Travelling To Pune On A Budget? Couch-Surf At Mrs. Bharucha's Family Home

If you’re visiting Pune and need a place to stay for a few nights, look no further than Mahrukh Bharucha’s cosy home-stay. More than just a place to crash – staying here is an entire experience in itself. We’ve heard nothing but glowing reviews about this speech-and-drama teacher turned couch-surfing host, so bookmark this one for the future, folks!

Mrs. Bharucha lives with her entire family {around 10 people in total} in their old ancestral home in the Camp area of Pune. She tells us that her grandmother-in-law used to have paying guests – so she’s continuing with that tradition, except you can stay here for no cost at all {seriously} as per the CouchSurfing philosophy. The property is an old bungalow with a courtyard, small garden, and a row of outhouses. Accommodation here will be in a proper bedroom, but depending on availability, you may have roommates or not, and may have to share a bathroom as well. Mrs. Bharucha’s knowledge is quite extensive, and as an adventurous traveller herself, you can rest assured you’re in good hands! The family also have three dogs that roam freely around the property, so you should be comfortable enough around animals to stay here, as they are never tied up.

Mrs. Bharucha opened her home out to couch-surfing on a whim, way back in 2010. A mother of two, she says that she “loved the idea of a travellers’ community that (was) so inviting, inclusive and transparent”, and a few weeks after signing up, CouchSurfed her own way to Kandy, Sri Lanka for Christmas. CouchSurfing to her, means making memories and forging friendships through interactions, and cultural exchange. Her favorite anecdote as a host, was when two unlikely people {guests} stayed with her as friends/acquaintances, and – as she predicted – they fell in love, and are now happily married to each other {aww}.

The Bharuchas have a rigourous vetting policy, with preference towards people who are also hosts themselves {on the CouchSurfing website}. There is no guarantee of approval, and Mrs. Bharucha has very high standards for those she choses to welcome into her family home. You must be mindful of the basic ground rules are – no smoking indoors, being comfortable around animals, and not exceeding the maximum overnight stay limit. There is no extra cost for accommodation or meals. If you think you’d be a good fit, you can find all the details via her CouchSurfing page, here.