How to use the platform

Here, you'll find explanations on how NomadSister works. If you have any specific question, you'll find your answer in the FAQ.

NomadSister is a hospitality platform reserved for women.

(However, you can host even if a man lives with you)

All accommodations are free, the hosts are volunteers.

The stay is intended for short visits at each host, ideally 1 to 2 nights, maximum 4 nights.

By registering, you agree to contribute to a safe and warm environment, whether you host other women at your home or travel to other members' homes.

A/ From our registration page, you simply need to provide and validate your email address.

B/ Once your email is validated, to fully enjoy our services, you will need to create your profile. You will be asked to upload your ID card as well as a profile photo, then you will need to pay the annual membership fee (free amount).

C/ Once your personal data is verified, you will receive an email confirming your membership.

● Hosting:

Whether you have a couch in the living room, a guest room, or a lawn to pitch a tent, you can host a traveler!

Helping and being helped is the foundation of this community.

But of course, if you can't host, you can pause your hosting with a simple click.

● Traveling?

You will be hosted as a friend and not as a client, so you must commit to respecting the hosts, their environment, and their hosting conditions.

Contact the hosts you wish to meet as early as possible, ideally 4 weeks in advance, or even earlier during holiday periods. They need time to organize to host you.

Originally, the platform was exclusively reserved for solo female travelers. Our primary goal was to promote the empowerment of women. However, the community encouraged us to open up more. You can now travel with your female friends or with your children (for boys, up to 14 years old).

If you travel with your friends, they must all have a verified member account and be identified when requesting accommodation.

● You're going on a trip! Take the time to browse through hosts profiles in your chosen destination and find the one(s) you would like to meet. Contact them through the platform, introduce yourself, talk about your trips and hobbies, your wishes, ask them if they could host you for a few nights...and wait for the answer!

Tips:

Complete your profile thoughtfully. By reading your profile, hosts will start to get to know you. Why not write an article and share your previous travel adventures on our blog?

Tailor your requests. Avoid copy/paste messages. Instead, tell your host why you want to meet her. Our hosts are not hotel service providers. Instead, they are generous, supportive and welcoming women who look for authentic friendships with you!

● Dear host, you just received a request!

You can consult this traveler's profile, read her previous comments, read her articles, ask her a few questions and accept her request.

Please note that by answering her, your e-mail address will be visible to her.

● Both of you decided to meet?

Great! You're going to have a wonderful time. You can now "announce the trip" by clicking on the corresponding button on your profile. This will automatically start the contineous verification process.

Don't forget to leave a comment on your new friend's profile. It would be a great reference for the future!

If you decided to "announce the trip", you're going to receive an e-mail allowing you to send an alert and report a user in case of a problem. Should this rare situation occur, our safety team will handle it immediately and open an investigation which could lead to the exclusion of the reported user. Every member planning on meeting her will be notified right away (hence the importance of announcing the trip).

You will be able to tell the community all about your adventures and your passions on the blog. Your articles may be shared on our social media and translated in others languages, with your permission. It will also help you gain more trust from other members, and inspire them to meet you!

Frequently asked questions

WE ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS!

You can become a hostess at NomadSister if you are a woman and if you plan to host at least one female traveller each year. Usually, a female traveller's trip lasts several nights. However, it is totally up to you to accept or refuse a request if you are not available during her travel period. You can also offer to host for fewer nights as requested (or one night only), or on other dates which suit you better. As a hostess, you have the flexibility to decide when and who you want to welcome.

As a hostess at NomadSister, a trusted community that promotes authentic and cultural exchange values, your mission is to be welcoming and open-minded. Making your guest feel like home is totally rewarding as you make her travel experience an unforgettable one! The authenticity of your relationship is based on a free of charge hosting. You cannot ask for money in return.

The traveller is also your responsibility. If you promised to receive her, don't bail on her! Of course, some unexpected events can always come up. In this situation, contact your guest as soon as you can and if you are able to, offer her another solution (maybe one of your friend can host her if needed?).

