Travel the Home Exchange Way blog

Our first home swap: exploring the Scottish Highlands

Kinlochleven lies at the eastern end of the beautiful sea loch, Loch Leven

Our first home swap exploring the Scottish Highlands "We have just come back from our first ever home swap holiday - leaving London in the evening on the Caledonian Sleeper with very comfy bunks and waking up in the Highlands was a great way to start. We used the local buses and the Traveline Scotland app to get about. The buses were extremely reliable and frequent enough to make exploring the local area without a car possible. Our 'swapees', Jimmy and Anne, are experienced home swappers and provided us with all the information we needed to make the most of the area. Their lovely flat in Kinlochleven was a very comfortable base for the four of us to enjoy our holiday. On the practical side the Co-op just a few minutes from the flat, the Chinese take away, local taxi (to seafood restaurant) and the buses, as mentioned, meant we had no practical problems. In terms of our take home memories - walking out form the village to quiet peaceful mountainside and then also being there for the weekend of the pre-65 motor-cross (our choice to be there for that!). Walking in and around Glencoe and learning some more of the history including visiting the Folk Museum in the village and the visitors centre up the glen was great; a trip along the other side of the loch to Lochleven Seafood cafe - best oysters ever in the hot seafood platter - was definitely 'worth a detour' - and the loch seen from "the other side" is possibly even more beautiful. By way of summary: we saw waterfalls (Inchree Waterfall was a lovely afternoon); walked moors, ate excellent food; went on a sea loch cruise from Fort William and learnt a little more about the Highland history. If you want to explore further afield you probably do need a car and if you use public transport you do need to plan a bit so you don't miss the buses you want. Anything we would have done differently? We should have allowed more than the 90 minutes we had before closing for the West Highland Museum. We returned to London rocked to sleep on the train and came back home to find everything in perfect order. We trust Jimmy and Anne had as good a time in London (if very different) as we did in Kinlochleven. Many thanks for a wonderful first swap." - Sue & Dave (Lancaster, UK)

Our home swap highlights: Walking in the wonderful Scottish Highland countryside Eating amazing seafood Seeing the Pre-65 motor-cross

Photos from the Highland home swap

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Home Base Holidays members' offers:

Central London, England (HE26664) 3-bedroom house with roof garden in London's Islignton. Five minutes walk from Angel Underground station (zone 1) and one minute to the main bus routes for central London. View Home Base Holidays offer	Loch Leven, Scotland (HE37747) 2-bedroom flat in the west Highland village of Kinlochleven. Surrounded by stunning mountains, lochs and rivers which offer a unique range of activities including walking and climbing. View Home Base Holidays 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.

Coronation invitation lost in the post? Visit London by swapping homes instead!

London is getting ready for King Charles' Coronation on the 6th May

With Union Jacks already up on many streets in the city, London is gearing up for the Coronation of King Charles III on 6^th May. All we need now is for the sun to return for the big day!

• Information about The Coronation Weekend events

If you haven’t had an invitation to the Royal bash, London is still an amazing city to visit in spring (or any time of the year!) with its dozens of beautiful parks to relax in between visiting the famous attractions, theatres and museums.

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Swap homes and enjoy free holiday accommodation in London Home Base Holidays is based In London and has a very large choice of up-to-date home exchange holiday offers throughout the city, everything from city centre bijou apartments to large Edwardian family houses in the leafy suburbs, all connected by good public transport.

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    Small selection of London home swap offers to tempt you:

Greenwich, London (HE39872) Luxury apartment with panoramic Thames River views. View home swap offer	Richmond, London (HE26435) Spacious family home in Twickenham, just 300m from the river. View home swap offer

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Hampstead Heath, London (HE39315) Stylish home just two minutes from the open spaces of Hampstead Heath. View home swap offer	Wimbledon, London (HE41521) Family house in Wimbledon with lovely garden (+ two lovely cats!). View home swap offer

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Forest Hill, London (HE41913) Four storey semi detached Victorian house close to excellent public transport. View home swap offer	Baker Street, London (HE24680) Light spacious Art Deco apartment next to beautiful Regents Park. View home swap offer

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Spitalfields, London (HE34200) Cosy apartment next to the fabulous Spitalfields Market. View home swap offer	Camden Town, London (HE26796) Attractive four storey town house in Camden next to Regents Canal. View home swap offer

