Downtown hotels put you within walking distance of the Capitol Square, State Street, Monona Terrace and the UW campus, but parking usually costs extra. Hotels near the Beltline, East Towne and West Towne, and in Middleton, Fitchburg and Sun Prairie, tend to have free parking and easy highway access.

Book early for UW home football weekends, graduation in May and December, and big conventions at Monona Terrace and the Alliant Energy Center, when rooms sell out and prices jump.

Before you book, check the parking fee, whether breakfast is included, the cancellation policy, and whether the hotel runs a shuttle to the airport or campus. Our where-to-stay guide compares the areas.