Home-swapping seemed like a smart way to save money and travel. Here's how we got on

The sense that it felt more about community than commerce sealed the deal for Jennifer Sheahan when it came to choosing this type of holiday

Jennifer Sheahan tried a home-swap experience when travelling through France and Spain during September.

I had been thinking about home exchanges for years. Hotels are lovely for the right occasion, but often they’re expensive and impersonal. Airbnb has lost much of its charm for me in recent years. 

Home swapping seemed a smart way to save money, but also felt more like a cultural exchange than a transaction.