2008

Spanish host families

Family accommodation is available throughout the year, with either a host family or an executive host family, with the latter offering a greater range of facilities.

Most families live near the school and are rarely more than 20 minutes away by public transport. Very occasionally, a family may be up to 30 minutes from the school as some of the most elegant districts of Barcelona are on the edge of the city.

All our host families live in flats, as there are practically no individual houses in Barcelona. Apartment buildings (both old and modern) are rarely more than 8 floors high. A typical flat will have 3 or 4 bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, a dining room and living room. Some flats have terraces; almost all of them have balconies.

It is difficult to describe a typical family as there is such a variety; some are young couples, some have children still living at home, others - perhaps the majority - have grown-up children who no longer live at home, but who often appear for lunch on Sundays! Lunch is usually eaten quite late - around 2.30 p.m., and dinner is usually at about 9.00 p.m.

All host families are carefully selected by our Accommodation Department and all agree to fulfill the following conditions:

• to provide students with single rooms (unless a couple both attending courses, or individuals, request to share), which are comfortably furnished, have adequate heating and lighting facilities and a desk or table where students can work
• not to accommodate persons of the same nationality or speaking the same language, unless specifically requested by the students concerned
• to provide basic laundry facilities and to change bed linen and towels weekly
• to make a daily bath or shower available
• to provide an adequate continental breakfast and - for those students who are being accommodated on a half-board basis - a substantial dinner at night
• to provide students with a door key so that they can let themselves in and out
• to treat students as family guests and generally behave in a friendly and hospitable manner
  

Advising of travel arrangements

Students arriving on the Sunday before the course begins should make their own way to their host families (unless a transfer has been requested). When bookings are confirmed, we will send the host family address to the student.

Families should be informed of the student's travel arrangements and estimated time of arrival; this will avoid the family having to wait at home unnecessarily, or the student having to wait on the street.

Students should also let the school know their estimated arrival time just in case the message to the family does not arrive.

Executive host families

We also have a limited number of host families who live in larger, 'up-market' apartments and who can also offer students their own private bathroom. These families will also undertake to do their students' washing and ironing. We therefore classify them as "Executive Families" and the higher prices we charge for these families reflect the extra services and facilities they provide.