Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charities® South Central Ontario Staying With Us

How Can I Stay Here?

Ronald McDonald House Charities® South Central Ontario (RMHC®SCO) is just steps away from McMaster Children's Hospital and offers families a private bedroom along with shared common space that includes a kitchen, dining room, family lounge, playroom, laundry facilities and much more.


How much does it cost to stay?

We request a nominal guest donation of $12 per night per room and we never turn a family away if they are unable to pay. Third Party payment options may be available. Families experiencing financial difficulties can contact the Director of Programs & Operations to make alternate arrangements.

The Black Family
The Black Family

To be eligible to stay, families need to:

  • Have a child (21 years of age or younger) being treated for a serious illness at a local Hamilton hospital on an  inpatient or outpatient basis.
  • Live outside of a 45km radius from RMHCSCO (please note: families living within 45km of RMHCSCO may also be eligible for accommodation under extenuating circumstances).
  • Have a referral from hospital staff social worker, nurse, or other medical staff.
  • Please note: In the case of a high risk pregnancy, accommodation may be extended to the partner/family under certain conditions. Please contact the House for more details.

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  • Families are not admitted based on their financial need. Rather, they are admitted based on the medical condition of the child, room availability and the distance of their home from the hospital. 
  • Anyone who is suffering from or who has recently been exposed to a communicable illness cannot stay at RMHCSCO. This includes family members with colds, flu or sore throats. This policy is vital in minimizing risk to children with weak immune systems staying at the House.
  • Siblings and other family members are welcome to accompany the parents of the ill child.
  • We are only able to offer one guest room per family.
the paul family

What to expect when you arrive

RMHCSCO seeks to provide a home-away-from-home where your family can stay while your child receives care at a local area hospital. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by a staff member who will meet with you about your stay and provide you with a full tour of our House. Our family guest rooms are similar to a hotel room in design and are equipped with either two queen-sized beds or one queen-sized bed and a pull-out couch. All full-size rooms also include a private and full ensuite bathroom, a mini-fridge and ample storage. Smaller short stay rooms are also available. Common spaces include numerous lounges, communal kitchen, family laundry, mom’s rooms (for nursing) and recreation space.


How to request accommodations

Unfortunately, guest rooms cannot be booked in advanced. If a guest room is unavailable on your requested check-in date, you will be placed on a wait list and asked to continue calling daily.

  1. Call us at 905-521-9983 to ensure that you qualify to stay with us.  
  2. Request for a referral to be made on your behalf with someone from your child's medical team.
  3. Once a hospital referral has been made, your name will be added to a room request list.
    Please note: we cannot guarantee room availability.  
  4. Call us on the day of the requested check-in to ensure that a room is available.
    We request that families call between 10 a.m. -1 p.m. if possible.  
  5. If a room is not available, continue calling each morning to confirm request to remain on waiting list.
    Please note: If we don’t receive a call to confirm your place on the waiting list daily, we will have to assume that the child has been discharged or alternative arrangements have been made, and therefore your name will be removed from our list.

Alternative Arrangements

If we are unable to offer accommodations, we have the following local hotels that may be able to offer a special compassionate rate to families on our waiting list:

  • Visitors Inn: 649 Main St. West Hamilton, ON L8S 1A2, 905-529-6979
  • Admiral Inn: 149 Dundurn St. North Hamilton, ON, L8R 3E7, 905-529-2311
  • Courtyard Marriott: 1224 Upper James St. Hamilton, ON, L9C 3B1, 905-383-7772

Repeat visits

When a child is returning for continuing medical care for the same condition, the family may call us directly at 905-521-9983 ext. 2107 to make arrangements.

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