In the film, THE HOLIDAY, Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet play two strangers, one living in England and the other in Los Angeles, who agree to swap homes temporarily. If you’re like many moviegoers who came out of the film dreaming of starring in your own luxury home swap, now you can.
The movie became one of the inspirations for one of the hottest travel trends this season, Luxe Home Swap where luxury homeowners can get the most out of their vacations by swapping in style. Whether you fancy skiing in the Rocky Mountains or winter sun in the Caribbean, Luxe Home Swap is the savvy traveler’s way to holiday in style and blend in like a local.
My husband, Hank, and I are big fans of home exchanges and have been able to enjoy extended stays in exotic locales, for little more than the cost of staying home, as a result. And while home exchange websites have been around for decades, Luxe Home Swap has come up with a model that levels the playing field for swappers with style.
Luxe Home Swap is the brainchild of entrepreneur Debbie Wosskow, who came up with the idea when she was thinking about booking a winter vacation away for her and her family. Debbie was sick of spending 80% of her travel budget on a hotel, where she still wouldn’t feel like it was a home away from home.
“I took a look at the main home exchange sites out there, put my home up on a few of them and found that there was a real problem. When I listed my funky home in Marylebone, Central London on a few of the sites, I was bombarded with 30 to 40 messages a day from people with properties that didn’t match with mine asking me to swap,” says Wosskow. “I then looked for other nice homes, and there were some there but they were really difficult to find. Plus the existing home exchange sites looked horrible and obviously had been built a long time ago. Clearly it wasn’t the same glossy experience as booking through a travel agent. So I came up with the idea for Luxe Home Swap – a stylish home exchange site for people with homes they’re proud of that lets you holiday like a local
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
With an eye open for the best, the authentic, the innovative and the irresistible, I’m just back from Portugal’s famed Vinho Verde wine region.
Home for the week was the scrumptious Tiara Park Atlantic Porto hotel, an elegant landmark of the Avenida Bonavista area in Porto (yes, just like that delicious drink, port wine, which happens to have originated there).
Learn more about Portugal’s up-and-coming wine country in ‘Rota Vinho Verde: Following Portugal’s Green Wine Trail.
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Wish you were here,
Ellen
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Always on the lookout for extraordinary travel opportunities, we struck gold with this one! Perfect for Pampered Passengers seeking the ultimate 2010 Winter Olympics experience, this one-of-a-kind program offers an exclusive experience with an award-winning athlete and a behind-the-scenes look at the Games. 
During the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, athletes won’t be the only ones taking home the gold. The Flexjet 25* Jet Card program and Jet Set Sports—an official supporter of the 2010 Winter Games—are teaming up to offer a limited-edition package for an unforgettable journey through next year’s premier event.
This one-of-a-kind 2010 Gold Edition Jet Card includes:
- Exclusive access to an award-winning athlete and a memorable behind-the-scenes look at the Olympic Winter Games
- Access for two to each of the most sought-after Olympic events: the Closing Ceremony, the Men’s Ice Hockey Gold Medal Game, the Figure Skating Gala Exhibition and the three Short-Track Speed Skating gold medal races
- Three nights’ accommodation at Vancouver’s prestigious Sutton Place Hotel
- Olympic-certified ground transportation and an onsite personal concierge
- Dining at Vancouver’s most highly acclaimed eateries
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".