The Benefits of a Home Swap for Your Next Holiday
Holidays are fully back on the menu for families in the UK, with travel restrictions relating to coronavirus completely lifted by the government. Now that families only have to contend with the remaining border restrictions of certain countries, holiday planning has just gotten that bit easier.
But before you begin to book your flights and hotels, there’s a new option for accommodation you should know about: home exchanges, or home swaps. They are an increasingly popular alternative to hotels, where families pair up and use one another’s homes as holiday accommodation. But why should you consider a home swap for your holiday accommodation?
Convenience
Quite simply, home-swapping is a hugely convenient way to organise holiday accommodation. The organisation required once you have partnered with another household is minimal, and the distinct lack of check-in process on your arrival is bound to make your initial hours that bit easier.
Home-swapping also gives you convenient access to home comforts you tend to do without on holiday, such as a fully functioning kitchen. Some home swaps may even include one of the household’s vehicles for use getting around. A small outlay on temporary car insurance can come in handy, enabling you to explore the locale with ease.
Cost
Home-swapping as a model is vastly cheaper than booking hotels, whichever way you do it. You might personally know families in other countries you could swap with, at which point swapping is essentially free! Otherwise, joining a house-swap program is as cheap as paying for annual membership.
It is also the case that having access to the modern conveniences of a home on holiday can help you reign in your holiday spending. With the majority of holiday accommodation options preventing you from being able to cook, much of your budget can go towards eating at restaurants each day; home-swapping means you can home-cook meals and save your money for the big stuff.
The Personal Touch
Even in spending a veritable fortune on holiday accommodation, it is not uncommon to find the experience somewhat impersonal. Hotel rooms are identikit, and service from hotel staff may be intermittent at best; ultimately, the rooms serve a purpose and little more. But with a home swap, the personal touches that a private home present can make your downtime that bit more enjoyable.
It may also be the case that your home-swap counterparts have left you a little welcome package for your stay – just as you may have done for them. This gesture can go a long way to making you feel at home, a far cry from the dispassionate service you may have received from the vastly more expensive hotel further down the road.
Peace of Mind
Lastly, one of the biggest stress factors that can affect the enjoyment of your holiday is worry about home – whether with regard to the safety of your home and belongings, or the safekeeping of your pets in your absence. With a home swap, you can rest assured that your home is well-looked after, and safe under the watchful eyes of your home-swap counterparts. This can be a massive source of relief, especially for longer trips, giving you the peace of mind to fully relax into your surroundings.
