Where you will live
Homestay accommodation
Most students at inlingua Cheltenham stay with a local host. Homestay costs from £225 per week including breakfast, dinner and laundry, with full board, private bathroom and executive options available. Weeks run Sunday to Sunday, so one week is seven nights. Every home is found and inspected by our own accommodation officers against British Council standards, and every adult over 18 living in the household is DBS checked. Most hosts are within thirty minutes of the school on foot or by bus.
- From
- £225Per week, 7 nights
- Options
- 4 typesStandard to executive
- Every adult
- DBS checkedFor students under 18
- Distance
- Under 30 minOn foot or by bus
Why stay with a host
Staying with a local host is a great way to practise English in everyday life. From chatting over dinner to learning about British culture, you’ll build confidence and use the English you learn in class. Our experienced hosts understand how it feels to arrive in a new country and will help you settle in. Many students and hosts form lasting friendships that continue long after the course ends.
Many of our hosts have welcomed students into their homes for years. They are experienced, and they understand exactly how you feel in the first day or two — tired, slightly overwhelmed, and not catching every word. A good number of students and hosts become genuine friends and stay in touch long after the course finishes.
“My host mother was really kind. We had many conversations, she cooked homemade meals every day, and I had a lot of freedom, so I felt very comfortable.” Sae Miyamura
How we check every home
Our accommodation team personally finds, visits and inspects every home we offer. This helps us ensure our students have a welcoming and comfortable place to stay.
DBS checks
Every adult over the age of 18 living in the household is DBS checked, and references are obtained to confirm they are suitable to host children and young adults.
British Council standards
We inspect each home against the standards set by the British Council, which accredits inlingua Cheltenham for the teaching of English in the UK.
Our own officers
Accommodation is organised by inlingua Cheltenham staff, not an outside agency. The people who place you are the people you can talk to if anything is wrong.
Someone to tell
If something is not right at your accommodation, speak to any member of staff and we will deal with it. That includes finding you somewhere else if it comes to that.
More detail is on our safeguarding page, including our named Designated Safeguarding Lead and the 24-hour emergency number issued to every student.
Homestay prices
Four options, all with a private bedroom and laundry included. Prices are per week and cover seven nights, Sunday arrival to Sunday departure.
| Type | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Private bathroom | Laundry | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard homestay | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | £225 | ||
| Full board homestay | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | £250 | |
| Executive homestay | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | £275 | |
| Executive full board homestay | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | £300 |
Standard and executive homestay are half board — breakfast and dinner every day. Students on those options buy their own lunch, or take a packed lunch if the host offers one.
Add-ons
| Add-on | Cost |
|---|---|
| Special dietVegan, vegetarian, halal, dairy-free and similar | £30 per week |
| Summer supplementApplies to all accommodation in July and August | £25 per week |
| Luggage storageSecure storage at inlingua Cheltenham | £50 per week |
| Christmas holidayStaying with your host over Christmas | £75 per week |
- Includes
- A private bedroom, the meals shown above, laundry, and a host who has been checked, referenced and inspected by our own staff
- Excludes
- The £40 accommodation arrangement fee, local bus travel, lunches on half board options, and anything listed as an add-on
What four weeks of homestay costs
| Standard homestay, 4 weeks £225 per week, 28 nights | £900 |
|---|---|
| Accommodation arrangement fee Charged each time accommodation is arranged | £40 |
| Total | £940 |
Course fees are separate. Four weeks of General English 20 with standard homestay comes to £2,500 in total including the one-off £60 registration fee. Build your own total with the fee calculator, or see everything on the fees page.
Telling us what you need
If you have any special requirements, such as no pets or a particular diet, please let us know when you book. We will do our best to meet your needs, although we cannot guarantee every request.
Accommodation is organised on a first-come, first-served basis, so the earlier you book, the better the chance of finding a suitable match.
Our team will always do its best to find you a welcoming local host who meets your needs.
“Catherine was very kind. She talked with me a lot at dinner, and I learned a lot from her (for example history, culture, custom..) I was very relaxed at home. The food she made was very tasty.” Satomi Koike
Please tell us about allergies and medical needs
We need to know about allergies, intolerances, medication and any dietary requirements before you arrive, so that we can place you with a host who can accommodate them properly. We cannot be responsible for arrangements made on information we were never given.
Getting to school
inlingua Cheltenham is at Rodney Lodge, 9 Rodney Road, right in the town centre — which means the shops, cafés and parks are on your doorstep after class, and every local bus route passes close by.
Most hosts are within thirty minutes of the school, on foot or by bus. Some students live close enough to walk the whole way. For everyone else, buying a weekly bus pass is the cheapest way to travel, and you can buy one on any Stagecoach bus. Your host will show you how to get in on your first morning.
