What you need to know before a home-swap holiday

As the concept of house swapping gains more traction as an affordable holiday option, we speak with Debbie Wosskow, entrepreneur and founder of Love Home Swap, about her best tips, tricks and favourite property.

How exactly does house swapping work?

Think online dating for homes. You can log onto house swapping sites like Love Home Swap and search through thousands and thousands of properties in over 160 countries, that appeal to a whole range of travel tastes and styles.

To narrow down the results, you can apply filters like ‘child-friendly’.

But it’s not just homes you can swap – you can trade cars, gym memberships, ski equipment, kids’ toys. Really anything that can help make a holiday easier, more enjoyable and less expensive.

Do you have to trade homes, or can you just stay in a rental house while yours remains empty?

Members of Love Home Swap can choose to travel in two different ways. Firstly, a direct swap (you come to mine, I come to yours), which can be simultaneous or not.

Secondly, we’ve launched a unique points system, which allows members to stay at other members’ homes at any other time of the year, even if they don’t swap directly with each other (think timeshare for homes).

This is a really flexible way to travel and save on your accommodation costs, and has recently overtaken traditional swapping as our most popular way to travel.

What are the benefits to travellers?

Cost saving is the most obvious benefit. For instance, Love Home Swap members save an average of $5750 per trip on the cost of accommodation alone, which can rise significantly if cars and other equipment are being swapped as well.

Another benefit is the amount of space you get in a home swap scenario, compared to the cramped hotel rooms you might usually stay in.

There’s also often better facilities like a full kitchen with all the necessary equipment you would usually desire.

I think home swapping offers a more authentic, local travel experience.

What are the drawbacks?

Home swapping can require an investment of time to get the most from your experience. Because there’s an element of trust, communication is key throughout the swap process.

It’s definitely worth it though – we’ve seen time and again that swappers can gain lifelong friends from their home exchanges. We have one member from the US who became such good friends with one of his hosts that he was invited to their wedding.

What kind of travellers is it most popular amongst?

Mostly families, particularly with young children, because of the space and amenities on offer.

Having said that, there’s certainly an increase in the number of ‘empty nesters’ making the most of their retirement by using the trading power of their home to see the world.

But really it’s suitable for anyone who wants to avoid lofty hotel prices or wants to travel a little more authentically.

How is Love Home Swap different to other home rental websites on the market?

Aside from our especially large portfolio of luxury homes, we also have a unique points system. This means members can earn points when their home is vacant, which they can then use in the future to stay anywhere they like within the Love Home Swap community.

It’s a system that makes home swapping more flexible, fast overtaking traditional two-way swaps as our most popular way to travel.

What questions do travellers need to ask before booking a home swap?

Communication is key to successful home exchange. As well as written messages and phone calls, Skype tours of eachothers’ homes when agreeing to an exchange can also prove very beneficial.

It’s all about creating trust and managing expectations.

Start by talking dates and getting an idea of the kind of holiday the other member is looking for. This will give you an idea of whether you can accommodate each other and if the swap is likely to go ahead.

There are lots of different ways to do it.

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What’s the biggest mistake ‘home swappers’ make?

Approaching home exchange in the same way as they’d book a hotel or regular rental property.

Home swap is a different process that requires some flexibility and open-mindedness, but the rewards are worth it.

Because the whole process is centred around people, it’s not always as predictable as booking a hotel or rental. It can take a little time to get used to it, but it’s all part of the fun.

Much like online dating, you have to play the field and flirt with a few options before you commit.

What’s your best tip for getting the most out of a home swap?

Make the most of your exchange partner.

They know their local area like the back of their hand, so take advantage of that resource and their insider knowledge to get the best from your holiday and truly live like a local.

What is your favourite Love Home Swap property?

Personally, I loved staying at the Artist Residence in Seminyak, Bali.

It is a seriously stunning home and I especially enjoyed the minimalist-chic interiors and swimming pool.

The fact it was just a few minutes from the heart Seminyak’s shops, bars and restaurants was a big bonus too.

For more information on house exchanges with Love Home Swap, visit lovehomeswap.com

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.