Accommodation

The best learning takes place when you are relaxed and focussed. Let us take the stress out of finding a place to live and use our accommodation service! We can place you in comfortable, affordable accommodation within 40 minutes by walking / public transport from the school.

Accommodation is optional and for students aged 18 and over. You can book it on the same form as your course, or email alojamiento@ilabarcelona.com.

Two ways to stay

Both options give you a private room and the run of the kitchen, bathroom and living room. Meals are not included, so you cook for yourself. The difference is who you live with.

A room in a shared flat

We run two flats of our own, with ten rooms between them, and we rent the rooms to our students. You share with other ILA students, ex-students or locals living here, which is great for first-hand advice on living in Barcelona. Because we manage the flats ourselves, we look after their condition and who lives there.

Best for: Stays of four weeks or more
Minimum stay: Four weeks
Price: €750 per four weeks, bills included
Getting to school: Around 20 to 30 minutes by public transport

A room with a host

You live in the home of a host who lives there too and shares the common areas with you. It is the option that gives you the most Spanish every day, and the usual choice for shorter stays. Before a host joins our network we go through the home with them, check the room and the shared spaces, and make sure the journey to school is under 40 minutes.

Best for: Stays of two to three weeks
Meals: Not included. You use the kitchen
Price: €900 per four weeks, bills included
Students per home: Never more than three
Getting to school: Under 40 minutes by public transport

What is included

Every home in our network is checked before we offer it, so you can count on the basics.

Your roomA private bedroom with somewhere to keep your clothes, and heating in winter and a fan or air conditioning in summer. Rooms are for one person, so you never share a bedroom.
Linen and laundryClean bedding and towels are ready for when you arrive. You are responsible for changing your sheets and washing your clothes during your stay. There is a spare set of sheets for every room in all of the school-managed student flats.
Shared spacesUse of the kitchen, the bathroom and the living room, and wifi throughout. You always have a desk and chair with enough light to study at, either in your room or in a shared area.
BillsWater, electricity, gas and internet are included for normal use. Each contract sets a sensible monthly limit for electricity and water. If a flat goes over it, the extra is charged at the supplier’s price and shared between the people living there. Leaving the air conditioning on with the windows open is the classic way to go over.
CleaningIn our flats, the shared areas are cleaned twice a month. You look after your own room.
Not includedFood, meals and public transport.
PhotosHave a look at photos of the flats we manage. You may not be placed in this exact flat, but yours will be of a similar standard and size.

Price, deposit and payment

Accommodation is priced in four-week blocks. Longer stays are priced by the block, and we confirm the total when you book. Prices are final: tax is included and nothing is added.

Shared flat€750per four weeks, bills included

Room with a host€900per four weeks, bills included

Security deposit€200paid on arrival, refundable

Paying for your stay

Accommodation is paid in full before we confirm it, and we only start arranging your room once payment has arrived. Please book at least four weeks before you arrive. If you ask with less notice we will do our best, but we cannot guarantee a room.

About the deposit

The €200 deposit is the same for both options and is refundable. In our flats we return it once the bills for your stay are settled, and in any case within eight weeks of your departure. With a host, the host holds it and gives it back to you when you leave. It can be reduced to cover damage, a breach of the house rules, or excess consumption. Lost keys cost €20 to replace.

How booking works

From your first email to your first night, here is what happens.

01
Book
Tick accommodation on the enrolment form, or email alojamiento@ilabarcelona.com with your dates.
02
Tell us about yourself
We send a short questionnaire: your age, interests, arrival date and any allergies. It helps us match you with compatible flatmates or a compatible host.
03
We confirm your room
Once payment is in, we assign your accommodation and send you the confirmation with the address and your contact there.
04
Sign before you fly
You sign the accommodation contract, send us a copy of your passport or ID, and accept the house rules. That is a condition of the booking.
05
Move in on Sunday
Your room is available from the Sunday before your course starts. In our flats, our accommodation coordinator meets you and shows you round. With a host, we put you in touch to agree a time. Hosts may charge extra for arrivals after 10 p.m.
06
Move out on Saturday by 11:00
You leave on the Saturday that ends your stay. Leave the room tidy, put the sheets in the wash and be out by 11:00. Want to stay longer? See below.

If something is not right

You are not on your own once you have the keys. Our accommodation coordinator looks after your stay from booking to check-out and can also help you with your NIE, empadronamiento, bank account and health cover.

Reporting a problemIn our flats there is a QR code you can scan to report a fault, a leak or anything else. With a host, tell your host and email the accommodation coordinator. Either way, please do it within 24 hours of noticing. A problem reported late can end up costing you if it pushes the bills over the limit.
Changing accommodationIf a problem comes up during your stay, the accommodation coordinator mediates between you and your flatmates or host, and if the situation calls for it arranges a change of accommodation. We cannot change your accommodation because of personal taste: flats in Barcelona are older and smaller than in many countries, and we provide them to the standard normally expected in Spain.
Staying longerYou can extend your stay by a month or more, subject to availability. Ask before your end date and pay monthly from then on. Please note that if you confirm an extension and then cancel it, you lose the deposit.
At the endWe send you a short questionnaire about your stay. It is how we keep the flats and hosts up to standard.

