Stay With Us
Request your room at Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City
A room at Ronald McDonald House® Iowa City starts with one phone call. Tell us where your child is being treated and where you’re traveling from, and your family will be added to our system the same day.
Reach out as early as you can. You can call before you have a treatment date, before you’ve booked travel, before you know how long you’ll be in Iowa City. We can’t hold a room in advance. What the call does is put your family in line for the next room that opens, and the earlier you’re in line, the better chance we can accommodate you.
What to have ready when you call
Detailed personal information
We will have questions about the patient, family, and support people intending to stay at the Ronald McDonald House.
Where your child is being treated
The hospital and the unit, and the date treatment starts if you have one.
Who's coming with you
How many people will be staying and their ages, including brothers and sisters.
A number you'll answer
A mobile number is best, and a second one if someone else can be reached when you can’t.
If the House is full
The House is often full, so we work with hotels near the hospital to hold a reduced rate for families on that day’s waitlist. Ask when you call and staff will point you to them.
Request a room
Online booking is coming soon — for now, please call us at 319-500-7642. The office answers from 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m., seven days a week.
Your family’s name will go on that day’s waitlist. If a room opens, staff will call you — it can be any time of day, so keep your phone where you’ll hear it. If we can’t reach you, we’ll leave a message with a time to call back by.
Frequently asked questions about requesting a room
Yes. A relative, friend, employer or hospital staff member can start the request. Whoever calls will need the patient’s information along with the names and details of everyone who plans to stay, so it helps to have that gathered before they pick up the phone.
No, a patient or sibling younger than 18 can’t stay on their own. An adult must be present at all times.
Once your family is on the waitlist, our staff will call as soon as a room becomes available. Sometimes it is same day, sometimes it is not. Being on our waitlist does open up the discounted hotel program and the password changes each day, so be sure to call and receive that updated password should you need it.
Where to go next
Eligibility & How to Stay
The full criteria, including the situations that sit at the edges.
Family FAQ
Short answers to the questions families ask most.
What to Expect
What the House is like day to day, and what to bring.