This is a sponsored article on behalf of Love Home Swap.
After the year and a half we've just had, you could probably use a holiday. Ideally, one that won't break the bank. That's where Love Home Swap comes in. This award-winning platform offers a totally unique way to travel, saving its members an average of £1,065 on a week-long getaway.
With 18,000 properties listed in over 100 countries, Love Home Swap gives members the opportunity to open their doors to one another and (temporarily) switch homes for a holiday like no other.
Want to swap your seaside home for a swanky city break in Chelsea? You can do that. Or maybe you live in London yourself and fancy exchanging your apartment for a gorgeous country cottage? Love Home Swap has plenty of stunning rural options, too. Basically, it's your chance to live your own version of Nancy Myers' The Holiday (though no promises you'll get your own Jude Law meet-cute moment).
Because you're swapping, there's no need to pay your host — the only expense incurred is Love Home Swap's modest monthly membership fee. If there's a more cost-effective way to travel, we're yet to find it. What's more, new members get a two-week free trial, so you can give Love Home Swap a whirl without the commitment.
Here's how it works: first, sign up to Love Home Swap on a free 14-day trial and create a listing for your home. Nothing fancy — just a few decent photos and a short description will do. Then use Love Home Swap's search filters to find your dream holiday home — from the basics like location and dates, to personal priorities such as 'child friendly' or 'has a swimming pool'.
Once you've got your shortlist, you reach out to the homeowners and see if they are agreeable to a swap, either at the same time or on different dates. After that, it's up to you and your swap partner to hash out the details — whether you can use each other’s cars, surfboards, gym equipment, for example — and share insights on the local area.
With Love Home Swap, you can also travel without having to align your plans with another member's. Instead, you can earn 'Points' as a host, which can then be spent on a holiday of your own: whenever and wherever you like, with the addition of a small service fee (from £49) based on the length of your stay.
This is a popular option for members who have a second home and as such have another place to stay while they are accruing Points as a host. Meanwhile, the Classic Swap is a great choice for families — with school holidays often aligning, chances are members will be looking at similar dates for a getaway.
It's not all about value for money, though. Love Home Swap gets you all the good stuff that a hotel simply can't offer. We're talking personalised recommendations from a host who really knows and loves the area, the chance to live like a local away from tourist-crammed hotspots, plus all the creature comforts that come from staying in a real home — think kitchen gadgets, Netflix subscriptions, and infant necessities like highchairs and stairgates.
From Spanish villas to Swiss ski chalets, Cornish cottages to London penthouses, Love Home Swap is packed with gorgeous properties to suit staycationers, holiday makers, and those who just fancy a post-lockdown change of scenery.
Love Home Swap costs £8-£12 per month, according to your membership level. Sign up for your free 14-day trial today.
