A Room of One’s Own: why holiday homes are the new hotels

Dream home, this way

They say a change is as good as a rest and a holiday is certainly one of the best ways to recharge your batteries. But what happens if you don’t fancy staying in a hotel? The answer is simple, rent a house instead!

Sometimes, no matter how luxurious a hotel is, you just can’t relax because it isn’t homely enough. Luckily home rentals are on the rise, so you can have a house-all-to-yourself holiday, in someone else’s home.

Dream home, this way

How it works

The idea is pretty basic, the home owner goes away (probably on their own holiday) and you rent their house for the duration of your stay. And don’t worry, if you still like the luxury of someone doing all the hard work for you, most companies offer extras such as a chef, daily maid and laundry service. Some companies will go as far as loaning you an iPhone during your stay to help you explore the local area!

Good for large groups

If you’re travelling with family or a group then renting a holiday home can be a cash smart choice. You’ll be able to fit everyone in without having to pay the high prices charged by hotels for separate rooms.

Worldwide

And you don’t have to stay in your own country, with destinations available as far flung as Latvia, Mozambique and Venezuela the world is your oyster. You could have a mini break in a city loft apartment, seven days in a sunny Spanish villa or two weeks in a gorgeous cottage in the Cotswolds. The choice is yours!

Lifestyle swap?

Staying in someone else’s house is definitely more personal than booking a hotel room. Some generous home owners will leave you welcome packs of wine, toiletries and the details of the local takeaways! Others will leave you the numbers of friends and neighbours in case you have an emergency in the house. So really, it isn’t just a house swap, but a friend and lifestyle swap as well. House swapping allows you to live like a local rather than just travel like a tourist.

If the thought of having a home from home in an exotic location appeals to you then check out TravelClub UK for some amazing deals on flights, holidays and so much more.

What say you?