Intake? First blah-blah paperwork, then a strip search to make sure you have nothing to si with.
Rooms can be either single or double---but sometimes you're strapped to a bed, depending upon the state you're in; always a beautiful common room with TV, games, puzzles, art supplies (which are locked up, but they'll get for you if they have time to sit with you), a couple of exercise bikes.
The dining hall is nice--whenever it's open 6 am to 9 pm, you can get soda, juice, coffee, cocoa at will. Nurses swirl around the room while you eat, so it gets charted whether you're having trouble with that, and the head nurse comes to discuss that with you, too.
Shared bathrooms, but you can lock them while you're in them.
Days are busy...too busy, especially if your meds are begin adjusted and you're trying just to keep your eyes open.
Nights are a little difficult. There's a curfew and you can only stay out in the common rooms if you're talking to staff---but one place I stayed you could stay up in the puzzle room. And, at night, there is a towel in your door latch so that when they do the rounds with their flashlights, the latch doesn't click and wake you up.
Your meds are in their custody upon admittance, if you have them on you. You are assessed by their own psychiatrists as soon as one can be called in, and he orders based upon how you present. And your meds are adjusted in consultation with your own p-dac as soon as s/he can be reached.
You sometimes end up there with nothing except what you were wearing, and they give you "jammies" and if your shoes have laces, either they take the shoes, or they take the laces (same with any laces in your clothing...even if that's all that was holding it on/up.) If it's voluntary, or there's time, you're allowed two changes of clothing--they have washers and dryers there.
No laptops or personal electronic things like iPods are allowed--but they do have devices you can use, with mixes of music or self-improvement or relaxation tapes (all useful if you can't stand the reality TV shows or the volume of the TV)
Any stay over 10 days has to be approved by your insurance--if you have insurance, sometimes people come and go in as little as two days, but usually it's longer.
The doctors are regular doctors from the area, who see patients in their own clinical practices, and are pretty good. The therapists are a very mixed bag. Some have far less experience with your condition than your...I don't know, boyfriend? Parents? The neighbor down the block?....okay, not fair, but some of them are just "techs" and this is some sort of rotation in their program--or not! Some are highly qualified in an area of therapy (DBT, CT, etc.) and come in for their sessions, some are highly qualified nps, and so on. None are psychologists. Your therapist is allowed to visit, but not to do therapy. You see a therapist every day for about half an hour, unless you want more time, which they will schedule later in the day, after their rounds are made. Some of the specialists will make appointments with you, too, if they have the time. A well-being therapist comes in twice a week, usually a pet therapist comes in at least once a week.

Whew. I think that's it....the wards are always locked...after a few days, if you are voluntary and the psychiatrist allows it, you can get a day pass for two hours...working up to half a day. They drive you to certain stores like Barnes and Noble (a book store), but usually you need to arrange transportation if you don't have someone in the area to come and get you if you want to go any distance from the hospital. Sometimes you can get a pass earlier if you will stay on the grounds... There are phones you can use, and there are two computers, but you have to sign up for times if more than two people want to use them....