FAQ: Lodging

What kind of lodging do you offer?
How far is the lodging from the school and from the town center?
Does La Union Spanish School have lodging in other parts of Antigua?
How are home stay families selected?
How many students stay in one house?
Do the families have children?
Is staying with a family safe?
If I take the home stay option, can I get a private bath?
Are there any problems with the hygiene of the food?
If I do not want meals on certain days, can I pay less?
Can I get a discount if I share a room with a friend or my child?
Do you have babysitting services?
Can I receive telephone calls at the home stay family’s residence?
Is there a telephone at the family residence that I can use?
Can I find out my home stay address before arrival?
Can I bring gifts for my home stay family?

What kind of lodging do you offer?

We are a full-service learning facility and as such are able to offer a wide range of lodging choices. You can find details on all the various options on our website under the Lodging link.

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How far is the lodging from the school and from the town center?

All lodging is very close to both the school and town center, usually a 5-minute walk in a safe area.

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Does La Union Spanish School have lodging in other parts of Antigua?

Yes, for a better immersion in the Guatemalan culture we have chosen families who live in Ciudad Vieja, San Miguel Escobar, San Antonio Aguas Calientes, and Alotenango. Please see details about this on our website under the Lodging link.

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How are home stay families selected?

All of our host families are carefully selected, as we are very particular with whom we work. These families are selected based upon compatibility with the host student(s) and their home’s comfort and cleanliness. Each room is private, with shared bath and hot water. Each room has one or more beds, dresser or shelves, table and chair, and light. Families generally eat their meals with the students. We actually pay a little extra per week to ensure quality and that ample meals are offered, yet charge our students the same price as other schools. It is not necessary to pay extra for this quality, as it is our norm. To verify this we will meet with you privately every week to make sure everything is going well.

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How many students stay in one house?

Most home stays have 2 students staying with them at one time. Student houses have more, generally 3 – 6. For those wishing it, we can take requests that the student be placed with a family who is not catering to any other students who speak the same language. In addition, you may request to be the only student in the house. Of course, these may not be available all the time.

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Do the families have children?

Some do, some do not. With special request, we can arrange lodging with or without children.

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Is staying with a family safe?

The homes are all chosen carefully, for cleanliness, comfort, and compatibility. All families are kind and maintain their homes in good order. We make frequent visits to ensure this.

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If I take the home stay option, can I get a private bath?

Most home stays are with shared bath, although it is possible to get a private bath if available and for a surcharge. These are extremely limited, and we do not take advanced reservations, only requests. Upon arrival at the school, we will tell you if one is available or not.

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Are there any problems with the hygiene of the food?

Meals are safe to eat and are well prepared, including peeled fruit; purified water is also used.

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If I do not want meals on certain days, can I pay less?

The way it works with home stays or the student guesthouse that offer meal plans is that it is an all or nothing proposition. You can arrange to receive meals or not each week. Quite frequently students miss a meal or even a whole day of meals due to travel for the weekend. Most students choose to take the meal plan.

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Can I get a discount if I share a room with a friend or my child?

Unfortunately, there are no discounts for shared rooms. The cost is the same, whether the two people have two rooms or just one. This is due to the fact that the families set the price, which is already low, and also due to the increased cost of utilities. Furthermore, meals are included with home stays. The only exception to this is if a parent shares a room with his or her child who is under five years of age. In such a case, the price would be half for the child.

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Do you have babysitting services?

We also have babysitting services available (for a fee) while you have Spanish classes. Please contact us for more information.

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Can I receive telephone calls at the home stay family’s residence?

Some families do not have telephones. Calls may be received at the school during its open hours, and they may be made from any of the numerous pay phones or Internet cafés. (Give your family/friends our phone number +502-7832-7337. Make sure they call you on Guatemalan time).

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Is there a telephone at the family residence that I can use?

Often a host family has a phone, but students must make calls from a pay phone, which are widely available. There are also many Internet cafés that offer international phone service for low rates. Sometimes the home stay families allow students to receive phone calls.

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Can I find out my home stay address before arrival?

Sometimes this is possible, but normally students use the school address and phone until their arrival. If you have any doubts, please contact the school.

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Can I bring gifts for my home stay family?

While gifts are not necessary, something small and indicative of your hometown or home country would be appreciated. Some students bring a few small, inexpensive toys. If the family with whom they are staying does not have children, then they can just donate the toys to a local orphanage. Thanks for being considerate!

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