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Learn Spanish in Barcelona

Accommodation in Barcelona

Barcelona is a wonderful city in which to learn Spanish, but it is a large city and so commuting is an inevitable part of every day life. The public transportation system is excellent and will enable you to move around the city quickly and at little cost.

Choose from one of the following accommodation options:

> Private households/ Spanish hosts
> Executive hosts
> Shared apartments
> Student Residences (summer only)
> Private studio apartments
> Local Hostels & Hotels (all categories)


Private households/Spanish hosts:

Plan A : Stay with local hosts, in apartments in either single or shared rooms (if travelling as a couple or with a friend) on a B&B or half-board basis. Staying with hosts allows you to speak Spanish with local people out of class and they are generally no more than 20/25 minutes commute from the college, occasionally hosts are 30 mins from the college (as some of the nicest residential areas are further out from the centre).

Host accommodation is available throughout the year, and most hosts live near the school and are rarely more than 20 minutes away by public transport. All hosts 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 Spanish host 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 hosts are carefully selected by the school accommodation officer 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
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


Executive private households/Spanish hosts:
Plan B : Please read through the host description above, however in addition these hosts live in larger  "up-market" apartments and can offer the student a private bathroom. These hosts will also undertake to do their students' washing and ironing. There are only a few hosts in this category, so please reserve this option well in advance.
The higher price charge for these hosts reflect the extra services and facilities they provide.

Shared apartments:

Centrally located apartments for rent, to share with other students, generally 10 to 20 minutes commute from the college. Only recommended for 18yrs+ age group who are used to an independent lifestyle. A deposit will be required in Euros, once in Spain. The apartments consist of a communal kitchen and bathroom and a single bedroom each.  The normal minimum period for renting an apartment is 4 weeks or longer, although shorter rentals can also be arranged.   

In the shared apartments, you can choose to stay in a single or shared room. Each room is furnished with a bed, desk and wardrobe. Each apartment also has a kitchen, bathroom and living room which you share. These apartments are fully furnished and facilities include a washing machine and TV. Some apartments also have telephones but these are programmed to accept incoming calls only. Each student is provided with a set of keys so that they can come and go when they please. You are provided with sheets, blankets and towels, but you should bring your own beach towels. The apartments are cleaned once a week and bed linen is also changed weekly.

Deposit : You are asked to pay a deposit on arrival. This deposit is refunded when the keys are returned and after the apartment has been checked for loss or damage. Any loss or damage which is attributed to the student will be deducted from the deposit before the balance is returned.

Arrival : Students arriving on the Sunday before the course begins should make their own way to their apartment (unless a transfer has been requested). You must inform us of travel arrangements and your estimated time of arrival; this will avoid the person handing over the keys having to wait in the apartment unnecessarily, or you having to wait in the street.

Note : Please note that we try to place people of the same age and sex together in the same apartment. However, this isn't always possible. If you do not want to share an apartment with people of different ages or sex, you should make this very clear on your application form.

Student Residences:

Only available to rent in July, August and September each year. Most rooms are for 2 or 3 people (although there are a few single rooms), and students can book either on a B&B or half-board basis. Allow for a 20/30 minutes commute to college. NB: Student residences can be quite noisy places, so if peace and quiet is essential to your well being, this may not be the option for you!

~ Standard summer residence
ONLY available in : July, August & September each year
The residence occupies the whole of the first floor and ground floor of a large, smart, apartment building. There are 32 bedrooms in total including single rooms, double rooms and some triple rooms. The residence has a capacity for 45. All of the bedrooms have wardrobe space and tables and 3 of the bedrooms also have their own private bathrooms. There are 14 bathrooms in total.
The residence also has 2 comfortable TV lounges - one larger than the other - a large dining room, a kitchen, a laundry room and a very large terrace/garden. The residence, which is normally used to accommodate female university students, is extremely well maintained and kept very clean.
You can book on either a B&B basis or take half board.
The menus are varied and balanced and the quality and quantity of food provided is very good. Water is provided with meals and other drinks are available from a vending machine. Breakfast is from 08.00 to 10.00 and dinner from 20.00 to 22.00.

