TNT Publishing has partnered with crashpadder.com to create a travel service to fill the gap between couch-surfing and more conventional accommodation options such as hostels and hotels.

tntcrashpads.com allows independent travellers to search over 1,500 crashpads in more than 40 countries, as well as advertise their own properties to take paying guests.

 

Whilst couch-surfing typically involves staying for free, often sleeping on the floor or couch, tntcrashpads.com provides a broader range of options starting at £10 a night and ranging from bedrooms in city apartments through to plush rooms in country houses. The service is moderated through user generated reviews, providing a points-based recommendation facility to help ensure traveller safety and security.

 

According to Stephen Rapoport founder of crashpadder.com, “a crashpad has the advantage over traditional holiday accommodation as you get to stay with a local. They’ll often provide meals as part of the service and will invariably give you the inside track on what to see and do in their local area. Our network of crashpads range from Country piles in the West Country to mud huts in Zimbabwe and provide a fantastic means for independent travellers to afford short-let accommodation whilst using local expertise to get under the skin of their destination”.

 

Matt Morris, Digital Manager at TNT said “the service will particularly appeal to TNT’s audience of expat Australian, New Zealand and South African travellers, who typically use the UK as a base to intensively travel during 2-4 year working holidays. Not only does the service provide a breadth of affordable and exciting accommodation options, it also enables our audience to rent their own rooms to top-up their own travel budgets. We intend to offer the service alongside our existing accommodation options including hotels, hostels and rentals, providing our users with a full choice on where they stay during their travels”.

 

Whilst the service is accessible via the TNTonline.co.uk web site as well as the dedicated URL tntcrashpads.com, TNT expect to formally unveil it at their forthcoming Sun and Snow Travel Show in Covent Garden on October 10th .