Santa Cruz Spanish School

Amazing teachers, great place to learn

My husband and I were travelling around Central America for 3 months - but we both spoke no Spanish! So we were both very keen to get a basic grasp of the language, to get by a little easier. We booked 4 hours of private lessons per day for 5 days - I was with the lovely Vanesa, and my husband with Elijio. I am truly amazed at how much we learnt in our 5 days there despite 0 prior knowledge of the language. The teaching was exceptional and very tailored to what you wanted to get out of the experience. I personally love learning Grammar, so Vanesa really focussed on that for me. My hubs was keen to learn a lot of Vocab, so he focussed more on that. A huge thank you to both Vanesa and Elijio who were lovely to work with, and so kind. As a tip for anyone thinking of taking the school and staying in Santa Cruz itself- try to book the morning sessions. We did the afternoon sessions (1-5pm) - and the last public boat from Santa Cruz leaves at around 6pm - so it meant we had to get out and about in the mornings and not able to really do much in the afternoon. There\'s some lovely things to see in Santa Cruz but realistically if you\'re not there for a long time, you\'ll want to explore the other towns. It might have made more sense to do the 8-12, so the rest of the day is free to explore :) Thank you to the Santa Cruz Spanish school for the amazing experience :) Anika & Matt

A Great School for Beginning to Learn Spanish

My wife and I studied at the Santa Cruz Spanish School for a week in January. My wife took the Spanish Course for Tourists and was taught by Vanessa. Vanessa was patient, animated and an excellent teacher. My wife learned a lot of basic survival Spanish which she was able to use to great effect the following week. I am an advanced Spanish student and initially had problems as the assigned teached had never taught an advanced student and had some difficulties in adjusting. The director of the School, Rosa, identified the problem and taught me herself for the rest of the week. Rosa was an excellent teacher, identified the gaps in grammar, and worked on them with me. I would highly recommend the school for beginner and intermediate students but would recommend that you make it clear beforehand to Rosa if you are an advanced student and request her as your teacher. Paul

Great school with an amazing teacher

Me and my girlfriend had an amazing learning experience here! Elegio, our teacher, was patient, understanding and very kind. He could always provide us with sufficient explanations that made it all very easy for us. The rest of the staff were all also incredibly nice. We highly recommend this school!

Lovely family experience with this language school

We spent 5 days with this school. The kids, 7 and 9, had their own teacher who was lovely and kept them engaged and entertained. My teacher was great too and pitched to my beginner level well. Lots of interesting conversations. Colleen had a more advanced teacher who gave her well considered and more demanding curriculum. Great little community and a pleasant boat ride.

Da non perdere...fantastico posto .... magico!!

Un posto magico, bello e da visitare , tranquillo , bella gente, bel mercato, buon cibo... abbiamo fatto una gita con un tuk-tuk , persone molto disponibile, non abbiamo mai avuto problemi con i locali

Great school with an amazing teacher

I studied with Vanesa who is a great teacher. She is very patient and a lot of fun to talk to. I am an intermediate student and I learned a lot from her and felt very motivated by my progress.

Super!

Santa Cruz is een super goede Spaans school. Ik heb er een week Spaans geleerd (4u per dag). Na een week sprak ik een aardig woordje Spaans en kon ik mezelf goed redden in Guatemala. Ik vond het met name belangrijk om gewoon Spaans te praten tijdens de les. Grammatica vond ik minder belangrijk gezien dit mij niet ging helpen om Spaans te spreken. Mijn leraar speelde hier heel goed op in: we hadden gesprekjes over het leven in Guatemala en Nederland. Mijn leraar sprak goed Engels, dus als ik iets niet wist in het Spaans kon hij het voor me vertalen in het Engels.

Caring, wonderful staff and scenic views of Lake

Can\'t say enough about this little gem on the shores of Lake Atitlan...amazing, outside classrooms, friendly and genuine local teachers, authentic field trips to local markets and more, and reasonably priced. My 14 year old daughter just spent ten days there and solidified her skills with an excellent instructor, Rolando, who she really enjoyed. Lolita, my instructor, was patient, methodical and a pleasure to work with. Rosaria helped to organize all of the details of our instruction flawlessly given our different levels of experience. You get the sense that they all really enjoy their jobs and meeting people...and love teaching. I highly, highly recommend! We will definitely go back!

