A small rustic villa in Ibiza, Spain, that you could possibly swap with.

When it comes to hotels we love, often the reason why we love them so much is because they feel like home – they feel like a cozy, welcoming place to rest after a day of shopping or sight seeing. So what could be better than actually being in a home while vacationing? There’s something luxurious about having breakfast at your leisure and being able to shop the markets like a local. So take our advice for travelling in 2012 and get that experience by switching up your travel plans and doing a home swap.

Swapping homes might sound daunting – but every traveller is looking for something different. Some look for chic apartments in the heart of a city, others need more space for families, and some want to relax countryside. There’s something for everyone, and chances are someone is looking for a place just like yours.

A chic 6 bedroom home in Richmond, London.

Our favourite site for home swapping of the moment has to be LoveHomeSwap.com. Started by posh Brit, Debbie Wosskow, when she wanted something more than dropping her bags in a hotel room. “You’ll be able to swap your home, or your holiday home, with a home anywhere in the world, so you can have your dream vacation, without paying a hotel bill or dealing with the hassles of hotels,” Wosskow explained.

Who wouldn't like this home in Wannanup, Australia?

The basics are this: You sign up, find a home you can swap with, contact the home owner who is also a trusted member, then arrange a time to do the swap. You don’t even have to swap each other’s home at the same time, the circumstances and details all arranged between the home owners. Most home swap programs have criteria to make sure you’re getting a quality home before jetting off. Just think, you could be spending your vacation in the comfort of a home, not a cookie-cutter hotel room, in neighbourhoods you might never think of visiting.

You’ll be sure to find a home that you’ll want to swap with on LoveHomeSwap.com. With selections of homes around the world (think Australia, the United Kingdom, Thailand, the USA and all throughout Europe), it’s your chance to nab a dream vacation and stay in a cozy, welcoming home.