The question «Hotel vs. apartment exchange costs?» always comes up when we plan another trip and look at the accommodation prices. A weekend in a beautiful city with two children can quickly cost more than the train tickets. And with two weeks of summer vacation, accommodation often becomes the biggest expense in the entire travel budget.
We do like hotels quite a lot. A good breakfast, fresh towels, and no one asks who takes out the trash – that has its appeal. But as a family, we approach things differently than when we go on a spontaneous couple’s trip. We need space, a kitchen, decent sleeping accommodations, and ideally a washing machine. It’s at this very point that apartment swapping becomes more than just a financial saving for us: it makes traveling more affordable and often also significantly more enjoyable.
Hotel vs apartment exchange: Costs compared fairly
A hotel is easy to calculate: the price per night multiplied by the number of nights, plus, depending on the location, a tourist tax, parking fees, breakfast and sometimes even a family room. The bill is clear, but rarely small.
When swapping apartments, there is usually no standard daily price for the overnight stay. At HomeExchange there is a membership and, depending on the type of exchange, GuestPoints. If you exchange directly, you live in the respective houses or apartments together. In a non-exchange exchange, you use GuestPoints for the overnight stay. The membership fee and the details may change, so we always check the current conditions before booking.
The crucial difference remains, however: Instead of having to pay for a new place every night, you use your own home as a travel expense. An apartment that would be empty during your vacation could open the door to accommodation in Copenhagen, by the sea, or in the mountains.
An example of calculating a family week
Let’s take a week in a European city during the school holidays. A decent family room or a small apartment hotel costs quickly 180 to 280 euros per night. For seven nights, that’s 1,260 to 1,960 euros – and breakfast, parking, or a kitchenette are not necessarily included.
When swapping apartments, you don’t pay for those seven hotel nights. There may be costs for membership fees, a small cleaning before or after the stay, and travel expenses. You might also bring some attention to the host family. That’s all real and should be included in the bill. Still, the cost of more than a thousand euros in hotel expenses often comes to light.
The effect is even stronger if you are traveling longer. Two weeks of vacation at the hotel is a budget decision that many families find difficult to stomach. Two weeks in a rented apartment can mean that suddenly trips, a restaurant dinner, or even a longer stay are also on the agenda.
The hidden hotel costs that we used to underestimate
The room price is only the beginning at the hotel. Especially with children, the small expenses add up surprisingly quickly. A breakfast for four people, drinks on the go, dinner, laundry and snacks from the hotel shop may seem harmless individually. However, after a week they can add up to several hundred euros.
In a shared apartment, we live much more normally. In the morning there is muesli, fruit and coffee on the kitchen table, in the middle of the day maybe a picnic and in the evening we cook ourselves on some days. This is not a lack of choice. On the contrary: After a long day of travel, we really appreciate it when not every meal has to be a restaurant decision.
The space also saves money indirectly. In a hotel room, you’re constantly tempted to be outside. In an apartment, children can play, someone takes a break, and the adults can calmly plan the next day. This doesn’t prevent entry fees, but it makes the vacation more relaxing – and reduces the pressure to fill every hour with a paid activity.
What it costs money to exchange apartments
Home swapping is not synonymous with completely free vacations. Those who expect that will be disappointed. To be honest, the membership fee, travel, groceries, excursions, and, depending on agreement, a final cleaning are included.
Some hosts ask for a contribution for cleaning, especially if they are not present in person. This is fair, as long as it is communicated clearly beforehand. We clarify such details in writing before accepting an order: Will cleaning be provided? Will someone be there at the end? Are there any special requirements regarding parking, heating, or pets?
In addition, there is the preparation of one’s own home. We remove personal belongings, make room in the refrigerator, and leave behind a short home folder. This takes time, especially for those who already keep things fairly organized before every trip. However, this shouldn’t make it a huge project.
And then there is the value that cannot be expressed in euros: trust. Strangers are staying with you. It feels huge at first. Our experience is that a complete profile, friendly messages, and clear agreements create enormous security. No one has to blindly give up their home.
When a hotel can be the better choice
We wouldn't claim that Home exchange for every trip The best solution is this. For a single night on the highway, a very spontaneous business trip, or a short trip without time for news, a hotel can be more convenient. You book, arrive, and check out again.
Even if you plan a classic round trip with daily change of location, a hotel or a vacation rental might be a better option sometimes. Apartment exchange works best when you stay in one place for a few days and really get to know the place. For us, that’s the most pleasant way to travel anyway, but that has to fit your plans.
A hotel is also advisable if you value service highly. Those who want a breakfast buffet every morning, 24/7 reception, and daily cleaning pay for these things consciously. Apartment exchange offers something different: a chance to experience everyday life for a while, more space, and often a place to stay that you would hardly encounter as a tourist.
Why the comparison is more than just a savings calculation
The biggest savings when swapping apartments come not only from the lack of hotel bills. They come from traveling differently. Instead of staying in the center between souvenir shops, you might end up in a neighborhood with a bakery, a playground, and a weekly market. Instead of booking two hotel rooms, you have a bedroom, a living room, and a kitchen.
For children, this makes a big difference. They have a familiar place to go quickly, can play in peace in the morning and don’t have to be quiet in the same small room every evening. For parents, this often means less improvisation, less restaurant compulsion and a bit more holiday feeling.
Of course, it takes a bit of planning. Good exchange partners aren’t always available for the very next day, and popular holiday periods require patience. We start traveling during the school holidays as early as possible, write personal inquiries, and are open to changes in location or travel dates if it’s feasible for us. It’s this very flexibility that significantly increases the chances.
This is how they calculate before the first request
Make it simple: First, look at what a hotel or apartment would actually cost for your travel dates. Don’t just consider the lowest price; also factor in the room you would really book as a family. Add breakfast, parking, and the expected out-of-pocket costs for meals.
After that, she lists the costs of switching apartments: membership fees, possible cleaning, groceries, and travel expenses. Groceries and travel expenses are of course also included in a hotel trip, so they only belong in the comparison if they really differ. In most cases, a very clear figure remains at the end.
For us, the first successful exchange was the moment when the bill suddenly became real. We weren’t in an anonymous lobby; instead, we had breakfast in a bright family kitchen, knew the way to the bakery after two days, and had accommodation that didn’t break our travel budget. Since then, we no longer see our home as just a place to live, but also as a chance to see more of the world.
If you have your own apartment or house and travel at least once a year, it’s worth taking a look at the principle without obligation. Perhaps your next trip won’t be the cheapest because you’re saving on comfort – but rather because you’re finally saving where it really makes sense: on accommodation.
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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. 🧭 ❤️ 🏝️