Tranquillité au centre de Madrid

Michel y su familia son muy amables y me disfruta mucho mi tiempo en Madrid. Tenian todo lo que necesitas y tambien ellos dan muchos ideas para hacer en Madrid o cualquier parte de Espana o Europa. La casa siempre fue limpio y las cenas eran deliciosos. Me disfruto ver futbol o tenis con Michel, hablar con Isabel y Claudia cuando ella estaba en casa. Y Lucas podia ayudar con algunas palabras en ingles. Tuve mucho espacio para hacer mis cosas pero tambien tiempo para hablar con la familia. Esta en un area mas callado y muchas familias pero es muy facil para ir al centro o cualquier lugar que quieres ir.

I stayed with Michel and his family for four months while studying at UC3M in Getafe, and it was an incredible experience. Although the apartment was a little far from the UC3M Getafe campus, it was absolutely worth it! La Latina was the perfect location as it was a quiet and safe neighborhood, yet also just a short bus or metro ride to the busier parts of the city such as Plaza Mayor, Sol, Retiro Park, and Gran Via. I frequently enjoyed using the running and biking paths along the river, which was very close to the apartment.
I was welcomed into the family on day one and felt right at home. Only taking two years of Spanish in high school, they were extremely patient with me and great at helping me learn the language! I found myself understanding and improving my speaking reasonably quickly. The nightly dinners during the week were not only delicious, but it was the perfect time to work on my Spanish, learn about the Spanish culture, and become closer with the family. I have many fond memories that I will look back on of my stay with Michel, Isabella, and Lucas. My experience was as great and memorable as it was because of them. They are extremely helpful, funny, and lovely people, and I feel grateful to be a part of the family. 5 out of 5 stars, 100% recommend staying with Michel and his family! Forza Atleti!

I enjoyed staying at Michel's place very much. This apartment is located in convenient area, close to metro and bus stops. It is also very close to Madrid's places of interest (like Basilica of San Francisco, Palacio Real, etc.)
Michel and his family provided me with all necessary for my stay. Including fast and stable internet connection. Also I received all information about the city that I needed.
I want to thank Michel and his family for warm and pleasant stay :)

My first experience ever in a guest family and well, let me put it this way: I think my experience could not have been better. Michel's family welcomes you with open arms, as if you would already belong to their family. From the beginning I felt at ease, welcomed and "at home". Not do they only furnish the services that the stay includes, but they go far beyond that. They helped me for my metro card, gave me advises for sightseeing, helped me find my way to the university and a lot more.
I barely could speak Spanish, when I arrived, but Michel's family always did the effort to talk in a simple and slow way so that I could understand them and improve my Spanish. This is why I also strongly recommand you to choose the option to eat with them. It is always a very good and pleasant moment when you come together with the whole family for dinner. We were always having nice talks and the food was honestly excellent. If you want to eat locally and discover the diversity of the Spanish kitchen, I encourage you to take the "half board option". Empanadas, Tortilla, "Gambas a la gabardina", churros and other delicious dishes are waiting for you. "Muy bueno!"
An additional plus is the location. The district of Latina is well connected to the city center, but at the same time a very calm and very safe residence district. What I prefered the most is that the river is a 5 minute walk from their apartment. A very good place to have a little piknik, to go for a jogging or simply to enjoy the atmosphere during a little walk.
I regret having quit Michel's family after one month, but my university was a little bit far (in my Swiss definition of far) from the apartment and that's why I decided to move to a place closer to my university.
Anyway, if you are looking for a welcoming, kind and caring family, a clean apartment with good infrastructure and want to experience Spanisch culture and food, I absolutely recommand Michel and Isabel's apartment for your stay!

I am convinced that there is no better place to stay in Madrid. Michel’s homestay was incredible and a large reason why I enjoyed my experience in Madrid as much as I did. You will be immediately welcomed into the family, yet they will give you space and independence to explore and learn about the city. You are given keys so that you may enter and leave the apartment at your convenience. The neighborhood is safe at all hours and easily accessible to public transport (about a 20 minute walk to Plaza Mayor or a 10 minute bus ride). My room was cleaned once a week and my clothes were washed for me. Dinners were provided at an extra cost, and I highly recommend this if you want to try Spanish foods and bond with the family. All meals were excellent and filling. The space was clean and perfect for a semester abroad.
I frequently went for walks and jogs at the Puente de Toledo Park, which is about a 5 minute walk from Michel’s Apartment. You will also find restaurants, pharmacies, etc nearby, making this location even more convenient.
Note that the WiFi was a little weaker than what I was accustomed to, but I found this to be a general problem with most WiFi’s in Madrid and not unique to the home. It did not detract from my experience, I simply had to purchase a Spanish SIM card with data to call home. I recommend everyone do this regardless, as having data for maps, phone calls, etc is extremely convenient.
I cannot express how much I value my time spent at Michel’s. I originally moved into an apartment, but decided to switch to a homestay to allow myself to practice my Spanish. The family speaks little English, so you will learn quickly how to communicate and interact in Spanish. After a semester here, I feel confident that I could hold a good conversation with anyone.
If you are at all considering a homestay, you will not be disappointed here. The experience is beyond worth the cost. You will love it if you choose to stay with Michel and his family.