least forty years old, have a home with a spare bedroom, and can afford the $65 annual membership fee. These simple rules create a club membership with similar travel expectations. Members treat their guests as they would expect to be treated, have similar life and travel experiences, and are at approximately the same stage of life. In our experience, hosts have consistently directed us to the best of local cuisine and entertainment.
ATC has members in all fifty United States, Canada, and just about every other major country. International visits cost slightly more, but still offer the same local familiarity and economical rates. In many cases, these members are expatriates with a spare bedroom who can interpret the local culture.
Our international visits have been the most interesting. We stayed with a couple in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, as well as a member in Kyoto, Japan. In both cases, our hosts delighted in sharing our experiences from the day, adding information about local knowledge and customs. We would never had known these tidbits had we simply relied on guidebooks and hotel concierges. For example, in Kyoto, many homes had small orange balls hanging in the upper windows. It seemed early for Christmas ornaments, and it wasn’t until we asked our host to explain that we learned they were peeled persimmons, drying in the sun. And – we were able to sample the results – much better than any hotel room service.
Pet-sitting, house-sitting and home exchanges can also be coordinated through ATC. Unlike Craigslist, arranging an exchange with an ATC member provides some level of familiarity – often including references by other members.
Travel clubs like ATC may not be for everyone – if you like the anonymity of staying at a hotel chain, or don’t want to interact with strangers (new friends?) then you’re not going to like ATC. But if you travel for new experiences, this is easily the best way to economically immerse yourself in the local culture.