Perfectly adapted to my needs

As an almost-beginner, my confidence in communicating in Spanish increased greatly after 5 half-days of instruction with Rolando. He was very supportive and encouraging and skilled at keeping the conversation going, even though I am an introvert whose default behavior is to smile and nod. I felt the lessons had just the right mix of conversation and grammar instruction.

Excellent experience

This was absolutely a wonderful experience for me. The setting is just delightful. You really can achieve whatever goal you have in mind for your Spanish language ability. The instructors are very qualified to teach at whatever level you might desire. If you are very motivated and desire to put forth the effort you can rapidly expand your capability. I was looking more to spend the time conversing and increasing my vocabulary, but my teacher, Carlos was able to point out some of my incorrect grammar that I had not been aware of. I told him to correct any of my improper pronunciations and style of speaking. This gave me greater confidence in speaking to people on the street. You can go to school then hit the street and practice. The people are so nice. Can\'t say enough good about the experience. I would confess if you are a high energy night life type of person this is probably not the place to spend all you time. Catch a boat and go to one of the other towns on the lake. If you are looking for an education and cultural experience along with a fabulous place to vacation and relax, this is the place!!

Great school

I studied with Vanesa who is a great teacher. She is very patient and a lot of fun to talk to. I am an intermediate student and I learned a lot from her and felt very motivated by my progress.

Impressive Spanish School

I studied at the Santa Cruz Spanish School for four weeks. The experience exceeded my expectations and I would recommend the school for anyone interested in Spanish at any level. My instructor was Eligio. I brought a Spanish textbook with me entitled, “Practice Makes Perfect Spanish Verb Tenses.” Every day I was given homework assignments from the text. The next class Eligio and I would review the homework. In addition, I would recount what I did the previous day. Then we would cover new material using a textbook provided by the school. I studied for fours hours each morning. Mid way through the morning we would take a break and after the break we would go through a question and answer session covering material from the morning lecture. I really enjoyed this approach because of the continuous practice. The school focuses on reading, writing and conversation. My homework required me to write in Spanish. My discussion of the previous day’s activities helped me learn the past tenses. And the question and answer session helped me form basic sentences. I would go back and forth with Eligio taking turns asking and then answering questions from an extensive list of verbs that were on flashcards. The exercise is exhausting but it does get you speaking Spanish quickly. In addition, Eligio is a stickler for proper pronunciation which is especially important. The school’s location is in a beautiful setting near the lake front. The only problem that I experienced was noise from the motor taxies as they ascended from the lake front to the village. After a while I became accustomed to the noise. However, if you have difficulty hearing I recommend that you request that your class be held in the upper classroom. I opted to stay the entire time in a homestay. I stayed with the Cruz family in Santa Cruz which is a 20-minute walk from the school. You can take a motor taxi to and from the school, but I enjoyed the walk. Staying in the village was an excellent decision. I learned a lot about the local culture and the Mayan way of life from my family. I had the opportunity to practice Spanish during my meals. I enjoyed every meal in the homestay. However, it should be noted that the village is poor and may not be for everyone. You will find the village to be noisy, with many dogs roaming around, and smoke from the wood burning ovens. The village is very steep and if you have mobility issues you will find it easier to get around living near the lake.

Awesome!

My boyfriend and I took a one week course here and I truely wish that we were able to stay longer. Our teacher was Vanessa, who was so awesome and kind. She was a great fit for us and we got along great. She\'s very kind and isn\'t hesitant to be goofy with us during the class, which I really liked. She spoke slowly and clearly so we could understand her and moved at a pace that suited us well. Something I liked was that she was great with working with us through any problem and made sure we really understood something before moving on, and if we didn\'t we would come back to it the next day. The setting at the school is nice and there are trails around the school that you can check out during your break times. I really recommend this place, the prices are great too and the staff is so friendly. Thank you everyone at the Spanish School, we will miss you :)

