John Zay Guest House
The John Zay Guest House, located across the street from CommonSpirit Penrose Hospital, hosts patients facing serious illness or injury - and their loved ones - as they undergo treatment and receive care.
About
The 12,000-square-foot house was built in 2008 and dedicated in remembrance of John Zay, an extraordinary Penrose Hospital chaplain and cancer survivor who comforted and inspired countless people. The home offers lodging and amenities to out-of-town visitors during their times of greatest need, removing the burden of travel and hotel costs. The John Zay Guest House serves more than 2,400 guests every year with 5,800 nights of lodging.
Affectionately called “the house that love built,” the John Zay Guest House was funded entirely by donations from generous individuals and foundations. Nearly 100 community tradespeople volunteered their time and talent to bring it to life.
Our Services
When the ground beneath them feels unsteady, guests find solace and safety at the John Zay Guest House. This welcoming home not only offers a space to rest, but also removes a major source of stress by keeping families close to critical medical care and by alleviating the considerable costs of travel and lodging.
The warm and inviting two-story home is nestled in the safe residential area known as the Old North End, directly across from Penrose Hospital. It is handicap accessible and features comfortable private suites, common living areas, a full-service kitchen and a dining room.
The John Zay Guest House is within walking distance of Penrose Hospital. Its amenities include:
- 22 suites with private bathrooms
- A safe space to rest, dine, pray and connect with loved ones
- Communal gathering spaces for dining and recreation
Donation Based
Operating and maintaining our guest house ministry relies on the generosity of our community, including donations from guest house patients and visitors. We do not charge a set fee for the lodging we provide, but we respectfully request that each guest make a donation to the house. Friends and families are also welcome to donate on behalf of the guest.
FAQs
Talk to your CommonSpirit Health care provider or bedside nurse to initiate a referral request for a stay at the guest house. We do not accept self-referrals.
There is no set fee for staying at the guest house, but we do kindly request a donation. If you are a long-term guest, we request a weekly donation.
We allow one room per patient, and most rooms can accommodate up to 4 guests.
Every patient and guest must be medically stable. All patients must be accompanied by a caregiver who is capable of attending to their needs for the entire stay. We do not provide any medical or transportation services at the guest house.
We can provide a list of local hotels who offer our patients and families a discounted rate.
There is no limit to the length of stay as long as the patient is receiving care or treatment at a CommonSpirit Health facility. Length of stay could be impacted by room availability as we process referral requests on a first-come, first-served basis.
You can support our patients and guests by donating a gift to the guest house ministry at Tinyurl.com/PSFGuestHouseMinistry or by scanning this QR code. Be sure to designate “Guest House Ministry” when making your donation.
We do accept non-expired food donations that help support the needs of the guests residing at the house. In addition, there are ongoing opportunities to host a community dinner or serve as a volunteer. For more information on hosting a dinner or volunteering, please call 719-633-8855.
We have a supply of toiletries and other necessities that are donated to the house for use by guests who arrive without their personal belongings. Additionally, we have fully stocked laundry facilities on site for guest use at no cost.|
Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate pets in the guest house.
Each suite has a private bathroom.
We issue our guests a key card that allows them to come and go 24/7 during their stay. We do request that all guests respect the designated quiet hours of 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Friends and family are welcome to visit during your stay and must remain in the community areas of the guest house. To minimize the impact on other guests, visitation hours are between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and visitors are limited to four per guest. All visitors must abide by the house guidelines, including not entering the guest house if they have any infectious disease or illness. Children under 18 years old will need to be supervised by a registered guest. Please discuss any planned visitations with the office.
Yes, the house is conveniently located across the street from the hospital.
Patient Resources
