Feedback. Samara Host Family.

Christopher K., Canada:

I would like to thank you for helping me have a good stay in Samara. Your service of meeting me at the airport was very good for me. I speak no Russian and there were no people at the airport that speak English so it was good to be able to speak English and not have to worry about finding transportation to the city. Also it was good that you were able to pick up Luba and bring her to the Airport to meet me.
My next visit will be a little less worrysome.I would like to thank you for helping me have a good stay in Samara. I will recommend your apartments as well as your bed and breaksfast to the travel agent that booked my trip to Russia. The first time we visit somewhere and are not familiar with the accomodations it can be very stressful, but I am happy to say that I was not disappointed. If future potential guests have any questions about the accomodations I would be happy to tell them they have nothing to worry about.It was a pleasure to meet you and your wife.

Maya E., Canada :

I happily spent two months living with Lena and Mikhail while working at the university. Lena and Mikhail were very friendly and always helpful. Their place is located very conveniently for anyone working at the university. It is about a 15 minutes walk from the university. There is a corner shop at the end of the street and a large supermarket across from the university. Also, there are many streetcars and buses that take off from in front of the university. The other nice thing about their place is that it is a little away from the downtown noise and the many trees in their garden and the near-by park certainly make for nice fresh air! Greetings to you and Lena,

Anders & Johanna, Sweden:
A nice family from Sweden, trawelled throughout Russia to China. Please read the travel journal at their website.

Grant McKee, USA:
The bed-and-breakfast was great [Mikhail&Lena: Samara Host Family stayInsamara@narod.ru]. Bill Hance had stayed there last year and encouraged others to enjoy that bed and breakfast in Samara too. I really did like it too. The two of us [Bill and me] stayed there for 2 weeks. A fine individual room, sauna, and breakfast were fantastic daily pleasures. The couple spoke very good English and were very desirable hosts. I would be pleased to recommend them too. The were very accommodating to their guests. Mikhail took Bill and me to the church in the morning a couple of times during those 2 weeks. And then he took us to other locations when we left their house [Bill to church and me to the airport] for a price less than taking a taxi, and much more convenient.

Samara summer visit

The sky is bright and Samara city is blooming in the summer sun.
Big distances are to view, it’s like this city is passing the horizon.
Everything is big, wide and endless streets where many people go.
And in an assertive way she’s presenting all the beauty she can show.
Everything you like to know about people who lived here previously.
You will find in a big variety of museums showing all about her history.
Trams and busses will transport you to all wanted directions.
So it’s possible to visit all of Samara city’s far away sections.
Markets are everywhere and all products you can imagine are in display.
For every lifestyle the nice shops can provide all people’s needs every day.
All the trees and numerous parks are like a beautiful obsession.
There are many great buildings that give an illustrious impression.
Statues and monuments are showing great affection to her history.
And on the Volga-river the ships are slowly floating by continuously.
At the Volga beach it’s nice to spend the warm summer’s day.
Also the embankment boulevards are an enjoyable place to stay.
All these nice impressions will be remembered forever more.
Samara is the place to visit again, that’s what I know for sure.

                                                                    J.H.K.

John K., USA:
My stay in Samara was great. I would like to return as soon as I can.

Charlie Marshall, USA:
I have made a real good friend in Samara!!! As you know his name is Mickhail. He has a wife and a 12 year old daughter. He house's guy's who come over to get to know there internet girlfriend's!! As well as there families! Often in Samara a family can not house a new probable husband. That is his niche in Samara!!! He is fluent in English at a level 5. His wife is almost the same. There daughter is even beginning to get fluent!!!

