Homestay hosting in Venlo: Peter opens his home to TU/e student Tsvetan

TU/e student Tsvetan spent months looking for a place to live, until he found a room with Peter in Venlo through Hospi Housing. Their story shows what homestay hosting can mean.

TU/e student Tsvetan spent months looking for a place to live, until he found a room with Peter in Venlo through Hospi Housing. Their story, originally featured in De Limburger, shows how one available room can make a real difference to someone looking for a home.

This blog is based on the article by Bas Nollé in De Limburger on May 21st, 2026 about Peter van Santen from Venlo and Bulgarian student Tsvetan Tinev.

Still no room after a hundred responses

Last summer, while looking for a place to live in the Netherlands, Tsvetan had already responded to around a hundred listings. From Bulgaria, he was trying to find a room so he could start studying Mechanical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology after the summer. But searching from abroad, without being able to view homes or meet landlords in person, proved difficult.

Through Hospi Housing, he eventually got in touch with Peter van Santen from Venlo. Peter had space available at home and decided to offer a room to “make a small contribution” to easing the housing shortage. Together with his children, aged 16 and 18, he reviewed the responses and selected suitable candidates. That is how they eventually found Tsvetan.

Exciting, but above all meaningful

In the article, Peter says that he found it quite exciting at first. You only know someone from a screen, and then you welcome that person into your home. Still, he quickly had a good feeling about Tsvetan: serious, focused and pleasant to be around.

For Tsvetan, the room mainly brought peace of mind. After months of searching, he could finally enjoy his summer holiday and then focus on his studies.

In Venlo, Tsvetan has now found a comfortable place to live: an extension on the ground floor, with plenty of space for himself. Exactly what he was looking for. In the article, he says he would have been happy with any home, but that this place with Peter actually fits exactly what he needed.

One room can mean a lot

The story of Peter and Tsvetan beautifully shows what homestay hosting can mean. For a tenant, it offers a safe and affordable place to live, close enough to study and build a new life. For a host, it is a way to use available space in a meaningful way and truly help someone move forward.

Do you live in or around Venlo and have a spare room? Or are you looking for a room in someone’s home? We would be happy to think along with you. Homestay hosting does not have to be complicated — sometimes it starts with one room and the willingness to give someone a chance. Sign up now and we will personally get in touch.