Jesse H. Jones Rotary House International, MD Anderson Hotel Review
The Rotary House International Hotel is connected to the MD Anderson Cancer Center complex. Since the hotel is owned by MD Anderson, it caters to the needs of the patient. The hotel is managed by Marriott, but Marriott points don't apply to this hotel.The hotel was completely remodeled in 2016, so this is an updated review of the renovated Rotary House Hotel.
Why stay at the Rotary House?
This hotel is ideal if it's your first time to MD Anderson, you have early morning appointments, or you simply want a stress-free stay at MD Anderson. I felt so cared for and stress-free when staying here. The hotel is connected to all of the MD Anderson buildings. So whether it's storming outside or boiling hot, it's no problem to walk a few minutes to the clinics via the enclosed walkways.
When to book at the Rotary House?
Once you have your appointment at MD Anderson, call (800) 847-5783 to make your booking. I hear that the hotel can be fully booked at times! I book about 2 months ahead of my appointment.
The reservation staff are very efficient and friendly. Usually an email with the confirmation code is sent to you right after your phone reservation.
What kinds of rooms are available at the Rotary House?
Rotary House rates as of March 2017:
1 King-size bed: no kitchenette $140, with kitchenette $150
2 Queen-size beds: no kitchnette $156, with kitchenette $159
Suite with king-size bed and kitchenette $205
Suite with queen-size bed and kitchenette $190
Executive suite with king-size bed $310, with queen-size bed $285, with 2 queen-size beds $335
Executive room with 2 queen-size beds $205
Parking daily fee, call Rotary House to inquire about cost.
The King room with and without kitchenette have a microwave and refrigerator. The difference with the kitchenette room ($10 more) is there is an additional small bar sink and an additional bathroom sink. The kitchenette does not have a stove.
ROOM DETAILS
The room is tastefully decorated with soothing colors and photographs on the wall. I found it to be very quiet here, as all the guests are here for medical reasons, and not for partying, as is the case in other hotels.
There is complimentary WiFi. It was strong enough for video conferencing from the computer.
King bed with 4 pillows
The room is spacious with a king sized bed, 2 arm chairs, a side table, a rollable working/dining table, and an office chair. The windows of the room do not open. The temperature of the room can be controlled by the thermostat.
Two armchairs, small round side table and a foot rest.
Rollable office desk is underneath the lamp.
Flat screen TV with many channels (including CNN, ESPN, HBO, BBC, Food Network, Travel Channel, TLC, Science, National Geographic) Click picture to enlarge.
There is a nice beverage box with regular and decaf coffee pods, English breakfast and Camomile teabags, sugar and creamer packets and thick paper coffee cups with lids.
The bathroom has two sinks: one outside the bathroom and one inside the bathroom with the toilet and shower.
The shower has a detachable hand-held shower head and support handles.
It is very easy to get in and out of the shower safely with the low ledge.
Bathroom amenities: 2 bar soaps, conditioner, shampoo, body lotion and shower cap.
Closet:
luggage rack
clothes hangers
iron + ironing board
hair dryer (in bag hung in closet)
extra blanket
The kitchenette includes a refrigerator with freezer, bar sink, coffee/hot water maker and small microwave. Toaster is included.
The King Room without Kitchenette is almost the same as the King Room with Kitchenette, but it does not have the bar sink and the extra bathroom sink. There is still a microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker and toaster in this room.
SERVICES AND AMENITIES
Patient Guest Services
Atrium
Location: Rotary House 1st floor, next to Registration
The Atrium is a relaxing area with sofas, tables and chairs with soaring high ceilings. There is free Rotary House wifi, as well as electrical outlets here.
For refreshment, there is a coffee (regular and decaf) dispenser and hot water for tea (English breakfast and chamomile) and cold water, just adjacent to the Atrium.
Many events occur at the Atrium, such as dance or music concerts.
Business Center
Location: Rotary House 1st floor, facing the Atrium.
- Computers with internet
- Printer
Exercise
Location: Rotary House 1st floor, directly across from Registration. Hotel card key access required. 24 hour access.
- Pool: There is a beautiful heated indoor pool, even with machines that can carry someone in a sitting position into the pool. At the corner there is a jacuzzi. Lounge chairs surround the pool. Pool towels are provided there.
- Gym: Within the pool area, there is an exercise room with equipment. Water, fruit and towels are provided.
Food and Restaurants
Room service*
Room Service Menu: Breakfast, Appetizers, Salads, Sandwiches, Entrees, Favorites, Sides, Pizza, Desserts, Beverages, Wine.
Click on photo for larger image.
Restaurants/Food located next to Rotary House, on 2nd Floor:
Click to enlarge.
Apicus Kitchen* (a la carte and buffet)
Breakfast Mon-Fri 6:30am-10:30am, Sat + Sun 7:30am-11:30am
Lunch 11:30am-2:00pm (no buffet on Saturday)
Dinner 5:30pm-8:30pm (no buffet on Saturday)
Dinner buffet - has carving station, salad + soup bar, dessert, hot entrees.
