The moment usually comes when booking: the vacation rental looks affordable at first glance, then cleaning, service fees, and the local tourist tax are added. For four persons, the supposed bargain quickly becomes the largest expense of the trip. Especially when we want to travel longer as a family, we therefore look for an Airbnb alternative for families that is not only cheaper, but also truly feels like a vacation.
For some years now, our answer has been: home swapping. Not because every accommodation on Airbnb is bad. But because a real apartment with a children's room, kitchen, washing machine, and pantry is often simply a better fit for families. And because lodging costs don't start over from scratch with every trip when you swap.
Why vacation rentals quickly get expensive for families
A one-bedroom accommodation works for a weekend. For a week or longer, the math is different. Kids need space to play and sleep, parents occasionally need a door they can close, and everyone together needs a place where breakfast doesn't cost 45 euros every morning.
In addition, there are the little things you only miss once you are there: a decent frying pan, a washing machine after a rainy day, a high chair, or a quiet room for a nap. Vacation rentals can offer all of that. But they don't have to. In an inhabited home, this infrastructure is usually just there because a family lives its everyday life there.
However, price is not the only point. With anonymous accommodation, you sometimes only know whether the description matches reality after you arrive. When exchanging homes, two people talk to each other directly. We clarify beforehand how the beds are arranged, whether there are stairs, where children can play outside, and whether the car can be left parked. That doesn't make planning more complicated, but more concrete.
The Airbnb alternative for families that actually creates space
In a home exchange, two parties live in each other's apartments or houses either at staggered times or simultaneously. You make your home available and stay at other members' places in return. If a direct exchange does not work out timewise, many exchange networks offer a point system: you earn points for having guests stay with you and can use them later for accommodation in another location.
For us, this is the crucial difference to a rental model. The accommodation is not viewed as a commodity, but as a mutual invitation. Of course, there are rules, reviews, and clear agreements. Still, it feels more personal. We have already stayed in apartments where a box of Lego was waiting, a note recommended the best baker around the corner, and the neighbors knew we were coming. Those are little things that instantly make a city feel more familiar.
HomeExchange is the platform we use for this. We find it especially convenient that you don't have to wait for a perfect 1:1 exchange. Those who plan with an open mind can use GuestPoints to travel even when their own guests arrive at a completely different time. This makes home exchanging much more realistic for families with school holidays and limited travel periods.
More than a free bed
Travel is, of course, never entirely free. Travel expenses, food, admission fees, and often the annual membership still remain. It would be disingenuous to claim otherwise. Compared to a vacation rental in a popular region, however, the membership can pay for itself after just a few nights.
Far more important to us is the value we get: we are not just booking a bed, but experiencing a temporary everyday life. In the morning we get bread rolls in the neighborhood, in the afternoon the kids go to the playground instead of a crowded hotel pool, in the evening we just cook pasta when everyone is tired. This freedom is amazingly valuable on a family trip.
How to pull off your first home exchange without a care in the world
The most common question is: Can I really entrust my apartment to strangers? The honest answer is: It has to feel right for you. Nobody should do a swap because they feel pressured to do so. But with good preparation, the risk can be kept very manageable.
A complete profile is the best start. Show your apartment as it is, with bright photos and an honest description. An old building on the fourth floor without an elevator is not a flaw if families with small children know beforehand. Also write down how many people can sleep comfortably and which areas should remain private.
When receiving a request, we don't just look at the star rating. We read the profile, see who is traveling, and pay attention to a personal message. Anyone who specifically writes about why the area is interesting and what the travel group looks like immediately conveys a different feeling than a copied request. Conversely, it helps to respond in a friendly and clear manner yourself—even if the exchange isn't a good fit.
Before departure, we create a short house manual. It contains Wi-Fi, waste separation, the coffee maker, emergency contacts, and our favorite addresses in the neighborhood. We put away important or very personal things. Not out of mistrust, but because we travel more relaxed when everything has its proper place. By the way, an empty wardrobe and space in the bathroom are just as inviting for guests as fresh bed linen.
What families should clarify in advance
When traveling with children, it is often not the best view that matters, but everyday life. Therefore, ask about the actual sleeping arrangement. Is there a crib, a child's bed, or just a large sofa? Is the apartment located on a noisy street? Is there an elevator, a garden, or at least a playground within walking distance?
The kitchen also deserves a quick question if you do a lot of your own cooking. For us, a sufficient number of plates, a large table, and a washing machine are more valuable than designer furniture. Anyone traveling with a baby should check for changing facilities and a bathtub. Anyone traveling with teenagers should look out for stable Wi-Fi and enough places to retreat to. That sounds trivial, but it prevents precisely the friction that makes family vacations unnecessarily exhausting.
When Airbnb can still be the better choice
Home swapping is not a cure-all. For a spontaneous short trip tomorrow evening, a single night in transit, or a very specific location right by the airport, a traditional booking is often easier. Anyone who cannot or does not want to offer their own accommodation will also not be happy with an exchange model.
Sometimes a vacation apartment is a better fit because you need absolute predictability. With a fixed date in the high season, it might happen that no suitable swap is available at that moment. Then it is wise not to search desperately. We see Home swapping as a travel hack, not as a rule that has to dominate every trip.
However, anyone who travels at least once a year, has a home to share, and can be a little more flexible about new places should seriously give it a try. Especially for families, it opens up destinations that would be immediately out of the running when looking at standard accommodation prices.
Our tip for the first swap
Don't necessarily start with three weeks on the other side of the world. A long weekend in a city that is easy to get to takes a lot of pressure off. You learn what information is important to you, how to prepare your apartment, and how pleasant it can be not to stay in accommodation as a guest, but as temporary neighbors.
Perhaps upon your return you will find a handwritten thank-you note on the table, have discovered new favorite places, and are calculating how much money is left over for the next trip. That is precisely when an Airbnb alternative for families turns into something much better: a way of traveling that leaves more room in the budget and more room for genuine experiences.
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On my travel blog Wandernotizen I'll take you along on our family trips around the globe. Between wanderlust and everyday chaos, you'll find honest travel reports, tips, and plenty of material to ignite your wanderlust. 🧭 ❤️ 🏝️