Rock concerts in rice fields or trout fishing in Himalayan rivers, Stayzilla puts you there

Photo credit: T L Thompson

Now don’t go expecting 5-star luxury here.

If you like to walk along dusty lanes, stay with locals, dig into regional delicacies, and are happy to trade sanitized surroundings for unique memories, then accommodation startup Stayzilla is for you.

It boasts 55,000 properties, including homestays, across 4,000 towns in India – some, in places where not even a rail line exists.

“People are tired of going to the same old places. And every town in India has something to share in terms of food, history, or culture,” says founder Yogendra Vasupal who built up the Chennai-based startup with his wife Rupal Yogendra and his friend Sachit Singhi.

The name Stayzilla might remind you of Godzilla – that’s not very far off given the gigantic footprint it is leaving across the Indian landscape – but it also has to do with the Hindi word zilla, meaning district.

If you are a Bob Dylan fan or belong to the startup community, you might find a home owner who is looking for a guest just like you. Stayzilla helps match guests and hosts according to interests, budget, facilities, and groups.

The Stayzilla founders.

To play middleman is tricky terrain, no doubt. Any slip-up on Stayzilla’s part and a traveler could find herself in the boondocks. But, as with Airbnb, many are willing to take that chance.

Over 4 million travelers have used the startup since 2012, it says.

Stayzilla, which has a website and an app, conducts town hall meetings in roughly 30 locations a month, where it gathers homeowners. If internet connectivity is poor, homeowners can even connect through SMS.

“You will be surprised that money is not their primary criteria. It is the social connect,” says Yogi. A homeowner on the outskirts of hilly Darjeeling gets to share conversations with a guest from Mumbai. “That is exciting.”

Yogi knows what the word remote can mean in India. His family comes from Kalakodu, a village in Karnataka surrounded by mountains and forests. “Even 10 years back, my relatives used to stock up for the rainy season as they would be under siege for over a month,” he reminisces.

Ziro (Northeast)

Tirthan (North)

Jagdalpur (Center)

Tarkarli (West)

Theni (South)