The Freebird Club is an online peer to peer travel and homestay site for the 50+ adventurer who might otherwise be stuck at home alone.
The Freebird Club: an award winning social and travel club for the over 50s
The spirit of exploration runs deep within the members of the Freebird Club, an online peer to peer travel and homestay site for the 50+ adventurer. In today’s connected age, we all have the means to discover new people and places, and to open up a world of adventure we can share with like-minded people at any age. The Freebird Club is opening doors to richer lives and new adventures for those who may otherwise be stuck at home by themselves.
Stay with likeminded strangers in their own homes, or have them come to stay in yours
The story of the Freebird Club began in county Kerry, Ireland, when Peter Mangan began renting out his country cottage to visitors while he was away working in Dublin. His retired veterinarian father, Owen, would be on hand to meet and greet the guests, and this was an enjoyable enough experience for Owen, but when fellow older adults came to stay, that was when something special happened.
There would be nights together in the local pub, or games of golf and local sightseeing trips, always with Owen in his element. Peter observed that fun was being had and friendships were being forged that went above and beyond the usual host/guest interaction.
Seeing the enriching social benefits that his father was now enjoying prompted Peter to think how he could encapsulate and replicate this life-enhancing experience for the benefit of older adults everywhere.
Following a successful pilot phase, The Freebird Club as officially launched in 2017 as a social travel and homestay club exclusively for the over 50’s. It is now developing as a global ‘peer-to-peer’ community, whereby Freebird Club members can travel and stay with each other in the context of a trusted members’ social club.
Members who wish to travel can search and stay with suitable hosts in destinations far and wide, knowing that a genuine, warm, personal welcome awaits them from a fellow Freebird Club member. How cool is that?
You can check out the Freebird Club Facebook page click on their website.
How does The Freebird Club work?
The Freebird Club website describes the club as — ‘a social travel & home-stay club for the over 50’s. It is a ‘peer-to-peer’ club, which enables members to travel and stay with fellow member hosts, who have opted to make their spare rooms available for nightly rent.’
To travel or host via Freebird, you first have to become an approved member of The Freebird Club. There is a once-off Joining Fee of €25/$30 which helps cover the costs of vetting and approving members. This ‘pay-to-join’ membership model also serves to ensure that only genuinely interested people, who subscribe to the Freebird ethos, will go on to join the Club. This enhances the sense of trust, community and security, which is so important for our membership.
To become a member, you simply click on the "JOIN CLUB" button at the top right of the page, provide some basic personal details, complete a simple profile description of yourself, and pay the €25 Joining Fee. This provides you with a Username and Password with which you can log in to The Freebird Club website going forward.
Once you are an approved Freebird member, you can list your available accommodation by clicking on the "Become a Host" button on the top left of the page. This brings you to a template where you upload photos of your home (and local area) and provide some standard information about your available accommodation and the price per night you wish to charge. You will then appear in the list of available hosts for guests who wish to visit your area.
If you simply wish to travel and be a Freebird guest, you can search for places you would like to visit, and find a selection of Freebird hosts with whom you could stay. Then it is a case of finding the most suitable host and accommodation for your trip. You can contact hosts directly in order to find out more information or to request a booking should you wish to proceed. It couldn’t be easier!
Source: FreebirdClub.com
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