Off-island
Staying near Southampton General Hospital: a guide for Guernsey families
When someone you love is treated in Southampton, the last thing you need is to work out where to stay. This guide sets out what HSC covers, where families can stay for free or cheaply, and who can help with costs.
By Peter G., founder & editor
Updated · 7 min read
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The quick answer
HSC pays for the patient's travel and hotel, and for some escorts' travel, but it doesn't pay for escorts' food or accommodation. Before you book a hotel, ask the ward about free or low-cost rooms on or beside the hospital site, and ask Guernsey charities whether they can help with costs.
What HSC pays for
The patient
- HSC pays for the patient's travel and accommodation when they're referred off-island. Book through the Patient Travel team (01481 222402, travel@gov.gg).
- In Southampton, patients usually stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Chilworth for up to five nights, or in Vittrum serviced apartments at Deanery Court for six nights or more.
- Meals depend on the length of stay: no allowance for a single night, breakfast for two to five nights, and an £18 meal credit at the hotel from six nights. At the Vittrum apartments you buy your own food.
- If the patient changes their dates to travel early or stay on, they pay any difference in the fare.
Escorts
- HSC pays an escort's travel when there's a clinical need, for one escort with a patient aged 6 to 17, and for two escorts with a child under 6. Adult patients' escorts may get help through the means-tested Travelling Expenses Assistance Scheme.
- HSC doesn't fund escorts' food or accommodation, so families need to arrange and pay for their own rooms. The options below can help.
Free and low-cost rooms at the hospital
- Ronald McDonald House is on the Southampton General site, with 53 en-suite rooms for families of children at Southampton Children's Hospital or the Princess Anne. It's free apart from a £25 refundable key deposit. You can't book it yourself: ward staff refer you, and rooms go to families who need them most, including those who've travelled furthest.
- Jean's House, run by Young Lives vs Cancer, has rooms for families of children being treated for cancer. Ask your nurse.
- Meller House, next to the hospital on Laundry Road, has rooms for relatives at short notice. You can't book ahead; register with hospital security. Prices were £40 a night for a twin room and £50 for the family room, but were due for review in 2026, so check when you arrive.
- Heartbeat House, run by the charity Wessex Heartbeat, is a few minutes' walk from the hospital and is for relatives of heart patients. Ask Wessex Heartbeat or the ward about current terms.
- Maggie's Southampton, on Tremona Road, offers free drop-in support for anyone affected by cancer, Monday to Friday. It isn't accommodation, but it's a calm place to sit, talk and get advice.
The hospital's Channel Islands Liaison Service (023 8120 4515, weekdays 9am to 5.30pm) helps islanders with the clinical side of a stay.
Help with costs from Guernsey
- The Guernsey Society for Cancer Relief helps with travel and accommodation costs for UK treatment, without a means test. Its details are on Health Connections.
- Health Connections runs an off-island support service, including packs for hospital stays: 01481 227470.
- HSC also points families to Wessex Heartbeat and the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation.
Hotels near the hospital
If you need a hotel, staying close to Southampton General (in Shirley, off Tremona Road) saves time and taxi fares. The map below is centred on the hospital: add your dates to see live prices for hotels, apartments and guest houses nearby, and look for flexible rates in case plans change. For an early flight home, the Premier Inn Southampton Airport is on the edge of the airport site.
Getting from the airport to the hospital
- Train: Southampton Airport Parkway station is about 50 metres from the terminal. Take a train to Southampton Central, then a bus or taxi to the hospital.
- Bus: Unilink buses run from the airport into the city, and several buses stop at the hospital. Check routes with the operators on the day.
- Taxi: the hospital is about 3 miles from the airport by road.
- Parking: if you hire a car, the hospital charges by the hour, with weekly and longer passes that work out much cheaper for long stays. Ask about concessions.
Questions
Does HSC pay for my accommodation if I go with a family member?
No. HSC may pay an escort's travel (for example, with a child, or where there's a clinical need), but it doesn't fund escorts' food or accommodation. Ask the ward about Ronald McDonald House, Meller House or Heartbeat House, and ask Guernsey charities about help with costs.
Where do Guernsey patients stay in Southampton?
Usually at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Chilworth for up to five nights, or Vittrum serviced apartments for six nights or more, booked through HSC's Patient Travel team.
Can I book Ronald McDonald House myself?
No. The ward refers families, and rooms are given according to need. Ask the nurses as early as you can.
Who do I contact about patient travel?
HSC Patient Travel: 01481 222402 or travel@gov.gg.
Planning flights? See our airport hotels guide.
Sources
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