What is it like to swap homes through HomeExchange?

Ever wondered what it’s really like to exchange homes instead of booking hotels or rentals? With HomeExchange, you don’t just get a place to stay: you step into someone’s home, live like a local and become part of a worldwide community of travelers. Let’s take a closer look at what the experience feels like.

1 – Preparing for your exchange

Creating your profile, connecting with other members and finalizing your first exchange is easy and exciting. From browsing homes to sending personalized messages, the process feels more like meeting future friends than booking a transaction.

Our guests were terrific. They took excellent care of our home and left it clean and tidy. This was our first experience hosting and they gave us good feed back on recommendations we had provided for restaurants and activities in the local area. In addition, they were very communicative before their arrival and they contacted us once during the stay with a question about operating the jacuzzi. We appreciated the open and clear communication.

Diane and Martin — Click to see their review

I just hosted my first home exchange and had a truly positive experience. What stood out to me was the direct, personal communication with the other member — clear, thoughtful, and reassuring from the start.
It gave me a real sense of trust and peace of mind, because I know that on the other side are people like me who care, are respectful, and understand what it means to stay in someone else’s home and treat it as their own.
The platform fosters a spirit of reciprocity and community. It’s not about money, but about sharing, connection, and creating meaningful experiences. I haven’t traveled myself yet, but hosting already showed me what makes this platform so special.
Highly recommended!

Lara — Click to see their review

2 – Arriving at your host’s home

When you arrive, you’re not welcomed by a check-in counter but by a cozy home, often with thoughtful touches left by your hosts: local recommendations, a welcome note, or even a small treat.

Home Exchange have made our dreams come through and enable us to explore incredible places while staying in nice apartments/houses and living like locals. We love getting to know our guests and hosts and get/give recommendations that make the stay unforgettable.

AMC — Click to see their review

Only super experiences! Much more personal than Airbnb. Hosts often put some welcome food and drink in the kitchen upon arrival, which is really great when you arrive tired after a long journey. And guests often bring a little gift from their home country too. And everybody is taking care of things. You can ask to water plants as host.

Franz — Click to see their review

3 – Living like a local

Instead of crowded tourist spots, you’ll have the chance to discover authentic neighborhoods, shop at local markets and enjoy the everyday rhythm of your destination.

Traveling with Home Exchange allows us to visit places we wouldn’t otherwise have seen, and to meet local people and be immersed into the culture there. Hotel rooms are the same worldwide, but the homes we have stayed in are unique and reflect the local lifestyle. I recommend traveling this way to all my friends.

Lucy — Click to see their review

It is not the same to get to know a city or a country from an hotel room that from a homeexchange house. To live for several days or weeks in a house of somebody from the country offers you a full experience of immersion in another society and life: to experience the local neighbourhood, with direct recommendations of the owners of the house in their daily life (groceries, restaurants, things to do). People open their own universe for you, normally taking a lot of care of the details. It is a cheap and a very enriching experience.

Carolina — Click to see their review

4 – Hosting in return

Being part of HomeExchange is about reciprocity. When you host, you’ll experience the joy of sharing your home and city with travelers from around the world, knowing you’ll be welcomed the same way on your next adventure.

It was our first exchange and our guests were great to meet and looked after our place very well, including watering plants. They left our kitchen well stocked and gave us a gift bag of great products. And they passed on their experience with Home Exchange so we know how to prepare for guests and what to expect as a guest ourselves.

Douglas — Click to see their review

I really enjoy traveling with Home Exchange. This site has brought many new countries and new friendly people into my life. We all, like a big family, like people of the future, take care of each other, give gifts, appreciate pleasant little things and enjoy life. I am very thankful.

Olga — Click to see their review

What is it like to swap homes through HomeExchange?

It’s welcoming, authentic and built on trust. Swapping homes isn’t just about saving money on travel; it’s about creating connections, discovering places in a new light, and feeling at home anywhere in the world.

For people who like to travel, this is an extraordinary experience, it works very simply, there are no additional costs, you meet new friends and countries, and I'm glad to be a member of this community!

Igor — Click to see their review

We have been Home Exchanging for almost 10 years now in Retirement. We have officially done 46 exchanges. It is easily the most interesting and dynamic activity we have taken on in that time span. We love it. We meet great people who are like minded and have amazing experiences. Australia, Hawaii, Okanagan, UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy have been explored. We look forward to even more going forward from our base here on Vancouver Island.

Dave and Pam — Click to see their review

Home Exchange is a great way to travel and meet new people who either stay at your home or are your hosts. I have enjoyed all of my exchanges, and have been impressed with the care and attention that my guests have taken of my home. Any questions or issues with a reservation have been dealt with very well by HE. Overall, a great idea That has been well excuted.

Carrie — Click to see their review