Coming to Columbus for Medical Treatment? A Guide to Temporary Housing Near Columbus Hospitals | Epicurean Furnished Apartments

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re not searching for yourself. You’re searching for your husband, your wife, your child, your parent – someone you love who needs treatment at a hospital here in Columbus. And you’re the one who’s figuring out the logistics while everything else in life feels like it’s on hold.

Maybe it’s a series of cancer treatments. Maybe it’s a transplant surgery that requires staying close to the hospital afterward for monitoring. Maybe your child needs specialized care at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and your whole family is traveling to Columbus for however long it takes.

Whatever is bringing you here, one thing is usually true: a hotel room isn’t going to cut it for a 30+ night stay. You’ll need to do laundry, cook or prep meals between appointments, and give your family a real place to rest between hard days.

For medical stays of 30 nights or longer in Columbus, the primary lodging options are furnished month-to-month apartments, extended-stay hotels, vacation rentals, and charitable accommodations such as the Ronald McDonald House. The right choice depends on the hospital location, length of treatment, family size, mobility needs, and budget.

This guide will help you compare the temporary housing options in Columbus, evaluate the pros and cons of each, and make the right decision so that you can rest easier during an otherwise hard season.

(If your reason for needing temporary housing is a home displacement due to a fire, flood, storm damage, or an insurance claim — we’ve written a separate guide for that situation.)

Why a Hotel Room Isn’t Ideal for an Extended Medical Stay

Hotels can be a great option for a few nights or (at most) weeks – but not months. They simply aren’t designed for guests to truly settle in and feel at home. A few weeks into your stay, the small stuff will begin to wear on you. No real kitchen and minimal counter space means every meal is takeout balanced on your lap, or awkwardly cooked with a microwave. No in-unit washer and dryer means a weekly trip to a laundromat or shared basement laundry room. Thin walls make it hard to get uninterrupted rest after a hard day at the hospital. All of this gets even more stressful if kids will be joining you. 

The good news is that Columbus has a well-established alternative: furnished, month-to-month apartments designed specifically for people who need to stay for 30+ nights. Demand for temporary housing in Columbus is high due to corporate relocations and the international reputation of The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, The James Cancer Hospital, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. For this reason, Columbus has several quality housing options for people in need of a comfortable extended stay. You have more options than it may initially seem. 

A Comparison of Temporary Housing Options 

Housing option	Best for	Main advantage	Main drawback
Furnished apartments	Stays of 30+ nights	Full kitchen, in-unit laundry and separate living space	Usually requires a 30-night commitment
Extended-stay hotel	Stays of <30 nights	Housekeeping included	Less space, comfort, and privacy.
Vacation rental	Larger families with 5+ people or restricted pets	Widest variety of options including single-family homes with 3+ bedrooms and fenced yards.	Quality, flexibility, and availability can be unreliable.

What to Look For in Temporary Housing During Treatment 

Every family’s situation is different. A solo adult traveling to Columbus for a transplant has different needs than a family of five relocating temporarily for a child’s care. This will make a difference when it comes to determining which temporary housing options are the best fit for you.

Regardless of your exact situation, a few things matter more for medical travelers than they would for others: 

Proximity to the hospital. After a long day of appointments or a difficult procedure, a 10- minute drive feels very different from a 30-minute one. When reviewing options, ask for the address and find out exactly how far the apartment is from OSU Wexner Medical Center, the James, or Nationwide Children’s. Don’t just rely on listings that say “close to OSU,” for example. 

Enough space for the whole family, if needed. Separate living and sleeping space makes a big difference – especially if you’re traveling with children, or if a spouse will be staying alongside a patient long-term. Ask about one-bedroom or two-bedroom furnished options, not just studios. If you need housing for 5 people or more, focus your search on single-family homes (vs. apartments) as 3+ bedroom apartments are rare and two bedroom apartments generally have a legal occupancy limit of 4 people. 

Single-level access and a walk-in shower. If mobility, fatigue, or post-surgical recovery will be a factor, stairs and tubs can become a real obstacle. Be sure to confirm that the building has an elevator, or that you’ll be on the ground floor. Ask if there are any steps anywhere that are required to access or move around the apartment. Make sure the bathroom has a walk-in shower or grab bars where needed. 

A full kitchen, not a kitchenette. Many medical treatments come with dietary restrictions. You may need to consider post-transplant immune precautions, chemotherapy-related food sensitivities, or a child’s specialized diet. Being able to cook, refrigerate, pack, and serve real meals often matters more for medical travelers than it would for a work-related stay. A full kitchen can also mean significant savings since you won’t end up relying as much on restaurants for meals. 

Comfortable furniture and beds. When you’re traveling for medical treatments, comfort isn’t a luxury – it’s essential. Unfortunately, “fully furnished” can sometimes mean a squeaky futon in the living room, a cheap mattress that should have been replaced years ago, and depressing motel decor. Before renting a place, be sure to confirm that the photos on the listing match the actual apartment. Ask how old the furniture and mattresses are and where they came from. A quality provider will be proud to share these details. 

In-unit laundry. Extended medical stays often mean more laundry than usual, not less. A full-size washer and dryer in the unit (not a shared one down the hall or in the basement) saves real time and makes for a less stressful stay. 

