Temporary Housing for Pediatric Patients and Their Families in Houston
Temporary housing for pediatric patients is simply a place for your child and your family to live near the hospital while treatment happens. Occasionally that’s three nights. Occasionally it’s three months. In Houston, most families choose between a hotel, nonprofit lodging like Ronald McDonald House, or a furnished apartment near the Texas Medical Center.
Before you book anything, check five things: how close it is to your child’s hospital, how easy it is to change your dates, whether you’ll have a kitchen and laundry, how many people it can sleep, and what the whole stay will really cost. The rest of this guide walks through each one.
What Housing Options Can Families Consider?
There are four main paths, and plenty of families use more than one. You might start in a hotel for the first consult, then move somewhere bigger once the treatment plan is clear.
Hotels are easy to book for a night or two. They get tight fast when you’re eating every meal out and sharing one room with a worn-out kid.
Extended-stay hotels usually add a kitchenette and weekly rates, which helps with longer trips.
Nonprofit lodging is often low cost or free. Ronald McDonald House Houston runs Holcombe House near the TMC and a Ronald McDonald House inside Texas Children’s Hospital, where overnight stays are assigned one night at a time. Space is limited, and referrals are usually part of the process, so start that conversation early.
Furnished apartments give you a full kitchen, a washer and dryer, and separate bedrooms. They tend to make the most sense once a stay runs past a week or two.
Comparing Your Options at a Glance
Eligibility, availability, minimum stays, rates, and policies all vary by provider, so treat this as a starting point and confirm the details directly.
When Does a Furnished Apartment Make More Sense Than a Hotel?
Usually when the stay gets long, the family gets bigger, or meals get complicated. If your child has a restricted diet, needs familiar food to eat, or you’re traveling with siblings, a hotel room starts working against you pretty quickly. We’ve written more about why furnished housing often works better than a hotel for longer medical stays.
At Medical Accommodations, our apartments come in one- to three-bedroom layouts with a full kitchen, an in-unit washer and dryer, and utilities and WiFi included. You can see the full list of what’s included in each apartment before you call. There’s no application or credit check, and stays start at one night.
A hotel can still be the right call for a short first visit. There’s no wrong answer here, just the one that fits this stage of treatment.
How Close Do You Really Need to Be to Your Child’s Hospital?
Close enough that getting there doesn’t become its own stress. But first, confirm exactly where your child will be seen.
Texas Children’s Hospital's main campus is in the Texas Medical Center, with buildings like the Abercrombie Building and West Tower at 6621 Fannin Street and Wallace Tower at 6701 Fannin Street. It also has separate campuses in Katy (West Campus) and The Woodlands. Since one campus is close to one and nowhere near the others, ask your care team for the building name before you compare housing.
Then separate walking distance from driving distance. A ten-minute walk sounds easy until it’s August in Houston, you’re pushing a stroller, and your child just had a procedure. All of our furnished apartment locations near the Texas Medical Center are within two miles of the TMC hospitals. Some are walkable, and others offer a free shuttle, so ask us which option fits your child’s building and how you’d actually get there.
For a realistic picture, look at commute times from TMC housing to each major hospital and our guide to shuttles, parking, and getting around the TMC.
What Matters Most During a Stay of Several Weeks or Months?
Rest, routine, and room to breathe. Long stays wear everyone down, and the little things end up carrying the most weight.
Familiar routines. A bedtime story, the same cereal, and Friday movie night. When the big things feel uncertain, small rituals help kids feel steady. We share more ideas like this on our page about housing for families at Texas Children’s Hospital.
Space for siblings. Brothers and sisters need somewhere to be kids, do homework, and decompress. A separate bedroom can make a real difference.
Rest for caregivers. If two parents are trading shifts at the bedside, one of you needs to sleep while the other stays awake. A real bed in a quiet room matters more than you might think.
Smart packing. Bring the comfort items: the blanket, the stuffed animal, the tablet charger, and a few things from home that make the space feel like yours. Our packing guide for a 30-day medical stay covers the rest. If you’re heading into newborn intensive care, our guide to preparing for an extended NICU stay is written just for you.
One thing to keep clear: a furnished apartment is a place to live, not a medical facility. We don’t provide nursing, clinical monitoring, or medical equipment, and we aren’t affiliated with any hospital. Your child’s care team is the right source for medical guidance about the home setting.
