What Is Nightswapping? And Why Should You Care about It?
Vacations can provide a sanity break-but they can also break your budget. What if you could avoid paying for accommodations? Would you be more likely to travel instead of staying at home?
You may have heard of home exchanges and couchsurfing, but do you know anything about nightswapping?
Nightswapping was started by Cosmopolit Home. It’s a lodging system that allows you to stay somewhere free of charge by swapping accommodations with other members. Although nightswapping is free, you can buy extra nights if necessary.
Nightswapping provides the opportunity to interact with owners and learn about local culture from the people who live and do business near your swapped accommodation. The difference is that you don’t pay for the swap.
At present there are three types of nightswapping.
Straight swap: Bill stays in your house while you stay in his.
Circular swap: You stay in Bill’s house; Bill stays in Mary’s house; Mary stays in yours.
Guestroom swap: You stay in Bill’s guestroom while he’s home. Bill accrues credits to use at a later date.
Circular swaps create the most logistical problems. Everyone involved must agree to be gone at the same time for the same number of days. A guestroom swap is probably the easiest to arrange. In many ways it’s similar to staying at a bed and breakfast.
If you Google “nightswapping” you’ll even find a site for professional lodging operators such as hotel owners and innkeepers.
Vacations can provide a sanity break-but they can also break your budget. What if you could avoid paying for accommodations? Would you be more likely to travel instead of staying at home?
You may have heard of home exchanges and couchsurfing, but do you know anything about nightswapping?
Nightswapping was started by Cosmopolit Home. It’s a lodging system that allows you to stay somewhere free of charge by swapping accommodations with other members. Although nightswapping is free, you can buy extra nights if necessary.
Nightswapping provides the opportunity to interact with owners and learn about local culture from the people who live and do business near your swapped accommodation. The difference is that you don’t pay for the swap.
At present there are three types of nightswapping.
Straight swap: Bill stays in your house while you stay in his.
Circular swap: You stay in Bill’s house; Bill stays in Mary’s house; Mary stays in yours.
Guestroom swap: You stay in Bill’s guestroom while he’s home. Bill accrues credits to use at a later date.
Circular swaps create the most logistical problems. Everyone involved must agree to be gone at the same time for the same number of days. A guestroom swap is probably the easiest to arrange. In many ways it’s similar to staying at a bed and breakfast.
If you Google “nightswapping” you’ll even find a site for professional lodging operators such as hotel owners and innkeepers.
As with any process that involves staying in someone else’s home or vice versa, you must exercise due diligence to ensure that your swap partners are honest and reliable. Check carefully before making a decision.
Advantages of Nightswapping
• It’s free.
• You might be able to stay somewhere that would normally be beyond your budget capabilities.
• Your home is occupied while you’re away, which helps to discourage burglaries, and offers some protection from damages caused by emergencies like broken water mains.
• You might be able to swap for unique accommodations such as a mountain chalet or yacht.
• You immerse yourself in the culture because you’re staying in a real home.
Important Questions to Consider
• Will your swap partners keep your premises clean?
• Will they use your appliances and electronics in a responsible manner?
• Will they damage furniture?
• Will they rob you?
Are You Ready for Adventure?
If you’re adventurous and enjoy new experiences, nightswapping might be the right match for you.
