The most practical accommodation near Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is a serviced home within walking distance of Great Western Road, booked by the night or the week. You avoid the £15.90 daily hospital parking charge and get a kitchen for shift-pattern meals. Esho Stays has two homes near the hospital, from £80 a night.
Jump to
Who needs accommodation near Gloucestershire Royal Hospital?
Most people who book accommodation near Gloucestershire Royal Hospital are NHS staff on a placement or rotation, or relatives of a patient on a ward. The hospital at Great Western Road, Gloucester GL1 3NN is the county’s main emergency hospital, so stays often start at short notice.
Agency nurses and locum doctors
Agency and locum contracts often run for 4 to 13 weeks, sometimes extended at a few days’ notice. A home booked weekly is easier to extend than a hotel room, and the kitchen saves money on food over a long contract.
Resident doctors and students on rotation
Resident doctors usually change rotation in early August and early February, and the weeks either side are the busiest for bookings. If you know your Gloucester placement dates, book as soon as the rota is confirmed.
Families visiting a patient
When someone is admitted for a week or more, relatives coming from outside Gloucestershire need a base close enough to visit twice a day. Several family members can share one home for less than separate hotel rooms.
Partners and grandparents around a birth
The Gloucester Birth Unit and maternity ward are in the Women’s Centre on the hospital site. Grandparents travelling in for the first weeks, or a partner whose baby is in the neonatal unit, often want somewhere close and quiet.
How much does parking at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital cost?
Visitor parking at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital costs from £2.90 for up to an hour to £15.90 for up to 24 hours. There are four car parks on site: Orchard, Hope House, the Tower multi-storey and the Orchard Centre.
| Length of stay in the car park | Visitor charge | Over 28 days, if every day |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 2 hours | £5.70 | £159.60 |
| Up to 4 hours | £9.50 | £266.00 |
| Up to 6 hours | £11.60 | £324.80 |
| Up to 24 hours | £15.90 | £445.20 |
Tariffs from the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust parking page, checked October 2026. Charges change, so check before you travel.
A family visiting a patient for four weeks can spend more than £250 on parking alone. Staying within walking distance of the hospital removes that cost. Some visitors are exempt, including parents staying overnight on the children’s wards and holders of a Carer’s Passport, so ask the ward about this.
Staff parking works differently. Staff apply for a permit through the trust, and agency or bank staff should ask their booking contact what applies to them before the first shift.
How do you get to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital without a car?
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is about a 10-minute walk from Gloucester railway station, through the station underpass to Great Western Road. Buses from Gloucester Transport Hub, next to the station, also stop at the hospital.
| From or to the hospital | How | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Gloucester railway station | Walk, about 10 minutes | The underpass is step free, lit and covered by CCTV |
| Gloucester Transport Hub | Walk, or the 99 bus | Next to the station, in the city centre |
| Cheltenham General Hospital | Pulhams 99 bus, or about 7 miles by car | The 99 runs up to every 30 minutes, £3 maximum fare |
| Arle Court Park & Ride, Cheltenham | Pulhams 99 bus | Free parking, then the bus to either hospital |
| M5 motorway | Junction 11A (A417) or junction 12 (A38) | Expect queues at peak times on Bruton Way |
Staff who work at both hospitals should know that Cheltenham General is now the trust’s centre for cancer care and planned surgery. Gloucestershire Royal focuses on emergency care. The 99 bus links the two sites on weekdays and stops at the Tower Block entrance. Check the Pulhams 99 timetable before you plan a night shift, because the last buses leave in the evening.
What should NHS staff look for in accommodation near the hospital?
NHS staff on placement should look for accommodation that lets them sleep in the day, cook at odd hours and park without a permit. A hotel room fails on at least two of those after the first week of nights.
Every Esho Stays home near Gloucestershire Royal Hospital comes with:
- A full kitchen, so you can batch cook before a run of night shifts
- A washing machine for uniforms and scrubs
- Free parking, on the street or on a private drive
- Fast Wi-Fi for e-learning, revision and video calls home
- Bills, fresh linen and towels included in the price
- Self check-in, so you can arrive after a late shift or a long drive
- Pets allowed, for placements too long to leave a dog behind
- Invoices to your agency or trust, with the right details on them
Questions to ask before you book a placement stay
0 of 5 checked
Local tips from our hosts near the hospital
Use the station underpass, not Bruton WayThe refurbished underpass at Gloucester station brings you out on Great Western Road, opposite the hospital. Walking round by London Road and Bruton Way adds about six minutes.
Drive in early, leave before 5pmGreat Western Road and Bruton Way queue at the evening rush. If you are driving in to visit, an early afternoon slot is usually the easiest time to find a space.
Keep the parking ticketA lost ticket at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is charged at the full daily rate. Take a photo of it when you park.
Message us your rotaSend your shift pattern when you book. We will plan cleaning visits around your sleep, not in the middle of it.
Where to stay: Esho Stays homes near Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Esho Stays has two homes close to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. One suits a single member of staff or a couple, and the other suits a family or a group of colleagues.
£80 / night1-bed near the hospital
- 1 bedroom
- King bed
- Free on-street parking
- Pets allowed
A quiet flat for one person on a long placement, for less than most hotel rooms in the city. The station is a short walk away for trips home on days off.
See the 1-bed
£195 / night4-bed house near the hospital
- 4 bedrooms
- 7 beds
- 3 bathrooms
- 2-car drive
- Garden
- Pets allowed
Room for the whole family when someone is in hospital, with a drive for two cars. Three bathrooms mean staff on different shifts are not waking each other up.
See the 4-bed houseIf both are booked, we have three more homes in Gloucester with free parking, from £100 a night. Teams booking for a project rather than a placement can read our guide to contractor accommodation in Gloucester.
Frequently asked questions
Is there accommodation on the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital site?
Yes. Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has key worker housing on the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital site, run by a housing partner. It is for NHS and other key workers, and rooms are often shared. Families, visitors and staff who want a whole home with parking usually book serviced accommodation nearby instead.
Can I book a home near the hospital for one night?
Yes. Esho Stays takes bookings near Gloucestershire Royal Hospital from a single night, which helps families called in at short notice. Most of our hospital guests stay one to twelve weeks, and longer stays usually get a better nightly rate. Call or message us for same-day availability.
Can I bring my dog to accommodation near Gloucestershire Royal Hospital?
Yes. Both Esho Stays homes near Gloucestershire Royal Hospital accept pets, the one-bedroom flat and the four-bedroom house. Tell us about your pet when you book. This helps staff on a long placement who would otherwise need to arrange kennels for months.
Can my agency or NHS trust pay for my stay?
Yes. We can invoice an agency, a locum company or a trust directly, with the correct company details on the invoice. Send us the booking contact and any purchase order number, and we will set up the invoice before you arrive.
What if the home is not right on the first night?
Our No Fuss First Night Guarantee covers it. If the cleanliness, heating or Wi-Fi is not as promised on your first night, we refund that night. Message us straight away and we will put the problem right.
Next step
Send us your dates and who is staying
We will tell you which home near Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is free and send a price, usually the same day.