How to Stay
There is a three-step process to staying at SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals.
Staying at SECU Family House
SECU Family House provides a safe, affordable place to stay for adult UNC Hospital patients, their loved ones, and caregivers who are traveling to Chapel Hill for treatment. Guests are eligible to stay if they live more than 50 miles from Chapel Hill and have a referral from a member of their UNC Hospitals care team.
How to Stay
We’re here to make your visit as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Here’s how the process works:
1
Get Referred By UNC Health Care
All guests of SECU Family House must be referred by a member of the adult patient’s UNC Hospitals care team, such as a doctor, nurse, care manager, social worker, surgery coordinator, social worker, etc.
We regret we are unable to accommodate walk-in or self-referred guests.
2
Pending Waitlist Placement
Once referred by UNC Hospitals, you will be placed on a pending waitlist for the date of your scheduled arrival in Chapel Hill for treatment.
For first-time guests, we’ll follow up with a phone call or email before your arrival.
3
On the Day of Your Requested Check-in
We cannot confirm room availability until your requested check-in day. If you have not heard from us by 11:00am on your requested arrival date, please call 919.932.8000 to check room availability. We will let you know at that time if we have rooms available.
If a room is available, our staff and volunteers will warmly welcome you, give you a tour and orientation, and help you get acquainted with the Family House community. You can also familiarize yourself with Family House, by viewing our Online House Tour, or Orientation Video.
We are a cashless facility.
If we do not have a room available here at SECU Family House, we work with local hotels to negotiate a reduced rate for you and your family until one of our rooms becomes available.
4
Keep Us Updated
If your plans change and you no longer need a room, please call us as soon as possible at 919.932.8000.
This allows us to offer the room to another family in need of a place to stay while they or their loved one is receiving treatment at UNC Hospitals.
House Guidelines & What to Expect
Our guest policies are in place for the safety and security of everyone, so please be certain that you and your caretaker understand and respect the policies. Please advise a staff member promptly if you witness anything of concern. Thank you, in advance, for your cooperation.
Registration & Check-In
We look forward to welcoming new guests by 6 PM on their check-in day.
Registration & Check-In
New guests will:
- Complete a registration form
- Show photo ID
- Watch a short orientation video
Shuttle Service
Free shuttle to and from UNC Hospitals and select clinics — just a quick 5–10 minute ride.
Shuttle Service
- Runs Mon–Fri on a regular schedule
- More limited service on weekends & holidays
- Schedules available online or at the front desk.
Guest Rooms & Suites
Comfortable rooms with private bath, TV, and safe. Rates are affordable due to our generous donors and volunteers.
Guest Rooms & Suites
- Standard Room: sleeps 3–4 — $54/night
- Suite: sleeps 4, adds a small kitchen— $72/night
Kitchen Fare
Guests are invited to use the shared kitchens and pantry. Complimentary meals are provided on many evenings.
Kitchen Fare
- Standard rooms: small fridge for medicine/drinks, no food allowed
- Private food storage available in the shared kitchens
- Suites: small kitchens for long-term guests
- Bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated
Smoke-Free, Alcohol-Free
To keep our House safe and comfortable for all, smoking, alcohol, and illegal substances are not permitted.
Smoke-Free, Alcohol-Free
- This is a strict policy. Violation may result in dismissal.
- Benches for smoking are located off the House grounds at the end of the service entrance driveway.
Visitors and Minors
We welcome visitors and children! Visitor hours are 8 AM – 8 PM.
Visitors and Minors
- Guests may receive visitors in common areas only
- Children 14 & under must be supervised at all times
Please review the complete list of our policies that help us maintain a secure, healthy, and peaceful setting
for you and other guests.
What to Expect
Start Here: A Quick Orientation
Watch this video for an overview of the House policies and amenities for our guests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about staying with SECU Family House? We’ve got answers! Browse some of our most commonly asked questions below.
The process to stay at the SECU Family House starts with a request for a referral to us from you UNC Hospital medical care team. This can be a doctor, nurse, case manager, social worker, etc. A referral placed online will be sent to us and you will receive an email from us – or will be contacted – with a request for additional information. We use this additional information to know how to best accommodate the patient and their guests when they arrive.
After this additional information is filled out, we will place you on our Waitlist. This Waitlist is really a daily list that lets us know who would like to check in each day. Our room situation changes by the day and as such we will not have confirmation about a room until day-of. However, contact us first before making other arrangements as we can help you find a room at a local hotel as a reduced rate. On the day of your requested check-in, if you do not hear from us by 11AM, please give us a call directly. If your circumstances change, causing you to no longer need a room, please be sure to call the Family House back and let us know you will not be coming. That frees up a room for another family.
Pack as if you will be staying in a hotel. We have linens (sheets, blankets, pillows, towels, etc.) to be used while you are staying with us. We also have toiletry items including toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, and conditioner. If there are specific items you need, please bring them, but don’t worry if you forgot something at home!
Adult patients (18 years of age and older) and their families/caregivers, who are being treated at UNC Health for a number of life-threatening illnesses, including, but not limited to, cancer, accidents, bone marrow, and stem cell transplant, organ transplant, burn, trauma, and serious eating disorders.
We operate on a wait-list basis. You will need to call the House (919-932-8000) on the day you expect to arrive to find out if space is available.
Admission requests are prioritized based on the medical condition of the patient and the availability of other options for housing.
Families are welcome to use our fully equipped kitchens and pantries. For those in standard rooms, we encourage you to use our communal kitchens and dining areas as food is not permitted in our standard rooms. For those in our suites, you are welcome to use the kitchen your rooms as well as join us in the communal kitchens. Of course, all those staying with us are welcome to join when a volunteer meal team is serving a meal or to the food available in the community kitchens.
We have multiple on-site laundry facilities that guest are more than welcome to use. We have detergent and fabric sheets available, upon request, but if there are specific brans you are looking for feel free to bring those for you to use.
A guest’s length of stay is directly related to the patient’s treatment needs. The House works with the medical and social work team to determine the necessary length of stay. Some guests stay only one or two nights, some for several weeks, and some for months.
The Family House nightly rate is $54 for a standard room and $72 for a suite. Our actual costs for all that we offer our guests is over double those rates, but because of the contributions of our generous donors and kind volunteers, we are able to offer our House at this significantly reduced rate.
We are a cashless facility.
You may receive mail at the House. Letters should be addressed to:
Last Name/Family Name
c/o SECU Family House
Room #
123 Old Mason Farm Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
If you are going to be in Chapel Hill for an extended stay, please talk with the House Manager about the best way to get your mail at home or please have a neighbor collect and send your mail once per week.
Make a Difference with SECU Family House