First of all, because it’s fun! You will learn about another culture. Better yet, you will share your culture with your guest, so she will go back home to tell stories about what an amazing person you are! You will host a woman who can inspire you with her stories, she might be someone extraordinary, she might change the way you see the world, she might even become your friend for the rest of your life!

Second of all, because they need you! Concerns regarding security is the top reason that stops women from travelling alone. By offering her a safe place to stay, you help a woman accomplish her dream.

Finally, because you believe in gender equality! Why should women be stay at home moms? Why should women be seen as the weaker gender? By hosting a solo female traveller, you help supporting the idea that women are just as courageous and as adventurous, as men can be.

Of course you can! As long as you are present in the house to welcome her. You are responsible for her comfort at your place. The idea is that a solo female traveller feels reassured and at ease with the presence of a woman. If, under any unexpected circumstances, you cannot be present at her arrival, let her know in advance.

No you don't (unless you want to)! It is already very generous of you to host her! Your guest does not expect anything else but your warm welcome. That being said, if you want to cook her a nice local meal that you are proud of, or drive her around to show her your city/ town, I’m sure your guest will be more than grateful!

Yes, you can totally host! Based on the experience of many hosts and travellers, language barrier is NOT an issue. We have hundreds of testimonials of amazing meetings between people who didn’t speak the same language. You’ll see that sometimes, a look, a smile, paying kind attention says a lot more than any spoken words. When a woman decides to travel, she is prepared to be autonomous. Chances are that she may have picked up some useful phrases in your language upon her arrival! If not, she surely will find a way to communicate with you (by Google Translate, doodling, or simple body gestures)!

Absolutely not, as long as you are there to welcome her. She will be autonomous during her trip. The fact that she stays with a trusted local hostess like you reassures her, as you are her point of contact. It’s still recommended to inform your guest before her arrival that you won’t have a lot of time for her as you are very busy, but you will be very happy to help her out whenever she needs. Furthermore, when you sign up to become a hostess, you can already select the dates when you can host on the calendar to personalize your availability.

See previous question. You don’t need to be present all the time while hosting your guest! Your guest will be autonomous during her trip. The fact that she stays with a trusted local host like you reassures her, as you are her point of contact. If you need to leave, you simply need to let your guest know in advance and discuss about it with her.

Our hosts around the world are trusted women who provide you a safe place in their homes without the incentive of money. They are kind and generous people who genuinely want to make sure you feel safe in their homes and to welcome you as a friend in their countries. We encourage you to show your respect, communicate with your host, try to get to know her better. Most importantly, do not consider the accommodation as a way to not pay for a hotel. Instead, consider it as a way to gain an authentic experience with your host.

Why not learn some useful phrases in her mother tongue or bring her some specialties from your country? Why not surprise her by cooking her a meal? You have some skills or hidden talents in music, yoga, aromatherapy…? Share your knowledge with her!

At NomadSister, we encourage humane interaction and cultural exchanges. We want our members to share the same values and go beyond a simple hostess/traveller relationship: we wish to create bonds.

We have implemented a flexible pricing model. However, it cannot be completely free. The platform incurs costs proportional to the number of users. By paying an annual membership, you enable NomadSister to exist and grow. We verify every profile of our hosts. The verification process is an ongoing effort, proportional to the number of users, thus requiring a lot of time and money. Maintenance, site improvement, and data protection also require substantial investments.

- 1. To feel safe - With NomadSister, you will never really be alone. In fact, you will meet lots of amazing and trustworthy women who will be happy to welcome you into their homes as a friend. This way, you will have better information and tips about your destination, the local culture and places to avoid. Thanks to our unique system of profile verification and monitoring, we are able to develop a caring community, based on mutual help. - 2. To meet people and live authentic experiences - Accommodations on NomadSister are free. You won't be considered as a customer by our hosts. You will be welcomed by generous women who simply want to encourage the globetrotters/ adventurers, and meet these inspiring people like you.

