Language immersion stay at Elaine's homestay

My daughter had an excellent experience with Elaine and her family. Lots of fruitful exchanges, activities, like discovering Valletta, the island of Gozo, or even the local culinary culture... The family was friendly and caring throughout the stay. My daughter returned with a noticeable improvement, especially in her accent. Thank you to Elaine and her family. Best wishes. Sincerely.

My family had a wonderful week with Elaine, Victor, and their two children. They warmly welcomed us. They made us taste delicious Maltese dishes, and Elaine gave English lessons to my daughter, which helped her make great progress, in addition to regular conversations in English during meals. They also gave us addresses and advice on places to visit in Malta. You can go there with your eyes closed, I highly recommend it!

I spent 10 days with Elaine and Victor and it was an incredible and very enriching experience. They are lovely! I came with the goal of improving my English and thanks to Elaine's private lessons, I was able to make progress in a short time; she is very pedagogical and adapts to each person. Elaine and Victor gave us the best advice on places to visit and the transport we needed to take. We had great moments with their families, discovering Maltese specialties as well as sharing moments with their children. They are very attentive to each person and were able to help me when I was sick, for example. I am not disappointed with my trip and I thank them again for the wonderful journey I had thanks to them!

After a two-week stay, here is my feedback: Positive points: The welcome at the airport, the planned visit proposals, the evening meal with hosts (very good meals), comfort of the room. Negative points: It’s not really a host family but more of a sort of hotel (many people hosted, very little contact with the family). The rules are really very strict. The lack of listening to the wishes and needs of the hosted individuals (I came to work on my oral skills, I received exercise sheets to fill out; the proposed places to see did not necessarily match what I wanted to see).

Some efforts need to be made regarding the choice of hosting for children because my son ended up with French speakers, which is not very beneficial for language learning. It’s just a bit of a shame that the family doesn’t share any activities apart from meals. Nevertheless, Elaine is very nice and her cooking is very much appreciated by my son.

My daughter was thrilled with her stay, as a dad I was a bit less so. My daughter was there to speak English, but two other French teenagers in the family, plus another one at the end... So what could be simpler than everyone speaking French? Too many French kids at the same time, I understand it's more profitable for the family... but as a dad who wants his daughter to speak English... the result was nil. In one week, only two dinners with the family, with everyone looking at each other in the whites of their eyes...

Thank you to Elaine and Victor for the 15 days my son spent with them. My son came back delighted with his stay. Accommodation, English classes, excursions, and atmosphere were top-notch! I recommend this lovely family.

One must be very independent. My son was alone all day and wandered around Malta. He spoke with the family in English during dinner. He had little time to converse with them (they work in the morning). Fortunately, there were the classes which he really enjoyed. Elaine was patient with him and helped him improve. The atmosphere was good with the other people she welcomed.

I spent three and a half weeks with Élaine and Victor (from August 30 to September 24, 2022), and unfortunately, I realized that the description of the stay on the Lingui Family site was far from reality. Welcome: From the first day, I found myself in a family that communicates with each other only in Maltese even in my presence (except for the few exchanges with me, which were necessarily in English), so the family immersion is not what one expects when booking, as the majority of people come to improve their English. We spent very little time together (except during the paid activities you book on the site) because the family members, although kind, do not always eat at the same times as us, work, and often stay together in other rooms of the house. During my second week in Malta and until the end of my stay, I took English classes outside at a language school, which allowed me to meet people, get out of my solitude, and enjoy my stay in Malta (I spent afternoons and some dinners with these people, which prevented me from being alone). I was thus able to discover activities with others because even being very independent, and at 26 years old, the solitude and lack of exchange during the first week were very heavy, and such a long period in these conditions would not have been bearable for me. I benefited from accommodation but not from real immersion in the family. If you are not adventurous or comfortable being alone (finding transportation alone, navigating a city alone, or finding the motivation to do activities alone), it is better to book during school vacation periods when you may have roommates at Élaine and Victor's who are ready to explore the island with you; otherwise, it can be very complicated to adapt if you are the only person hosted by the family. Proposed activities: The prices for the activities offered by the family are well above what is available on the island; you need to inquire before booking activities and pay for them online. Location of the house: You must consider that the family lives in the city of Zejtun and not in Valletta as indicated on the Lingui Family site. The location of the house in Malta is not advantageous because most activities take place towards Sliema, St Julians, Buggiba, which forces the guest to take two buses to get to these destinations. Laundry and meals: Lunch during the stay consists of two ham sandwiches in sliced bread, which often forces you to buy extras outside. If you do not wish to participate in a meal, you must notify 24 hours in advance. After the meal, taken around 7:30 PM, everyone goes back to their room where you have TV, Wi-Fi, and air conditioning from 8 PM to 6 AM. Laundry is done once a week and very efficiently; you receive your clean and ironed clothes the day after.

