For most travellers, a certain level of immersion in local culture has become just as paramount as visiting renowned tourist sites. The Urbanauts project, based in Vienna, hopes to change our perception of the hotel room being a place removed from this culture. Created by Austrian architects Christian Knapp, Jonathan Lutter and Theresia Kohlmayr, Urbanauts offers accommodation with many of the usual amenities instead being outsourced to the local community.

The converted street loft space provides a bed, minibar, iMac and two bikes; all other facilities are located in the nearby neighbourhood. Visitors are served breakfast at the nearby Cafe Goldegg and a local hammam becomes a spa for guests to relax. The team aim to provide travellers with hospitality that extends past simply the building they are staying in.

As the Plus One Berlin and Live Swedish initiatives have both demonstrated, the appeal in connecting visitors with local guides seems to be growing. Insider-led travel is becoming an integral part of how we would like to experience a city and, in the case of Urbanauts, an opportunity to help out local businesses.