Facilities
Students have access to a washing machine, iron, etc. The washing machine functions with tokens that cost €2 each. Bed linen is changed every week and towels are changed twice a week. Students are not permitted to use the kitchen to cook in, but they are allowed to keep food in the refrigerator and make use of the microwaves. There is one refrigerator in each flat, 5 in total. Each student is given a key and is free to come and go as he/she pleases. There are public telephones in the residence for students' use and incoming calls. The residence is in a very smart part of the city. The street in which the residence is situated is residential and quiet although there are shops, bars and restaurants a few minutes walk away in adjoining streets.

Transportation : Allow between 20/25 mins travelling time, by metro or bus route options.

Security : There is always a member of the residence staff available and on-site during the day and at night there is a residence guard.

~ Student Residence (Standard+)
ONLY available in : AUGUST each year
Offering purpose-built modern premises. It is simply stunning. Designed by a local architect working in close collaboration with the residence Director, the result is a beautiful, spacious and comfortable residence building which offers students a full range of facilities. There are 135 bedrooms, mostly doubles, providing accommodation for up to 240 students. Each bedroom has its own private bathroom, as well as ample cupboard and desk space. The bedrooms are tastefully decorated and they all have airconditioning as well as Internet connections and phones (for incoming calls only).

The bedrooms are located in two towers with a maximum of 17 bedrooms per floor. There are two large lifts in each tower as well as staircases for emergency access.

Facilities : In addition to the bedrooms the residence offers students

A large, bright dining room served by a state-of-the-art kitchen
A spacious bar and lounge area with TV and vending machines
A computer room with more than 20 PCs all linked to the Internet
A large library and quiet study room
A huge gymnasium with exercise machines and space for dance or aerobics classes
A cavernous sports hall suitable for five-aside football, basketball or other sports
A laundrette with several machines for both washing and drying
A large auditorium with a capacity for over 200
Several classroom and offices
A garden where students can relax in the open-air
24-hour reception service
Key card access to bedrooms and other facilities
Wi-Fi Internet connection throughout the communal areas
plus the residence is also able to cater for disabled students

Demand for rooms is always high so we urge students to make their reservations as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Transportation : travelling time to college is approx 30 mins including a bus or metro journey

Security : there is a 24 hour reception service, so there is always someone on site

Private Studio apartments:

15/20 mins commute to college.  For older students who prefer a greater degree of luxury a range of private studio apartments are offered. All fully furnished and suitable for one or two people with a kitchenette, bathroom and a main living/sleeping room. Larger 2 or 3 bedded rooms available on request. A deposit will be required in Euros, once in Spain. Early bookings recommended.

Hostels :

Accommodation is also available throughout the year in hostels, several of which are located near the school. Both single and shared rooms are available - though shared rooms will only be provided for students who enrol together.
Meals : Hostels sometimes provide meals for guests but usually this is not the case.
Prices : Hostels are the most economic alternative to families, shared apartments or residences, with prices ranging from €30 to €40 per night for a single room without a private bathroom and without breakfast.

Hotels :

There are a wide range of 1* to 5* Hotels in Barcelona, please let us know your preference when booking. Higher standard Hotels are ideal for adults on short term courses, but not recommended for younger students travelling on their own. There are very few one star hotels so the most economic category is usually a 2-star hotel.
Prices : Prices vary, but a single room in a standard 2-star hotel with private bathroom and breakfast included, currently costs from €60 to €120 per night. 3-star hotels with private bathroom and breakfast cost €120 to €160 per night, while 4-star hotels start at around €150 per night for a single room. Due to significant variations in prices, even for hotels of the same category, we prefer quoting prices on request in all cases.

 

Travel

Arrive: Sunday PM
Depart: Saturday AM

We recommend students fly to Barcelona's airport, 12 km south west of the city, and take the train/metro connection to their accommodation or a taxi (but as its quite a way out the train is generally a better option). Public transport in Barcelona is good value for money, efficient (allowing for traffic congestion) and easy to tackle even if this is your first visit to Spain. You are welcome to take the college transfer service at additional cost from Barcelona airport to your accommodation (one or two way service offered) if preferred. The transfer service is recommended for younger students.

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