Rooms & roommates

All hotels that work with EF are required to meet rigorous standards for quality, safety and cleanliness, so you can count on safe, clean and comfortable rooms with private baths.

Student rooms

Students (aged 19 and younger) are automatically placed in student rooms of two to four people based on the sex/gender identified on their passport. If you tell us you identify as a different sex/gender, we will work to accommodate you. Students will be assigned roommates from their group or from another group with whom they are traveling. Since hotel styles and accommodations vary among destinations, room assignments are made while on tour and travelers who share a room in one city may not do so in the next. Student rooms may contain single beds, double beds that are shared by two students or a combination of the two. Students may upgrade their room type to Twin at an additional cost.

Adult rooms

Adults (aged 20 and older) are automatically placed in Twin rooms with another adult based on the sex/gender identified on their passport. If you tell us you identify as a different sex/gender, we will work to accommodate you. Adults will be assigned a roommate either from their group or from another group with whom they are traveling. Adults who wish to request a specific roommate may do so with their Group Leader. Couples rooming together may request a Double room at no extra charge, and adults may upgrade their room type to Single at an additional cost. Families of three who wish to room together on tour may request a Family room through their Group Leader, though not all hotels can accommodate this request.

Rooms on overnight trains and ferries (when applicable)

Sleeping compartments on overnight trains are very small. Adults and students will sleep in couchette cars of up to six beds that fold down from the wall. Couchettes may not be exclusive to EF travelers and may be co-ed. Bathrooms are typically located outside the sleeping compartments in the corridor.

Ferry accommodations vary depending on the tour. Generally, adults and students room in cabins of up to four beds.

Changing your room type

Any traveler who wishes to change their room type should submit this request to both their Group Leader and EF’s Customer Service team at 800-665-5364 as soon as possible. The deadline to make a change is 110 days before departure. Please note that any changes you make will not impact accommodations on overnight trains or overnight ferries. In addition, Single and Twin rooms are not available on tours to Africa.

Roommate assignments

It is the Group Leader’s responsibility to confirm roommates for their group by 110 days before departure. Once all travelers—chaperones included—have enrolled, Group Leaders should contact their EF Experience Specialist to submit roommate assignments. They’ll be asked to confirm roommates for travelers in Twin, Double and Family rooms at that time. Since the breakdown of Student rooms varies from hotel to hotel, the EF Experience Specialist can also help the Group Leader prepare to assign student roommates when they’re on tour.

Room types

Student rooms: Three or four student travelers in single and/or shared double beds (standard for student travelers)
Twin rooms: Two single beds (standard for adult travelers; students may pay to upgrade)
Single rooms: One single bed (adults may pay to upgrade)
Double rooms: One double bed (adult couples may request)
Family rooms: Two twin beds and a cot, or a double bed and a cot (families may request)