Travel the Home Exchange Way

My first home swap: a wonderful holiday in London

Stunning River Thames views from Ellen & Simon's apartment in London

We love hearing Home Base Holidays members' home swap experiences! Shown below is a recent trip report from member, Elaine, who had a fabulous first home exchange holiday, swapping her seafront home in Weymouth for Ellen & Simon's luxury riverfront apartment in London. 

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Home swap staycation: Weymouth to London "This was my first exchange and it was a wonderful start to my home swapping adventures!  Ellen and Simon's London apartment is in a wonderful location, right by the River Thames. The apartment has a big balcony overlooking the river and the views were fantastic, both by day and by night. It is very quiet, with just walkers, runners and cyclists going past. There is a cafe directly below the apartment and the food there was really good.    It was lovely to be able to take a short walk along the riverside to get into Greenwich. Lots to see and do there, and I enjoyed a very nice meal at The Trafalgar Inn, a lovely historic riverside pub. Greenwich Pier was very close by and I loved the Uber boats - I even took a boat from there to Waterloo when it was time to go home. Greenwich Park is beautiful and was only a few minutes' walk away.    Ellen and Simon were really accommodating and the apartment was lovely. It was good to have a Zoom chat with them the evening before the swap, and was really nice to hear how they got on at mine once we had returned from our swaps. A lovely apartment in such a fantastic location. I hope to stay there again!" - Elaine (Dorset, England)

Highlights of the home swap: Sitting on the balcony and enjoying the amazing river views Delightful short walk to Greenwich on the riverside path Taking the riverboats from Greenwich Pier Excellent communication with Ellen and Simon

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Photos of the home swap in London

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View the members home swap offers:

Weymouth, Dorset, England (HE40117) Ground floor seaside apartment in Weymouth, on the Jurassic Coast. The beach is at the end of the garden! View home exchange offer	Greenwich, London, England (HE39872) Apartment in Greenwich with panoramic river views. Includes use of gym, swimming pool and tennis courts. 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.

Do you need a fancy home to start home swapping?

Over the summer it was so lovely to see so many new Home Base Holidays members arranging their first home swap holidays. For many first time swappers, it can feel a little daunting knowing what to do and what will your home swap guests expect. One question we often get asked by people considering home swapping for the first time is - will anyone want to swap to my 'normal' home? 

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Q: We're a family of three and have not been away since prior to the pandemic. We live in South London and would love a week or two out of the city; we're not fussy, a break by the seaside would be nice or perhaps somewhere in the countryside with nice nearby walks. We're really interested in home exchanging but are just not sure if our home is suitable. I've seen lots of fancy homes on the Home Base Holidays website but our home is just a small 2-bedroom flat, it's nice but nothing fancy! Do you think anyone would want to swap with us?

- Anna, London

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A: It's true, there are some very luxurious home swap offers available through Home Base Holidays. However, we have members with all types of home, from the tiniest studio apartments to grand villas with pools. The good news is that vast majority of homes on the website are just like yours - nice 'normal' homes. 

So, as long as your home is clean and tidy, and you describe it accurately, there is absolutely no reason you can't swap your small flat - in fact, it sounds perfect! London is always a popular destination and it sounds like your flat would be ideal for singles, couples or a small family. Home swapping is an ideal option for families as having the space, comforts and amenities of a real home is such a plus ...as are the cost savings! 

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Don't own your home? You don't even need to own your own home as long as you get your landlord's permission to home swap (you may need to explain the home exchange concept carefully so your landlord doesn't think you are letting any old strangers live in your home or sub-letting the property).

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A few HBH members looking for a home swap in London

Lake District	Scottish Borders	Shropshire	Brighton & Hove

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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 home swap 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.

New partnership: member discount on P&O Ferry routes

We're delighted to announce a new partnership with P&O Ferries - Home Base Holidays members can now receive a 5% discount on bookings across all their routes!

 

Home Base Holidays members can now receive 5% off standard single and return journeys as well as short breaks across all P&O Ferry routes. Whether your home swap is in the UK or on the European Continent, P&O have multiple routes to help get you on your way to your next holiday. Additionally, if you're popping over to France on P&O's popular Dover to Calais crossing for a day trip, being a Home Base Holidays Member gets you 5% off the price of your sailing.