House rules

The same rules apply in every home in our network, and you accept them before you arrive. They are there so that everyone can live and study comfortably.

No parties, under any circumstances.
No guests, and nobody stays over.
Keep the noise down after 10 p.m.
No smoking indoors.
No pets.
Keep your room and the flat clean and tidy.
Switch lights off when you do not need them.
Follow any extra rules your host has for their home.
Report faults or leaks within 24 hours.
Lost keys cost €20 to replace.
On your last day, leave the room clean, put the sheets in the wash and leave by 11:00.
We are not responsible for lost or stolen belongings, so take out travel insurance.

Breaking the rules can mean losing some or all of the deposit. Where behaviour affects a host or other residents, we can remove a student from the accommodation without a refund.

If you need to cancel

What you get back depends on how far ahead you tell us. Cancellations are by email.

100%refund if you cancel more than four weeks before arrival

50%refund if you cancel within four weeks of arrival

0%refund if you cancel within two weeks of arrival

0%refund once you have arrived, or for days lost to a late arrival

If we cannot provide the accommodation you booked, we tell you no later than seven days before your arrival, offer you an alternative of the same type and price, and refund the accommodation fee in full if you prefer not to take it.

Full details are in our terms and conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I stay with a partner or a friend?

Rooms are single. If you are coming with a partner or a friend, email us with your dates and who you would be travelling with, and we will look at what is available.

Is there a minimum age?

Yes. Accommodation is for students aged 18 and over, in both flats and with hosts. We are not able to host children, and our courses for children and teenagers do not include accommodation.

Can I arrive earlier or stay on after the course?

Rooms are available from the Sunday before your course. If you want to arrive earlier, we can suggest hotels and hostels. Staying on afterwards works as an extension: a month or more, subject to availability.

Can you pick me up at the airport?

Yes. Airport pick-up is an optional extra at €70. Add it when you book or ask the accommodation coordinator.

Can I have guests?

No. Guests and overnight stays are not allowed in any of our accommodation. It is one of the house rules you accept before you arrive.

What is your refund policy?

See the cancellation scale above. You can read our full booking terms and conditions.

See More Accommodation FAQs

Making the most of a shared flat

Living with flatmates is where Spanish stops being a subject and starts being a language. A few things that work.

Agree the language early. If your flatmates speak English it becomes the default unless you ask. Most people are glad to speak Spanish with you if you say so in the first week.
Use the kitchen. Cooking alongside someone teaches you the words for what is in front of you, and dinner here is late enough to be a conversation rather than a refuel.
Ask about ordinary things. How the recycling works, which market is better, why the shops shut on Sunday. That is how you learn how the city actually runs.
Expect different rhythms. Dinner at ten and a slow Sunday are normal here, not thoughtlessness. If you need quiet earlier, say so kindly and say it early.
Settle the practical things in week one. Cleaning, guests, shared shopping. A short conversation then saves an awkward one later, and it is good practice.
Bring something of your own. Cook a dish from home or explain a custom. Exchange runs both ways, and it gives your flatmates a reason to keep talking to you.
Staying with a host? Say hello properly. A host is opening their home, not renting a room. Learn their routine in the first days, ask before you use the living room late, and tell them what time you will be back. Small courtesies go a long way here.
Let your host correct you. Most hosts will gently fix your Spanish if you ask them to. It is free practice at the kitchen table, and they enjoy it more than you would think.

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Testimonials

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ILA exceeded my expectations as a language school in Barcelona. The curriculum was well-structured and the teachers did such a good job of getting everyone talking. I also really appreciated the small group sizes.

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I had such a good experience from start to finish. ILA helped me get my visa and after 6 months of studying I’m so much more confident speaking Spanish. I’m back home but I’m preparing for another 6 months as soon as I can!

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"Amazing Spanish course! Highly recommended!"

ILA provided me with an incredible Spanish course experience in Barcelona. The instructors were so warm and friendly and made the classes really engaging. I didn’t think I was capable of it.

Abhinav CalebPart-time Spanish

Accommodation

Two ways to stay

A room in a shared flat

A room with a host

What is included

Price, deposit and payment

Paying for your stay

About the deposit

How booking works

Book

Tell us about yourself

We confirm your room

Sign before you fly

Move in on Sunday

Move out on Saturday by 11:00

If something is not right

House rules

If you need to cancel

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I stay with a partner or a friend?

Is there a minimum age?

Can I arrive earlier or stay on after the course?

Can you pick me up at the airport?

Can I have guests?

What is your refund policy?

Making the most of a shared flat

Ready to Start Learning Spanish in Spain’s most exciting city?

Testimonials

“I can’t wait to go back!”

"Amazing Spanish course! Highly recommended!"

"Unforgettable Spanish learning journey!"

"Best language school in Barcelona!"

“I can’t wait to go back!”

"Amazing Spanish course! Highly recommended!"

"Unforgettable Spanish learning journey!"

"Best language school in Barcelona!"

“I can’t wait to go back!”

"Amazing Spanish course! Highly recommended!"

"Unforgettable Spanish learning journey!"