Together with MakeMyTrip and Times of India, India has chosen its favourite Homestay properties across the country

In a first, India nominated and chose its favourite Homestay properties across the country. The Awards were hosted by Times of India in partnership with MakeMyTrip, India’s leading online travel company. 15 properties were conferred with awards across categories, including Best Eco-friendly Homestay, Best Villa, Best Heritage Homestay, Best Rural Homestay, and Best Party-friendly Homestay, among others. The winners were recognised and celebrated at a grand gala that was attended by eminent personalities from the travel and hospitality industry and bollywood celebrities, including Rajkumar Rao, Chitrangada Singh and Aparshakti Khurana.

Addressing the attendees at the grand gala in Goa, Deep Kalra, Founder and Chairman of MakeMyTrip, shared, “The pandemic was a test for the entire travel and tourism industry, but one segment that became a beacon of hope was - homestays. Today, homestays have become a preferred choice, with many considering a stay in a home-away-from-home for varied reasons. We, along with the industry, carry immense respect and appreciation for the grit and perseverance shown by homestay owners in helping Indians travel even when the odds were against us. It’s through the efforts of thousands of hosts that homestays have become a mainstream segment, and we look forward to the new opportunities that will unfold herein in the future”.

Celebrating the winners, Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, said, “MakeMyTrip’s India’s Favourite Homestay Awards is a token of appreciation and encouragement for the burgeoning homestay community for their meaningful contributions towards India’s tourism and hospitality industry. Today, India’s homestays reflect our culture, our history and the diverse values that behold us. In fact, each homestay has a unique story behind it! We are confident of the immense potential of this category and are looking forward to investing and working closely with every host in the country to bring this category to the fore.”


The winners were shortlisted following a two-month process that included consumer voting and jury evaluation. Rani Mahal won the Consumer Favorite of the Year Award; Itsy Bitsy as the Unique Homestay of the Year; Aventura Fernhill as the Unique Homestay of the Year; ama Stays & Trails Villa Siolim as the Villa of the year; Riverland Homestay as the Workation-Friendly Homestay of the Year; Zostel Chitkul as the Hostel of the year; StayVista at Villa 123 as the Kid-friendly Homestay of The Year; SaffronStays Sundowner as the Party-Perfect Homestay of The Year, and The Manor service Apartment as the Best Service Apartment of the Year.

Four awards were bestowed under purpose-led categories to Meena Bagh Ratnari as the Best Eco-Friendly Homestay of the Year; ama Stays & Trails, Ambika Vilas in Trivandrum as the Heritage Homestay of the Year; Chhotaram Prajapats Homestay as the Rural Homestay of The Year; and Souzagad Homestay as the Pet-Friendly Homestay of The Year.

Additionally, the awards recognised individuals for their contributions to the growth of the Homestay segment. Pradhuman Negi of Eskape Adventure Camps was awarded the Jury Special Mention Award for offering Homestay options in unexplored corners of the country. Parul Sharma of Tilsharit Green was recognized for consistently providing exemplary customer services & experiences.

The grand jury for the awards consisted of industry luminaries such as Writer, Editor & Interior Designer, Twinkle Khanna; Celebrity Chef, Hemant Oberoi; Architect & Designer, Pinakin Patel; Former Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Vinod Zutshi; Founder & CEO, Indian School of Hospitality, Dilip Puri and Principal and Secretary of Institute of Hotel Management, Kamal Kant Pant.