Hospitality House FAQ

A hospitality house is a place to stay, at little or no cost, for patients and the people caring for them while they receive medical treatment away from home. Most offer private bedrooms, shared kitchens and living spaces, and staff and volunteers who understand what you're going through. They exist so that distance from a treatment center doesn't decide whether you can get the care you need.

Houses aren't hotels, and they aren't medical facilities. Think of them as a home base near the hospital, with people who've walked alongside many families before yours.

Generally, patients receiving treatment at a nearby medical center and their caregivers or family members. Some houses serve a specific group, such as families of children in pediatric care, transplant patients, veterans, or people receiving cancer treatment. Others serve anyone traveling for medical care. Many houses ask that you live a certain distance away, often 30 to 50 miles or more.

Confirm with your house: who they serve, distance requirements, and whether the patient must be actively in treatment.

Most houses take referrals from a hospital social worker, nurse, or patient navigator, and many also accept requests directly from families. Start by finding houses near your treatment center in the HHN directory, then call or check the house's website for their process. If you have a social worker, ask them; they often know the houses well.

Confirm with your house: whether they need a referral, how far ahead to request, and what information they need from you.

Many houses are free. Others ask for a small nightly amount or a donation if you're able, often between $10 and $40 per night, and most will never turn a family away over the ability to pay. If cost is a concern, say so when you call. That conversation is normal and expected.

Confirm with your house: the nightly rate if any, how payment works, and whether financial assistance is available.

It depends on the house and on your treatment. Some stays are a night or two around a procedure; some last weeks or months during a treatment course. Most houses work with you and your care team to plan around your medical schedule, and many can extend a stay when treatment changes.

Confirm with your house: maximum length of stay, how extensions work, and what happens if your treatment schedule shifts.

Often yes, within limits. Houses set a maximum number of people per room and may have age guidelines for children, especially houses serving immunocompromised patients. Some houses welcome the whole family; others are designed for a patient and one caregiver.

Confirm with your house: how many guests per room, age policies, and whether children can stay overnight.

Most houses can't accommodate pets, because many guests have weakened immune systems or allergies. Service animals are a different matter and are generally welcome. If you rely on an emotional support animal, ask directly.

Confirm with your house: their animal policy and what documentation, if any, they need for a service animal.

Your medications and a list of them, your insurance and ID, your treatment schedule and care team contacts, comfortable clothes for a range of weather, and a few things that make an unfamiliar room feel like yours. Most houses provide bedding and towels; some provide toiletries, laundry supplies, and pantry staples. Our packing checklist covers the rest.

Confirm with your house: what they provide and what they'd like you to bring.

Many houses are on or next to the hospital campus, close enough to walk. Others run a shuttle, help arrange rides, or are on a bus line. If you won't have a car, ask about transportation when you call; it's one of the most important details to sort out before you arrive.

Confirm with your house: distance to your treatment center, shuttle or ride options, and parking.

Typically a private bedroom, sometimes with a private bath, plus shared spaces: a kitchen where you can cook, a living room, laundry, and often outdoor space. Some houses are small and homelike with a handful of rooms; others have dozens of rooms and feel more like a residence hall. Photos on each house's directory listing give you a sense of the place.

Sometimes. Many houses keep a stocked pantry, and volunteer groups often cook dinners for guests. Most houses expect you to handle your own meals in the shared kitchen the rest of the time. Bring what you need for any special diet.

Confirm with your house: which meals, if any, are provided and what kitchen access looks like.

Every house has them, and they're there to keep everyone safe and comfortable. Common ones: quiet hours, no smoking on the property, cleaning up shared spaces after you use them, and health screening or masking during illness season. Read them when you check in and ask about anything unclear.

Yes. House staff and volunteers aren't counselors, but they've supported many families through hard weeks and can point you to help. You'll also meet other guests going through similar things, and many people say those conversations were the part of their stay they didn't expect to matter most.

Treatment schedules change constantly, and houses know it. If your dates shift, a procedure is delayed, or you're discharged early, call the house as soon as you know. They'll adjust with you, and it frees a room for another family if you no longer need it.

Houses run on donations and volunteers, and many former guests become both. A gift of any size, a review that helps the next family find them, supplies from their wish list, or an afternoon of volunteering once you're home all matter. If your stay helped, telling the house so is a gift in itself.