The Art of Couchsurfing as a Solo Traveller

How to stay (virtually) free by sleeping on a stranger's couch

There are two distinct opinions on Couch surfing - do it, or avoid at all costs.

What is Couchsurfing?

This can be a fun way to find cheap accommodation in someone’s home. The general idea is that you stay for a night sleeping on the couch or, if you are lucky, in a bed.

Many people around the world love to meet travelers and share their homes for a night or two. There are a number of websites that specialise in couch surfing where you can book ahead. Some are free, others make a small charge to access hosts.

Most of the websites where you book, state that the host isn’t permitted to charge you to stay. Rather than being seen as a scrounger, it is generally polite to turn up with a small ‘thank you’ gift for your host. This could be as simple as a bottle of wine and doesn’t need to be extravagant.

It is also a courtesy to arrive at the time agreed and leave fairly promptly the following morning.

The Upside of Couchsurfing as a Solo Traveller

The main advantage is that couch surfing is cheap and cheerful. If you are fortunate to meet a gracious host, you may make a new friend.

Some hosts may enjoy inviting you to spend an evening in their local town, perhaps in a bar or elsewhere. As the guest, expect to more than pay your way when out in town, after all, you have a free couch for the night. That said, don’t let the host take financial advantage.

Your host may be able to offer you advice on the road ahead and many of them will be former travellers in their own right and have stories to swap.

The Downside of Couchsurfing as a Solo Traveler

It can be very dangerous.

You turn up at the door of a complete stranger and are admitted to their home, with the door closing loudly behind you and the click of a lock. How safe do you feel at that moment?

There is a proportion of hosts, generally male, who are out to hook up with unsuspecting females and expect sex in exchange for a free stay. While some travelers may be happy with that - most people are not. In some cases, if sex is declined, things can turn quite ugly for the solo female traveler.

If you do couch surf, when you arrive at the door, don’t go straight in. Assess whether you are comfortable with your prospective host. If you see any danger signals, simply walk away.

Are Female Hosts Safer?

For the female traveler, probably.

There is no guarantee of course that a female host isn’t looking for a female-to-female hookup.

As before, when you arrive at the door and see any red flags, just don’t stay.

Read the Reviews

We are all familiar with reviews but often skip over them in the rush to book a place for the night.

Take time to look at the reviews and scroll down the list a fair way. There is a good reason to look in some depth. If some solo travelers have left a bad review, an unscrupulous host may ‘stuff’ the list higher up with fake ‘good’ reviews. Be wary of the first few reviews and dig a little deeper.

One way to tell genuine reviews from fake ones is to look at the dates. If, say, the top five reviews are all glowing and the dates are close together, look at the poor ones further down. If they are a bit spread out by date, it could be that the most recent ones are fake.

Of course, this is not always the case, but the general wisdom is to study well.

Check the Host Profile

Read the profile of your prospective host. Does this match reality? Does the picture look real, or is it a stock picture stolen from the web? Are their pictures of the house and perhaps friends?

If the host and you share some interests, then that could be a sign of an enjoyable stay.

A very short profile that says little can be a red flag.

It is human nature to bolster a profile to make the person seem better than they are in reality.

Your Own Couch Surfing Profile

Talk a little about yourself and what you expect from couch surfing. Make it clear that you are simply looking for a place for the night and that you are not using the website as a dating site or to fix up a one-night stand - unless that is what you are seeking.

Have a range of pictures of yourself and some with friends. This helps you to put yourself across as genuine. Pictures should be fairly recent - a ten-year old picture that makes you look good could result in refusal at the door if you turn out not to be the person they are expecting.

Add some details about your interests, as they could be shared by prospective hosts.

A good host will look at your profile before accepting you as a guest. After all, they want to be sure you are an interesting person and unlikely to wreck the place.

The Approach

When you find a host that looks good to you and is in the right spot, it’s time to make the approach via the website.

Hi Mate

I’m coming to London next week, can I say over?

J

That is going to fail, big time.

An approach to a potential host should include much more than that. After all, they want to meet someone interesting and be comfortable with who you are. Something along these lines is better, [notes in brackets]

Hello Peter [always use their name]

My name is John and I am currently backpacking across [wherever] and expect to be in [your town] on Tuesday next week, the 15th, for just the one night. [be specific]

Looking at your profile I see we are around the same age and both seem to love Star Trek and a hot curry. [or whatever, try to make a genuine link].

I also like to cook and would love to make you a dish from my home county, [country name] if you would like that.

I’ll have my own sleeping bag and blow-up pillow, so a space on the couch would be prefect.

Please let me know if the 15th works for you.

Many thanks [always be polite]

-John- [always sign your message]

Do you see the difference? The first approach is unlikely to even receive a response. The latter has much more chance of a yes.

This is just an example. Make the approach your own, and personalise it for the potential host.

Hosts That Don’t Reply

There can be several reasons why your emails go unanswered.

The first could be that the host is away themselves. Others are just busy with life and work or haven’t removed themselves from the coach surfing website.

The main reason for non-responses is due to hosts disliking your approach. If you find yourself being ignored a lot, then perhaps review the wording in your approach message and make it more like the second example, than the first.

Have a Back-up Plan

You may be entirely happy when you meet your hosts and with their home. In which case, have a great stay and make a new friend.

If you are concerned when you arrive and decide to duck out, have a backup plan ready. Have in mind a local hotel or hostel to use as an emergency bolthole.

Safety First

It may be wise to let someone such as a family member know where are are staying that night. Dropping an email or WhatsApp message in a good insurance policy.

Use it Well

Taking the right precautions and finding the perfect host can be a joy.

Enjoy the comfort (or otherwise!) of the couch.

Safe travels!