IF YOU'RE nowhere near a beach and don't have a swimming pool, summer in Spain can be somewhat uncomfortable – although if you do, it's paradise on a plate.
And happiness is there to be shared, according to a new online platform called 'Swimmy' – the 'Airbnb of pools'.
Operating exactly like the accommodation-sharing network, Swimmy allows people without a pool to rent one from someone who does – either for a party, or just for the odd day for a dip.
Prices range from around €15 for a full or half day, but vary according to services offered – how large the pool or its terrace are and how many people can fit in it; whether or not it has a barbecue or cooking facilities; whether customers have to bring their own sunbeds or whether these are already on site; whether they offer children's areas, or access to a bathroom or outdoor shower, whether the owners will be on the premises at the time, and even, in some cases, whether there is a spa in situ.
As well as being an ideal option for those who want to enjoy a private pool, it also allows those who have one to offset some of the costs of maintaining it and earn a little money on the side.
Now launched in Spain, Swimmy started in France – Raphaëlle created it in 2017 whilst sitting with a friend on the edge of a pool that summer.
“Wouldn't it be great if others could benefit from their neighbours' pools,” she said.
Raphaëlle began talking to people she knew with their own pool to see whether they would be willing to rent them out for a token price, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.
Within less than two years, the platform gained 20,000 pool-owners in France alone, and has since spread to Spain.
As yet, options for Spain are limited, but it is hoped that as more and more pool-owners get to find out about it, Swimmy could become mainstream and the solution for anyone who needs somewhere to take a cool dip in summer.
