Accommodation in a family single or double room with breakfast or half board
Accommodation can be with single people, couples, single-parent families, or “traditional” families. Each family may host 1, 2, or 3 students. The families, we have selected guarantee to be available for meeting and conversing with the students. When choosing families, we do not look for luxurious accommodation, but rather Italian families that happily welcome foreign students. In addition, the word ‘family’ should not just be understood according to its traditional definition: family can also mean a couple without children or a single father or mother who simply enjoy the company.
Meals
You can choose between breakfast or half-board (breakfast and dinner). You will eat with the family, but remember that the habits and routines of Italians may be different from your own. Generally, breakfast is coffee with biscuits. Dinner is a full meal that is served around 20.00.
Rules of behavior if living with a family
If living with a family, it gives you the unique opportunity to integrate yourself into Italian culture and the way of life, but there are a few necessary compromises to be made between you and the family that host you. There are some rules that you must follow: keep your room tidy; do not wake up the family when you come home after midnight; do not use the personal items of the family without permission; do not use the kitchen for your own purposes; the use of the washing machine is not included, so you cannot use it without permission of the owner; the use of the iron is permitted without charge; you are permitted to use the common rooms and to receive telephone calls; the room (if it is not locked) will be cleaned every day.
- Accommodation in a shared apartment single or double room
We can provide several shared student apartments located throughout downtown Florence, available with single or double rooms. In shared apartments, students have their own private room (single or double) and will share a common kitchen and bathroom(s). We recommend shared apartments as a great way to facilitate social/personal interactions with fellow students. Double rooms cannot be shared by 2 people who don’t know each other previously and have not previously decided to share the room. The school does not pair people who do not know each other previously.
Living in an apartment with Italian or foreign students, or with the landlord, requires maturity but also allows you to have a lot of independence. You will share the bathroom and the kitchen with other students, and you can cook for yourself.
Facilities
You will share an apartment or a floor of a house with other students at the Scuola Portofino, Italian students, or with the landlord. All students share the kitchen and the bathroom with others. Apartments are furnished and the kitchen is provided with all necessary utensils (dishes, plates, pots, etc). You can cook and eat by yourself or with the other students. Electricity, gas, water, bills, and taxes are included in the rent. Sheets are provided without charge and are changed every 2 weeks. You must bring your own towels. We suggest organizing something to eat for your first dinner. The apartment does not have a telephone. The apartment will be cleaned before your arrival. During your stay, you will be responsible for cleaning your own room as well as the common rooms (kitchen and bathroom).
Rules of behavior in shared apartments
We ask you to the following rules: Keep the common rooms clean and tidy, clean plates after using them; take out the garbage each day and put it in the appropriate bins; be very quiet and do not wake up flat-mates when you come home after midnight; do not have parties (parties are absolutely forbidden, especially with people that do not live in the apartment. This is for health and safety reasons but also to ensure peace and quiet for neighbors and for students that do not participate); absolutely do not use a bed or room in the apartment that is unoccupied; do not invite a ‘friend’ that is not well-known to the apartment; inform the secretary of the school of any possible damage or technical breakdowns; leave the apartment in a clean state when you depart.
- Accommodation in a private apartment
Private apartments are of course more comfortable than shared apartments but are also more expensive. These are studios for the exclusive use of 1 or 2 people. They have a sleeping area, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom and are recommended to those who want to be completely independent. Prices are available upon request. Remember that private apartments must be booked in advance and that their prices can vary according to the city and time of year. Scuola Portofino only deals with bookings. The rent must be paid directly to the landlord of the apartment, but your credit card number is needed to make a booking.
- Accommodation in a residence
These are apartments with one, two, or three rooms. In each room there are one, two, or three beds, there is also a kitchen/living room, bathroom with shower, air conditioning, television, and daily cleaning service. Upon request, there are extra services: parking, breakfast, a secretary and a safe for your valuable objects. You must pay the whole amount directly to our school bank account or credit card.
- Accommodation in a hotel
We are in contact with hotels located near to our schools (the basic offer is for bed and breakfast every day- a room with a shower or bath). Prices for hotels are available upon request and vary according to the category chosen.