Travel the Home Exchange Way

Beautiful homes: inspiration from home swap holidays

One of the (many) advantages of a home swap holiday over a holiday rental or hotel room is the chance it gives to really experience living like a local. Although home swappers will leave their home clean and tidy, with space for you to store your things, the home will generally be just as it is lived in – family photos, books, pictures, toys, box sets, plants and memorabilia (everything from granny’s best tea set to children’s craft work on display). Some homes are minimalist with only a few personal items on show (oh how do people achieve that?), others are cluttered and cosy, and most are somewhere in between.

Unlike a room in a hotel chain where you know exactly what to expect, however many photos you have seen of your home exchange home beforehand, opening the front door for the first time will be the start of a new experience. Any children in your family are likely to be excited to explore their new surroundings right away and choose their bedrooms. Of course it may take a little while to find your way around a new kitchen especially (now where is the most logical place to store a tin opener?). With the slower pace in being away from daily work and school schedules, that will be part of the fun, and bring back happy memories of your holiday in months to come. And you may well pick up some ideas to implement in your own home, whether a paint colour you really liked, good storage ideas, a coffee machine that made great coffee or a very comfortable mattress.

Apart from choosing a home to swap to that is safe if you have toddlers or accessible if you have mobility problems, you may prefer to swap with someone who has a similar lifestyle to your own or to experience something completely different (bearing in mind, if your own home is not geared up for young children, it’s best to stick to home swaps with adults only for peace of mind over your white carpets and fragile antiques!).

If, like me, you enjoy walking down a street at night and glancing into homes with undrawn curtains, browsing through the homes on Home Base Holidays will be a treat, and you may find it hard to narrow your search to those homes most likely to be swap possibilities.

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To whet your appetite, a small selection of recent Home Base Holidays home swap offers:

Tonnicoda, Italy: stunning old palace with beautiful gardens, located in the Italian hillside village of Tonnicoda, just a 90 minute drive to Rome. 

• View full details of this home swap offer

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Queensland, Australia: contemporary waterfront home with pool and views, near beaches, golf, Noosa and Brisbane.

• View full details of this home swap offer

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London, England: luxurious apartment is the perfect quiet city break space, for those looking to explore the treasures of Central London.

• View full details of this home swap offer

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Kvidinge, Skane, Sweden: fabulous medieval castle plus cute yellow guesthouse within the castle's grounds!

• View full details of this home swap offer

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Palma, Mallorca, Spain: comfortable family home 15 minutes’ walk from the centre of Palma on the balearic island of Majorca.

• View full details of this home swap offer 

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Spanish Point, Co. Clare, Ireland: holiday cottage overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the sandy beach of Spanish Point.

• View full details of this home swap offer

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Skyros Island, Greece: picture-perfect house with spacious garden, just 2 mins walk from one of the most beautiful beaches of Skyros island.

• View full details of this home swap offer

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Cologne, Germany: high quality apartment with two workspaces, many books and a calm garden in a vivid quarter close to we are a household of two scientists and PhD candidates who work and live here, you will see that this apartment has two fully equipped workspaces, very fast internet (500 MBit/s) and plenty of spots to read

• View full details of this home swap offer

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Cobourg, Ontario, Canada: new townhouse just a 30 second walk across Victoria Park to beautiful sandy Lake Ontario beach and one hour by train to Toronto.

• View full details of this home swap offer

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London, England: attractive double-fronted Victorian terrace house, comfortable and spacious for adults and children.

• View full details of this home swap offer

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Home Base Holidays: browse home swap holiday offers Now it’s your turn – browse home swap holiday offers through Home Base Holidays.  Search home swap holiday offers

Home swap holiday looking after alpacas (and a cat)

Nadia & Stan had an excellent home exchange looking after Jo & Rus's four alpacas

"Jo and Rus were a real pleasure to home exchange with. The communication was excellent throughout which made the exchange run very smoothly. Their home is truly an amazing retreat, very relaxing, exceptionally clean and comfortable. Jo and Rus kindly offered their Annex for our family members which was also comfortable and spotless. Tufts Clump is a gem in a wonderful and peaceful part of the country. The Alpacas are such characters and our children loved looking after them as well as Tink the cat. We would happily exchange again with Jo and Rus!"