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Search home swap offers in London

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Join Home Base Holidays: enjoy fabulous budget friendly holidays Cut the cost of your next holiday by choosing to swap homes. Sign up to Home Base Holidays Start home swapping: browse home swap holiday offers

Home swapping: exploring the delightful South Downs

Home swap holiday exploring the delightful South Downs "We've just returned from a lovely two and a half week home swap holiday in the South Downs, West Sussex. We swapped with Timothy and Louise, it was their first time home exchanging but they were really friendly, relaxed and easy to communicate with. Their home was stylish, spacious and we were very comfortable and throughly enjoyed our stay. We were very close to the beautiful West Wittering, East Wittering and Bracklesham Bay beaches. We cycled the more or less car free route along the canal to Chichester and on the lanes to explore Medmerry Nature Reserve and the west side of Pagham harbour. We also did lots of walking and trail running! Our coastal potters were from the doorstep and round to West Itchenor, between East and West Wittering, around Chidham peninsula, and around Thorney Island. Inland we had a great time in the woodland and on the downs around West Dean, Kingley Vale, Walderton, North Marden, Eartham Wood and Amberley, and following the river Arun. If you like to be outdoors and away from the crowds you are spoilt for choice - plus the footpaths were very well maintained and clearly signposted. An added bonus was that all the chapels and churches that we came across were open to and welcoming of visitors, it was so nice to be able to explore them, and (on some days) to get out of the cold, or just enjoy a rest on a bench in the graveyard. Add to that the liberal scattering of earthworks, forts, cross dykes and tumuli, for all fans of the Bronze Age and Olde Stuffe. Plus some wildlife... we are not very patient or observent, but did see a barn owl, fox, polecat, goldcrest and loads of kites and dark-bellied brent geese! The spectacle of clouds of gulls following the farmer's tractor (enjoyed from bed with a morning cuppa) was also great. Chichester itself is very walkable and interesting to explore (Cathedral, museum, city walls, gardens), we also went by train to Portsmouth (though were too mean to pay the entry fee to the naval museums!). The public transport provision is good - a bus every 15 mins to Chichester from very close to the house, and trains linking the main sites along the south coast. All in all a really great trip, thank you Louise and Timothy!" - Sue & Dave (Lancaster, UK)

Our home swap highlights: Walking and running on the chalk downs Popping into ancient churches Exploring the coastal peninsulas and enjoying the birdlife there

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Photos from the home exchange holiday

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  View the Home Base Holidays members' offers:

Lancaster, UK (HE39603) 3-bedroom on a quiet residential street close to Lancaster’s mainline train station and within a few minutes walk of our historic city centre. View Home Base Holidays offer	South Downs, UK (HE41342) 2-bedroom detached house in West Sussex within easy reach of West Wittering, East Wittering and Bracklesham Bay beaches. View Home Base Holidays 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.

Our fabulous home swap holiday in Northumberland

The Coach House: Susan and Jim's beautiful home in Northumberland

Home swap holiday to a lovely cottage surrounded by hillsides "We had a fabulous 9 day home swap holiday staying in The Coach House, Susan and Jim's beautiful cottage in Northumberland. Their lovely rural cottage is surrounded by hillsides (and sheep!). We saw pheasants and also a hare wander past the cottage windows. Several small streams run through the property grounds and one tumbled behind our cottage - with the bedroom window open we could fall sleep to the sounds of moving water. Delightful! The cottage was centrally located in Northumberland near Hadrian's Wall providing excellent walking, beauty, and history. We enjoyed visiting some of the local towns, and did a side trip to the NE coast of England, where we did a coastal walk to a castle. Just spectacular. We also went to the Lake District for an overnight stay. Just an incredibly gorgeous area. All of this could be done without a lot of driving. Getting to Susan and Jim's was quite easy for us. We first flew to Edinburgh and explored the city a bit, and then hopped on a train to Haltwhistle which was only a few miles from our destination. Susan and Jim were very easy to communicate with, extremely pleasant and easy going. We also swapped cars and all went really smoothly. Our home swap with Susan and Jum was a big success." - Carol (Vermont, USA)

Our home swap highlights: Beautiful countryside and walks in Northumberland Lovely daytrip to the Lake District Great communication with Susan and Jim

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Photos from the swap in Northumberland

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    View the home swap holiday offers:

Vermont, USA (HE38792) Beautiful 2-bedroom Vermont farmhouse dating back to the early 1800s. With extensive 5 acres gardens. View Home Base Holidays offer	Northumberland, UK (HE40388) The Coach House is a 2-bedroom cottage in a magical setting. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, steeped in history. View Home Base Holidays 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.

