Homestay Accommodation in London

London is still one of the world’s leading centres for international education and continues to attract hundreds of thousands of overseas students each year. All of them share a single problem: where to stay. Many universities and colleges offer halls of residence, but these can be expensive and may not always appeal, as they tie the student tightly to the place of study. Privately-rented accommodation is expensive. It may be located some distance away from the place of study and it may be necessary, in the interests of reducing costs, to share it with others.

Another alternative which is well worth considering is staying with an English host family. There are a number of companies in London who can provide quality homestay accommodation for visiting foreign students. It is important to ensure that any company you are considering meets the homestay requirements of English UK or the British Council. Some companies will also collect students from the arrival airport and deliver them to their accommodation, a useful service for your arrival in a new and unfamiliar city.

Many students find that living in a good family environment leads to a faster improvement in the language and a happier stay. Host families are normally experienced in looking after overseas students. They are usually situated in residential areas of London, near to an underground or British Rail station, making the trip to university or college an easy one. Prices can vary, depending on distance from the city centre and standard of accommodation, but they always represent a significant saving over halls of residence or private accommodation.

Host families will generally go out of their way to make sure that students feel at home and are treated as a member of the family, rather than a paying guest. Students are normally offered a clean and comfortable room with study and storage facilities. Another advantage in homestay accommodation is significant savings in living expenses. Host families generally offer bed and breakfast or bed, breakfast and evening meal. Meals are normally eaten with the family unless otherwise arranged and special diets such as or halal or vegetarian can usually be catered for. Some families also offer self-catering or full board options.

So, if you’re coming to London to study, homestay accommodation is an option worth considering and may turn out to be one of the highlights of your time in London. Of course, homestay accommodation is also attractive to visitors other than students. Many business visitors and tourists find it a useful alternative to expensive hotel accommodation. For tourists in particular, it can give them an initial contact with real Londoners and can greatly enhance the quality of their stay.