Wouldn’t we all love to stay in enormous penthouses overlooking a city centre? Or a glamorous apartment right in the heart of all the hustle and bustle?
Savvy traveller Petra Novak, 34, has found a genius hack to do so – all for free.
Originally from Hungary, Petra splits her time between her one-bedroom flat in Brixton, London and an apartment she shares with her sister in Budapest.
Petra told the Daily Mail: ‘Before Covid, my work included travelling all around the world for one or two weeks each month. I loved it. It was so exciting.
‘But after the pandemic happened, it stopped, and now we can work remotely as well, so we don’t need to travel anymore – which is a shame.’
Petra now lives a digital nomad lifestyle working as a forensic auditor contractor – deciding how much she works, where she works and when she works.
Seeking opportunities to continue with her travels despite working remotely, Petra looked for options to see the world without spending a fortune.
Once she discovered house-swapping platform Kindred, she never looked back.
Originally from Hungary, Petra Novak, 34 discovered a cheaper way to travel
Petra lives a digital nomad lifestyle, working from properties such as this central Lisbon flat
Petra says: ‘The best property I’ve stayed in was one in central Lisbon for three weeks last February.
‘It was a penthouse, and had a balcony overlooking the bridge and the river.
‘It was really miserable in London and it was 15 degrees in Lisbon, and I was in a little bikini on the balcony. It was just so nice.
‘The owners were an American couple, and they were doing a worldwide trip on a yacht at that time. It’s exciting to see how the people live, and know about their life experience, the culture, where they are coming from.’
The property, currently listed on Kindred’s website, is described as a ‘spacious and cozy Lisbon home’, and images demonstrate the glamorous interiors and magnificent views.
So, how on earth did Petra manage to stay in such luxe settings for free – and how does Kindred work?
Kindred has a unique ‘give to get’ credit system with no money exchanged between members.
It allows members to offset travel costs by earning credits each time they host; these credits can be used toward future travels, making it easier to explore more without extra cost.
Unparalleled views from Petra’s Lisbon stay, where she could see the river from the flat
The property was beautifully decorated, with a balcony to enjoy the scenery
The credits are all worth the same – regardless of the location or size of the home.
Kindred has more than 250,000 members in 150 cities around the world, providing the opportunity for members to stay in high-quality homes at approximately a tenth of the cost compared to hotels and short-term rentals.
Petra has hosted 196 nights at her one-bedroom flat in Brixton and used her wealth of credits to stay 138 nights in accommodation around Europe in the last 12 months alone, saving her an estimated £10,500.
Petra estimates that the 138 nights of accommodation via Kindred – including two weeks in Lisbon, 10 weeks in Barcelona, four weeks in Madrid, three weeks in Paris and two weeks in Zurich – cost a total of £1,330 (just the required cleaning fee per trip totalling £810 and a Kindred passport of £520).
Another phenomenal stay, Petra explains, was in Madrid.
She said: ‘Madrid has an area which is like Chelsea, so tourists don’t really go there, because there’s no sights there, but it’s really posh and nice, and you have all sorts of beautiful cafes and gyms.
‘I try to find this type of area when I travel, because I like to avoid crowds, but I want to see how local people live.
‘I mean, who can afford this lifestyle? That was, again, a penthouse, and it was the highest building around the area.
In Madrid, Petra found an amazing apartment that even had a balcony to sunbathe
The swimming pool in Madrid was also a huge draw for Petra
‘So, I was sunbathing there every day. And it was really quiet, because it was August, and there’s no one in Madrid in August.’
The Madrid property, a ‘peaceful and sunny Chamberí home,’ proved a perfect stay for Petra.
Petra also upgraded to a Kindred Passport, which offers £0 service fees on every trip, no matter the duration or location, during a one-year period.
The Kindred Passport costs £475 and members can choose to pay that amount upfront, or elect to pay it in four quarterly instalments of £130 (i.e. £520 in total for a year), providing significant savings for those who travel regularly.
For those without a Kindred Passport, service fees vary from around £15 – £35 per night, meaning members can travel for approximately ten trips for the price of one, comparable to short-term rentals of a similar size home.
All members are automatically covered by Kindred’s $100,000 Host Protection Guarantee Policy, Trip Protection Program and General Liability Insurance at no extra cost, ensuring peace of mind (although Petra has never had any problems).
Overall, 34 different members have booked Petra’s London flat via Kindred, with guests from the United States, Canada, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands, Finland and more.
It’s understandable one would worry about the idea of strangers staying in their home – but Petra is keen to allay these fears.
One apartment Petra’s stayed in, located in central Paris during a trip to the city of love
Properties, such as this Paris flat, are well kitted-out, which Petra loves
Personal touches are a hallmark of Kindred stays, adding a special element
She says: ‘It’s difficult to describe, because it’s not like a hotel where you go in and it doesn’t have any soul, because it’s just a generic hotel.
‘It’s much more comfortable than being in a hotel or Airbnb, because obviously when people think of their own home, they get the best quality stuff that they can get, and they have all sorts of things, like air fryers and blenders, making it really convenient.’
A cleaning team ensures the accommodation is immaculate and the bed sheets are clean – meaning Petra hasn’t personally cleaned her flat in over a year.
Personal touches are encouraged, too – Petra’s given gifts including a Rituals gift card and toys for pets.
The real draw, though, is the huge savings made. Luxurious accommodation at short notice without the price tag to match? Count us in.
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