Nadia & Stan (HE39925)

Highlights from the home swap: Alpacas and cat were a pleasure to look after! Amazing peaceful location in an area of natural beauty Walking to the atmospheric pub “The Bull” Getting lost cycling and jogging through the woods

Photos from the home swap

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View the home swap offers:

Saffron Walden, England (HE39925) Converted granary dating back to 1820, located in the heart of a historic market town of Saffron Walden. View home exchange offer	Berkshire, England (HE39926) Lovely converted Berkshire barn with a cat and four alpacas! A fantastic rural retreat. View home exchange offer

 

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Home Base Holidays: join for free and start home swapping Sign up to Home Base Holidays two-week free trial or select a full membership (6-month membership is just £29 and 1-year at £49). Home swap guarantee: second year free if you do not arrange a swap during your membership.

Climate change & travel: benefits of home swap holidays

As a UK based travel company, Home Base Holidays, like so many others, has been badly affected by travel restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, as business gradually returns to normal, we are also very aware that our business, albeit in the still relatively small niche home exchange market, encourages people to travel and so, as a responsible business, we urge our members to use our service thoughtfully, limiting air travel especially, to drastically reduce the effects of travel on global warming. The heat dome that hovered over the vast area of western Canada and much of the USA recently, bringing dangerously high temperatures followed by hundreds of forest fires, should be a wake-up call. Reducing the effects of climate change can no longer be delayed by governments whatever the cost, and we must all do our part to reduce our carbon footprint.

‘Tourism is not just a victim of global warming - it also contributes to the problem’                                                                                              - Sustainable Travel International

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With travel restrictions still in place, a growing number of Home Base Holidays members are discovering the pleasures of home swaps closer to home. Home swappers have always tended to prefer unique experiences (not merely sitting on a beach for two weeks every year!), whether it be swapping a rural home for a flat in the city to visit museums and the theatre or, as city dwellers, seeking out rural locations to enjoy fresh air, quiet open spaces, country walks and pubs. Although cost savings are a factor for those on a tight budget in choosing home exchange over expensive hotel rooms and holiday rentals, this is certainly not the only reason that swapping homes has become increasingly popular over the last few years (Home Base Holidays has been operating a home exchange service since 1978 and were pioneers in promoting the advantages, never more important than now).

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How home swapping can reduce your travel impact on the environment:

1. Use your home as a resource when it would otherwise be left empty while you are away
2. Stay in a real home from home rather than contribute to the development of more hotels
3. There are no rental costs so stay longer and travel less often, especially to long-haul destinations
4. Retired or working from home? Swap homes for longer for a change of scene or to visit family
5. Look for homes in areas where a car is not needed and, if possible, travel there by train
6. Wash bedding and towels as needed, not every day as happens in many hotels
7. Support small businesses by shopping locally for food, crafts and regional specialties
8. Swaps closer to home are easier to arrange than international exchanges without the need for air travel.

"Actually, there are also deeper layers of thought to the home exchange idea. When you think about global waste and conservation, the idea of combining resources with other people on the globe has more merits than those you experience on a personal level. Think of all the hotel sheets and towels that are washed every day; of the low-paid hotel workers (often foreigners); of the huge and wasteful industry that has grown around the needs of people who want to experience a holiday in a different country."  - Ruti Singer (from 'Home Away From Home')

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Add 'local to you' options to your home swap offer: As well as giving details of local attractions, provide information on getting there by public transport If you have bikes you could share, give details and also whether there are safe bike lanes in your area and cycling/walking trails If there is little public transport in your area and you offer to swap cars, is yours electric and are there convenient charging points nearby? Do you have good local food markets? Many people, switching to a more plant-based diet, would love to buy fruit, vegetables and baked goods from local sellers Are there cafes and restaurants close by offering a variety of vegetarian options (much more appealing than fast-food chains)? Do you have memberships to local sports or arts clubs that you could share? Even as Covid-19 restrictions ease, swap guests will be re-assured by knowing the steps you will take to leave your home clean and safe. View the Cleaning tips for holiday home swaps during COVID-19

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Join Home Base Holidays - start your home swap adventure! Sign up to the Home Base Holidays 2-week free trial and start planning your home swap holiday. Whether you're looking for staycation accommodation or planning a trip abroad, you'll find thousands of tempting home swap offers, including country cottages, city apartment, houseboats and homes by the sea. Search home exchange vacation offers

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Useful Resources: websites and articles

• Sustainable Travel International
• Nature: Rethinking travel in a post-pandemic world
• David Suzuki Foundation: Air travel and climate change
• Friends of the Earth: Responsible travel – eco tips for getting around
• DW Made for Minds: Climate change - Is eco guilt changing the way we travel?

