Mi Casa es Su Casa

A home-exchange vacation is part cultural immersion, part creature comfort and wholly a relief from overspending. People can find homes - from palazzi in Italy to beachfront bungalows in the US - through exchange clubs, which have Web listings and directories they can browse for annual fees that range from $30 to $125. More than 30,000 people belong to these clubs. Aside from escaping hotel bills, a home exchange lets vacationers save in other ways. Beyond the savings, houses afford comforts unimaginable at hotels. Getting to truly know the locals, who can give a vacationer the skinny on the best sights and bistros, is another advantage.