Last week I wrote a guest post for Knok, a home swap community, on what is a perfect day in Ljubljana for me and my family. Since I love and enjoy spending time in my hometown, I was happy to do it. You can read the article here.
Because I find home swapping to be a great option when searching for accommodation, especially if you need more than a room, I’ve asked them to describe their service and benefits in more detail. For both me and you to have another possibility to consider when we leave the comfort of our homes.
Ever wished to go on holiday with your family and not leave the comforts of your home without breaking the bank? Knok is a new generation home swap community with thousands of homes in over 159 countries. Before I signed up I was filled with all kinds of questions and doubts, now all I question is “Why isn’t everybody doing this?”
We used Knok to find a family and swap our homes for our vacation to Paris! The process from the very beginning was simple, all I did was ‘Knok’ on a home to show interest and we began chatting and voila we were off to indulge in the Parisian lifestyle. As we all know travelling with your little ones can be such a draining task with so much to organize and co-ordinate and I was also anxious to finally see the home but as soon as we arrived I immediately relaxed, the kids ran off to play with the family’s toys and I put my feet up in the lounge to read the local advice left by my home swap partner. It is also important for you to reciprocate this gesture as one of the most amazing aspects of home exchange is you experience the new culture as a local; knowing the best way to get around the city, where to go for shopping, supermarkets, attractions for the kids and where the yummiest family friendly restaurants are.
Because we saved so much money on accommodation costs we were able to reinvest our savings back into our holiday and had some amazing dining experiences, I also managed to squeeze in some shopping down Champs-Élysées!! But I think the most amazing aspect of the entire experience was that after a long day of tourist activities we were able to go back to the comfort of our own home, prepare a meal in our own kitchen and still get that quality time with my family around the dining table before tucking the kids into bed.
When our time in Paris was sadly coming to a close, once again the procedure was simple. The general rule is to leave the home how you found it, so unless you have created an absolute bombsite all that is required is putting everything back into place, putting all the used linen into the washing machine and then a straightforward wipe down of surfaces should be more than sufficient. However this is something you discuss with your home swap partner before you leave.
Home Exchange is not only ideal for families but the convenience and ease of the entire process plus all the money you save has now made it the only way I travel. The experience you gain through home exchange will not leave you disappointed as it is so authentic and rewarding. My only warning to you is to be careful, you will get addicted!!
This guest post was written by Penelope H. who works for Knok, a new generations ‘home swap’ platform that enables people to find the best home exchange for their holidays.
