Why Home Exchange?

Home exchange is a unique way of taking a holiday that has a wide range of benefits for people like you. Home exchangers tend to be independent and adventurous people who are also decent, generous, honest and trust-worthy.

HomeLinkers are often seasoned travelers and are tired of being treated like  tourists on conventional package tours and tired of  the impersonal nature of hotels. They prefer to experience the real culture of the place in which they stay.

Here are some of the reasons why HomeLinkers find that home exchange is the key to more rewarding holidays.

Cost-savings

Click here to see some examples of home exchange holiday savings.

HomeLink membership eliminates accommodation costs, irrespective of the duration of your stay. It is easy to imagine how this money could be put to good use: A more exotic destination perhaps? How about longer (or more) holidays? Or maybe a treat  to some special event that helps to turn a good holiday into a great one.  A Canadian  HomeLink member told us that her membership fee more than paid for itself on the first night of her first exchange!

Many members also exchange cars which can save even more money.  Car rental can be expensive particularly if you need a large family car.

Flexibility

There is no limit to the number of exchange holidays that you can take during your membership year. Many retired and semi-retired members spend a number of months away each year – how about spending the wet winter days in Florida

The emergence of cheaper than ever  airfares  opens up the possibility of adding a number of short 3-7 day breaks to the main holiday of the year. On renewing for their second year, one family recently told us that they had completed seven exchanges in their first year! On that basis, it’s perhaps not surprising that we have members who have taken advantage of this cost-effective holiday formula to clock up over 100 exchanges! 

Authenticity

“When in Rome…..” Conventional tourism means you are continually treated like a tourist and very rarely get to meet the locals in normal situations.  Home exchange offers you the opportunity to parachute into a genuine local community and live like a local. So, if you like the idea of sauntering along to the village boulangerie to buy your breakfast , then home exchange is for you. 

Convenience

Well-matched home exchange partners go on holiday in the knowledge that their accommodation is likely to be tailored to their needs. For instance, parents of young children may find it easier to relax when their holiday home is child-friendly. Parents might also enjoy travelling light, as you may have items such as a car seats, high chairs and a range of toys waiting for you.

Furthermore, many members agree to take care of each other’s pets and/or garden so there may not be a need to pay for alternative arrangements or return home to a jungle after your holiday. 

Quality

Take a look at the exchange offers that we have available and discover the quality of our members’ homes. The vast majority of our members offer their main residence for exchange so you will find the comforts of home that are missing from a B&B or hotel 

Security

Insurance companies will tell you that your home is at its highest risk of break-in when it is unoccupied (e.g. during holidays). As well as providing you with your holiday accommodation, home exchange also provides you with a fellow member to help manage the security of your home and its contents while you are away. 

Extras – Often the most important!