Host Family Accommodation in London

By Peter Brown

London remains one of the world's leading locations for international education and continues to attract huge numbers of overseas students each year. These visitors all have the same problem, where should they stay? Many educational institutions offer halls of residence, but these are often expensive and may not always appeal to students, as they involve close links to the place of study. Another alternative is to rent accommodation privately, but this can also be expensive and may be some distance away from the place of study. It may also be necessary, in order to keep costs down, to share the accommodation 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.

Students often find that living in a good family environment leads to a rapid improvement in their use of the English language and a more fruitful stay. Most host families are experienced in looking after overseas students. They are generally located in residential areas of London, close to a British Rail or underground station, allowing an easy trip to college or university. 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.

If you're thinking about studying in London, homestay accommodation is an option worth considering and may turn out to be one of the major features of your time in London. But homestay accommodation isn't just for students, many tourists and business visitors also find it a useful alternative to expensive hotel accommodation. For tourists in particular, it can give them a point of contact with real Londoners and can greatly enhance the quality of their stay.

About the Author:

Peter Brown is a director of leading London homestay provider Hosts International which arranges accommodation for many universities and colleges. He is also Principal of London Graduate School of Management, a well-known UK business school.