Nightswapping: How the 'Tinder of travel' is taking the world by storm

Users get a credit if they allow someone to stay in their spare room, allowing them to stay in someone else's home

“I first did a ‘nightswap’ last summer when I wanted to go somewhere in Spain. I ended up staying with a husband and wife in Santillana del Mar in rural Cantabria”

It is being called “the Tinder of travel” but the team behind the new Nightswapping website (Nightswapping.com) are keen to point out that finding love is not the main aim for its 150,000 members. The idea is simple: if you have a spare room, you can offer it to someone else and, instead of money changing hands, you get a credit to stay in someone else’s home next time you fancy a night away from your own.

Kate Pringle, a 22-year-old from Somerset, liked the idea so much that she is now based in Lyon, France, and working for the company. “I first did a ‘nightswap’ last summer when I wanted to go somewhere in Spain,” she says. “The best thing about it for me is that you don’t have to have a particular destination in mind. Most travel websites start by asking you where you want to go, but sometimes you just fancy a weekend away and want to go somewhere less obvious than the usual contenders. I ended up staying with a husband and wife in Santillana del Mar in rural Cantabria. It’s the surprise element that makes Nightswapping different.”

And what about the potential risks of staying in a stranger’s home? “Well people are right to be concerned but we have measures in place and most people who use the site spend time sounding each other out before they go anywhere,” she says. And the Tinder connection? “Well you do swipe if you are interested and ‘chat’ to other users, but it’s more about the strange places you can find yourself in 160 countries than it is about meeting people.”

The party’s over

It’s that (most wonderful, apparently) time of the year again, which means that silly survey season is in full swing. Top of the stats you didn’t know you need to know in my inbox this week, was a study by the Tyrrells people just in time for “crispmas” which polled Brits on the things needed to throw the perfect party. Surprises were few (to paraphrase: we prefer our parties to err on the side of cheesy rather than posh), but one category intrigued …. What are the songs most likely to kill a party?

Top (or is that bottom?) of Tyrrells buzz-killers is “Everybody Hurts” from REM. But without wishing to park my tanks on colleague John Rentoul’s lawn (you can find his Top 10 column every week in The New Review), I decided to poll some other Indy-ites for their thoughts – suggestions include “Orinoco Flow” by Enya, “Bittersweet Symphony” by the Verve, and “Mad World” by Gary Jules (also on the Tyrrells list). My own contribution? While the nation’s favourite party song is “Dancing Queen”, I propose that to get the party ended just put on the other Abba (Any Ballad By Adele).

Damn straight

From the petition signers to Alan Sugar to K***e H*****s, last week everybody had their say on the latest Donald Trump controversy. One more-insightful-than-most view on the subject, however, was rather less shared and reported on.

Business magnate Russell Simmons was the co-founder of Def Jam records and now has his finger in pies from fashion to fitness to philanthropy, empowerment and ethnic understanding. In an open letter to Trump (who he knows personally), he writes:

“You are a generous, kind man who has built a career on negotiating deals where everybody wins. Now, you seem like a one-man wrecking ball willing to destroy our nation’s foundation of freedom.

“Stop the bullshit. Stop fuelling fires of hate. You’re smarter and more loving than you let on. I know the cheap seats are easy to play to, but you can get them just by being the man I have known for nearly 30 years … you are trying to be president of a country built on religious freedom; remember that the next time you discuss the beautiful followers of Islam. I wish you good luck on your path towards the White House, but as I’m sure you know, our belief systems are polar opposites on many of the issues. And I will be campaigning rigorously against you. But if you win, I might still accept an invitation to your house to straighten you up every so often.”

Points of no return

According to the widely reported findings of a team of psychologists at the University of Binghampton, New York, full stops at the end of texts make the message look aggressive or insincere.

With that in mind, this column consulted popular Tumblr feed The Last Message Received (where people post pictures of their final text communication from someone, usually a lover), for evidence. Turns out that a surprising number have full stops at the end. For once, there might be a point (sorry) to this research.

No rhyme or reason

Another in a regular series of limericks based on recent events:

They are not known for showing restraint,

Find old-fashioned names far too quaint,

So the latest name whim,

For Kanye and Kim,

Was to ordain their new son a Saint.

Twitter: @simmyrichman