Looking for a longer term home exchange getaway?

Long-term swaps are ideal for digital nomads, writers or any other location independent workers

Most home swaps are for holiday periods of one to three weeks or, closer to home, for long weekend breaks. However, many members also arrange long-term home exchanges that can be anything from one month to over a year. Arranging longer swaps can be a great way for retirees with no holiday time restraints to visit family or friends living overseas. If you are an expat, it’s an excellent way to visit your native country and have your own space rather than stay with family for long periods. Longer term swaps can also be an exciting and realistic option for digital nomads, writers or any other location independent workers who can work anywhere there’s a good internet connection. It is this latter category where Home Base Holidays has seen a particular growth since the quite dramatic shift away from office to home working during and after the pandemic. 

 

A sample of recent long-term home swap requests follows. As it can take several weeks to find a perfect match for a long-term exchange, especially if one or both exchangers need a swap for a set period, please do check out any offers that are of interest without delay.

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North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand Seeking a 5 month swap in London   "We are on transfer to London for five months between 1 September 2023 and late January 2024 and are seeking a home swap for a property in London which sleeps up to 6 adults."   Lovely villa just a 500 metre walk from Devonport's main street, and a 15 minute walk (or five minute drive) from local beaches. The villa was recently named New Zealand Home of the Year in its renovation category.   View home swap holiday offer

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Provvidenti, Molise, Italy Second home: open to any length swaps   Charming old village house in beautiful Molise, one of Italy’s last truly authentic regions. if you like the smell of hay, the taste of homemade salsa, hearing nightingales and owls, seeing sheep grazing around the village and don’t mind the occasional tractor passing or neighbours sitting outside in front of their houses chattering and playing cards, then Provvidenti is for you. International airports all connected by public transport.   View home swap holiday offer

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Bedford, Bedfordshire, England Open to longer term home swaps   Beautiful Country House in a peaceful country area with easy access to Cambridge, Oxford and London. London is 50 minutes by train. Cambridge is 45 minutes by car. Oxford is 90 minutes. Stratford-upon-Avon is 90 mins by car. London Luton airport 50 minutes.   View home swap holiday offer

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Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Seeking up to a 6 month swap in the UK   "I would appreciate an exchange anywhere in the UK for any time up to 6 months."   Brick veneer house with remote gated entry in a quiet area near to foot of the Dandenongs (hills). Boronia is 20 miles from Melbourne city with both bus and train stations nearby. While a car is not necessarily needed for most people, my car is included in an exchange.   View home swap holiday offer

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Stroud, Gloucestershire, England Seeking a 1-2 month swap in London, Paris, New York, UK or Australia   A stylish, spacious, two bedroomed apartment on the second floor of a transformed historic mill situated in the Golden Valley, a beautiful rural, old industrial area with canals and walking towpaths along the River Frome, the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire.    View home swap holiday offer

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Remember, the most successful home swappers are often the most proactive, so browse home swap offers and start sending out your initial messages to suggest an exchange!

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Home Base Holidays: start home swapping Sign up to Home Base Holidays and arrange home swap swap holiday accommodation for the new year. Save over 90% on the cost of your next holiday!  Search the latest home exchange holiday offers