Mark Pryma, Canada:
When we arrived in Samara I saw Mikhail holding a sign with my name on it. Smile to smile...finally I am here. We get the luggage into his Lada and off we go. It is about 50 kms to his house. The roads are very dark along the highway. It is difficult to see much..and there is a sprinkle of snow falling. We arrive and get into his home. It is warm, large, well light and quiet.It is 2:00 am local time and his wife and child are asleep. He shows me my room on the second floor; it has a view of the garden a large bed and TV. There is a small table at one side and two chairs. I fall into bed but do not have a great sleep. I am a little restless after all that traveling, and finally arriving in Russia, I am now curious to know what it is like. I can't wait for the morning so I can see and go out to explore. I awake many times during the night. As the evening turns to dawn I hear chickens crow. I see the sky becoming lighter through the curtains. My room is large and comfortable. The bed is large and layered with many covers. I wait in bed. I hear doors open and close downstairs. It is time for me to get up. I put on fresh clothes and go downstairs where I see Michail at the entrance to the kitchen. "Good morning"....we greet each other with smiles. His wife Lena is in the kitchen with their daughter Anna. Breakfast is being made and he motions me to join. I sit at the table and look at the surroundings. Gas stove, hot water on demand, 2 fridges, a good sized table. There is a cabinet beside the table with many dishes and glasses and a microwave oven on top of one of the fridges. The kitchen seems organized and clean. Lena has made a big breakfast but I am not really hungry. I explain that in the future it is not important for me to have a large breakfast. Maybe toast, a yogurt with a cup of coffee maybe an egg with bread....that is good. After breakfast Mikhail points me to the bathroom. It seems large to me. I was expecting everything here to be more rustic and uncomfortable. So far this is not the case. There is a very large bath tub, a sink, a regular flush toilet and a washing machine. The central furnace is in this room as well. There is no shower stall only a shower head attached to the tap. I have a long hot shower enjoying it very much. I get out dry off and look at the sink.....hmmmmmmm....brushing my teeth. "Mikhail" I ask, "Do you use the water from the tap for your teeth ?". "Yes, the water is good" he says. " If they use the water, so will I. As I brush my teeth I turn the water on and off as not to waste water. Mikhail hears the water turning off and on and comes into the bathroom "Dont worry about the water....it is free and we have lots". They have hot water on demand, heated by gas and I asked Mikhail about the cost...."no problem, gas is cheap". Wow I seem to be living in luxury. I am now ready to go out and see Russia.

Werner M. from Belgium:
My thanks to a great family ho helped me with a great stay in Samara ( Russia ). There warm welcom and great services in the beginning of arrivel in the airport and during the paperwork of the officials like the pasport. My special thanks also with his great help with finding my love of my life. May I hope we can stay friends for a long time. I shall recomend you to all the persons that I now.

Jim F., USA:
For a taste of the real Russia - this is it. This is Russia not from a hotel room, or with a noisy crowd of English-speaking tourists who all come from where you come from, but staying in a comfortable place - you live, eat and talk with a real Russian family. Mikhail and his wife, Lina, daughter Anya, Babushka, cats Dimka and Black, and Dick the Dog, offer accommodations for the single traveler or a couple. You room in their large house, and can also pay a little extra for breakfast and/or supper. Mikhail offers service as interpreter, guide or chauffer, or you can go out on your own. He is fluent in English and Lina can understand you if you speak more slowly than seven words a second. All your needs are taken care of and anything unexpected or unusual can be handled easily The house is gated and guarded by Dick the dog. You are located by the sprawling Zagoradny Park and a short walk from the wide Volga River. After breakfast, walk down the street (avoid Dick the Dog - he's the watchdog, but he's a nice guy at heart) to the convenient bus stop. From there, you can explore Samara, one of the most exotic, off-the-beaten-path places on the planet. To get around, there is a variety of city busses, mini-buses, trolleybuses and tram, even a subway. You can hail a ride from the curb - many cars, not just taxis, will stop for you. And, yes, there's a McDonald's if you absolutely must have salt and grease. Unique Qualities: At the park there are semi-wild horses and many rides, such as the Ferris wheel, bumper cars or pedal boats. In the summer evenings, the pathways of the park are full of strollers - old, young, lovers, children, sightseers. Kiosks offer ice cream (seems to be the Russian national food), beer (Russian beer is on a par with the German) and outdoor cafes grill chicken and shaslik (pork or lamb on a stick - shish-ka-bob). Samara is a big city and has everything to offer that any other big city has - from sports to culture to casinos. If you like to watch the young ladies, you may think you have died and gone to heaven - walking down the sidewalk in Russia is like walking through the pages of an Elle magazine. Towards downtown, there is the "embankment." At the water's edge, there is a long sandy beach, for swimming, sun tanning or girl-watching. You can rent a bicycle or roller-blades, or just stroll along the wide seaside asphalt pathways. Want to take an excursion down the Volga for an hour, a day or a week? There are commercial ferries to all points on this waterway through the heart of Russia or you can hire your own small boat. The embankment is alive day and night, with open-air bars and cafes featuring fresh-grilled chicken and fish. As the sun goes down, a festive air of music and dancing permeates the atmosphere and you want to stay in Samara forever.