There are more and more countries where you can stay in local guest homes.  Although this concept may appear under various names or have a variety of alternatives, it essentially means much less commercial accommodation, where you stay with a family, or in a privately owned house or on a farm that has accepted to take in paying guests.  Bed and the breakfast are usually provided but there may also be additional meals or activities.  

Private houses

They might be in located cities, in the suburbs, the countryside or in villages.  The number and variety of comfortable accommodations available is no more limited than the variety of homes.  Depending on regulations in place in each country, some private homes offer rooms to visitors (from one to five, sometimes more).  Their bathrooms may be private or shared, with breakfasts and meals generally served by the owners.  They provide a very pleasant way of meeting the inhabitants of a country in their natural settings, of making new friends and of getting to know how they live.  It's also a great way to obtain information about local attractions, about places to visit and excursion to take.  Very often encounters with the owners will lead to longer-term friendships, often prolonged through writing or visits.

Rural accommodation

In the countryside, guesthouses are often found in the form of guest farms or ranches.  Basically, the same principle applies to them all: the owners agree to receive paying guests on their premises.  They all provide more or less the same services in locations that can nonetheless be quite varied.  The biggest differences concern activities available during your stay, such as taking part in or watching agricultural operations, or other activities specific to the farm or ranch. The farmers also get a chance to meet people from cities and elsewhere.  This type of accommodation can be particularly appealing when traveling with children, they're always fascinated by animals and farm work.  As with accommodation in private houses, you may be served meals, which can be really enjoyable since they're made from local products.

Small inns

In some countries, small inns are considered as guesthouses, their owners live on the premises and guests are received in a very warm and family manner.  Small inns are in fact hotels, since they provide meals and have several rooms available. Their approach is more commercial and is closer in style to a traditional hotel than a guesthouse.  In terms of category, we will therefore consider them as being hotels.

Speaking of inns, if you're looking for something different in terms of accommodation, and also more affordable, you might consider youth hostels.