Open in Google Maps for directions →
Arriving
Courses run Sunday to Sunday. If you have booked an airport transfer we will bring you straight to your host. Please try to avoid arriving in Cheltenham after 22:00 or before 07:00. If your flight times make that unavoidable, book a hotel for the first night and come to your host the next day.
What your week looks like
Enjoy breakfast and dinner each day with standard or executive homestay, or choose full board to include lunch too. Many hosts enjoy sharing mealtimes with their students, offering a wonderful opportunity to practise English, share stories and experience everyday British life.
Staying in a homestay gives you more than just a place to sleep — it’s a chance to experience local life, discover British culture and feel part of a home away from home.
Longer stays, holidays and changes
Taking a holiday during a long course
If you have booked twelve weeks or more, you can normally take one week of holiday for every twelve weeks at the school, requested when you book and confirmed in writing four weeks in advance. To keep your room while you are away there is a retainer of £50 per week to your host. Alternatively, store your luggage securely at the school for £50 per week — though in that case you may not return to the same host.
Christmas
The school closes from 19 December to 2 January. Students who want to stay with their host over Christmas can, at £75 per week on top of the usual rate.
Changing host
Changes are possible where there is a valid reason. We hold a standard agreement with every host requiring four weeks' notice if a student is going to leave or move, though in exceptional circumstances — where a host has not provided what was agreed, for instance — we may waive that.
A £40 accommodation arrangement fee applies each time accommodation is arranged, including a change of host. The exception is where the host is deemed unsuitable for you, in which case you do not pay it again.
If you would rather not stay with a host
Some students prefer their own space, and that is a perfectly reasonable choice.
Hotels
There are several hotels within walking distance of the school at a range of budgets. Email info@inlingua-cheltenham.co.uk and we will suggest some options.
Short-term rentals
You can also find short-term rentals in Cheltenham through sites like Airbnb.
One thing to be clear about
If you choose accommodation that is not one of our homestays, you are responsible for making and managing that booking yourself, and the £40 arrangement fee does not apply because we are not arranging anything. We are happy to recommend places and answer questions, but the contract is between you and the provider. Get in touch if anything about this is unclear.
Junior students and groups
Students under 18 stay on full board or half board depending on the programme, and the same checks apply to every home: DBS checks on all adults over 18 in the household, references, and inspection by our accommodation officers.
For school groups we place two or three students from the same group with each host, and hosts provide breakfast, a packed lunch where required, and dinner.
Junior courses
Summer Camp, State School Placement, School Holiday Camp, Boarding School Exploration and group ministays, all including accommodation with a local host inspected by our own staff.
See junior courses →Common questions
How much does homestay accommodation cost in Cheltenham?
At inlingua Cheltenham in 2027, standard homestay is £225 per week including breakfast, dinner and laundry. Full board is £250, executive homestay with a private bathroom is £275, and executive full board is £300. A £40 accommodation arrangement fee applies each time accommodation is arranged, and a £25 per week summer supplement applies in July and August.
Are hosts checked?
Yes. Every adult over the age of 18 living in the household is DBS checked and references are obtained. Every home is also visited and inspected by inlingua Cheltenham's own accommodation officers against British Council standards. We do not use an outside agency.
How far will I be from the school?
Most hosts are within thirty minutes of the school on foot or by bus. Some students can walk the whole way. The school is in the town centre and every local bus route passes close by, so a weekly Stagecoach bus pass is the cheapest way to travel.
How many nights does a week include?
Seven. Courses run Sunday arrival to Sunday departure, so a one-week booking covers seven nights and a four-week booking covers twenty-eight.
Can I ask for a home with no pets, or a specific diet?
You can ask, and we will do our best, but we cannot guarantee it. Homes are limited and placements are first-come, first-served, so the earlier you book the more likely we are to match a specific request. Special diets — vegan, vegetarian, halal, dairy-free and similar — cost £30 per week.
Will I have my own room?
Yes. Individual students have a private bedroom. Laundry is included on every option. A private bathroom is included on the executive options; on standard and full board you share the household bathroom.
What if I am not happy where I am placed?
Tell us. Speak to any member of staff and we will look into it. Changes are possible where there is a valid reason, and if a host is found to be unsuitable for you, you will not pay the arrangement fee again to be moved.
Can I stay over Christmas?
Yes, at £75 per week on top of the normal rate. The school itself closes from 19 December to 2 January.
Book early for the best match
Homes are placed first-come, first-served, so early booking gives us the most to work with — particularly if you have a specific requirement. Reserve a place in about two minutes without paying anything yet.
Prices valid for courses starting in 2027. Last updated August 2026.