Planning a home swap? Addressing those 'awkward' questions

When planning a home swap holiday, the initial messages between you and the other home swapper are very important as they give you the chance to ask / answer questions so that you get a good feel for the proposed swap before you make a firm commitment. Therefore, never feel silly about asking questions, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem - taking extra care in these early stages is by far the best way to minimise any possibility of misunderstandings later on.

 

Once you and the other member have agreed to swap homes, continue to correspond so that you can finalise all details in the run-up to the exchange - ongoing communication builds trust and gives reasurance to both sets of members. It is unacceptable to cancel an agreed home swap apart from for serious unforeseen circumstances such as a death, serious illness, natural disasters or travel restrictions such as we've seen with Covid. If you do have to cancel a home swap, make sure to contact the other member immediately so that they can arrange alternative accommodation (some members agree to split the cost of rental accommodation).

 

Home swap tip: if flights are involved, it can be a good idea for both members to book their tickets at the same time and then email each other the booking confirmation - this gives excellent reassurance that you are both fully commited to the exchange.

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So, back to the topic of 'awkward' questions. Anything that could (but shouldn't if raised with sensitivity) potentially be taken as a negative comment on an exchange partners' home or area comes under the 'awkward' category. It's best that any such questions are addressed as early as possible rather than after an exchange has been agreed and plans are at an advanced stage, or worse, not addressed at all and possibly causing last minute wobbles.

For example, you live very close to a busy road, pre-empt any likely concerns such as noise or pollution by addressing these in your listing (plus, of course, including photos so that potential exchange partners have a good idea of your home and location). You may be used to noise levels that visitors from quieter areas might find too disturbing. But, perhaps your home is triple glazed or bedrooms are away from the road, minimising the impact of noise. As with all aspects of describing your home and area - be honest! Another cause of concern might be real or perceived levels of crime in an inner city area. Although living in a rural area is no guarantee that exchange guests won't ever be victims of crime, country dwellers may feel apprehensive before visiting a large city where they may be unfamiliar with the local neighbourhoods.    Even if you live in a rural idyll, the bull in a field next to your garden could seem very menacing indeed to a city dweller who might be afraid to use public footpaths near your home unless reassured this is safe. Or an area may be prone to natural disasters such as tornadoes or floods. There can be 'what if' questions wherever you live or exchange to.

If your potentially awkward questions have not been addressed in your exchange partners' listing, go ahead and ask about any concerns you have (in a courteous way of course). And, if you are on the receiving end of such questions? Don't take it personally but rather address concerns honestly and with practical suggestions. After all, you live in your area and, if there are any reasons for taking sensible precautions (whether against pickpockets, menacing bulls, tornadoes, noise, travelling by public transport, etc, etc), pass on the benefit of your experience. 

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Over to you, experienced home exchangers: how have you handled any tricky questions that have cropped up when arranging an exchange? Let us know

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Home Base Holidays - start your home swap adventure! Sign up to the Home Base Holidays 2-week free trial and start planning your home swap holiday. Whether you're looking for staycation accommodation or planning a trip abroad, you'll find thousands of tempting home swap offers, including country cottages, city apartment, houseboats and homes by the sea.

London for free: top ten London parks

On a sunny hot day like today, what better than to take a break and relax in one of London's lovely parks. Explore everything from the picture perfect St James's Park to the huge 2,500 acre Richmond Park where you might forget you are even in London. Here we list our top ten London parks.