Relaxed 1:1 classes with good management

My wife and I took classes here for a week with different teachers. My teacher for 4 of the 5 days was Eligio and I really warmed up to him. I found myself engaged and having some great conversations, often based around flash card style prompts. He shared a lot about his life experience and what it was like growing up around the lake. Eligio also wants to learn English eventually to help with teaching complete beginners, so along the way we also discussed some of the differences. On my last day I had a different teacher because we needed to leave in the afternoon and Eligio had another student. I didn\'t get much out of that day but I wasn\'t expecting much because the rapport with the teacher is the most important part (so be honest and ask to change if necessary). My wife also had a good experience with Vanessa. She needed someone who could draw her out to speak more, and by the third day she did exactly that, chatting (in Spanish) and laughing. It was the first time my wife had actually enjoyed lessons! Importantly for me the school seemed to have good management and processes in place, so it wasn\'t just the luck of having good teachers. We had already taken classes before and had the basics of the language, when we started both of our teachers took us through an initial \"level test\" and then a structured run through of their school workbook to pick out the topics we wanted/needed to cover. This isn\'t a big school, but we both really enjoyed the environment. Nice and simple surrounds for learning, with a focus on the individual. I recommend this school, particularly if you have some basic Spanish and want to improve it. Take at least a week, enjoy the lake and see a bit of the communities. As a last note, we stayed in the village, and asides from that walk up the hill it was fantastic; friendly locals and an authentic look at life. I would recommend this for the best immersion, whether a homestay through the school or independently like we did. Tuktuks are cheap if the walk is too much (5Q each).

Excellent place to learn Spanish

I just wanted to pass on some of my thoughts regarding the school. I was first introduced to your school in June 2017. I walked into it and briefly spoke to the administrator about the program. I returned in June of 2018 to sign up for classes and the administrator remembered our conversation a year earlier….very impressive. My son and I spent four weeks in the school, studying 20 hours per week. It\'s a very professionally run organization. Every teacher we encountered was truly dedicated to their jobs. The coursework was on par or better than other schools I have attended. My background in Spanish: Learned it in college back in the 1990’s, studied in Antigua in 1994, and I have traveled all over North and South America. I found the curriculum to be diverse and completely applicable to a person with my level of Spanish. The school was quick to custom tailor and identify areas that I needed more work in. We then set out each day working on improving my Spanish. My son has taken Spanish in school here in the US (7th grade). What impressed me about his work in the school was how quickly the teacher progressed him through everything he was taught in school here in Texas last year. They had covered his entire school year in a matter of 2 1/2 weeks. That was a good thing for my son as being a young student, reviewing things is always important. Further, his teacher had a very kind and nurturing personality which is important for a student such as my son. The school administrator was ever present at the school, being a dedicated professional. Every day the students started off the day with a clean and presentable school. Her interactions with staff and students alike was always professional and courteous. The first week i was there was a bit slow as tourist season had just started. Several teachers had afternoon students so in the morning they passed their time preparing for the afternoon students. My teacher was excellent. Everyday he was well prepared. He really had an excellent understanding of Spanish Grammar. What I appreciate most about him was his dedication to identifying areas that I was deficient in and hammering me with drills and conversation in order to learn some of the more complicated grammatical structures. You need to understand that I have taken Spanish on a university level when I say this….He was on par with or better than many professors I had at the University of Texas. Further, in my occupation, I am an instructor as well. My instructor at the school was one of the top 10 instructors I have ever encountered. All said and done, we had a wonderful time. They have an amazing team there at the school. We were sad to leave having made some friends and really enjoying our time spent with them.

The view- increible

I attend Santa Cruz spanish school for three weeks during my month long stay in Santa Cruz. The school was fantastic, extremely reasonable prices for classes and a variety of language levels to choose from. I am at a intermediate level with spanish, the school placed me with their instructor Rolando, who was a great teacher. I enjoyed many hours studying, working on pronunciation and laughing with Rolando. Rolando was very patient and I felt like we had become friends at the end of the program, in fact I am still in weekly contact and plan to further my classes via internet. With all that said, I would diffidently return to Santa Cruz spanish school, I would encourage others to as well. You can’t go wrong, what a great place, study while looking at beautiful lake Atitlan, drinking locally grown coffee on the house. Thank you Santa Cruz spanish school and thank you Rolando, you made my stay very memorable. Kyle Staat

Great place to learn Spanish and enjoy an incredible view over the lake

After one week with my Spanish teacher Rolando I am able to handle the Subjuntivo. He teaches extremely structured and makes sure you really got the point and remember new vocabulary. On top of that he knows a lot about the region and his country and it is very interesting to talk to him. I can definitely recommend the school and clases with Rolando.

