“

A luxury room in Singapore. (photo via Wimdu)

[This post is bought to you with support from Wimdu]

Booking a hotel has never been easier. There plenty of websites and mobile applications to make finding and renting hotels and vacation properties a cinch. But recently there has been a slew of other option for those interested finding a place to stay that is perhaps a bit more unique.  Websites like www.couchsurfing.org allow backpackers and independent travelers to meet locals and stay with them for free.

Couch Surfing isn’t for everyone though, and if you’re looking for an interesting place to stay but you like a little bit more structure in your travel plans, there is a new typeof travel site that might be right up your alley. Enter a new breed of budget accommodation websites, including www.airbnb.com and www.wimdu.co.uk.

These sites are basically just like hotel booking websites, but instead of booking impersonal rooms in hotels, you book rooms in people’s houses or rent holiday homes or lofts from locals. You can find a huge selection of private, approved accommodation all over the world. And with just a few clicks, you could be staying with a local, who just might have time to show you around their city, or at least point you in the right direction, so that you know the best things to see and do while you’re in town.

You often have more space than a hotel, sometimes with access to the renter’s kitchen, etc. It all depends on the location, and all the locations are approved, so you can feel secure in your booking.  It’s a really cool service – like the mix between Couch Surfing and staying at a hotel.

Finding a place to rent through one of these dudget accommodation websites only takes a few clicks. Type your location, choose your dates, and you can find amazing places, ranging from a downtown artists loft in San Francisco for about $55 per night, to a room in 750 year old UNESCO protected house, just 100 meters from the sea in Croatia for less than $25 to a  typical Parisian apartment for about $70 USD per night.

So the next time you’re thinking about booking a hotel – stop and consider the other options, from couch surfing to hostels to renting a room from a local – with the internet, the options are endless.