Castles, Courses, and Community: Patrick & Shari’s UK Adventure

“For anyone feeling a little nervous about their first exchange, we’d say: embrace the unknown! Our own hesitations quickly vanished after seeing the exceptional quality and personal touch of our first host home. Trust in the community and the curated selection of properties.”  – Patrick and Shari H.

ThirdHome has reshaped Patrick and Shari’s understanding of luxury travel and transformed their wildest travel aspirations into a reality. Throughout the family’s military career, they’ve been fortunate to see many parts of the world. This instilled in them a profound appreciation for travel and the diverse tapestry of cultures across the globe. Now with ThirdHome they continue to explore. The concept was novel when they first heard about ThirdHome and initially there was some hesitation about the practicalities, consistency, and overall quality of a home exchange. However, after their first exchange all of their reservations completely disappeared. 

Their inaugural ThirdHome trip was to South Africa, and it stands out to Patrick and Shari as a pivotal point in their membership. The blend of luxury accommodations with culinary adventures and wildlife encounters was life changing. On that first trip they realized ThirdHome was more than just a perk; it was a lifestyle. Their stay included a home with a hidden trap door, thousands of bottles of vintage wine, and immense generosity from the hosts. Since this first stay, they’ve seen Cabo, Hawaii, California, and more, but this journey is the biggest yet… 

Currently, Patrick and Shari are spending 10 weeks playing golf at 63 of the world’s top 100 golf courses. They’ll play 20 in Ireland, 33 in Scotland, and 10 across England, Wales, and London. Along their journey they’ll visit a variety of ThirdHome stays including centuries old castles and architectural wonders.  

“It’s almost a 10x [cost savings] difference…like Dare Manor, that’s typically $3,000 for one night and one round of golf. That’s what a lot of places are like without using ThirdHome…this would be half a $1,000,000 trip if we didn’t have the connections with ThirdHome and golf,” said Patrick.  

What elevates these experiences even more is the human connection and community that ThirdHome is built on. With ThirdHome stays, their hosts have often transcended that role and become friends and guides to the cities near and dear to their hearts.  

Patrick and Shari are having an amazing time on their 10-week golf adventure, and the trip serves as a powerful testament to the power of ThirdHome from cost savings to experiential travel and all wrapped up in community and connection. Reflecting on their journey with ThirdHome as the Club reaches 100,000 bookings Patrick and Shari say that the milestone signifies a growing family or discerning travelers who, like them, have discovered a more profound, luxurious, and often astonishingly affordable way to explore the world.