City of Hope has opened a 147-room hotel to accommodate patients and their families while patients undergo treatment at the Duarte facility.

The $65 million Judy & Bernard Briskin Hope Village hotel is named for the Briskin family, which donated a portion of the funding. It’s part of the cancer research and treatment center’s $1 billion expansion plan, which also has added a new administration building, additional parking and more medical facilities.

The hotel is designed “to foster recovery and offer peace of mind for patients and families dealing with cancer while keeping them together when they need it most.” Located at the northwest corner of the property, it more than triples the accommodations previously offered by City of Hope’s on-campus bungalows.

Nicholas Jenson, 28, is currently staying at the hotel with his mother while he undergoes cancer treatment. He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Oct. 2018 and had chemotherapy treatment before suffering a relapse in May 2022.

Lymphoblastic leukemia occurs when a bone marrow cell develops errors in its DNA. Jenson recently underwent a stem cell transplant and will remain on the City of Hope campus through the end of January.

“The hotel is for people who live pretty far away, and I live in Orange,” he said. “I have two doctor’s appointments a week plus labs twice a week, so this is really good for me. They also want me to be close in case anything goes wrong, like if I would spike a fever. “

Jenson admits the hotel has had a calming effect.

“I love it,” he said. “Right now I’m sitting on a balcony in this public lounge they have and the view of the mountains is really nice.”

The cost to stay at the hotel is determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on a patient’s treatment plan and specific financial needs, City of Hope said.

An upstairs common area in the hotel features views of the surrounding mountains. (Photo courtesy of City of Hope)

The hotel partially opened in April. That was followed by a more recent naming ceremony before its opening was officially announced on Dec. 7.

The 115,000-square-foot hotel includes 116 studio rooms with two sleeping areas separated by a partition, 27 standard rooms accommodating traveling medical professionals, scholars and guests, 15 pairs of rooms with connecting doors and four one-bedroom suites.

The first floor has offices that welcome international patients and provide coordination for their care, while multilingual patient navigators are on hand to manage the nonclinical needs of international patients.

A welcome area for international patients provides coordination for their care, while multilingual patient navigators are on hand to manage the nonclinical needs of international patients. (Photo courtesy of City of Hope)

It also features a 1913 Restaurant and Bar that’s open to the general public. Named after the year City of Hope opened, the eatery serves American cuisine with organic, locally sourced meats and produce.

Hotel guests can also have a meal prep box with delivered to their door for in-room preparation in fully stocked kitchenettes. A grab-and-go market offers additional food options.

Robert Stone, City of Hope’s chief executive officer, said the Judy and Bernard Briskin Family Foundation’s ongoing generosity is greatly appreciated.

“Our long-term partnership with Judy and the late Bernie Briskin has made an immeasurable difference to cancer patients and their families, and the new Judy & Bernard Briskin Hope Village hotel is no exception,” Stone said in a statement.

Jenson said his mother is with him for the duration of his stay at City of Hope. They are in a room separated by a partition.

“You’re supposed to have a caregiver on hand, and that’s my mom,” he said. “The room has a little kitchenette where you can prepare your own meals, and there’s a gigantic bathroom and a big TV.”

The Briskins’ philanthropy at City of Hope has been extensive.

Facilities and research programs named after them include the Judy & Bernard Briskin Center for Clinical Research, Judy and Bernard Briskin Fund for Research Innovation, Judy and Bernard Briskin Endowment for Research Innovation and the Judy and Bernard Briskin Center for Multiple Myeloma Research, among others.

Judy Briskin said their collaboration is deeply rooted in the confidence that City of Hope’s cutting-edge research and therapies will lead to lifesaving treatments for patients throughout the world.

“If Bernie were still with us, he would be so proud and honored to have his name associated with Hope Village, which offers a warm and welcoming place for families and their loved ones who are often undergoing difficult treatments for the most devastating illnesses,” she said.

Other completed features of City of Hope’s $1 billion expansion include:

—100,000-square-foot Belardi Family Pavilion, an administrative and leadership building

—New parking structure with 1,000 additional spaces

—10,000-square-foot outpatient imaging center that conducts diagnostic and ongoing treatment imaging

—Ambulatory outpatient center