Our hostesses are all trustworthy women: when they confirm a request, they will normally not cancel it. However, in case of an unexpected event (which could happen), the hostess may have to cancel her confirmation before your arrival. Therefore, we recommend you to always have a backup plan. In case of last minute cancellation, please report your situation to our team and we will help you find a safe solution.

Of course you can! We are glad you asked! Our vision at NomadSister is to create a globally trusted platform that connects solo female travellers with hostesses. We need YOU to help the community grow! You will certainly meet many hosts who will show their generosity that will inspire you to become a hostess as well.

Our profile verification process is innovative because it’s hybrid - both manual and automated with an initial full process of verifications, as well as continuous verification.

● Initial profile verification process:

You will be asked to upload a profile picture as well as an ID card on our website. For verification to succeed, the name displayed on your ID must match with the information you've provided on your profile.

● Continuous verification process:

1. We will carry out continuous profile verification process on each member. Including the recent login activity for your account to verify that login attempts were made by you. In addition, we will send you an e-mail each time there is a suspicious attempt to sign into your account. Our team will help you in that case.

2. If you host or are hosted by a member of NomadSister, you can choose to "announce the trip". You will receive after that an e-mail with the option to file a report if you encounter a problem. We will receive this report immediately, and react as quickly as possible.

Our safety team works hard to monitor the website, insure the safety of all our members and handle any problems quickly.

You can delete your account at any time. Please note that if you change your mind, you will not be able to recover it. If you wish to re-create a new account after deleting your current one, you will have to go through our verification system again, as a new member. If you still wish to do so, you will find the option ‘delete your account’ in the settings section on your profile.

You can contact the technical services at hello@la-voyageuse.com. The delay of response to some questions cannot be guaranteed. However our team will try to reply within 48 hours during week days.

There are plenty of homestay platefrom. However, we can still hear stories from female travellers complaining about their bad experiences with their hosts, mostly related to their personal safety... It’s the fact that solo female travellers are more easily exposed to personal security issue when compared with male counterparts. We want to change that by simply providing an alternative option – a homestay service that is SAFE and reserved for WOMEN only. Beyond women solidarity, it is about gender equality. Think about your daughter or any woman you care about. They want to explore the world alone and now they have a choice to be hosted by trusted women. Wouldn't you feel more reassured? It’s a project dedicated to solo female travellers, yet it’s for EVERYONE!

If NomadSister is only for women, it's not because we don’t like men, nor are we trying to separate the world in two. No, not at all. We all have had good and bad experiences during our travel with people, men just like women.

Here's why:

1. There are already a lot of choices when it comes to homestay platform dedicated to men and women. Yet, none of these are dedicated for women only. That’s why NomadSister is created to offer an alternative choice for women who wish to be hosted by women only, and it’s for everyone who believes in the need of a safer environment for women.

2. We want to encourage more women to travel. We think that as long as you are cautious, being female shouldn’t stop you from seeing the world. We’ve heard of lots of stories of women who have backpacked through India, hitchhiked around Afghanistan and explored other places alone where women aren’t treated like equals, and/ or often sexually harassed. However, the harsh truth is that women experience travel differently. Women have to deal with sexual harassment and personal safety issues much more frequently than men do. Women don’t even have basic human rights in some cultures. Having said that, we are aware that men may have to deal with these issues under certain circumstances. Yet, women are undeniably more easily exposed to these issues than men are.

Yes. However, you will need to ask your hostess before you make a request to stay with her. As long as she is OK with it, it’s fine with us. However, as a respectful guest, you’re entirely responsible for your kid.

Your friends must all have a verified member account and be identified when requesting accommodation.

Up to the age of 14. Beyond that, boys are physically mature.