 

About P&O Ferries With P&O Ferries you can be sure to get unbeatable on-board services the next time you are travelling on holiday. With friendly staff to help out every step of the way and up to 32 daily crossings leaving the UK, it’s never been easier to get a ferry to the Continent or Northern Ireland. Book your next trip today and receive a fantastic member discount! 90 mins sailing duration Your holiday starts as soon as you step on board No baggage limits when you travel Pack up your car / bring your pets Fantastic savings on high street prices in our World Duty Free on board shops Superb on board facilities for all the family, including restaurants, bars and entertainment.

One of the great things about choosing a home swap holiday is that you enjoy your own home from home 'bubble'. This can be so reassuring as it helps to avoid more crowded conditions that you would typically find if staying in a hotel or rental where there is often a big turnaround of guests. By choosing to travel to your home swap destination through P&O Ferries, you'll enjoy so much more space and comfort than if you travelled by plane; plus, if you're taking your car, you can drive directly on to the ferry and then, once onboard, you and your family can enjoy the fresh sea breezes!

 

Book your journey through P&O Ferries You need to have an active Home Base Holidays membership to take up the P&O Ferries discount. Join Home Base Holidays for just £29 for a 6-month home swap membership. Take up the discount: Go to the Home Base Holidays website Log in to your Member Area Click the "P&O Ferries Member Offer" link to go to the offer page

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Some home swap offers close to P&O ferry routes

Kinvara, Galway, Ireland	Spiddal, Galway, Ireland	Normandy, France
Downpatrick, Northern Ireland	Normandy, France	Normandy, France

 

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 holiday offers.

Such a wonderful summer home exchange in Devon

Josie & Paul's beautiful thatched cottage located next to the Exmoor National Park

"We had such a wonderful summer home exchange in Devon staying in Josie and Paul's gorgeous thatched cottage located in such a beautiful area next to the Exmoor National Park. Everything went so smoothly, we had no issues at all during our stay thanks to the excellent house notes left by Josie and Paul, and the regular chats via Whatsapp to check we were both ok. An added bonus of the swap were their cute cats that were so friendly and welcoming. We were lucky to have  excellent hot weather during our stay, with the cottage's lower garden the ideal spot to relax and keep cool. Thanks again Josie and Paul, hope you enjoyed the Dales as much as we did Devon!"

Rick & Jen (HE39785)

Highlights of the home swap: Staying in Josie & Paul's beautiful thatched cottage Excellent communication Great location next to the Exmoor National Park Looking after their cute friendly cats Beautiful sunny weather

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Photos from the home swap

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View the members home swap offers:

Yorkshire Dales, England (HE39785) Old detached stone farmhouse in quiet location at end of cobbled drive just off the main square in Grassington. Perfect location for many gorgeous walks in the Dales. View home exchange offer	Devon, England (HE36324) Thatched cottage in a quiet pretty village on the edge of the Exmoor National Park. It combines all the charms of a 17th century cosy thatched cottage. View home exchange offer

 

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.

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

Looking to return to international home swapping?

Bee & Derek's waterfront home on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Bee and Derek, Home Base Holidays members, and very experienced home exchangers, from Noosa, Queensland, Australia, write: "At the moment, we’re waiting for Covid to abate so that we can return to home exchanging. We’re originally from England, haven’t been to Europe for two years, and are longing to return. But, in the meantime, we’re looking for exchanges in Australia."

 

This sums up what many members who’ve enjoyed swaps all over the world are feeling at the moment. It’s great to see so many closer to home swaps taking place, members now looking ahead to longer distance swaps, and tentative exchange plans being made for when it’s safe to travel again. The beautiful views, lovely beaches and this gorgeous home should whit your appetite to start making your own home swap plans!

 

"Our new home with swimming pool on the Sunshine Coast overlooks Twin Waters lagoon and is close to white sand beaches, several world-class golf courses, local shopping, restaurants and an international resort-style hotel. Our home is Just a few minutes’ walk from the Twin Waters Golf Course where kangaroos can often be seen grazing at the end of the day. We are moments from Mudjimba beach, a stunning strip of white sand, stretching eight kilometres from the Maroochy River to Coolum. The area is a walkers paradise with dedicated paths for pedestrians as well as bikes."

Bee & Derek (HE32011)

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Photos of Bee & Derek's Sunshine Coast home swap offer

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• View full details of Bee & Derek's Sunshine Coast home swap 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.

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.