Book a room with Airbnb and you could be sleeping in castles, boats, manors, tree houses, tipis, igloos, private islands, park benches ( actually, this last one isn't an option but if that's what you're after, you can do that for free in your local park, or any park for that matter. Just head down there with a sleeping bag and a large can of super-strength cider and you're good to go )

It doesn't have to be extraordinary, with Airbnb you'll be connecting with local hosts, experiencing a place as though you live there.

Options abound, you could be sharing a room in someone's house or roam around in your undies in an entire holiday home all to yourself. There's a wide range available to suit different budgets and the booking process has any number of filterable options.

For me, the opportunity to live in a residential area, amongst permanent local residents is a much more rewarding experience than staying in a hotel or guesthouse which exists purely for the profit of hospitality, and will more than likely be located in a more commercial area.

Different people have different needs and expectations however and if you need fresh towels daily and can't do without a turndown service then Airbnb is probably not for you.

However, if you're after a homely feel at the end of your daily meanderings then Airbnb could be just what you're looking for.

They cover over 65000 cities in over 191 countries, and yes they do have over 1400 castles.

I've had excellent experiences with Airbnb and continue to use the platform since it began in 2008.

A global community of 14 million people in more than 200,000 cities sharing their life, their world and their journey. Couchsurfing connects travellers with a global network of people willing to share in profound and meaningful ways, making travel a truly social experience.

Primarily a hospitality service with a slice of social networking, this is the primary portal for a free nights sleep. Unlike many hospitality services, Couchsurfing is an example of the gift economy. There is no monetary exchange between members and there is no expectation by hosts for future rewards.

Couchsurfing is a great way to see the world while stretching your budget and enabling you to move around for an extended period of time.