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Londoner Marie Draxler had always dreamed of the perfect day in New York City — not as a tourist, but as someone who actually lived there.
So when the adventurous Brit found herself strolling through Bushwick, grabbing breakfast in Williamsburg and striking up heartfelt conversations with colorful Washington Square Park habitués, it felt surreal — especially because she was doing it from a stranger’s apartment she’d swapped for her own, back across the Atlantic.
Draxler and Brooklynite Lohanny Santos, both in their twenties, pulled off a modern-day version of “The Holiday,” trading homes — and daily routines — between the Big Apple and the Big Smoke for two weeks, after connecting on social media.
No hotel concierges, no sightseeing checklists and no whirlwind romances for this pair — just two women living inside each other’s lives and documenting it all online.
“It felt right from the very beginning,” Draxler told The Post of agreeing to the swap after just two FaceTime calls. “I trusted her instantly. It never felt risky — just exciting.”
The adventure began in late August, when Santos, an influencer with nearly 300,000 followers on TikTok, posed a simple question to her fans: “I live in NYC!! Does anyone in LONDON want to switch places with me for 2-3 weeks??”
She paired the video, which snagged more than 11 million views, with the instantly recognizable theme music from the 2006 Nancy Meyers rom-com — and thousands of comments poured in, including one from Draxler.
“I’ve always had this idea of swapping homes with someone, and I love London,” Santos told The Post. “I usually go once a year, and I thought, ‘What if I actually switched apartments with someone and lived their life for a bit?’”
Draxler’s offer stood out from the crowd — a cozy Notting Hill flat filled with personal touches, including photos of her and her dog. The Big Apple-based content creator reached out, flights were booked, and the real-life rom-com was set in motion.
While the pair were eager to lean into the fantasy, they were clear-eyed about what they wanted.
Unlike Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet’s characters, neither was searching specifically for romance abroad. Instead, they wanted to escape stiff hotels and tourist traps in favor of something more intimate.
“Marie’s home wasn’t like some average Airbnb, and I loved seeing the photos of her and her dog on display,” Santos said.
“I got to see more of her style through her winter coats, blankets, mugs and other personal details. It felt lived-in and looked so beautiful.”
Draxler felt the same about New York. “We both left our jewelry, beauty products and personal items out, which made everything feel warm and lived in. It felt like staying with a friend rather than in a hotel room or a stranger’s apartment.”
In NYC, Draxler dove headfirst into Santos’ Brooklyn-and-beyond routine, ticking off buzzy neighborhood favorites alongside quieter moments that surprised her most.
She was “so excited” to try Pop Up Bagels in Williamsburg — which she confirmed lived up to the hype — got tickets for Broadway’s “Death Becomes Her,” which she called “absolutely incredible,” had her aura read at the viral Magic Jewelry shop in Chinatown and snapped photos at the SomethingSoft Photo Booth on the Lower East Side.
But one thing impressed her most in the city that never sleeps — the people, with whom she said she had “lovely conversations.”
Draxler wasn’t solely looking for romance, she said, but the city’s men — and residents overall — stood out for their openness and willingness to connect.
“New Yorkers truly surprised me with how warm and open they were,” she recalled. I sat down with a stranger in Washington Square Park and told him my life story.”
Unlike Santos, Draxler isn’t an social media whiz by trade, but she pushed herself to spend more time documenting her experience than she ever would at home.
“One thing I admire about Lohanny is how confidently she films anywhere without worrying about who is watching,” she said. “I tried to channel that energy. I came home more confident and less afraid to be seen.”
And Santos was proud of Draxler for getting out of her comfort zone.
“It was surreal seeing her film in my apartment — even noticing the angles she chose,” Santos said.
“Those are places I’ve filmed so many times, so seeing them through her eyes made everything feel new.”
Meanwhile, across the pond, Santos embraced Draxler’s London life with the same off-the-beaten-path approach.
She spent hours browsing vintage shops in Marylebone, biked through Notting Hill and followed Draxler’s local recommendations — from steak and fries at The Parlour in Kensal Green to coffee at Layla.
Their parallel lives played out daily on TikTok during their trips, where tens of thousands of viewers followed along — cheering on the swap, commenting on outfits and neighborhoods, and rooting for the friendship unfolding in real time.
“I received only kind and supportive messages,” Draxler said. “So many girls said they felt like they were traveling with me.”
That response reflects a growing and well-documented obsession with screen-inspired travel, particularly among younger travelers.
A recent study by home-swapping platform HomeExchange found that 56% of Americans have chosen a travel destination after seeing it in a movie or TV show — with Gen Z and millennials especially influenced.
The trend, dubbed “set-jetting,” a term first used by The Post in 2007, has surged thanks to pop-culture hits like “The White Lotus” and “Emily in Paris.”
Nearly two decades after “The Holiday” hit theaters, HomeExchange — which famously inspired the film’s premise — is still helping travelers live the magic, recently announcing a contest to win a stay in a near-exact replica of the movie’s cozy Cotswolds cottage, underscoring the enduring pull of the fantasy.
For Santos and Draxler, the magic became real — if only briefly.
“What I love about ‘The Holiday’ movie is that it’s about two women choosing change,” Santos said.
“Being in Marie’s place made me appreciate my life in New York even more. When you leave, you realize how lucky you are — it gives you this wave of gratitude.”
On Draxler’s final day in New York, the two managed to meet in person for one hour before their timelines crossed again.
“It felt like catching up with an old friend,” Draxler said. “It really did have a movie-like quality.”
The ripple effect hasn’t stopped. Santos says the duo is now tagged daily in videos from women pitching their own swap ideas — from Seattle to Norway to Vienna.
“It clicked when people started making videos just to keep up with ‘The Holiday girls,’” Santos said.
Buoyed by the response, Santos is already planning mini swaps within New York — and both women say another transatlantic reunion isn’t off the table.
“We keep messaging about it,” Draxler said. “Hopefully something fun is on the cards for 2026.”
