Northwestern students looking for a place to stay while traveling no longer have to rely on generous friends or pay for expensive hotels. They can rent a room with a fellow Wildcat through the NU group on Airbnb.com, an online community that provides listings for accommodations around the world.

Kathrina Manalac, Communication ’07, said she joined Airbnb’s NU group after she had trouble finding a place to stay in New York City. The company offered her an affordable and unique alternative to hotels in the area, she said.

“I really like to meet people when I travel, and it’s nice to have people that you’re staying with take you under their wing and show you around a little bit,” Manalac said. “You get to know the people that you’re staying with, and it brings this whole new element to travel.”

Users looking for anything from a “couch to a castle” can log on to what Time Magazine called “The eBay of Space,” according to Airbnb’s Web site, and search for a place to stay in various cities, said Carly Chamberlain, a member of the company’s marketing department. Hosts advertise spare rooms, apartments, houses, vacation rentals and even tree houses.

“It’s a great way to travel around the world, and you can find us pretty much anywhere,” Chamberlain said.

Airbnb’s Web site features accommodations in 109 countries and 2,100 cities. The NU group currently includes 49 members and offers 12 available rooms on the Web site.

Co-founders Nathan Blecharczyk, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia came up with the idea for Airbnb in 2007 when a design conference in San Francisco created a scarcity of hotel rooms in the area, said Gebbia, the group’s president. By advertising spare air beds in their living room, the co-founders were able to host those in need of accommodation, as well as show their guests around the city. With the establishment of the Web-based community, the network of members has expanded to include more than 70,000 users, Gebbia said.

“It’s been incredible in terms of how people are utilizing the Web site,” he said. “People can travel in a way that fits their budget, and hosts have this brand new source of income.”Gebbia said Airbnb incorporated school- and interest-related groups into the Web site when users asked for them by popular demand.

“This is the first time on the Internet when you can find someone to stay with who shares your interests or went to your school,” Gebbia said.

Airbnb offers a personalized travel experience-from a private room for a business trip to ski outings with the hosts, he said.

“When you travel (with Airbnb), you’re not putting money into a gigantic corporation,” Gebbia said. “You’re supporting a local economy and individuals.”

Because some travelers may initially have apprehensions about staying with strangers, hosts are continually reviewed by travelers and Airbnb carefully monitors all transactions, he said.

“You have people pass out on your couch all the time anyway,” Chamberlain said. “You might as well make some money while you do it.”[email protected]