Homestay Families
Staying with a homestay family is the ideal way to improve your English and learn more about British life and culture. All our accommodation is organised by the school and many of our families have been hosting our students for years. There are very few language schools in a city of 200,000, so we have the choice of some of the very best
families. All our homestays offer:
• Single study bedroom (doubles available on request)
• Breakfast and dinner during the week and all meals at
weekends
• Bed linen and towels provided
• Laundry done weekly
• Typically between 15 to 30 minutes’ walking distance
(maximum 45 minutes)
Portsmouth is completely flat and there are many cycle paths, so getting to school is easy. Many of our students buy second-hand bicycles while they are with us.
We also offer private home accommodation (more than 4 students in one home). There may be less direct contact with the host(s) but the facilities offered will be the same as living with a homestay family.
Self-catering student houses
In addition to our homestay families, we are also able to offer more independent accommodation in our self-catering student houses, located just 3 minutes’ walk from LSI on Hampshire Terrace.
There are 20 bedrooms split between two houses, each with a double bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers and desk for studying. Bed linen is provided but please bring your own towels. Each room has its own private shower and wash basin and the majority of rooms have full ensuite facilities.
There are two communal kitchen-dining rooms plus two additional kitchenettes as well as a separate laundry room with a washing machine and tumble dryer. Both of the houses are exclusively for LSI students only and have live-in House Managers to look after everything, keep things organised and make sure it’s a happy place in which to live. Please contact us before booking to confirm availability as this option is very popular.
For more information and to read about the pros and cons of living in self-catering accommodation please click here.
Hotels and B&Bs in Portsmouth
If you would prefer to stay in a hotel or bed and breakfast while you are here, or if you or your friends or family are coming to Portsmouth and looking for somewhere convenient to stay, we can recommend some good places. Prices vary from place to place depending on the season and availability, so always check with them first before booking.
G! Boutique Hotel is a stylish hotel not far from the beach, run by Allan Gray, one of the original founders of LSI, and his family. A very popular place with our students, visiting families and our partners abroad who come to see us.
It might also be helpful to look at Portsmouth’s official tourist information website for more accommodation suggestions.
Finding your Own Accommodation
Portsmouth is a lively university city of 20,000 students with lots of shared student houses and flats available at relatively inexpensive prices, so our students generally find it quite easy to find their own accommodation. If this is what you choose to do, please be careful and be aware of any hidden costs you might come across. Here are some tips and advice that may be helpful to prepare you for the experience, plus some useful websites too.
"Our self-catering house is like one big family. I like having my own independence, but I never feel lonely because I’m living with so many fun and interesting people, and we are always laughing about."
Kazuya Watanabe, Japan
"Living with an English family has been such an amazing experience for me. Their house is bright and beautiful and they really made me feel part of their family. I was very surprised to find out that English home cooking is delicious!"
Christoph Iselin, Switzerland
"I absolutely love my host family! They’re such kind, friendly and supportive people and they made me feel so welcome from the second I arrived! I love living so close to the seaside; it’s such a beautiful city in the summer time."
Oil Kwon, South Korea