Market's Best (mini convienent store with an assortment of products. Made to order breakfast offered between 7am-10am Monday-Friday.
Mon - Thurs 7am - 9pm
Friday 7am - 6pm
Saturday Closed.
Sunday 3pm - 9pm
Fuzion's* (self-serve and self-pay frozen yogurt with toppings)
Mon-Fri 9:00am-9:00pm
Sat + Sun 3:00pm-9:00pm
Pizza Hut (pan pizzas made-to-order, buffalo wings, and freshly baked bread available in Market Best and through Room Service)
Rotary Cafe (Starbucks coffee and pastries)
Mon-Fri 6am-6pm
Sesame's (create your own stir fry, in the back of Market Best)
Mon-Fri 11am - 2pm
Tuscani's (salads, baked pastas, sandwiches, Pizza Hut personal pizzas and pastas)
Sun-Thurs 3pm-9pm
Fresco's Grab & Go (salad bar, sandwich bar, Pizza Hut Express, Krispy Krunchy fried chicken)
Mon-Thurs 10am-3pm
Fri 10am-2:30pm
Cafeteria/Food located in Main Building, Elevator D, 1st Floor, about 5 minutes walk from Rotary House:
Cafe Anderson* cafeteria with hot entrees, salad bar, grill, sandwiches, Chick fil'A note: Chick fil'A closed on Sunday)
Cafe at the Park* Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Starbucks drinks, Smoothie King smoothies, pastries, sandwiches, salads.
[*These places are open on Saturday, even though many places close on Saturday.]
Gift Shop
Location: Rotary House 2nd floor, around the corner from the Oaks Restaurant.
It sells clothing, accessories, gifts, cards, over the counter medications, snacks.
Mon-Fri 8am-6pm
Sat-Sun 10am-6pm
Patient Guest Services
Patient Guest Relations is next to the registration desk.
Go here after checking in. Their services include:
- providing a copy of your MD Anderson appointment schedule
- arranging blood draws to be done at Rotary House (from Sunday to Thursday, 3:30PM-8PM), which is a nice service so you don't have to walk to the clinics
- health library with information for patients
- free DVD and DVD player rental
They have a HUGE selection of DVDs, including recent movies. The DVDs can be rented for 2 days at a time. After hours, there is a drop box outside of the Patient Guest Relations to return the DVDs.
- activities for hotel guests: performances in the Atrium, movies in the Mayfair Room
Sample of Activity Schedule for the week. It changes every Saturday.
Monday-Friday 7am-8:30pm
Saturday 10am-4:00pm
Sunday 1:30pm - 8:30pm
Laundry
Location: Rotary House 1st floor
8 washing machines and 7 dryers in the laundry room.
Sink and table for folding laundry.
Laundry detergent vending machine (left) and coin changer for quarters (right)
It costs $1 for a wash, 75 cents for drying one load, and 75 cents for laundry detergent for one load. Only quarters are accepted, but quarters can be changed with the coin changer in the laundry room.
Mayfair Room
Location: Rotary House 1st floor, next to the Atrium.
This is a large room with armchairs and sofas. For entertainment, there is a big screen TV and electronic piano. On some days, a movie will be shown here. Check the Rotary House Activity schedule
Complimentary beverages include regular and decaf coffee (hot or iced), English Breakfast and Organic Camomile tea. It's a great place to relax!
Quiet Room
Location: Rotary House 2nd floor, in between the Gift shop and the Rotary House elevators.
This is a hidden away quiet room that is only accessible with the Rotary House hotel room card key. There are many arm chairs and sofas, as well as a table with chairs. An aquarium sets the calm mood in the room, and it's a great place for reading, working or quiet reflection.
The entrance to the quiet lounge (left) and another view of the quiet room (right).
Shuttle Service/ Transportation
From the airport, take an airport shuttle or taxi to the Rotary House. For the return trip to the airport, it can be arranged informally with the hotel valets, who have their own transportation companies. Otherwise, an airport shuttle or taxi can be arranged for the trip to the airport.
There is a complimentary free shuttle service from the hotel to supermarkets, pharmacies, stores, restaurants and places of worship within a 2 mile radius of the hotel. Click here for the list of locations the shuttle services. When a pick up from the location is needed, call the shuttle service number at (713) 790-1600.
For more details on getting to appointment locations, parking and activities, check out the Guide to the Rotary House.
Guide to the Jesse H. Jones Rotary House International Hotel, MD Anderson Hotel
Everything is bigger in Texas, and the MD Anderson Cancer Center is no exception!The cancer center is spread over several 10+ story buildings. Staying in the middle of MD Anderson at the Rotary House Hotel definitely helps, but you still need to figure out the maze!
I hope this guide to staying at the Rotary House Hotel will make your time at MD Anderson more pleasant, with information about checking in and out of the hotel, how to get to your appointments and things to do at MD Anderson.
If you're looking for a hotel review of the Rotary House, check out our review of the renovated Rotary House!