Great way to learn, beautiful setting

A month or two into our 7 month trip across central and South America this was a great place to learn. Doing 5 days intensive immersion had me being able to conduct basic conversations at the end from having basically no Spanish. Option to do morning or evening sessions, and change teachers if you weren’t meshing (this wasn’t necessary). Great value.

Perfectly adapted to my needs

As an almost-beginner, my confidence in communicating in Spanish increased greatly after 5 half-days of instruction with Rolando. He was very supportive and encouraging and skilled at keeping the conversation going, even though I am an introvert whose default behavior is to smile and nod. I felt the lessons had just the right mix of conversation and grammar instruction.

Excellent experience

This was absolutely a wonderful experience for me. The setting is just delightful. You really can achieve whatever goal you have in mind for your Spanish language ability. The instructors are very qualified to teach at whatever level you might desire. If you are very motivated and desire to put forth the effort you can rapidly expand your capability. I was looking more to spend the time conversing and increasing my vocabulary, but my teacher, Carlos was able to point out some of my incorrect grammar that I had not been aware of. I told him to correct any of my improper pronunciations and style of speaking. This gave me greater confidence in speaking to people on the street. You can go to school then hit the street and practice. The people are so nice. Can\'t say enough good about the experience. I would confess if you are a high energy night life type of person this is probably not the place to spend all you time. Catch a boat and go to one of the other towns on the lake. If you are looking for an education and cultural experience along with a fabulous place to vacation and relax, this is the place!!

Wonderful School for All Ages!

My children (ages 6,8, and 10), myself and my parents (in their 60\'s!) spent a week taking classes at the Santa Cruz Spanish school.The school provided 3 different teachers for us to cater to all of our different ages and levels. The weather there is perfect and the classes were held outside with the most beautiful view of Lake Atitlan. The teachers were very patient with my energetic kids and with my very very basic knowledge of Spanish. I really enjoyed my teacher Rosario, who worked with my mom and I. We learned so much! Santa Cruz itself is such a tranquil town and I am so happy we chose the school there over some of the bigger busier towns. Everyone we met was extremely friendly and I feel so safe at all times.

Unbeatable view and great instruction

Great little school in Santa Cruz. I stayed for a week with a lovely homestay family (with amazing food) and really enjoyed my time at the school. Professional instruction, good learning materials and a great view of the lake while you struggle through the subjunctive.

You Are Never Too Old

I was a little skeptical about my ability to learn a new language. I am 67 and have never successfully learned a second language. However the teachers at the Santa Cruz Spanish School are very patient. After six weeks of five day a week classes, I can say that I am already able to have basic conversations with native speakers. I have really enjoyed working with my teacher, Juanita. She is a great teacher and very patient. Believe me, I have tested her patience. Even after the 50th time of confusing para and por, she just gently reminds me of which one I should be using. Santa Cruz is a wonder place to take Spanish. It is beautiful and the Spanish School is has a wonderful view of Lake Atitlan and the nearby volcanoes. There are a number of convenient and inexpensive hotels nearby. The Santa Cruz Spanish School is a great value. I can\'t predict what your exact cost will be, because it varies by season and the number of classes to which you are committing. But I doubt you will find a more cost effective way to learn Spanish anyplace in the world. And when you aren\'t in class, you can enjoy visiting the different pueblos that circle one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. And interacting with some of the nicest people in the world. One warning: The Santa Cruz Spanish School is not handicap accessible. For that matter, Santa Cruz in general is not handicap accessible. For that matter, very little of Guatemala is handicap accessible. To get to the school, you will need to climb a steep set of stairs and several hundred feet of steep hill. To get around Santa Cruz, you need to climb in and out of boats and walk on often uneven paths. The nearest major hospital is two hours away by what I can only imagine as a miserable ambulance ride. So be sure you are physically able to deal with being in a remote area. But it is one of my favorite places on earth, and I have been to many.

Santa Cruz Must Be the Best Spanish School in Guatemala! (With an Unbeatable View!)

My 17 year old daughter wanted to study Spanish. I wanted to brush up on mine as well, but I knew I didn\'t want to study in the city. I wanted to enjoy Lake Atitlan with its gorgeous views while I studied. What a delight to find this idyllic location with the excellent teachers! Our experience surpassed any expectations. We totally enjoyed the professional classes with a gorgeous view. In the afternoons, we explored, taking the boat to visit the little villages, markets and ziplining. We had made arrangements for classes at a second town on the lake for the second week, but once we saw the two locations, there was no comparison between the two, and we quickly cancelled the other class location and stayed on with Santa Cruz. Rosario was extremely helpful. She gave a couple of additional afternoon courses for us. We felt extremely safe as two females while we stayed in this community- which is not the case in many other areas of the country. My daughter said those were the best two weeks of her life. If you are uncertain, just do it! You will not regret it!