Travellers advices

At NomadSister, your safety is our priority. Please read below safety tips carefully before your departure:

We strongly recommend that you purchase comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover the country (or countries) that you are traveling in.

It’s a good idea to look up visa requirements, as each country varies. Make sure you leave plenty of time before your departure to get a visa sorted out if required.

It’s always a good idea to learn a bit of the local language before you travel there. It’s also the best way to show your respect towards local people.

Having common sense while traveling is the key. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Trust your instinct. It’s a good idea always to tell someone you trust (your family or your close friends) where you’re going and what your plans are. We suggest that you send them a copy of your itinerary and local contact number before your departure.

We recommend that you check out whether your phone will work abroad or if you can pick up a cheap local SIM card when you arrive so you will be able to make phone calls or send texts locally.

Before staying with a host or arranging to meet other solo female travellers through the Hangout service we recommend that you have plenty of contact with them beforehand to understand each other’s expectations and preferences.

We recommend that you check about necessary vaccinations in the area you are travelling to and ensure that your vaccinations are up-to-date.

In case something doesn’t work out with your host because of unexpected circumstances, make sure you have an plan B for your accommodation. Meanwhile, please report this to our team if such case occurs. Identify the nearest hostel or hotel, or have a backup host before you go. If possible, research your host’s neighborhood prior to arriving. Some hosts may offer to pick you up from an airport or a bus/ subway station, but always look up how to get to and from her home on your own in case of change of plan. If you’re heading to an event or joining a hangout, look up the location prior to attending.

Some hosts might offer to come pick you up at the airport or the bus/subway station but make sure you know how to go to her house and leave on your own in case of a change of plans. If you're planning to go to a particular event, check the location first. If you rent a car, make sure your license allows you to and be careful on the road: from one country to another, traffic regulations might be different and you could be surprised by how people drive.

Make sure you’re aware of cultural and religious differences, sensitivities, and general safety recommendations for each place that you travel. Check local embassies' websites for travel advice in different countries and do your own research. We recommend you research things such as attitudes towards women, dress codes, laws on alcohol etc. This way you can avoid making your first ‘faux-pas’ the moment you get off the plane!

Use only NomadSister's website to communicate. Confirming trips and keeping all communication on NomadSister helps our safety team to identify issues and react quickly. Never give out your phone number or e-mail address to anyone outside NomadSister's website until you meet and feel comfortable with them.

Stay alert at all times. Avoid dark alleys when you walk home in the night alone. Do not stay out late at night alone. Do not trust people easily. You can enjoy yourself and have some fun but don’t go over the limit and don’t put your safety and well-being in the hands of others.

Use the reference system to let others on NomadSister know about your experiences with the people you meet.

Our safety team works continuously to help build the safest and most trusted community possible. Reporting safety concerns to NomadSister helps us improve our community’s trust and safety. Confidentially report safety concerns as soon as it occurs and we will investigate and take necessary measures accordingly.

Become an ambassador

Your support gender equality and want to help make the world a better place?

- You are part of an international team

- Your goal is to share your passion for traveling with our growing community.

- You represent the values of NomadSister: mutual help, equality, freedom

- You are responsible for organizing monthly events for the local community

- You follow up with the hosts you've met, helping us maintain a secure network

- You meet amazing people

- Please note that a lot of men support us and and it's important for them to be included in your events. NomadSister might be dedicated to solo female travellers, but it's for everyone!

● A SOLO TRAVELER You have traveled solo or are planning on traveling solo!

● OUTGOING et WELCOMING You like to meet new people, are comfortable with speaking in public and hosting an event doesn't scare you.

● BILINGUAL You speak fluent English and the local language.

● New friends! You meet tons of people who share the same interests and passions!

● Free Traveler membership (€119 of value) Your profile gets an upgrade and can stay with trusted local women hosts with no limit!

● You help make the world a better place. You support and contribute to support gender equality by bringing people together!