Checking In and Parking
Entrance to the Jesse H. Jones Rotary House International Hotel
- When you first arrive, drive into the Rotary House driveway on Holcombe Blvd. Pass the valet, then the first few parking spaces are for registering guests. Park the car then go into the lobby for check in. [Self parking in the Rotary House Parking Garage costs $7 a day (as of October 2014) and is added to the hotel bill.]
- After you register and get your room key, drive through the parking lot until you reach a gate. This first gate will automatically open when your car approaches.
- Then the second gate in front of the multilevel parking garage opens with the room key.
- The 4th floor of the parking garage leads directly to the 2nd floor of the building. If you park on any other floor of the parking garage, take the garage elevator to the 4th floor. From there you can walk directly into the building.
- Once in the building, follow the signs to the Rotary House, which is past the Fuzion's frozen yogurt store and Apicius Restaurant. Take the elevator across from the Apicius Restaurant to your room floor number.
Rotary House 2nd floor entrance
Getting Around MD Anderson
There are multiple elevators spread across each floor. Remember 3 things about the location of your appointment:
- Building
- Floor Number
- Elevator Letter
For example, the CT scan clinic is at the Main building, Floor 3, near Elevator A. Remember "Main 3A".
It is best to go to that exact elevator to reach the clinic / location of your appointment. On some floors, you cannot walk from one elevator to another.
Going to the Main Building from the Rotary House Hotel
Clinic appointments, many scans and laboratory tests are at the Main Building. It's a short walk across the skybridge from the Rotary House Hotel.
There is a slight downhill slope when walking from the Rotary House to the Main Building. Note that when returning from the Main Building to the Rotary House, there is a slight incline. If you need a wheelchair, contact Patient Guest Relations.
- Go to the 2nd floor in the Rotary House.
- Walk past the Apicius Restaurant and Gift Shop.
- Turn Right and walk all the way through the skybridge to Main Building (3rd Floor). You will be next to Main Building's Elevator A.
Skybridge walkway from Rotary House 2nd floor to Main Building 3rd floor
- To go to the Main Building MRI, CT or Laboratory:
The Main Building MRI reception room is directly in front. To the left is the Main Building CT reception room.
Main Building CT reception room, 3rd floor near Elevator A
To go to the Main Building Laboratory, take Elevator A or the escalator down to the 2nd floor. The Laboratory is on the Right after exiting Elevator A.
Note: Starting Monday, April 10, the Diagnostic Center-Lab Medicine in the Main Building, Floor 2, will move to Floor 10, near Elevator B. There will be signs to direct you to the new location.
Main Building Laboratory, 2nd Floor near Elevator A
Things to do
When there are no appointments, there are many things to do while staying at the Rotary House Hotel.
In the room
- Flat screen TV with many channels. Click on the Channel Guide for larger image.
- free DVD movie and DVD player rental
The Patient Guest Relations office on the 2nd floor of the Rotary House Hotel has a large selection of classic and current DVDs. Go check out their big binders of DVD selections! If you want to watch the DVD on the TV in the room, you can also borrow a DVD player. Otherwise, you can play the DVD on your laptop.
At the Rotary House Hotel
- Weekly activities
There are activities lined up at the Rotary House from Monday to Friday and Sunday: movie night, music concerts, dance performances, informational sessions. Click on the picture for a larger image.
The weekly schedule of activities changes on Saturday. Saturday is a very quiet day at the Rotary house, with no activities and many eateries are closed. But, there are still many activities you can do!
- Quiet room - This is a relaxing room with an aquarium, many armchairs and sofa for reading or doing work.
- Mayfair Room - A large lounge with a TV, electronic piano and hot beverages (coffee, tea). Movie nights are held here.
- Atrium - An airy high ceiling lobby with sofas, tables and chairs. Music and dance performances are held here.
- Swimming Pool and Gym - Take a swim or spend some time on the exercise machines. Or just lounge poolside!
At MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Kim's Place - For 15-30 year olds, this is a fun place with TV, Wii, video games, computers, 2 basketball throw machines, pool table, jukebox, mini-kitchen and quiet areas. Main Building 2nd floor, in the Park.
- Observation Deck - This is not to be missed! I only discovered this place after going to MD Anderson for years! See a panoramic view of Houston from this top floor where there are armchairs to relax in, a big screen TV and even a baby grand piano that automatically plays music! Getting here is an adventure - In the Main Building, head to the F elevators and go up to the 22nd floor. Then take another elevator up to the 24th floor of the Alkek Building.
Checking out
- TV express check-out: Locate Guest services on TV menu. Click on check-out.
I found it pretty neat that I could see the total amount charged to me on the TV, and that I could also check out using the TV! Give it a try!
- Phone express check-out: Dial 7063, leave your name and room number and you will be checked out automatically.
- The day you check out, you still have garage privileges until 8pm that day. This allows for you to keep your car parked in the hotel garage until you are done for the day at the hospital, and saves you some parking cost! Keep at least one hotel room key with you for exiting the garage. Additional hotel room keys can be left in the room or dropped off at the lobby.
More Information
For information on reservations and room details, see the MD Anderson Rotary House Hotel Review.