Santa Cruz Must Be the Best Spanish School in Guatemala! (With an Unbeatable View!)

My 17 year old daughter wanted to study Spanish. I wanted to brush up on mine as well, but I knew I didn\'t want to study in the city. I wanted to enjoy Lake Atitlan with its gorgeous views while I studied. What a delight to find this idyllic location with the excellent teachers! Our experience surpassed any expectations. We totally enjoyed the professional classes with a gorgeous view. In the afternoons, we explored, taking the boat to visit the little villages, markets and ziplining. We had made arrangements for classes at a second town on the lake for the second week, but once we saw the two locations, there was no comparison between the two, and we quickly cancelled the other class location and stayed on with Santa Cruz. Rosario was extremely helpful. She gave a couple of additional afternoon courses for us. We felt extremely safe as two females while we stayed in this community- which is not the case in many other areas of the country. My daughter said those were the best two weeks of her life. If you are uncertain, just do it! You will not regret it!

Amazing school for children and adults alike!

I studied here for about 5 weeks in total and my children also studied here during this time. They are 5 and 8 years old. We all had a great time with the teachers and the staff in the office. They truly care about the progress of their students and they were equally concerned with making sure the kids were having fun while learning. I love that they have a policy in place to speak only Spanish! It forced me to practice more and more. Of course, if absolutely need be, they can communicate in English as well.

stunning location and great staff

Did 16 hours of 1:1 tuition at beginner level here and enjoyed every minute. My tutor and the reception staff were both extremely welcoming. The school also offers tuition at a more than reasonable rate in a perfect setting. Would have stayed for much more tuition but I wanted to see more of Guatemala.

Really good school!

The staff here are so helpful and accomodating, we only stayed a week but we learnt enough to touch up on some Spanish before out trip, only problem was staying at the awful hostel \'Free Cerveza\' which added stress to our learning experience, but nevertheless couldnt have been more thankful for this place!

Fantastic!

We so enjoyed our experience here. The staff is excellent and the view is unbeatable. I learned more in my two weeks than in an entire semester of Spanish. Everyone was very helpful and they also arranged our pickup and drop off at the airport. The tour of a neighboring town was a highlight, and much enjoyed by the whole family!

The Place to Learn Spanish

The staff at the Santa Cruz Spanish School were SO helpful and SO accommodating. It was very easy to coordinate with them before my trip via WhatsApp and email. My teacher (in a one-on-one setting) was phenomenal! All this in addition to being in one of the most beautiful settings on earth! Could not recommend this school more highly!

Spanish class with Juana

In July I spent one week at Lago Atitlan. The hotel I stayed was La Casa del Mundo. There is a nice short trail along the lake between Santa Cruz and Jaibalito. Juana was my tutor for the entire week. She is knowledgeable with tremendous paciente. Santa Cruz Spanish School is located next to the dock with easy access and nice view of the lake. I would like to go back again to study with Juana! Thanks greatly! Sherry

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Reviews Highlights

Amazing teachers, great place to learn

A Great School for Beginning to Learn Spanish

Great school with an amazing teacher

Lovely family experience with this language school

Da non perdere...fantastico posto .... magico!!

Great school with an amazing teacher

Super!

Caring, wonderful staff and scenic views of Lake

Perfectly adapted to my needs

Excellent experience

Great school

Impressive Spanish School

Awesome!

Relaxed 1:1 classes with good management

Excellent place to learn Spanish

The view- increible

Great place to learn Spanish and enjoy an incredible view over the lake

Great way to learn, beautiful setting

Perfectly adapted to my needs

Excellent experience

Wonderful School for All Ages!

Unbeatable view and great instruction

You Are Never Too Old

Santa Cruz Must Be the Best Spanish School in Guatemala! (With an Unbeatable View!)

Santa Cruz Must Be the Best Spanish School in Guatemala! (With an Unbeatable View!)

Amazing school for children and adults alike!

stunning location and great staff

Really good school!

Fantastic!

The Place to Learn Spanish

Spanish class with Juana

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