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'The quality of the Airbnbs has just got horrible, you end up staying in places that are just full of IKEA furniture'
Sarah McDonnell / @sarah.global
Forget waiting for the group chat to finally agree on a date — going it alone is officially having a moment.
Female solo travel is booming, and it’s being fuelled by a mix of flexible working, growing financial freedom and online creators who are inspiring women to feel more confident by sharing advice and real-life experiences travelling alone.
Whether it’s celebrities like Nella Rose sharing aspirational trips or creators offering an unfiltered look at solo travel, women are on the move.
Yet for all its appeal, safety concerns remain a major consideration, while the "solo tax" – higher prices often charged to those travelling alone — continues to stifle anyone willing to take the plunge.
Kindred is a global home swapping platform that aims to alleviate some of the challenges by offering meaningful escapes that are quite literally straight out of The Holiday romcom.
What is Kindred and how does it work?
Members on the platform collect and use credits to host and stay in other people's real homes. Aside from coordinated cleanings before and after guests visit, homes are left in their ‘natural’ state for an authentic, homely atmosphere unlike short-term vacation rentals.
“The quality of the Airbnbs has just got horrible, you end up staying in places that are just full of IKEA furniture,” says Sarah McDonnell, a creative consultant working with brands globally, who often uses Kindred.
“There's been no love or care taken in them, and sometimes they've been really unclean.”
All Kindred members are vetted, verified and must agree to host their own homes in order to travel to others.
“Safety is paramount when you're alone travelling as a single woman”
In July, the platform launched The Women Traveler Circle, a sub-community connecting women with a network of homes exclusively hosted by other women. It aims to ‘address trust concerns’ and connect people with ‘shared affinities’.
Since Sarah joined, she’s hosted around twenty members in her North London home.
“Women understand what it's like when you're going to a new place, safety is just paramount when you're alone travelling as a single woman,” she says.
“And with the cost of living prices and everything going up, to spend a month in Italy [a regular trip] was costing me five-six grand through Airbnb. I own my house, and I spent a lot of time doing it up, filling it with all of my amazing treasures from my travels around the world. I even installed an outdoor bath in my garden… I've got a beautiful barbecue area and a nice little summer house where you can do painting and things”, Sarah adds.
Sarah McDonnell says she created a 'full-on little sanctuary' after installing an outdoor bathtub Sarah McDonnell / @sarah.global
Garden of Sarah's home swap on offer that's based in North London, UKSarah McDonnell / @sarah.global
“Waiting for the perfect man that does not exist”
In over a hundred cities, from LA to London and Toronto to Paris, the women’s ‘Circles’ members have grown from roughly 2,500 to almost 8,500 worldwide.
Justine Palefsky, CEO & Co-Founder of Kindred, said: "As women ourselves, my Co-founder Tas and I intuitively understand that there's a mutual empathy, respect, and understanding that comes from sharing homes with other women”.
And as female-first travel continues to rise, Sarah shares why she believes “waiting for the perfect man that does not exist”.
“Ninety per cent of my friends are coupled up, they're going on weekends away with their partners and families. I'm 36, still single, waiting to find the perfect man”, she adds.
“What I'd say to another woman who's been putting off a trip because she's waiting for someone to be available: don't. You will be waiting forever, and time goes quickly.”
Kindred Co-Founders Tasneem Amina (left) and Justine Palefsky (right)Kindred
Sarah with her friend on a trip to Liguria, ItalySarah McDonnell / @sarah.global
How to home swap
It’s nothing new that women are key decision-makers when it comes to travel, as Skift reported in 2024: “82% of all travel decisions are made by women, whether it’s choosing the destination, booking accommodations, or deciding on tours and activities”.
What’s even clearer now is that women, like Sarah, are using platforms like Kindred to prioritise their own travel goals with safety, community and unique experiences at the forefront.
The couples and solo travellers who’ve stayed at Sarah’s home have often left personalised gifts behind. These small but kind gestures offer a glimpse into what sets home swapping apart from traditional accommodation: you’re not simply staying somewhere, you’re connecting with someone who knows the place you’re visiting and who can offer a more personal window into it.
From Texan spice rubs for Sarah’s barbecue to special, home-grown vineyard wines, “It's really thoughtful touches like that, that make Kindred so special”, she says.
And as more women look for ways to travel solo without sacrificing the sense of connection that comes with travelling with others, perhaps home swapping offers a new way to have both.
Kindred says more than 60 per cent of its members are women. So, would you swap your hotel room for someone else’s one-of-a-kind home?
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