How to Find Cheap Accommodation in India – 9 Best Tips

Are you looking for the best tips on “how to find cheap accommodation in India?” I can give you the 8 best tips which will help you travel to India on budget.

There are two types of travel enthusiasts – those who travel to explore and those who travel for relaxation.

It has been proved wrong about traveling when people say to explore the world you need a huge balance in your bank account.

A ton of wanderers have proven that you can roam around the world even if you have a little money left. All you need is determination, passion for traveling, and flexibility.

In India, traveling can be budget-friendly as well as luxurious. It depends on you what your travel preference is. You can go on a budget-friendly honeymoon destination; you can also make a destination extra comfy by choosing to stay on a luxury resort.

My husband and I love traveling, but we are not planning any travel for the past one year due to the Covid-19 situation. Our friends often ask us how do we travel cheaply?

Here is one way you can travel yet can save money for your next trip – choosing cheap accommodation.

In this article, I will share the 9 best tips on finding cheap accommodation in India that will save you a lot of money.

(Note: This article is only for those who are comfortable traveling on a budget.)

How to Find Cheap Accommodation in India

Look for Good Hotel Deals

The first money-saving tip when traveling is to look for good hotel deals. Several online accommodation booking platforms provide good deals on accommodation in India.

If you have set up your mind for a budget trip in India, you would need to find safe and cheap accommodation.

You have to keep a tab on these booking sites for deals because these deals never remain available for a long time. Most of the deals, if you see, are available only for 24 hours or on special occasions only. So, keeping a daily tab is important.

For example, if any hotel offers a flat 70% off on a sea-facing room is a good deal to grab.

Stay in a Guesthouse

Nowadays, you will find a lot many guesthouses that are welcoming travelers to stay. If you want privacy and a private room at a cheaper price, find a guesthouse.

A guest house provides a simple, affordable, and decent room without any amenities of a hotel. If you aren’t very keen to use hotel amenities and pay extra for that, a guesthouse is ideal for you.

You won’t get any room service, cleaning service, the perks that hotels usually give. If you are fine with compromising these things, you can book a guesthouse.

Stay in a Hostel

Hostels are becoming pretty popular among budget travelers in India. Travelers prefer to stay in the hostels than in the hotels and resorts.

Almost at every top destination in India, you will find several budget-friendly and affordable hostels. These hostels can range somewhere between 200-700 INR per day.

The best thing about staying in a hostel is they provide a highly social atmosphere apart from being cheap.

Usually, solo backpackers love staying at the hostels. You can meet new people of different backgrounds and cultures coming from different places.

Unlike hotels and resorts, you won’t get the perks of food options; you have to arrange yours. But at some hostels, they do provide eating options along with accommodation.

During our Himachal Pradesh trip, we were looking for safe hotel options, and there we found a hostel for a couple with both wi-fi and food options. It cost us INR 500 per day.

But there are a few safety tips you need to keep in mind always –

• Use authentic sites like booking.com & Hostelworld.com to book hostel accommodation
• Look for the safety of hostels like having a proper door lock, security, and location
• Before booking a hostel, call and verify all the details.

Thus, you can be safe and at peace.

Rent a Holiday Apartment

You can also rent a holiday apartment at a destination in India. A holiday apartment is equivalent to a homestay.

In tourist destinations like Goa, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Pondicherry, and Rajasthan, you can easily get a rented holiday apartment that comes with an attached bathroom and kitchen.

If you are thinking of staying for a longer time, say that renting a holiday apartment would be wise for two weeks.

Renting an apartment is a little bit costly, but you can save a lot more if you are traveling in a group.

For example, you and your four friends are on a two-week trip to Pondicherry and want to explore it completely. Here, if you rent a holiday apartment, you can divide the amount among your friends, and it will cost you less.

Stay Outside the Tourist Spot

Usually, at any tourist spot, the cost of accommodation at hotels and resorts increases. It is mainly because of the popularity of that place; tourist loves to stay in that area because of the vibrant atmosphere.

But if you look at the hotels located outside the hotspot, you will find a sharp decline in the accommodation cost.

Here are the next best tips on finding cheap accommodation in India – choose to stay outside the tourist spot.

Indeed, you might have to walk a bit to reach the town or need a cab to do that, but you will save more.

We chose to stay in a decent hotel for two days during our trip to Munnar for two days, which was situated around 15 minutes away from the Munnar main town.

We purposely chose to stay there because we wanted peace and tranquillity. As compared to the hotels located in the town, we got our room at a pretty much cheaper price considering all the perks.

Stay with the Locals if Possible

How to find cheap accommodation in India?

Simply stay with the locals if possible and if you are flexible enough to do that.

Not everyone can and is comfortable staying with the locals. I never stayed with any locals for two reasons – I am extremely introverted and shy to get mingle with any stranger, and I love my private space.

But if you are an outgoing person, love to explore to the extreme, want to know the life of the locals of that place and is in a frugal traveling, you can surely go for this option.

To avail of this option, no hotel or hostel booking sites can help; the best way to find a place where locals can allow you to stay with them is through a local guide.

You can get in touch with a local guide and tell them what kind of accommodation you are looking for they will help you.

Things you need to keep in mind to stay with a local –

• If you are staying with a local family, you must respect their tradition and culture
• You must show your gratitude for letting you stay with them
• They will appreciate your effort if you try to learn their local language or want to understand their heritage

If you maintain these three-pointers, your travel will be more enjoyable.

Camp & Stay

You can also set your camp at places when you travel. Camping is one of the best cheap accommodations. All you need is a good tent and a few camping equipments.

It is the most affordable way to set your accommodation. Though in India, camping isn’t safe everywhere. You must research before you avail this option.

For example, if you are making a budget trip to Goa, you can easily get hostels at INR 200-300 per day. If you are on a trip to the mountains, say, Manali or Kasauli, camping is safe.

Choose Overnight Stay

If you want to go cheaper on your accommodation, choose overnight stay in traveling.

For example, if you are traveling from one destination to another, choose an overnight journey in flight, bus, or train. A journey can last for 10-12 hours; you can save the best by doing it overnight.

If you are on an overnight bus journey, you can spend the night sleeping on the bus. Though it won’t be comfortable, you have to make some sacrifices when looking for a budget trip.

Other Option?

Road Trip

If you are a traveler who loves a road trip, you can easily skip staying at the hotel by choosing to stay in your instead. You can make some arrangements in the back of your car and make your tiny space for the night.

The best thing about fitting in the car is you can wait and spend the night wherever and whenever you want.

Conclusion:

If you want to see the world within your limited budget, you can save thousands for your next trip by choosing cheap accommodation.