Spanish Express Reviews

As a globetrotting businessman with diverse interests, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing Spanish Homestay Immersions with Spanish Express across several incredible destinations, including Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca, Cuenca, Cadiz and Caceres. Each immersion is thoughtfully designed, offering a truly personalised experience tailored to individual preferences.

Barcelona stood out as an unforgettable highlight. With its iconic architecture, vibrant streets, and rich cultural energy, the city never failed to inspire. From exploring Gaudí’s extraordinary masterpieces to indulging in exquisite Catalan cuisine, every moment was filled with discovery—made even more special thanks to Mónica’s warm guidance. (I’ve also learned the hard way never to forget the accent on her name!).

In Valencia, I was captivated by the seamless blend of modern innovation and historic charm. Wandering through the old town and enjoying authentic paella created a deep connection to Spanish traditions, enhanced by Pilar’s welcoming and insightful approach.

My time in Caceres with Richard was equally memorable. The city is a true medieval gem, like a living museum, where ancient streets, historic architecture, and timeless charm bring the past vividly to life in a way that feels both authentic and unforgettable.

What truly sets Spanish Express apart is their ability to craft bespoke learning experiences not only across Spain but also in Latin America. This global reach allows for a rich and comprehensive understanding of both the Spanish language and its diverse cultures. The homestay experience, in particular, adds a unique layer of authenticity—offering full immersion into local life and fostering meaningful, lasting connections with host teachers, their families, and their communities.

My 1 week course with Oscar (and his brother Fernando) was, without doubt, the best course I have ever attended as all of my goals were achieved. Learning Spanish is much more than simply practising grammar, doing exercises and homework, watching films etc., you have to experience it!

I have to admit that I was surprised when Oscar picked me up from the bus stop and we went to his flat. I don't know why but I had imagined a large house with a private "granny annex" but, at the end of the day, the accommodation was perfect for what I wanted to achieve. At the end I felt I was saying "adiós" to family and not my teacher - nuff said!

We celebrated Las Fallas, shared meals with friends and family, private classes, just amazing!

I highly recommend that you stay with Pilar Martinez in Valencia, SHIP programme. Enjoy the beach, the sun, the mountain view and immerse yourself in the Spanish language.

I have had the most amazing time with Pilar in Valencia for Las Fallas 2026. I have experienced far more than I could ever imagine. Las Fallas is my A-Level speaking project and from this experience I have learnt so much more than any book or website. Pilar's enthusiam for her city of Valenica and her hospitality is something I will never forget.

I have new levels of confidence and comprehension for the language and a deeper understanding of the Spanish culture and values. An amazing immersion program! ¡Pilar eres una super-estrella!

My experience with Mónica in Ciutadella, Menorca, has been amazing! I decided to sign up for this programme as a holiday to celebrate a milestone and build more confidence speaking the language. During my trip, I felt right at home and loved the island's calm atmosphere. Throughout my stay, Mónica went above and beyond to create a programme tailored to my goals of becoming more fluent.

Some days, we had a "formal" lesson (usually two hours long) at home covering grammar, verbs, and so on. Mónica was very patient when explaining concepts, and I could always ask her questions to clarify anything. Afterwards, I could practice what I'd learned in real-life situations, such as at the movies, grocery shopping, and during excursions.

For example, I had the opportunity to practice with her lovely friends who were very patient with me. With Mónica and her friends, I've visited many places in Menorca, including World Heritage sites like the Naveta des Tudons and Son Catlar, which are incredible examples of Talayotic settlements, and the two mountains of Santa Águeda and Monte Toro with the Santuari Monestir del Toro. My favourite excursion has been to Lithica, an old quarry that has been transformed into gardens, a labyrinth, and an outdoor event space. Although the days have been busy, I've always had the opportunity to relax and take a nap when needed!

The house is very comfortable and has everything you could need, such as a washing machine, a microwave, an air conditioning unit, and Wi-Fi for studying. My favourite place in the house is "the cave," where we've had most of our classes and meals. I usually eat vegetarian food at home so Mónica kindly prepared meals accordingly for me. The house is located in the old town, so it's very quiet and close to the town centre.

Spending time with Mónica has been a pleasure. She has taken excellent care of me and has always made time for me. During the day, she would ask what I would like to do the following day and plan an itinerary accordingly. Because I visited in March, she spent many hours rearranging plans due to the weather, for which I am very grateful. I would recommend the SHIP programme with Mónica to anyone; for me, it has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I had such a wonderful experience with Monica and, in my case, 2 other profesoras that I feel very lucky to have been able to work with.

As a woman traveling alone, I was at ease with the entire trip. Monica was easy to communicate with and is someone who right away gets in touch with the needs of her students. I had some career specific learning requests that were very directly addressed. My time was filled with a variety of types of learning and with activities that reinforce previous learning in ways that have nothing to do with a classroom and that felt natural and fun.

The region around Dosrius and of course, Barcelona, is an amazing place for cultural immersion, I went from mountains to seaside to city site-seeing from one day to the next, with pueblos and small local restaurants in between.

By the time I went home I was starting to think in Spanish. I wish I could have stayed two weeks but I could only get off of work for one!

I am 65, love the Spanish language and wanted to be more confident in my communicating. After 3 wonderful weeks, I left Spain feeling a bit more confident. Living with Pilar, in Valencia, was a wonderful experience. She was a fabulous and kind teacher, cook, host and tour guide. Wonderful Monica, living a good distance from Barcelona, had a lovely home and a wonderful young tutor that brought me to interesting sites. Carmen, in Seville, became my friend. She taught me history and language. Perfect

Our week with Pilar in Valencia was far more than just a language course; it was a deep dive into the Spanish soul. From the very first moment, Pilar took care of every single detail with such warmth and professionalism that we felt like guests in a friend's home rather than students.

The structure of the program is brilliant: we learned so much because the language was woven into real-life experiences. Pilar’s cooking is absolutely amazing—authentic, fresh, and delicious—providing the perfect setting for natural conversations. The trips she organized were true highlights.

Pilar has a unique gift for creating a confident and encouraging atmosphere, making it easy to practice and improve rapidly. For anyone looking for a high-quality, heartfelt, and professional immersion program, this is the gold standard. We left Valencia with much better Spanish and wonderful memories. ¡Muchísimas gracias, Pilar, por una semana inolvidable!

I had 2 weeks in Valencia. The first week was with another school and the second week was with Pilar at her immersion course and OMG, Pilar brought the joy of learning Spanish back for me. She kept things
…interesting by focusing on me learning Spanish that I would actually use in my everyday life not just what a book says I should learn.
…challenging by having dinners in Spanish and helping us when we were stuck.
…fun by introducing us to her family and taking us around Valencia

She was so patient with me repeating the same lines again and again as I worked out what I was hearing. 🤪

And also a fabulous host and cook. 👩‍🍳

Thanks for the week

Our 15 year old daughter spent five nights in Valencia with Pilar. She loved all the food Pilar offered! Tortilla, fish, the Spanish version of crème caramel. and the It was helpful to speak in Spanish every day as she now feels more confident before her Spanish GCSE. In the afternoon she and the other students there took part in interesting and fun excursions to different parts of Valencia, her favourite was visiting all of the different churches. She would recommend this course to other Spanish students before taking their GCSEs or other exams.