Spain jumps on the global property exchange bandwagon, but would you swap your home for free holiday accommodation?
Two families tell us about their experience of spending the summer in other people's homes, while they are also away travelling, but would it appeal to you?
Zuriñe, Asier and their son Aimar are going on a holiday in Selva - a small village in the interior of Mallorca. But there is a catch (a positive one) - they won't be paying a single euro for accommodation in the middle of August. They are spending 15 days in Esteve and Aina's house - a ground-floor dwelling with two bedrooms, a terrace and "a big yard", half an hour from the coast.
The two families don't know each other and yet, Zuriñe's family will sleep in Esteve and Aina's house, eat in their kitchen and enjoy the sunsets lying in their hammocks. Sounds like The Parent Trap?
Zuriñe Sarabia's family has been travelling all over Europe for more than a decade thanks to the home swap model, which is increasingly in demand all over the world. This approach to tourism not only allows you to travel without paying for accommodation but also to "experience the destination from inside, like a local".
The home exchange idea was born more than six decades ago. It was conceived by a Dutch and a Swiss teacher. In the beginning, the 'exchange' involved two people/families swapping their homes for the same period of time. However, this concept has expanded. "It doesn't have to be one for one. For example, this year we are going to Esteve and Aina's house in Selva and a family from Nantes is coming to ours," says Zuriñe. Her family has more than 30 exchanges under its belt.
"We have travelled all over Europe: Stockholm, Copenhagen, Prague, Rotterdam, Rome, Budapest, Ghent, different towns in Croatia, Ezcaray or the Navarrese Pyrenees. People from all over the world have also come to our house: a three-bedroom, one-bathroom flat ten minutes from Bilbao and the beaches."
Zuriñe is a generous host. She usually leaves guests a full pantry and a guide that helps them really get to know the area beyond the tourist experience. For example, they might suggest plans they themselves enjoy. Each family establishes its own conditions, but Zuriñe allows guests full access to everything in their house. Her son Aimar, 16, has been used to sharing his toys and things since he was little. "It's part of our experience," she says.
This year, they are going to the interior of Mallorca, because they want "a quieter summer", which is exactly what Esteve and Aina's house offers them. "We started looking a long time ago. We saw the house, we liked it, the dates suited us and they immediately said 'yes'," says Asier, who warns that the best way to secure a house and a destination of your choice is to contact the owners in advance. Sometimes, the holidays might not match.
Of all the houses they have stayed in, the "most impressive" was "a villa" in Budapest. "It had a jaw-dropping private pool. Imagine how big it was, the house had two floors and we didn't even get to go up to the top floor." As for the houses, "there is a bit of everything". In some cases, families value the location more than the type of construction or the other way round. "It's a matter of looking for what suits you best for each trip. In Stockholm, we spent 15 days in an eIn which gave us some wonderful recommendations. We got to know the country from another perspective and you can't do that if you stay in a hotel."
While Zuriñe and her family are in Mallorca, Esteve and Aina will embark on a 21-day trip to South Korea. The first stop will be Seoul, where they will spend a week. Then they will go to Busan, later to the island of Jeju and, finally, they will visit some rural areas in the interior. "All through successive home exchanges," they say.
Although they have only been travelling through this home exchange system for a couple of years, they are "delighted" with the experience. "We heard about it from a friend at the gym, who told us that she travelled like this with her family every summer. We were curious, so we opened an account and started receiving exchange requests immediately. There was no one in the village who did this, but since we signed up, four other friends have joined. When they see that they can spend Christmas in New York without spending a lot of money, people get excited quickly," says Esteve.
South Korea was not the first choice for their summer holidays. In fact, they were considering spending them in Canada. As they couldn't make up their minds, they asked around in different countries and the hostess in Seoul was the first to reply. They liked the destination and the dates coincided, so they confirmed the accommodation immediately.
Esteve and Aina's "most amazing" experience so far took place a few months ago, when the couple spent the Christmas holidays in New York. "We stayed in a really cool flat in Brooklyn Heights for almost three weeks" - an "unfeasible experience" if they had had to pay "the 3,000 or 4,000 euros" it would have cost them to stay in a hotel or a tourist flat at that time of year. "The owner was Dutch and she went to spend the Christmas holidays in Europe with her family. The flat had spectacular views of the river and was perfectly located. This home exchange system allows you to travel to wonderful places on a much more affordable budget," says the couple.
Far beyond the economic benefit, what they value most is "the human dimension" of the experience. "The hosts usually leave a guide in the house with personalised recommendations for restaurants, cafés, museums. They suggest alternative plans to the tourist circuit and that is a big plus, because you feel like a resident in the neighbourhood."
They do the same for their guests. The couple has prepared a PDF with instructions on how to run the house and suggestions for exploring the area, from routes through the Tramuntana to places to try the local cuisine. "We want those who come to our house to get to know the real Mallorca, not just the sun and the beach. We live here with people, with a different culture and a different pace of life," they say. Their house is especially attractive for those who are looking for a more authentic holiday, far from mass tourism. "We receive requests from all over the world, especially in the months before summer."
South Korea will be their big adventure this summer, but they are already thinking about the next destination. "Maybe London at the end of the year," they say, while all possible options await them.
