The selected places in the list are some of the best places but I am missing the best in this category YMCA with Hostel facilities across the country in this list. I have availed a few listed in your link. 

Araku Valley, a hill resort in AP has many Home stays which are organized by Tourism department of AP. They are not only cheap, they are well connected by Rail and Road links with the nearest cities like Visakhapatnam. This information is missing in the list.

I agree ...both YMCA and YWCA offer excellent accommodation and they can be found even in the remotest of towns...The charm with home stay is that many of them are in houses or lodges situated in scenic places , which is one of their attractions and of course the price ..

Another notable feature in Home stays is the traveler can bring a cook. This is very helping feature in Home stays for those convalescing patients and who are advised to go for a nature trip by the Doctors. In AP there are Home stays which provide all the kitchen equipment.

I have availed many such stays in different Himalayan States as the residents of these areas keep some space spare and ready for paying guests. Even state governments encourage residents to offer their places to visitors. Visitors get homely treatment at very nominal rates besides the touch of local culture is an added advantage. I have used this facility in Himachal, Uttrakhand and West Bengal (Darjeeling) and Sikkim. That is really a great fun which is not possible in hotels.

I have stayed in coffee estates in Corrg, Chikmagalur and Saakleshpur , all of which were excellent and very scenic overlooking mountain, valley,river, waterfalls etc.. .None of them have been mentioned here,In fact very few from the south has been included in the list except the one at Hampi...

I have vastly visited all the areas you mentioned in your post but not being fluent in local languages ( I can speak within manageable limits only) I could never avail a local home to stay. However I enjoyed this facility in Goa on regular basis (every weekend) for 2 years during my posting in Belgam. That was great time I will never forget in my life. 

On the whole I feel the list is incomplete. Nagarjuna Konda and Amaravati are missing. Anyhow through this discussion many members are suggesting their list of Home stays. The same thing has been raised in the Response column of the link article.

suni51 wrote:

I have vastly visited all the areas you mentioned in your post but not being fluent in local languages ( I can speak within manageable limits only) I could never avail a local home to stay. However I enjoyed this facility in Goa on regular basis (every weekend) for 2 years during my posting in Belgam. That was great time I will never forget in my life. 

I guess they have complied a list depending on their own feedback and if they were to include all of them, the list would be endless...Goa probably was one of the first places to start the trend since I know of it having home stay facilities since the eighties ...Since many foreigners visit and stay for a long period of time many home owners with large houses began renting out a portion of their house and supplying breakfast as well to the guests ..

Certainly the compilation  is based on their own feedback. It is also true if the site included all the Home stays in India it would  be as long as Mahabharat.