You can swap houses for Christmas just like “The Holiday”

Now December is here – and if we indulge in all that is festive – maybe we wish our life was more like a Christmas romantic comedy.

One in particular that comes to mind is the movie The Holiday, starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet.

In it, the two women are swapping homes for the holiday season, with Briton Iris (Winslet) flying off to stay with Amanda (Diaz) in Los Angeles while Amanda says in a cute little cottage just outside the outside of London.

There, they meet and fall in love with Jude Law and Jack Black respectively, making it a very successful Christmas for the two women.

We all want to step away from our lives sometimes, especially at Christmas, which can (for some) be filled with family drama, stress, and weird traditions.

And while there’s no guarantee you’ll fall in love with a Jude Law lookalike, now you can do exactly what Iris and Amanda did and swap homes for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation experience.

The website Love house swap, inspired by the original film, is an award-winning home exchange platform that allows people to choose from thousands of beautiful homes in over 110 countries.

You can join the platform for £ 8 per month for the ‘lite’ subscription, increasing to £ 10 per month for their ‘standard’ subscription and £ 12 per month for their ‘platinum’ subscription.

The “lite” subscription only offers the basic home exchange plan, with no additional amenities.

The ‘standard’ allows you to list more than one home (if you have any), exclusive Uber and ZipCar offers as well as airport lounge passes, and you can also see who has selected. your home – so you can “check” them.

While the £ 12 ‘Platinum’ membership offers all of the above, plus a website boost in promoting your home to potential stays and a dedicated exchange team on hand to help you get started. find what you are looking for.

Home swap can be much cheaper than a normal vacation, with Love Home Swap reporting that their members often go on vacation more than four times a year and save an average of £ 3,500 through the website.

You can go to Los Angeles like Iris, or somewhere in London like Amanda. You can also travel to various places in the United States, taking advantage of its warmer climates or cooler states if you are looking for a white Christmas.

There are plenty of homes to choose from, and all of the ones listed are verified by the Love Home Swap team – so you know you’re getting a high quality place.

Plus, there are plenty of reviews on the site to help you choose the one that’s right for you. There are also filters for places that accept pets, good for kids, a beach, a mountain or whatever you are looking for.

After registering on the site, you can start shortlisting the homes you like. Once you’ve chosen a location, you can message the owner and ask to stay in their house.

The website suggests sharing your plans and telling them why you love their home and what makes you want to stay there.

There are two types of exchanges: the classic free exchange or the exchange of points.

The Classic Free Swap is exactly the same as The Holiday – you go to them, they come to you.

Whereas The Points Swap allows you to stay in someone’s house without having to comply with your plans – if you like their house, but they don’t like yours for example.

Therefore, they will be able to accommodate you with points instead and they can then use those points to book another trip. But beware, this type of exchange comes with transaction fees starting from £ 49, calculated based on how many nights you intend to stay.

Just like Airbnb, all you need to do is free up space in the kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms.

The website advises putting your clothes and items in a bag or suitcase, locking all your valuables, and removing anything you don’t want.

You can exchange keys by leaving them with a neighbor, sending a set of spare keys in advance by post, or using a safe that your guest can access. You should also agree on expectations in advance, making sure what you want them to do with the linens, towels, and dishes before they leave.

As long as you follow these guidelines, home swapping can be a wonderful experience – and who knows, maybe you’ll meet the love of your life there, too.

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