Noosa Home Swap

A managed luxury home swap agency takes some fear out of the equation, but unless you own an expensive home of your own it’s not going to be much use to you. It certainly rules out the AT office!

But if your circumstances are better than ours, you might be interested in Luxe Home Swap, an online agency that lists home-exchange possibilities in Australia and worldwide. There’s a $175 joining fee, which gets you a listing on the website, an online photo gallery and the ability to communicate with other members to set up a swap.

The profile of each property includes information about the owners, such as “we enjoy travelling to exotic locations” and “gourmet cooking” (which might give you an idea of what to expect in the condiment drawer), as well as tips on what to do in the area. For example, with the four-bedroom river-front Noosa Heads home pictured here, the owners suggest that guests go to Hastings Street and the Eumundi Markets for retail therapy, and Noosa Food Markets on Sunday mornings. Their restaurant recommendations include Gustos, Seasons and Sails, and their local tip for coffee is Aromas. Day trips include Fraser Island or making the 1.5 hour drive into Brissie.

The home comes complete with its own jetty and private beach, is fully air-conditioned and has wide verandahs for outdoor entertaining. The owners’ dream destination is “anywhere, any time”, so if that counts you in, we’d love to know how it goes.

Are home swaps a good option?

We’d love to hear your experiences. Email editor@australiantraveller.com.

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