I chose this hotel based on its location close to the University and in the downtown area. This was the only good thing about this hotel. Their website claims that it has been "updated" but I found the only aspect of the hotel that was updated was the lobby, which was conveniently the only photo on their website. The rest of the hotel was quite terrible.
The elevator was very old and made creaking noises, and the door opened before it came to a stop. I took the stairs for the remainder of my stay. The hallways were dingy and the doors to the rooms looked like those to a correctional facility. The room itself was plain and unimpressive. The bathroom was clearly outdated: a very small sink, and old toilet that ran for about 5 minutes after flushing, and old handles on the shower/tub. It looked like they had attempted to purchase new furniture for the room, but on closer inspection it turned out to be made of multi-layer plywood. The beds were ok, not terrible in terms of comfort. The AC unit was very loud and the fan ran constantly. I could not sit at the computer desk because the fan blew right on it. The tv was older but did get many cable channels. There was a very old looking refridgerator, but it did seem to be working well. The worst aspects of the room were the doors. The room had an attached door to the next room that seemed kinda creepy. The door to the hallway was very thin, lacked a safety chain, and, worst of all, had a two inch gap between it and the floor. I could lean down and look out into the hallway. All noises in the hallway could be heard and light came in under the door. Plus, it did not feel very "safe." I spotted some panhandlers in front of the hotel on State St as well. There was no free breakfast, which I thought should have been included for the $94/night I paid.
Overall, I would not recommend this hotel. It was loud, old, and seemed unsafe for a single traveler. I left early based on these facts and the management was only willing to refund me 50%. I will not stay here again. It would be worth your time to stay in a nicer hotel and drive to the University/downtown area.
- University Hotel Madison