Questions to Ask Before You Book
A few minutes on the phone now can save you a hard week later. Ask about:
Kitchen: Is it fully equipped, with pots, pans, and full-size appliances?
Laundry: Is there a washer and dryer in the unit, or a shared room down the hall?
Sleeping: How many beds, what sizes, and is there a separate room for siblings?
Parking: Is it free, assigned, or paid? Is it close to the door?
Accessibility: Are there elevators, walk-in showers, or shower chairs available? At our properties, select locations offer walk-in showers, and transfer benches are available by request.
Transportation: Is there a shuttle, and does it actually stop at your child’s building?
Our housing FAQs answer many of these, and we’re happy to go property by property with you.
What Happens If Treatment Dates or Discharge Plans Change?
They probably will. Start dates slide, discharge moves up, and a new scan adds two weeks. So ask every provider how extensions, early departures, and cancellations work before you commit.
With Medical Accommodations, you can extend or shorten your stay as needed. If you leave early, you’re refunded for any nights that get rebooked by another guest. If those nights aren’t rebooked, you’re still responsible for them. We’d rather you know that upfront.
How Can Families Compare the Full Cost of a Stay?
Look past the nightly rate. Add up everything the stay will actually cost you: parking, meals out versus groceries, laundry, rideshares or gas, taxes and fees, and anything extra like WiFi.
A room that looks cheaper per night can end up costing more once every meal is takeout and parking is charged daily. Our apartments are one flat daily rate with utilities included, and patient rates stay the same year-round regardless of seasonal demand.
If cost is a serious barrier, talk to your child’s social worker about financial assistance and nonprofit lodging. According to Texas Children’s, many area hotels and the Ronald McDonald House participate in Texas Medicaid’s housing program. Always confirm eligibility and availability directly with the organization or the hospital.
What Should You Ask Your Hospital Social Worker About Lodging?
Your child’s social worker or care coordinator often knows about resources you won’t find online. It’s worth asking:
Do we qualify for Ronald McDonald House or other nonprofit lodging, and can you refer us?
Does our insurance or Medicaid cover any lodging or travel costs?
Are there gas, parking, or meal assistance programs?
Which building will most appointments be in, and how long should we plan to stay?
What to Have Ready Before You Request Housing
You don’t need everything figured out. Rough dates are fine. Having these handy just helps us find the right fit faster:
Your estimated arrival date and how long you might stay
Your child’s hospital and building, if you know it
Who’s staying, including the number of adults and kids
How many bedrooms you need, plus any accessibility needs
Whether you’ll have a car
Your budget
Our family housing checklist for out-of-town parents goes deeper if you want a full prep list.
Frequently Asked Questions About Temporary Housing for Pediatric Patients
What is temporary housing for pediatric patients?
It’s short-term or extended housing near a children’s hospital where a child and their family can stay during treatment. Options include hotels, extended-stay hotels, nonprofit lodging like Ronald McDonald House, and furnished apartments.
How long can families stay in furnished housing near Texas Children’s Hospital?
It depends on the provider. Medical Accommodations offers stays starting at one night, with the option to extend or shorten as treatment plans change.
Is Ronald McDonald House free in Houston?
Ronald McDonald House is nonprofit lodging, and costs are often low or nothing for families who qualify. A referral is usually required, and space is limited, so ask your child’s social worker and confirm directly with the House.
Do furnished apartments near the TMC provide medical care?
No. Furnished apartments are housing only. They don’t provide nursing, monitoring, or medical equipment, and they aren’t part of the hospital. Your child’s care team is the right source for medical guidance.
Can siblings stay with us?
In most furnished apartments, yes. Two- and three-bedroom layouts can give siblings their own space. Let us know who’s coming so we can match the right size.
What if my child’s discharge date moves?
You can extend or shorten your stay with us as needed. If you leave early, nights that get rebooked by another guest are refunded. Nights that aren’t rebooked are still your responsibility.
How far are Medical Accommodations apartments from Texas Children’s Hospital?
All of our properties are within two miles of the Texas Medical Center hospitals. Exact distance and travel options depend on the property and your child’s building, so ask us before booking.
We’re Here When You’re Ready
Finding temporary housing for pediatric patients shouldn’t be one more thing keeping you up at night. You’re already carrying enough.
Tell us your dates (even rough ones), who’s coming, your budget, and anything your family needs to feel settled. We’ll handle the rest. Call us at 888-900-2559 or 713-298-3073, or request housing online, and we’ll typically get back to you within an hour.
