Where to stay in Madison, WI: hotels by area, from the Capitol Square to Middleton

Quick tips

• Book early for big weekends. Badgers home football games, UW commencement in May and December, and big conventions fill the city. The Wisconsin Union Hotel on campus requires a two-night minimum on football and graduation weekends, and its 2027 commencement weekend is already sold out.
• Budget for parking downtown. Downtown hotels charge for parking, from about $20 a night for self-parking to $40 or more for valet. Hotels on the east and west sides and in the suburbs park free.
• Taxes: Madison adds a 10% room tax to the 5.5% sales tax, so expect about 15.5% on top of the room rate in the city.
• From the airport: Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is on the north side. Metro's Route D2 runs from Door 6 to downtown and campus, taxis wait at Door 7, and many hotels run courtesy vans (call from the phone between baggage claims 1 and 2). See our getting around guide.
• Browse every hotel, motel and B&B in our hotels directory.

Downtown and the Capitol Square

Stay here to walk to the Capitol, State Street, the farmers market, Monona Terrace and the lakes.

• Hilton Madison Monona Terrace, 9 E. Wilson St.: connected to Monona Terrace by an enclosed skybridge, with Lake Monona views and an indoor pool. Self-parking is about $28 a day.
• The Madison Concourse Hotel, 1 W. Dayton St.: a big full-service hotel a block off the Square, with a Governor's Club lounge looking out on the Capitol and a skylit pool. Underground parking is about $20 a night.
• AC Hotel Madison Downtown, 1 N. Webster St.: home to Eno Vino, a rooftop restaurant with open-air Capitol views. Valet only.
• Embassy Suites Madison Downtown, 231 S. Pinckney St.: all suites, with free made-to-order breakfast, across the street from Monona Terrace. Valet only.
• Best Western Premier Park Hotel, 22 S. Carroll St.: the only hotel directly on the Capitol Square, with a free airport shuttle.
• Hyatt Place Madison/Downtown, 333 W. Washington Ave.: free breakfast, an indoor pool and an attached garage at about $20 a night.
• On East Washington, a short walk east of the Square: Hotel Indigo, in the old Mautz Paint building, and Moxy, with an eighth-floor Latin American restaurant.

The UW campus, the lake and Camp Randall

Best for campus visits, Badgers games and Lake Mendota. See our UW campus and game day guides.

• The Edgewater, 1001 Wisconsin Pl.: Madison's lakefront hotel on Lake Mendota, with a spa and a plaza on the water, between the Square and campus. It charges a nightly resort fee.
• Graduate by Hilton Madison, 601 Langdon St.: Badger-themed rooms a block from campus, State Street and the lake, with a rooftop bar. Valet only.
• Wisconsin Union Hotel, at Union South, 1308 W. Dayton St.: UW's own 60-room hotel near Camp Randall, with parking included in the rate.
• HotelRED, 1501 Monroe St.: a boutique hotel steps from Camp Randall and the Monroe Street shops. Dogs welcome.
• DoubleTree Madison Downtown, 525 W. Johnson St., and Hampton Inn & Suites Madison Downtown, 440 W. Johnson St.: walkable to campus, the Kohl Center and Camp Randall. The DoubleTree runs a free airport shuttle.
• Hilton Garden Inn Madison Downtown, 770 Regent St.: on Regent Street near campus, the Kohl Center and St. Mary's Hospital.

East side, near East Towne and the airport

Free parking, easy access to I-90/94 and the closest hotels to the airport.

• Cambria Hotel Madison East, 5045 Eastpark Blvd.: an indoor pool, a restaurant and bar, free parking and a free airport shuttle.
• Hampton Inn East Towne, 4820 Hayes Rd.: across the street from East Towne Mall.
• DoubleTree Madison East, 4402 E. Washington Ave., and Courtyard Madison East, 2502 Crossroads Dr.: full-service and mid-range options with free parking.
• Budget choices cluster along East Washington Avenue and the East Towne area, including Econo Lodge Madison East, next to the mall.

West side and Middleton

Near West Towne, the Beltline and Middleton's restaurants and trails. See our Middleton guide.

• Madison Marriott West, 1313 John Q. Hammons Dr., Middleton: a large full-service hotel with an indoor pool and event space that calls itself a premium pet-friendly hotel.
• Courtyard Madison West/Middleton and Hilton Garden Inn Madison West/Middleton, both on Deming Way, and Residence Inn Madison West/Middleton, with full kitchens, at Greenway Station.
• Homewood Suites Madison West, 479 Commerce Dr.: extended-stay suites a mile from West Towne Mall.

South side: Alliant Energy Center and Fitchburg

Best for World Dairy Expo, concerts and shows at the Alliant Energy Center, and visits to Epic in Verona. See our Fitchburg guide.

• Spark by Hilton Madison Central, 102 E. Rusk Ave.: right on the Alliant Energy Center grounds, connected to the Exhibition Hall by a covered walkway, with free breakfast, parking and airport shuttle.
• Home2 Suites Madison Central, 2153 Rimrock Rd.: across the street from the Alliant Energy Center, with kitchens in every suite.
• Madison Marriott South, 706 John Nolen Dr.: near Lake Monona and the Capital City Trail.
• In Fitchburg: Staybridge Suites and SpringHill Suites, both convenient to Epic.

Historic inns and B&Bs

• Mansion Hill Inn, 424 N. Pinckney St.: a 10-room historic inn in the Mansion Hill district, a few blocks from the Capitol.
• Governor's Mansion Inn, 130 E. Gilman St.: a historic inn near Lake Mendota and State Street, with free parking and coffee and scones every morning.
• Mendota Lake House, 704 E. Gorham St.: a bed-and-breakfast on the Lake Mendota shore, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Speckled Hen Inn, 5525 Portage Rd.: a country inn on 20 acres on the north side, with farm-to-table breakfasts using eggs from its own hens.