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Top ten London parks

 St. James's Park with views of the London Eye and Horse Guards Parade

1. Hyde Park:

Hyde Park covers 350 acres of central London. Hyde Park has something for everyone, you can enjoy swimming, boating, cycling, skating or just relax in this central London oasis. There are pitches for team games, tennis courts, tracks for horse riding and a spectacular children’s playground. The park is fabulous all year, a great place for summer time picinics or enjoying the Winter Wonderland festival during the winter months. royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park

2. St. James's Park:

One of my personal favourite Royal parks, St. James's Park covers 57 acres and is home to a wonderful mix of flowers and birdlife (don't miss the pelicans being fed between 2.30pm and 3pm daily!). The bridge over the lake offers great views of Buckingham Palace at one end and the London Eye and Horse Guards Parade at the other end. royalparks.org.uk/parks/st-jamess-park

3. Regent’s Park / Primrose Hill:

Located in NW London, Regent’s Park is a Royal park that covers 410 acres and is home to London Zoo, the Open Air Theatre (performances end May to early September), and a boating lake. The view from the top of Primrose Hill is one of London’s best, with fantastic panoric views across the city. royalparks.org.uk/parks/the-regents-park

4. Richmond Park:

Located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Richmond Park is the largest Royal Park in London covering a massive 2,500 acres. This beautiful park of hills and woodlands set amongst ancient trees, with plants, animals (including 650 deer) and butterflies, offers a peaceful respite to visitors. royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park

5. Greenwich Park / Blackheath: 

Located in SE London, Greenwich Park covers 183 acres and is the second oldest enclosed Royal Park. One of the largest green spaces in south east London, Greenwich Park offers a wide range of facilities and points of interest, including a child-friendly boating lake, six tennis courts and the National Maritime Museum just on the perimeter. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park is home to the Greenwich Meridian Line which represents the prime meridian, relative to which world time is calculated and the distance to every place on Earth is measured. royalparks.org.uk/parks/greenwich-park

Blackheath stretches across the very top of Greenwich Park into the pretty village. Tip: check out the views from 'The Point', a small area at the corner of Blackheath, with it's spectacular views over the city.

6. Hampstead Heath:

Hampstead Heath is located in NW London but just four miles from Trafalgar Square. The Heath has some of the best views and highest points in London for everyone to enjoy. It includes Parliament Hill, Golders Hill Park, an open air Lido (open 365 days a year), swimming ponds, splash pools, countless sports pitches and facilities, athletics track, playgrounds, stunning listed Pergola and Hill Garden and enough green space to really feel like you have escaped the City! Hampstead Heath

7. Kensington Gardens:

Kennsington Gardens covers 275 acres and was formerly the private gardens of Kensignton Palace. The park is planted with formal avenues of magnificent trees and ornamental flower beds. It is home to Kensington Palace, the peaceful Italian Gardens, Peter Pan statue, the stunning Albert Memorial and the Serpentine Gallery. There are two playgrounds, including the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground. royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington-gardens

8. Victoria Park:

Victoria Park is a fabulous 213 acres oasis located in East London's Tower Hamlets. Attractions include canals, ponds, a pavilion, tennis courts and a sports ground. Open air pop and rock concerts are held in the park during the summer. Victoria Park is not very far from a number of other attractions including Brick Lane, Spitalfields and Columbia Road flower market. Victoria Park

9. Battersea Park:

Battersea Park is a 200 acre park in the London Borough of Wandsworth in SW London. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea. An inner city park with so much variety, hidden secrets, and activities. batterseapark.org

10. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park:

This lovely park in East London includes many of the former Olympic and Paralympic venues – including London Stadium, the London Aquatics Centre, the Copper Box Arena and Lee Valley VeloPark. www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk

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Free staycation in London

One of the biggest budget busters when visiting London can be the cost of accommodation. However, rather than booking a hotel or holiday rental, arrange a home swap in London and you will dramatically cut the cost of your London holiday.

Home Base Holidays is a London based home swap holidays website and has a large number of tempting home swap holiday offers.

