Lodging for non ambulatory patient

Hello allenaj. Welcome to Connect. Mayo Clinic has a concierge service that can help a lot with recommendations. The hotels closer to the campuses are usually a bit higher priced, but also some have subway connections. The subway is an underground walkway that goes between buildings so you don't have to go outside and can push a wheel chair direct from the hotel. I think the Concierge services may be able to also help with that if that is too much physical effort. The hotels also have shuttles and the buses probably have some wheelchair accommodations. I also live in the Chicago area and arrive the night before. It is about a 5 and a half hour drive from Chicago, and about an hour after you cross the Mississippi River from Wisconsin. I usually stay in a hotel with a full kitchen because I have food allergies and eating out is difficult, so that's a choice, a hotel with or without a kitchen. Sometimes there is a wait for shuttle buses, and with an early appointment that could be an issue. Parking is also much easier if you are arriving in the early morning.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester has Concierge Services to help make your trip go smoothly. They provide information about travel, lodging, Mayo Clinic and community resources to plan your visit. And it’s free. Here is the info for the Concierge Services. I called them for a previous visit and they were very helpful.

Five Ways to Contact Mayo Concierge Services

Phone: 507-538-8438
Live Chat: https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide
Email: concierge@mayo.edu
Web form: https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide/minnesota/becoming-a-patient/concierge-travel-services
In-person in Rochester MN: Lobby hours are 8:00-5:00 Monday through Friday. Offices are located in the International Center in the Mayo Mathew’s Lobby, Executive Lounge on Mayo 5, Radiation Oncology Lobby – Desk R

Where will her appointment be? Perhaps, I will know the area.

@allenaj As Jennifer recommended the Concierge Services at Mayo Clinic are very helpful. Their services are offered at no cost and they are so helpful and knowledgeable.

I recommend that you do not stay at the Kahler Inn and Suites. Even though the hotel is just across the street and is convenient our recent experience showed that they are not careful with COVID health standards.

I will share that one of our friends was non-ambulatory for a period of time when he was at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. They stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn and his wife found that hotel to convenient for them. She was able to easily take him to his appointments in the Gonda and Mayo Buildings as the Residence Inn is connected at the subway level to Mayo Clinic. As Jennifer said the hotels that are connected via subway level to Mayo Clinic do tend to be more pricey.

If you haven't been to Mayo Clinic before I think you will find everyone to be so very helpful. If you stand in one spot for more than a few seconds and look even a little confused a Mayo staff member will stop and ask if you need help.

I wish you and your mother safe travels. You are a wonderful and caring daughter.

As previous suggested, concierge service can help. Here are few additional suggestions.

If not staying at hotel downtown or using hotel shuttle, you can arrive by car and drop mom at door and then park or take advantage of valet service to park your car. There is charge for parking and valet.

The drop off location is at Mayo / Gonda building off 3rd Ave (one way street). The entrances for Mayo parking ramps are also off 3rd Ave.

There are door persons that can assist unloading your mom to a Mayo wheelchair, and if you need assistance pushing wheelchair, the door persons will call an escort. Escorts can help transport patients within Mayo campus, but not to hotels.

If plan on arriving by car to park or using valet, arrive early. The traffic and Gonda drop off can be very busy in morning. Not Chicago busy, but everyone is going to work and arriving for appointments at about the same time and parking ramps can have a line to enter.

There are maps of downtown and campus at
https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide/minnesota/campus-buildings-maps
Laurie

@allenaj, I hope the appointment for your mother went well today and that you found accommodations that were convenient and helpful.

Colleen,
her appointment went accordingly. Thank you!

I hope there were no unexpected surprises.