If staying in the home of interesting strangers is part of what appeals to you about traveling, Couchsurfing lets you do it while paying 0% of local hotel rates.
That'w why you go to bars usually when you travel. It's nice to dissociate the place you sleep at and the place where you socialize.
Normally I'm not that kind of person! But at least once, it was such a nice surprise that we spoke for hours. I loved it.