First home swap holiday: preparing for your guests arrival

Q: We're getting very excited to go on our first home exchange this August during the school holidays! I just have a couple of quick questions that I was unsure about (I didn't want to keep messaging the other member with so many small queries!). Firstly, should we make up the beds with clean bedding or is it better to leave the clean linen next to the beds? Also, do you recomment that we tell the other family that they are welcome to use our towels, soap, shampoo, kitchen condiments etc. or is it assumed that they will (also for us when we're in their home)? I want to make sure that we are good home exchangers and so don't want to make any first time faux pas!

- Eva (Edinburgh, Scotland)

A: Unless agreed otherwise with your home exchange guests, it is always best to make up the beds with clean linen so that they are ready for their arrival. It's a good idea to leave additional clean bedding plus extra towels - if it is not obvious where these are stored, include this in your 'Welcome Folder' (see below).

Most members will have a little clear-out of their fridge / cupboards prior to an exchange so that it looks clean, welcoming and there is space for your guests to store some items. It's good however to leave a few basic provisions such as fresh milk, butter, bread, sugar, tea, coffee etc. 

Make sure to leave toilet paper, soap and hand sanitizer for your guests. Most home exchangers will bring their own personal items such as shampoo and shower gel; but do let your guests know if you are happy for them to use any of yours (you can also include this information in your Welcome Folder).

Never be afraid to raise what may seem small queries with your home exchange guests; asking questions in the planning stage helps to avoid any misunderstandings during an exchange. For example, if you mention that you are happy for your guests to help themselves to food, that will likely prompt them to offer the same to you!

Welcome Folder: create a welcome pack for your guest's arrival in which you include information about your home (e.g. how to set the alarm, where items are stored, etc) and local information (e.g. tourist leaflets, restaurant menus, public transport info, taxi numbers, emergency numbers, etc). Along with the welcome pack, you could include a small treat/delicacy from your area - this is always a lovely way to start a home swap!

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Some recent home swap offers available through Home Base Holidays

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• Search home exchange holiday offers

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Start home swapping: sign up for free! Join Home Base Holidays - either select a two-week free trial or a full membership (6-month membership is just £29 and 1-year at £49). Home swap guarantee: second year free if you do not arrange a home swap holiday during your Home Base Holidays membership.

A fantastic home swap: our first break after lockdown

Home Base Holidays members, Karen & Chris, had an excellent swap in Swanage

"Our first break away this year, as lockdown started to ease, and it couldn't have been better! The flat in Swanage is newly refurbished, light, bright and airy, spacious for two people, very comfortable and well equipped with everything you could need, and Sebastian's art works to admire on the walls! The sea and beach view from the huge bay window is amazing, and when you can tear yourself away the beach is just steps away, with a great cafe at the other end - just enough of a walk to work up an appetite for breakfast or a thirst for a late afternoon drink! The weather was fantastic for April, so we fully appreciated the location. Swanage has a range of interesting shops and galleries to browse, but feels quite a compact town so you can easily walk straight into beautiful, rural areas along the coast path. Sebastian was a great host - communication was easy and we were able to meet briefly on our arrival in Swanage. He and Lisa took great care of our cottage and cats and left everything very clean and tidy. A fantastic home swap!" - Karen & Chris (Watlington, Oxfordshire, England)

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Highlight from the home swap:

1. Super newly refurbished apartment by the beach!
2. Stunning sea view from bay window
3. Breakfast at the nearby beach cafe each day

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Photos from Karen & Chris's home swap in Swanage

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Meet the Home Base Holidays members:

Member HE39026: Karen & Chris  Karen and Chris are both recently retired and are looking for exchanges within the UK and Europe. They are more than happy to look after any pets and to make sure your plants are watered, etc.. and are looking for people who would also be happy to do that for them in return. View their home swap offer in Oxfordshire

 

Member HE18816: Sebastian & Lisa  Sebastian and Lisa are experienced home exchangers having completed fifteen wonderful home swaps. Sebastian is a self employed artist, art festival manager and teacher. Lisa is a piano and ballet teacher and spent 10 years touring as a dancer with Birmingham Royal Ballet. View their home swap offer in Swanage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Colourful beach huts in Swanage, Dorset

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Home Base Holidays: join for free and start home swapping Sign up to Home Base Holidays two-week free trial or select a full membership (6-month membership is just £29 and 1-year at £49). Home swap guarantee: second year free if you do not arrange a swap during your membership.