A Derbyshire couple have revealed how they have travelled the world without paying for holiday accommodation, even staying on a yacht where "Prince William had his stag do".
Joan Patterson, 67, and her husband Noel, from Buxton, have completed 120 home exchanges over nearly a decade.
Using the HomeExchange platform, which facilitates mutual home swaps or allows guests to offer 'GuestPoints' for non-reciprocal stays, the couple are estimated to have saved at least £45,000.
Their adventures have taken them across France, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and beyond.
From a "luxurious" apartment in Bangkok boasting an infinity pool to witnessing "whales going by" from their bed in Australia, Ms Patterson says these are "experiences money cannot buy".
The couple, who ran an education company before retiring, have always shared a passion for travel, walking, hiking, and exploring history.
Their approach means they "don’t pay for holiday accommodation any more", transforming their retirement into a continuous global adventure.
As they enjoy long holidays spanning several weeks, they were looking for ways to make their trips “affordable and comfortable” and had heard about home-swapping from Ms Patterson’s sister.
That prompted them to sign up to LoveHomeSwap in 2017, which later joined the HomeExchange group. The platform, which has a £180 annual membership fee, has more than 200,000 members in 155 countries.
While they live in Buxton, they have a one-bedroom holiday home in Criccieth, North Wales, which has views of Snowdonia National Park from a nearby beach, and they use this property for home-swapping.
The Pattersons completed their first home-swap in Paris, staying in a quirky “student pad”.
Ms Patterson said the space was small, effectively a “garret”, and they had to climb over a roof strut to get into the kitchen, but it was well-located and they had “the cheapest beer” in a bar next door.
“These places are local, so one of the key things for me is that you could stay in a hotel, but that’s sterile.
“These home exchanges are never sterile.”
On another occasion, the couple had a more “unusual” home-swap, staying on a yacht for a week.
Ms Patterson said the man who owned the yacht ended up being their skipper, sailing them around the Isle of Wight and south coast.
“The yacht was used for Prince William’s stag do – someone had organised it for him, they had a whole load of activities and one of them was sailing this yacht when it was new.
“The deal for us was, we paid for the fuel and for our host’s lunches, and we used our points for the boat and it was lovely.”
Some of their more luxurious swaps included staying in a “swanky apartment block” in Bangkok, Thailand, which had an infinity pool and “wonderful views over the river”.
They have also stayed in family homes with chickens, cats and gardens to look after.
Ms Pattersonsaid she is always “respectful” of people’s properties and belongings, and she has never had a negative experience hosting or staying in another home.
She has seen some incredible wildlife, including watching a whale migration from the bed of one of the properties in Australia and seeing wallabies at another.
Along with travelling the world, Ms Patterson said one of the best aspects of home-swapping is meeting people and making new friends.
This autumn, the couple are spending three weeks in the Dolomites in Italy and they have other home swaps coming up, including a trip to Malta in March 2026.
Ms Patterson said HomeExchange is for “anybody”. It is not just centred around large, luxurious properties, and it is enjoyable to see how people around the world live their lives.
“The main thing is that money cannot buy the experience of being welcomed into someone’s home and being in a proper local living community,” she said.
“The advice and guidance from hosts helps you plan and make the most of their area – you get an insider view.
“I am out of touch with prices since I don’t pay for holiday accommodation any more, but I have effectively travelled the world and not paid for accommodation.”
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