I had a great vacation at Elaine and Victor's (sightseeing, beach baths, and a bit of English...). Their house is very comfortable. They are very kind and always ready to listen to feedback to improve. The price (385 € per week) / service ratio is good.

Hello, I am very disappointed with my stay. Indeed, the place is already 30 minutes from Valletta. Afterward, Elaine and Victor are nice, but they welcome people for the money and not for immersion in English. In other words, everything that is stated in the description is false. The worst part was the first excursion where Elaine hardly spoke English in the car, gave no explanation about Malta, and left us in a parking lot in the full sun at noon to eat without any restrooms. There was a big argument after my call to Linguifamily. The meals are generous but rich—pasta, pizza, and sandwiches for lunch. The air conditioning is also monitored; it is on from 11 PM to 7 AM, and the rest of the time, it's a fan. Out of the 7 nights, there was only one time when there was an exchange in English; the rest of the time, the students were in their rooms by 8 PM watching Netflix... There were guests, but we were at a separate table. I saw the classes that Elaine gives; she is on her phone and cooking, doing other things, so it's to be avoided for your teens. So, here is my summary of my stay with my daughter, which was useless, so definitely to be avoided for learning English.

My 16-year-old son spent 15 days in July with Elaine, Victor, and their children in order to immerse himself in an English-speaking family. He was thrilled with this first experience! He was welcomed upon his arrival at the airport by Elaine and quickly made to feel at home within the family, who were very attentive. He was happy to have booked 10 hours of private lessons with Elaine in advance, which were targeted and beneficial. Maxens was also delighted to meet another student his age, which allowed him to enjoy the visits and meet Maltese people more easily. Finally, as a mother of a minor, I appreciated the communication with Elaine, who keeps us updated and does everything possible for the children's safety. I highly recommend this family!

A first experience in a host family!!! A real pleasure... Elaine and Victor took great care of us!!! And their children are super nice and adorable. The rooms are like in a hotel (TV, desk, etc....), private bathroom. Everything is very clean.... Living daily life with Elaine and Victor is a true joy!!! You can come and discover Malta with your eyes closed!!!! Elaine will suggest the best places to visit, she will help you visit places at the best times (avoiding crowds) and to discover beautiful less touristy spots.

A very welcoming and caring family in a typical old village, perfect for immersion... Thank you again to the whole family with a little nod to Calvin for his careful language (incredible for a 7-year-old!) My children are coming back soon, proof that everything is perfect.

I had a wonderful stay with Elaine, she is a great host and a good cook, who knows how to make people feel comfortable despite their very low level of English.

I had an excellent stay for a week in December at Elaine and Victor's. They are very attentive. The lessons given by Elaine were beneficial. Beautiful sunshine and Victor is a good cook. I was warmly welcomed by the whole family. It is pleasant to be able to live like the Maltese. I highly recommend them for a stay for children or adults. See you soon Thierry

It was my first trip abroad. I really appreciated the kindness of Elaine and Victor, always ready to help! The classes given by Elaine were very helpful to me. There were many activities offered alongside that I could share with the family and the other guests. I'm delighted to have discovered Malte! Thank you to Elaine and Victor for this very pleasant stay.

I spent 6 weeks this summer at Elaine and Victor's. It was one of the most wonderful experiences I could have! I went with the primary goal of improving my English and I was not disappointed. Thanks to Elaine's lessons, I was able to progress from a beginner level to an intermediate level in English. And I especially noticed the improvements in oral comprehension. Elaine helped me organize my days so that each day I could discover new places. Elaine and Victor were very attentive to my needs and were a great help for the slightest little problem. I had a great time with Elaine and Victor as well as with their two children. They are a lovely family with whom I laughed a lot! Thank you both again for this amazing stay!

