Spanish Immersion in Antigua, Guatemala | Guatemala Spanish School

I foolishly paid in advance for a full month of private Spanish lessons for my husband and me. We specifically wanted private lessons for the two of us together with one teacher. Instead, the school charged us for two separate individual private lessons (a clear upsell) and refused any refund. They said we could combine into one shared class but only offered a credit for the price difference — not a full refund.

Communication was consistently terrible. They agreed to an orientation on Sunday but sent nothing. When I followed up on Saturday, they suddenly said it was only available Monday at 7am — despite our scheduled classes being 4-6pm. After multiple emails pushing back on the Sunday agreement, they finally offered 3:30pm the same day. It felt like constant time-wasting and last-minute changes.

The final straw was during class: 6-7 teachers were loudly cackling and chatting right nearby, making it impossible to hear my instructor (who was only speaking Spanish, as expected for immersion). I couldn’t learn anything in that environment. When I asked for a refund due to these issues, they again refused.

This experience was unprofessional from start to finish. We came to Antigua excited to learn, but it was a complete waste of money and time. Save yourself the frustration and look elsewhere for serious, reliable Spanish instruction.

Antigua, Guatemala is all around an excellent place to be! The town is walkable, the food is delicious, and the attractions are delightful. There are so many surprises that don't show up on TripAdvisor or Viator that are just wonderful things to see and do. Maximo Nivel offers a great program at an outstanding bargain, and you can tailor your experience to meet your needs. Because I was on spring break (from teaching), I chose two-hour private classes for one week. I was able to speak about current and relevant topics at my level, ask questions about whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, and delve deeper into complex grammatical topics.

It was very good, I will come again, the host was also good. Antigua is a very pleasant little city, public safety is good. I am leaving for the airport now but I don't know why yet, Latin America is very beautiful, there is still a lot to discover here for everyone. The world is a book and those who do not travel can only read one page of this book. Saint Augustine said it and how right he was. I wish everyone a good trip.

I was in Antigua for only 1 week but found it a valuable time. The school was well organized, and the teaching was very good. The homestay family was very kind. Most of the students were young, but I found companionship there. Antigua is a small town but very interesting. I have a few free days here and am excited about doing a variety of excursions available in the surrounding towns. I have studied Spanish in multiple locations in Mexico, Latin America, and Spain, and this was among the best. I look forward to returning.

This has been an experience of a lifetime. My Spanish comprehension and speaking has improved exponentially. I'm so grateful for this opportunity, my fantastic Maximo teachers and my kind and welcoming host family. Maximo provides lots of opportunities to see local sights and get to know other learners. On the weekends, I travelled to a local coffee farm, visited local ruins and climbed a volcano! The local food is fantastic. I highly recommend Maximo Nivel to anyone considering travel with purpose.

Let me just start by saying the teachers are excellent. They are under paid and have to wear a uniform as compared to the English teaching instructors and they are still willing to teach. The Spanish teacher enjoy their students and made me feel positive about my learning a new language at 59 years old.
The housing is very inconsistent. You can not be assured that you will have any real interaction with the family. The company pays them $10/student/day so you can't blame the families. The food is minimal like one egg, one piece of toast and some fruit for breakfast. Dinner is usually beans, rice or piece of potato and veggies. Eat your protein at lunch.
The volunteer programs are questionable. You pay to volunteer and you can't be assured where the money you invested goes to. Three friends volunteered at a school for only 2 hours a day and only had a white board to work from. They supplies the materials for the students. The fees to volunteer are $680/week. The medical volunteer is more expensive and I am not sure of the hours but it is not a full day.

I learnt so much in my week in Anitgua, the class material was excellent and the teacher friendly and full of energy. I took group lessons and had a private which were both very useful. I was well placed in my class based on my ability. Highly recommend the photography tour Maximo arrange each week- very funny and fascinating local history! I had an issue with my accomodation and the Maximo team were supportive and resolved it very quickly. The staff a friendly and the school itself is just a beautiful space to spend time in!

This is a very professional organization. I was greeted at the airport by a staff member and was promptly driven to my house.The staff at home prepared delicious meals twice a day.
All the housemates were fun to be around. Often we went out together. Also the entire staff of teachers and administrators was excellent and made for a pleasant stay. I never had a bad experience with anyone. I had many questions and everyone went above and beyond in ensuring all my needs were met. I would highly recommend this program to everyone interested in learning Spanish!!