A quiet location in a nice neighborhood. Recovery days are something to consider during extended treatment. After all, you won’t be at the hospital the entire time. Even though your stay is temporary, you’re still choosing a place that will be your home for a while. A cozy place in a nice neighborhood can make a huge difference in how well your family is able to rest between appointments. Take time to research the area surrounding the rental, and be sure there are restaurants and grocery stores nearby (walkable is a bonus – but at least within a few minutes’ drive). 

Flexible, month-to-month lease. Treatment schedules can shift. A transplant date can suddenly change, a round of treatment may be added, discharge can get pushed back a week, follow-up monitoring can run longer than expected. You need flexible housing that can adapt to your needs – not a rigid lease that penalizes you when changes are needed (or worse, leaves you scrambling to find a new place to stay). Be sure you understand the flexibility of a lease before you sign it, and ask the provider or host if they’re willing to provide extra flexibility if needed. 

All-inclusive billing. The last thing you need during an overwhelming season of life is to have to juggle separate bills for electric, gas, water, and WiFi on top of everything else. Look for a provider that rolls everything into one flat rate. Most corporate housing companies, extended stay hotels, and even vacation rentals offer all-inclusive rates. But some don’t, so it’s important that you ask. 

A Few Columbus-Specific Notes 

If your loved one is being treated at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center or The James, ask first about the University District, Upper Arlington, Grandview, The Short North, and Downtown Columbus. Depending on the exact address and traffic, these areas can place you within approximately 5-15 minutes of the medical campus. Proximity is important for anyone, but especially for transplant programs, which often require patients to stay within a certain distance of the hospital for a period of close monitoring afterward. As you look for furnished apartments near OSU, it’s also worth knowing that The James runs a Patient and Family Resource Center on-site, which provides helpful support services and information beyond just lodging. 

If your family is here for care at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, there are multiple companies that offer furnished apartments near Nationwide Children’s Hospital – typically in the Downtown area within just a mile or two. However, many families end up choosing a quieter suburban location like Dublin, Hilliard, Westerville, or New Albany – accepting a longer drive in exchange for green space, parks, and a more residential setting. This is an important consideration if you’re managing a hospital stay for one child while trying to keep some normalcy for siblings who are coming along. If budget is a major factor, families receiving care at Nationwide Children’s may also qualify to stay at the Ronald McDonald House across from the hospital. Families should work with their clinical team to request placement, and accommodations depend on availability and priority. 

The best place to start is to contact a few providers directly and simply explain your situation, including which hospital you’re working with, roughly how long you expect to be here, and how many people will be staying. Local furnished apartment providers have lots of experience working with families in this exact position and can point you toward the specific locations that will work best.

One local option is Epicurean Furnished Apartments, a Columbus-based, husband-and-wife-run company that has been housing medical travelers since 2019. Epicurean offers flexible month-to-month leases, all-inclusive rates, and dozens of locations around the city. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

How far in advance should I book furnished housing for a medical stay in Columbus? As soon as you have a treatment or admission date (even if the date is tentative). Furnished housing providers can often work with shifting timelines, and inquiring early can give you access to the best options since the most desirable apartments and locations can get booked up quickly. 

Can I extend my stay if treatment takes longer than expected? Most furnished apartment providers in Columbus offer month-to-month leases that are designed to flex with your plans, making them a perfect fit for situations that involve uncertainty. But every provider is different. Ask specifically how extensions work and whether there’s a penalty for changing your move-out date. 

Is furnished housing near Columbus hospitals more expensive than a hotel? For a stay of 30+ nights, furnished apartments are often more cost-effective than a hotel. This is especially true once you factor in the savings from having an in-unit washer and dryer, a real full-size kitchen (since you won’t need to eat out for every meal), and space for the occasional family member who may visit. Nearby hotels range from $100 to $250 per night plus tax, whereas fully furnished apartments range from $99-$199 per night with a 30-night minimum stay. Furnished apartments can be priced very differently, though – so be sure to ask if there are any additional fees beyond the listed rate. And of course, ask if there are any medical discounts available. 

Do I need a car to stay near OSU Wexner or Nationwide Children’s Hospital? Having a car generally make life easier, especially when appointments, pharmacies, and grocery stores aren’t all within walking distance of your apartment. That said, there are many furnished apartments near OSU and Nationwide Children’s Hospital where it’s easy to get a rideshare via Uber or Lyft at any time of day or night. 

What if I need housing for just my spouse, versus the whole family? Most providers offer a variety of apartment sizes. A one-bedroom furnished apartment may work well for a single adult accompanying a patient where budget is an important factor. But two-bedrooms might be a better fit if siblings or extended family will be joining, or if anyone in your group will be working from home. Two bedroom apartments are also far more likely to have 2+ bathrooms, which may be a personal preference and can be helpful in certain medical situations. 

You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone 

If you’re the one handling the search – researching neighborhoods, comparing listings, trying to picture what daily life will look like for the next several months – just know that you’re not the first person to do this. Families travel from all over the world for cancer care, transplants, and complex pediatric procedures at Columbus’s hospitals, and the city’s furnished housing providers have seen this exact situation many times before. A quick phone call, describing your family’s specific needs, will usually get you further than searching for listings on your own. 

Take the time to ask the questions above, choose a place that’s designed for comfort and flexibility, and give yourself one less thing to worry about during a season that already asks so much of you. 

Jesse Lear is the founder of Epicurean Furnished Apartments – a boutique provider of short term furnished apartments in Columbus Ohio. With an average guest rating of 4.97 stars and 500+ 5-star reviews, Epicurean has helped hundreds of medical travelers find temporary homes since 2019.