My son, 16 years old, stayed for 2 weeks with Elaine and Victor at the beginning of summer 2021. All the activities proposed by Elaine went very well. The airport transfers arranged by Elaine were also great. Elaine communicated a lot with me; she provided valuable and very professional follow-up. She is very conscientious. The house and meals suited my son very well. The house is very well maintained and my son had a room to himself. Beyond the activities, my son had to show autonomy to discover the island and its tourist sites on his own. Elaine and Victor helped him, and he managed on his own; in addition to the significant progress in language, he also progressed in his ability to be independent. In summary, a very professional welcome within a family speaking Maltese among themselves. Thank you, Elaine, for everything.

Our 17-year-old daughter stayed for 3 weeks in August with Elaine and Victor. The welcome was perfect. We were able to meet them in person and can only testify to the kindness of their hospitality and our total trust in entrusting them with our minor daughter. Elaine is very attentive and organizes the stay so that the child is independent in their movements and can visit many places in Malta. The English courses given by Elaine are a bonus and allow the child to progress more quickly in oral comprehension and dialogue. Meeting other young people staying at the same time with Elaine and Victor helps create connections, and the young people organize outings together. Finally, the house is very pleasant and very clean. Elaine cooks very well, but perhaps a bit too much for our daughter who has the appetite of a sparrow. In short, our daughter returned with much more fluent English and a better understanding, and gained a lot of independence. A big thank you to the family that we highly recommend.

I spent 15 days in early July at Elaine and Victor's. It was a beautiful experience during which I was able to improve my English. I met a lovely family, always present in case of need. During the day I explored the island alone by bus and in the evening, we shared moments together. I notably participated in several family gatherings. Elaine and Victor give us a lot of freedom and independence. Maltese was part of my daily life both through the language spoken by family members and locals, and through Victor and Elaine's delicious cuisine. Every meal was a delight! Their house is very comfortable, each room is air-conditioned and as a bonus, a fountain with fresh water is available on every floor. Malta is a beautiful island full of places to visit and the people are welcoming. Grazzi tal-merħba tiegħek (thank you for your host)

During my stay, I was able to discover the family and the island of Malta. Elaine showed me many places. They are very friendly, attentive, and available according to our various needs.

Hemos sentido muy cómodos en la casa de Elaine y Victor. No solo ellos, sino también sus hijos y la madre de Elaine son personas encantadoras y amables, que nos cuidan como si fuéramos de su familia. Hicimos diferentes actividades con ellos, como el Tour de Malta, el viaje a Gozo y la clase de cocina, y todas fueron increíbles. También nos ayudaron mucho con nuestro inglés y notamos que en solo una semana somos un poco más fluidos. ¡Muy, muy recomendable!

Very warm welcome from Elaine and Victor, always attentive to our every need, which they always respond to quickly. The exchanges often shared over a good meal - thank you Victor - allowed me to practice a more fluent English. The thoughtful and practical advice led to a comprehensive discovery of Malta and Gozo, their archaeological and historical wonders, witnesses of a very rich past and culture. I highly recommend this family. A big thank you to both of you.

I had an excellent stay with Elaine and Victor which allowed me to make great progress in English. Despite the situation with covid, I was able to explore the island independently thanks to their advice. The family is attentive to our needs, and with their help, I easily found a job as a volunteer. A big thank you to the whole family.

A big thank you to Elaine and Victor who welcomed our daughter Marine with a lot of kindness. Marine is delighted and has made great progress in English thanks to the lessons that Elaine devoted to her during her stay. We hope she will return. Thank you both and to their charming family.

Very good stay for my children aged 17 and 19 at Elaine and Victor's in Malta, where they spent two weeks in August. Warm family, very pleasant house, and hearty meals. They were able to discover the island with Elaine but also independently thanks to her advice. Good progress in English, especially in comprehension, even though they were with two other French guests. In conclusion, a very good stay to recommend.