Home Stays with Local Host Families
If you would like to get fully immersed in the Spanish language, experience our culture, and get as much exposure as possible to the Latin American way of life, then a home stay with a local host family is the way to go. Living with a native Spanish speaking family, having daily intensive medical Spanish lessons and volunteering at a local health clinic make the most effective medical Spanish immersion.
You'll get a unique perspective about how we live our lives in Latin America, what really matters to us and more importantly you'll be forced to practice your Spanish 24 x 7, which will dramatically increase how fast you learn to speak Spanish.
We currently collaborate with more than 70 host families in Boquete, 15 in Panama City, and with about 20 in Bocas del Toro, that make our Spanish Immersion Program a reality. In order to ensure that we select the most appropriate host family for you, please submit your Home Stay Interview with as much as anticipation as possible. In this way we will know your specific needs and choose a host family according to your personality. As host families are assigned on a first come first serve basis, the sooner you fill out the interview, the more host families we will have to choose from for you.
Budget Hostels
If you're on a budget and would like to easily be able to socialize with fellow travelers after having Spanish lessons and Yoga all day long, then a budget hostel is for you.
At Habla Ya Spanish School we work with several top value budget hostels that offer you either private rooms or a bed in a dorm, where you'll certainly enjoy your stay.
In Boquete, Panama we recommend:
In Bocas del Toro, Panama we recommend:
In Panama City, Panama we recommend:
All of them are located in town really close to our Spanish Schools, within a 15 minute walk. If you're looking for a bit more peace and quiet, then you can't go wrong with Hostal Garden or Hostal Gaia in Boquete. In Bocas del Toro on the other hand, 421 Guesthouse and Saigon Bay and Breakfast are just a 3 minute and 10 minute walk respectively from us. In Panama City, Panama House B&B is literally just across the road and Baru Lodge is on the street behind us, while Luna's Castle is an easy 30 minute commute.
Mid-Range B&Bs, Cabins & Vacation Rentals
There are several places that we recommend for Spanish students looking for a bit more privacy and independence during their Medical Spanish Program.
- In Boquete, Panama
- In Bocas del Toro, Panama
- In Panama City, Panama
The above are tremendously convenient, fully furnished, very reasonably priced for short to mid term stays (4 - 12 weeks) and the students at our Spanish schools simply love them. Each of the above have their own unique features that make them suitable for guests with different needs and desires. Click on the above links for more details about each option.
There are also other types of properties available for rent in Panama City, Boquete and Bocas del Toro, Panama. If you're considering studying Spanish for four weeks or more, you might benefit from having your own vacation rental. Within our website we provide links to several sites that list vacation rentals in Panama, and we also provide links to different real estate agents in Boquete and in Bocas del Toro (as we are not real estate agents ourselves). For more information about vacation rentals please click here...
Upscale Boutique Hotels
Our preferred luxury hotels in Panama City are The Bristol and Hotel El Panama.
In Bocas del Toro our favorite upscale hotels are Tropical Suites and Palma Royale. Tropical Suites is built directly over turquoise Caribbean waters, with 16 guest suites, a three bedroom Presidential Penthouse, and a Luxury Studio Apartment. Simply put Tropical Suites is Bocas del Toro's premier upscale boutique hotel. Palma Royale, Bocas del Toro's latest upscale boutique hotel, is located at the end of main street, only 20 meters from the Caribbean Sea and has 15 suites with marble and bamboo flooring, handcrafted cedar doors and beds with pillowtop mattresses.
There are also other types of properties available for rent in Bocas del Toro, Panama. If you're considering studying Spanish with us for 4 weeks or more, you might benefit from having your very own vacation rental. Please contact us for more information about rentals in Bocas.
In Boquete, the Valle Escondido Resort, Golf & Spa is the perfect place if you would like to have access to certain amenities during your medical Spanish program. With a full service spa, a 9 hole executive golf course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis and racquetball courts, and first class restaurants, Valle Escondido will certainly keep you entertained after your daily Spanish classes, eco-adventure tours and/or volunteer projects. Valle Escondido is situated at the edge of town, about a 15 minute walk from our Spanish School, in a hidden valley, on the banks of a rushing river, with enough natural beauty and peace to make you not want to leave.
For Spanish students staying in Boquete for up to 3 weeks of Spanish we recommend staying at a suite or bungalow at the Valle Escondido Resort.
For longer stays or even more independence, a rental of Valle Escondido's vacation villas or condos can also be arranged.
Whether you're staying at the Valle Escondido Resort or at one of vacation villas or condos, you'll be able to enjoy:
- 9 Hole Golf Course
- Outdoor Tennis Court and Indoor Racquetball Court
- Country Club, complete with
- Spa and Age Management Program
- State-of-the-art Life Fitness Equipped Gym
- Indoor Swimming Pool
- Sauna, Steam Baths and Jacuzzis
- 1 Outdoor Pools
- A Spanish Colonial Village with
- 1 Fantastic Restaurants
- Bar
- Chapel
- 500 seat amphitheater
- Meeting Space for Groups of 75 - 400 people
Besides staying at Valle Escondido you can also consider The Haven Spa & Hotel.