Great success with the 'stay with a local' approach in Portugal

I always heard people say to avoid Airbnb and book hostels for budget trips, but I tried Couchsurfing for the first time in Lisbon last fall. Stayed with a guy named Marco for 4 nights and he cooked dinner twice and showed me the free miradouros. The flight and food cost me about $300 total for the week. Has anyone else had a surprisingly good experience with a host?

2 comments

2 Comments

jake_kelly2420d agoTop Commenter

Only $300 for a whole week including a flight?

andrew719d ago

Yeah but also think about the safety side nobody's really talking about. I mean, you're staying with a stranger who knows you're alone and vulnerable, and even if Marco was great, not every host is gonna be that chill. Plus there's the whole thing about feeling obligated to hang out with them even when you're exhausted or just want quiet time you know. It probably works better for super outgoing people who can handle that constant social vibe. Idk, maybe it's just me but I'd rather pay a little extra for the peace of mind that comes with a lock on my door and zero expectations.