Home swap: perfect London gem with fantastic owners

Miriam and family enjoyed a wonderful swap in London's Battersea

Our London home swap: a perfect gem with fantastic owners "We travelled from the States swapping to Rosemary's lovely home in London. Rosemary and her family will come to our home in Massachusetts later this year; but I wanted to write a review of our home swap vacation while it was fresh in my mind. Rosemary was an absolute joy to communicate with as we worked out the details of our stay; she and her husband went above and beyond to help us as we planned our trip. We were able to Facetime with them ahead of the travel dates and we came away from that first "meeting" with a solid feeling of trust. When we arrived in London after a red-eye, with our children and all of our things, we were greeted at the airport by Rosemary's husband who helped us navigate back to their house in Battersea. This was certainly not within the requirements of hosting us and was so very, very appreciated! We had a chance to meet Rosemary and her children when we arrived at the house and then they left us on our own to explore, and explore we did! Prior to our arrival, I had been in contact with Rosemary and shared our itinerary and she was able to send us some guidance on navigating London's public transportation system. Their home is just a 3 minute walk to several bus stops that can start you on your trip to wherever in London you might want to visit. I can not express enough how wonderful it was to be able to spend our days in and about London and then only have to make our way back to Battersea to settle in for the night. Having access to a kitchen where we could prepare a quick breakfast and some coffee every morning was a game-changer for our travel experience and the home was the perfect amount of space for all of us to unwind after a full day of activities. Battersea is such a nice lively area of London and we loved visiting several excellent local pubs. Additionally, the Italian restaurant literally at the corner was a delight and we had no concerns at all about allowing our children (11 and 13) head back to the house on their own from the restaurant while my husband and I enjoyed another drink and a dessert. If you're thinking of visiting London I highly recommend a stay with Rosemary and her family. Their attention to detail in their home packet was extremely helpful and they even had a few pages of possible itineraries that we would have definitely used had we not already planned our entire stay! We are looking forward to hosting Rosemary and her family in a few months time." - Miriam (Massachusetts, USA)

Our home swap highlights: We were a 1/2 block away from several bus stops and Underground stations. Battersea is such a lovely location to explore (excellent pubs, restaurants and cafes). Rosemary and her family went so far above and beyond our expectations for hosting - helping us understand the area and the public transportation system; providing a clean, lovely home; being available before, during and after our stay for all of our questions and needs. Staying with such a nice family and getting to know them a bit has made our anticipation of their visit to us next year a delight.

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Photos from Miriam's London trip

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    Members' home swap holiday offers:

Massachusetts, USA (HE41094) Beautiful wooden home in Manchester by the Sea, MA, USA. Just 1.75 miles to the Singing Beach. View Home Base Holidays offer	Battersea, London, UK (HE40964) Stylish Victorian maisonette with private garden. An ideal location from which to explore London. View Home Base Holidays 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. Search home exchange offers Home swap guarantee: second year free if you do not arrange a swap during your membership.

Q&A: Is my house suitable for a home swap holiday?

Toys and children's books can be a bonus of swapping with another young family

Q: Hello Home Base Holidays team! I've been browsing offers on your website and am interested in arranging a home swap holiday. I have a 2-bedroom cottage in the Cotswolds and would initially be interested in arranging a shorter break within the UK. I just wasn't sure what people would expect of my home and how to prepare it for a swap. My home isn't luxurious by any means but I think it's very nice, cosy and comfortable. However it is also full of my family's stuff (we have a 3 year old girl with lots of books, toys, etc!). I'm guessing it's okay to leave our belongings in the cottage during the swap or would our guests expect us to clear much of it out? Also, are there any precautions we should take prior to a swap? - Katie

A: Thanks for getting in contact and lovely to hear you're interested in home swapping! Your Cotswolds cottage sounds lovely and I'm sure it would be a very appealing offer to many members. Planning your first swap can feel a bit daunting and so choosing a shorter swap closer to home is a great way to start. You do not need to clear out any of your items prior to a swap. Home swappers aren't expecting to stay in an empty show home but will be expecting a home just like yours, a nice real home contain furnishings and belongings. In fact, if you arrange to swap with a family that have a similar aged kid(s), having childrens books and toys can be a really big bonus!

Prior to the swap, make sure that you give your home a good clean and declutter so that it's nice and welcoming for your guests. Although you do not need to remove your belongings, it's nice to clear a little space in your wardrobe, kitchen cupboard and bathroom so your guests have room to unpack. 

• Five steps: prepare your home for a home swap holiday

Home swaps are mutual agreement between the two members and is based on trust that will develop over a lengthy correspondence in the run-up to exchange dates. However, it is always important to contact your home insurance company to make sure your policy will cover the period your guests will be staying. There are also several specialist insurance companies that provide very reasonably priced top up cover for home swappers, contact us for details

Tip: For peace of mind, some members also choose to use a lockable room or ask friends/family nearby to store certain personal items that they would not want available for use by exchange guests (e.g. a work laptop).

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Home Base Holidays: start home swapping Sign up to Home Base Holidays and arrange home swap swap holiday accommodation for the new year. Save over 90% on the cost of your next holiday!  Search the latest home exchange holiday offers