For families, the vacation budget often breaks down not because of train tickets or museum admissions, but because of accommodation. Two rooms, a kitchen, space to play—and suddenly a week costs more than the rest of the trip combined. That is precisely why it is worth learning how to use GuestPoints cleverly for families. They make home exchanging particularly flexible: you do not necessarily have to travel to your exchange partners' home at the same time, but can organize overnight stays using points.
I like this principle above all because it makes traveling more relaxed again. Instead of wondering with every search whether the family room is really big enough, we look for apartments that already include a children's room, kitchen, and sometimes even a garden. That doesn't feel like missing out, but rather like a trip that fits family life better.
What makes Guestpoints so practical in home exchanging
In a classic reciprocal exchange, another family lives in your home while you live in theirs. That can work out wonderfully, but it comes with school holidays and fixed dates but not always easy to coordinate. GuestPoints solve this exact problem: you make your home available and receive points in return. You can later use these for stays with other members.
This is especially helpful if your guests want to visit in the spring, but you won't be traveling until the fall break. Or if you live in a city that's attractive to others, but your dream destination is near a completely different family. The points then serve as the connection between these two trips.
With HomeExchange, the number of GuestPoints required depends on the accommodation, location, season, and amenities. A large family apartment during a popular vacation week usually costs more points than a simple studio outside of peak season. This is not a weakness of the system, but rather a fair reflection of what is being offered. The crucial point is: you aren't just planning a single trip, but gradually building up your travel credit.
Calculate first, then send wishes
The most common mistake at the beginning is treating GuestPoints like a voucher that you have to spend as quickly as possible. I would approach it differently: before making a request, roughly calculate what trip you want to afford and what reserve makes sense.
Let’s take a family with two children who want to spend ten nights at the beach during summer vacation. Weeks like these are in high demand. If you use up almost all your points for this, you’ll have little flexibility left in case your travel plans change, you need to stay a night near the airport, or you decide to plan a long weekend later on. Keeping some points in reserve takes the pressure off.
A simple three-way division works well in practice: Set aside some of the points for a big family vacation, some for short getaways, and leave the rest untouched. Plans can change, especially when you have kids. If you don’t have to budget down to the last penny for every single night, you’ll be able to relax more.
Do not focus solely on the point value
A place to stay with fewer Guestpoints isn’t automatically the better deal. For families, what often matters most are the conveniences provided on-site: a fully equipped kitchen, a washing machine, a high chair, toys, a quiet bedroom, or a park right outside the door. If this means you have to eat out less often and the kids settle down more easily in the evening, a slightly more expensive apartment can be the much better choice.
The location also deserves a second look. An apartment right in the center saves travel time, but can be loud with small children. On the outskirts, you might take 20 minutes longer to get to the old town, but you have a playground, a supermarket, and a parking space right outside your door. Guestpoints are used cleverly when the accommodation makes everyday travel easier—not just when it looks cheap on paper.
Smart use of GuestPoints for families: The travel time decides
If you are flexible with your travel destinations, you can get an astonishing amount out of guest points. Of course, school holidays cannot be wished away. But within this time there are differences: arriving during the week, the second half of the holidays, or a less obvious place in the same region can bring significantly more choice.
For a summer vacation, we wouldn't just look at a famous coastal city. Often, just 20 or 30 minutes away, there are smaller towns with nicer apartments, less hustle and bustle, and hosts who are more open to longer stays. This is often a real plus, especially when traveling with children. No one needs a promenade every evening when the beach awaits in the morning and a shady balcony at noon.
The off-season is especially great for city trips. A long weekend in Copenhagen in November, an Easter trip to Lyon, or a few days in Hamburg in the spring can cost fewer points than the highly sought-after summer dates. Plus, you’ll be able to experience cities in a more relaxed way when they aren’t packed with vacation groups.
How to increase your chances of an acceptance
Guestpoints don't replace the personal touch of a home exchange. A request isn't a hotel reservation, and that's exactly what makes it so wonderful. Someone is opening their home to you. That's why a friendly, specific message makes a big difference.
Don't just mention how many people are coming. Briefly explain why you want to visit this specific area and what appeals to you about the apartment. For families, it’s helpful to be open about how old your children are and to mention that you’ll take good care of the home. If you’ve hosted guests before, you can mention that. And if you’re new to hosting, honesty is better than trying too hard to sound professional.
A good inquiry answers the hosts' unstated questions right away: Is the number of guests correct? Do you respect their house rules? Have you read the description? Are you flexible with arrival and departure? Three personal sentences are more valuable than a long message that sounds like it was copied.
If a request is declined, don't take it personally. Family plans change, and some hosts rarely use their apartment or don't want to host guests during a certain season. It’s better to send out several suitable requests rather than putting all your eggs in one basket with your dream apartment. This increases your chances and prevents you from having to settle for just any option under time pressure.
Earning points without sugarcoating your home
Of course, you only earn Guestpoints if you actually list your apartment or house. It can feel like a big deal the first time. We know what you’re thinking: Is it tidy enough? What if something gets broken? Does every closet really need to be accessible?
The good news: You set the guidelines. You can put away personal items, lock individual rooms, and clearly state in your description what’s important to you. Clear house rules covering Wi-Fi, trash, appliances, and a few recommendations for the surrounding area are a huge help to guests. It doesn’t have to be spotless. A family home that’s lived in can look like a family home.
Also think about which time periods work best for you. Maybe you’re staying with your grandparents for two weeks anyway, maybe you have a business trip coming up, or maybe you regularly spend the summer at your vacation home. These kinds of absences are ideal for earning Guestpoints. You don’t have to rent out your apartment all the time for the model to work.
It’s important to keep a little reality check in mind: If you only want to travel during the most popular vacation weeks but never host guests yourself, you’ll have less flexibility. On the other hand, if you’re open to traveling at different times of the year and occasionally offer your own place to guests, you can build up a really good points balance over the years.
For the first trip, it's better to start simple.
For your first stay, I wouldn’t plan a complicated itinerary with five stops. Find an apartment for four to seven nights, ideally in a region you’re really eager to explore. That way, you can get to know the system at your own pace: How does communication work? What do you need when you arrive? What amenities are especially important to you as a family?
Afterwards, you will know very precisely what you want to filter for in the future. Perhaps you will discover that a separate workspace is unimportant, but a dishwasher is worth its weight in gold. Perhaps your children will love sleeping in a real children's bedroom. Or you will realize that you prefer an apartment near a train station over accommodation with a parking space.
If you’d like some guidance during the sign-up process and your first steps, just take your time to explore HomeExchange. But the most important tip is this: Don’t wait until your apartment is perfectly tidy or your travel plans are perfect. Start with a timeframe that feels right. The best family trips often don’t happen because everything was meticulously planned, but because you dared to swap your own home for a new view.
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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. 🧭 ❤️ 🏝️