Swap and save
By Andre Mayer • Bankrate.com

Everyone loves staying in hotels while on vacation. But do it for too long and not only do you risk burning a hole in your wallet, you begin to see a city through the blinkered gaze of a convention delegate or traveling salesman who rarely ventures beyond the hotel bar.

Tired of shelling out for high-priced accommodations, some seasoned travelers opt for home-sharing, in which they trade residences with vacationers in other countries. There are a number of organizations that compile databases of like-minded voyagers and can open the door to a cheaper and more comfortable way to see the world.

Spots available around the world
The U.S.-based HomeExchange.com is one such outfit. A one-year membership costs U.S.$49.95 and grants you access to an online directory of 6,000 homes in 90 countries.

Home Link International recently celebrated its 50th year of operation by adding Brazil, Russia and Turkey to its country list (which brings its destination roster up to 25). Home Link has 1,100 registered Canadian users online.

For $115, your residence is added to Home Link's online database; for $160, you get that plus a listing in the semi-annual print catalogue, which appears in the spring and around Christmas.

The most immediate benefit of home-sharing is the cost, or lack thereof.

Your accommodations are taken care of; you simply have to spring for the airfare and food. Furthermore, by rooming in a neighbourhood as opposed to an impersonal hotel complex, you experience the city from the vantage of a local rather than a tourist.

"We use it a lot," says Ken Murphy of Canmore, Alberta, who travels with his wife, Weida, through Home Link. "Mostly we go to Europe [or] in big cities like New York or LA, [where] we couldn't afford to stay in hotels."

More often than not, travelers are surprised by how well situated their accommodations are. Several years ago, when Murphy and his wife swapped homes with a couple in Paris, they found themselves in a grand dwelling overlooking the Seine.

Doug Howatt of Borden-Carleton, PEI, says home-sharing is "the ultimate in travel." He and his wife, Mary, have thus far only done exchanges within Canada and the United States, but have booked a trip to Australia and New Zealand in the coming months.

For Howatt, the prime advantage is being able to steer clear of restaurants. "The big thing is you make your own meals. You've got your kitchen there, everything's there for you."

Abide by the honour system
The reason some people shun the idea of home-swapping is the notion of leaving their largest asset -- and most of their personal belongings -- in the custody of an ostensible stranger. None of the home-sharing organizations go as far as to investigate their members; everyone abides by the honour system.

"We have never had a report of theft or malicious damage," says Ed Kushins, president of HomeExchange.com.

The most pressing issues for existing swappers are housekeeping standards and cancellations.

Standards of cleanliness will undoubtedly vary, but wiping up breadcrumbs, scrubbing the floors and vacuuming are good habits no matter where you're from. Otherwise, you could be excommunicated from the home-sharing ranks.

"If it's a disaster situation, we kick them out," says Jack Graber, past president of Home Link. "Otherwise, it's two strikes."

For many home-sharing facilitators, there's no hard and fast rule about cancellations; they simply counsel travelers to give each other plenty of notice in case of a postponement. More than a decade ago, Home Link introduced cancellation insurance, which exacts a small premium up-front to cover a potential deferral.

If you're booked to swap homes and your counterpart has an accident and can't make the switch, Home Link will find you another place in that country or pay a large portion of your commercial accommodation.

A slew of unexpected rewards
Over the years, veteran home-swappers have discovered a slew of unanticipated rewards. Murphy relates a stay in a New York apartment, where another resident of the building -- a total stranger -- offered to lend him a bike for the duration of his vacation.

"On several occasions, the families of the people we were exchanging with invited us over for dinner," says Murphy. "You sort of become part of the community you visit."

The guiding principle for any home-swapper is simple: Leave unto others as you would have left to you. In addition to cleanliness, members are asked to make sure that appliances like dishwashers and refrigerators are in working order, that there are provisions in the fridge for the first day's meal and that they leave a home manual in a conspicuous spot so that visitors can easily navigate the household.

Smart travelers inquire about using their counterpart's vehicle. During a month-long stay in Vancouver several years back, Howatt and his wife had access to the homeowners' car, a tremendous boon when you've got wanderlust.

"All you've got to do is phone your insurance company," says Howatt, "and let them know that somebody else is going to be using your car for a month, and they cover it."

Most people, says Graber, book their vacations eight to 10 months in advance.

"Traditionally, this is the biggest time to join," says Graber. "Join in the fall, get yourself ready for spring and next summer exchanges. You make your contacts with people in the south of France, or Tuscany. If they say no, you watch for more listings to come online."

Andre Mayer is a writer in Toronto.