BackgroundTreatment for anorexia nervosa (AN) is typically delivered on a continuum of care, starting with outpatient treatment, and moving onto intensive outpatient, day or residential treatment and/or inpatient hospitalisation. However, minimal attention has been afforded to the lived experiences of persons undergoing inpatient treatment for AN. In particular, qualitative literature pertaining to the lived experiences of specialist inpatient or residential treatment of AN remains fragmented and incomplete. The aim of this review was to synthesise current literature exploring patients’ lived experiences of residential and inpatient treatment for AN within eating disorder-specific treatment services.MethodsFive databases were searched and a qualitative thematic systematic review and meta-synthesis of 11 studies were conducted.ResultsEleven studies of 159 participants were included. Four meta-themes were constructed from the data: (1) a medical discourse—“I don’t think it’s individualised here”; (2) restrictive practice—living in a “bubble”; (3) myself, others and “a similar demon”; and (4) I am “not just another anorexic”. The data also revealed two cross-cutting themes: (1) more than a single experience; and (2) meaning making and identity.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of the inpatient treatment experience as well as the inherent conflicts in balancing the necessity of medical and psychological intervention with person-centred treatment approaches in the treatment of AN.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40337-023-00820-0.