About the Homestay
- Welcomes
- Males
- Females
- Couples
- Families
- Students
We have been hosting young people for over 15 years and love having visitors with us. We often have two or three guests at a time making for lively conversations. My husband and I have two friendly dogs and a sometimes friendly cat. We have a teenage son who enjoys getting to know our guests.
Our home is a short distance from downtown Boston and Harvard Square with public transportation just steps from the front door. Previous guests have attended Harvard, MIT, BU, BC and many of the ESL schools in downtown Boston. Our neighborhood is quiet and very safe. Our price includes breakfast which guests serve themselves and dinner which we prepare and eat together.
My Pets
2 Dogs, Cat
Bedrooms available for booking
About the Area
Our House is located on the North side of Newton a short distance from downtown Boston and Harvard Square, Cambridge. There is a bus stop one block from the house and a number of bus routes are available at the stop.
Local Area Facilities
- Park
- Shopping Centre
- Bus Stop
Meals
Hosts can offer a complimentary light breakfast at their discretion. All other meals, including a full breakfast, might incur an additional cost, if offered. Meals and any additional payment should be arranged directly with your host.
Included in the stay
- Complimentary Light Breakfast
- Use of Kitchen
Available on request at an extra cost
- Half Board
House Rules
LAUNDRY
Laundry is done by the visitor and can be done on any day or time but not past 9 pm.
Host will wash sheets and towels every two weeks (typically on Saturday). If you want your sheets and towels washed, please leave them in the laundry room before 10 AM Saturday morning.
The hosts request that you be respectful of others when doing laundry.
HOUSEKEEPING
The house is cleaned every two weeks by a service or the hosts. You are responsible for your own room.
Toiletries may be kept in the bathroom but you will be sharing the bathroom with another student.
Please be respectful of others and keep the bathroom clean – do not leave dirty clothes lying around. Do not leave wet towels on any piece of furniture or on the floor. There are towel racks and hooks in the bathroom and towel hooks on the doors in your room.
Each visitor is responsible for putting their dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
Outside food is allowed in the homestay but should NOT be eaten in your room. Use of the kitchen for cooking is also allowed and we welcome participation in meal preparation.
MEAL TIMES
You are on your own for breakfast. We always have yogurt, cereal, milk, fruit and toast. If there is something else you would like, let us know.
Dinner is served between 6:30PM and 7:30pm (or depends on visitors’ schedules, whatever is good for every one). If you will not be home for dinner on the weekends, please call or text by 5pm.
If you will not be home for dinner and want dinner saved for you, please let the host know before dinner time. Your meal will be on the counter. If you will not be eating at home, please text Lee or Tabetha by 4 PM
SPECIAL HOUSE REQUESTS
The hosts go to bed around 10:30pm. If you are staying awake, we just ask that music and the television be turned down. Please be considerate of others when returning home after 10:00pm.
If you have forgotten your key, please notify the hosts before 9pm so arrangements can be made.
Visitors must buy their own phone cards for international calls
No overnight guests are allowed unless permission is given.
NO SMOKING in the house at any time. Visitors may smoke outside but dispose of smoked cigarette in the garbage outside and not on the yard.
Turn off all lights and electronics when you leave the house and when you go to bed.
Please make sure the door to the kitchen and the gate are in place to keep the dogs in the family room/kitchen area.
The hosts must be made of your plans on the weekend. We would like to meet your friends and find it helpful to have their cell phone numbers and their host family contacts in case of emergency.
Please let us know if the bathroom sink or shower is draining slowly. The house has old plumbing and sometimes we need to unclog the drains
• Please lock the door whenever you leave the house.
• Please do not bring any food into your room – water is fine but all eating should be done downstairs.
• Please bring the trash down from your room on Wednesday night and leave it by the back door.
Smoking Rules
Your host is a non-smoker.
Smoking is not allowed.
20 Reviews
November 2023
I had the best stay at Tabetha and Lee's. I was there for 6 months. They are so nice and welcoming, made me feel part of the family. Bonus point for the great meals ! :-)
December 2022
They accepted and accommodated me kindly, even though I could not speak English well. They were kind to me during my stay and it was a wonderful time for me. The food prepared by Lee and Tabetha was really delicious and I never missed Japanese food during my stay.
My roommates were also very wonderful people who supported my new life.
I highly recommend them to anyone considering a homestay in Boston.March 2022
Tabetha and Lee are the most exemplary Americans I have ever met. They are true-hearted, welcoming and flexible. I was always welcomed with a smile and off the charts, delicious food. I recommend this host family truly to everyone! I will be a blissful and unique experience. Thank you Tabetha and Lee.
Host reply
May 2020
This guest awarded the host 5 hearts but didn’t leave any comments.
Host reply
October 2019
It is a great home stay and very kind and generous people, the house is clean and the food is amazing, the are a great cocks, everyday is a delicious dinner
August 2019
Un séjour très agréable, j'ai été totalement plongée dans la culture américaine pendant 3 mois. Les hôtes sont gentils et très ouverts à la conversation. De très bons plats. Grande chambre confortable avec la climatisation (très agréable en été).
April 2019
This guest awarded the host 5 hearts but didn’t leave any comments.
January 2019
I stayed with Tab and Lee for around 4 months in their lovely house in Newton, they were amazing and friendly all the time and the food was always delicious!
I'd defiantly recommend them to anyone else looking for a homestay around Boston or the nearby cities.
Thank you Tab & Lee for such warm hosting.November 2018
Seasoned professionals in the treat-your-homestay-visitor-as-your-own. Flexible, kind, and warm in a lovely Newton home filled with two sweet (big) dogs. They go out of their way to make guests feel comfortable and the stay is likely the best you will find. The Brown Room is comfortable with ample desk space and a nearby a mostly private sparkling clean bathroom. Wonderful experience. Thank you for your kindness.
October 2018
To summarize it up, I definitely recommend everyone to stay at Tab's and Lee's home!
Since the day I arrived, I felt like I had a "new home" in Boston, where I stayed for 2 months. Tab and Lee were so friendly at any time and we spent some great evenings together watching TV or just talking about everything you can think of. I also took the two dogs Henley and Rugby and the new cat Samantha into my heart. The food was amazing, the room was clear and very comfortable. I cannot complain about anything during my stay at their place and hope I will see you/them again in the future!
How do I book?
Contact the host to check their availability and ask them any questions you have about staying with them. Once the host confirms they’re available for your dates, you can complete your booking.
When do I pay?
Once a host confirms they're available, you can go ahead and pay the 15% booking fee (maximum of 250 $£€ for longer term bookings) using a choice of payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, Laser, JCB & PayPal (not available in certain countries). You then pay your host on arrival or as stated by your host on their profile and agreed by you on booking. Please be cautious if a host requests advance payment if its not included on their profile. Our hosts have been advised that if they wish to request advance payment they must make this explicit in their profile. We do not recommend the use of Money gram or Western Union.
When can I share my contact details?
Host and Guest email address, phone number and home address will be exchanged in a confirmation email sent to both immediately after a booking is completed. It's against our policy for Guests and Hosts to exchange direct contact details via our messaging system.