Best Western Plus Inn On The Park

We reached out the Inn On The Park to block rooms for our wedding. We had everything setup and were waiting for the paperwork. After half-​a-​dozen phone calls (all of which got sent straight to voicemail), we had to email them just to get a response. When they got back to us, they simply said the revenue manager said «No» and couldn’t even get our names right in the email. We recommend you avoid this place. If you have any problems, they simply won’t pick up the phone. It is quite frustrating to deal with.

Complicated scenario, but I feel like I should definitely write this. I am writing this review in November of 2015. Make absolutely certain that you call and make sure that the construction is over before you reserve. If they tell you it’s not a big deal, don’t listen. Everyone – regardless of floor or room – was miserable. I have never in my life had a problem with construction – I lived in Manhattan for years and noise doesn’t tend to touch me. It felt like the ceiling was falling in. It was actually scary, not just annoying. STAY AWAY until the construction is complete.
That said, everyone working there is doing everything they can to make up for it. They can’t really do anything about the construction obviously, but they are surely well aware of how insane it is and so are as accommodating as they can be (shuttle wasn’t running so they actually paid for my cab, forgot toothpaste and the guy actually sprinted to get it to me so that I barely sat back down after making the call to the front desk, etc). Stephanie in particular was near saintly.
The rooms are fine – pretty much what you’d expect. The location is good. For the price, after the construction is done, I would recommend it because the service was excellent. But wait awhile.

Im not sure where to start.
I guess, I should preface what brought me to staying at this hotel; I recently got married and needed a block of rooms reserved. We had 10 reserved in our block. I was told that if my block started to get full, I could call and more rooms would be available as I knew I was going to need more than 10. I called WELL AHEAD of when our block of rooms would no longer be available for booking as a family member called me to tell me all rooms were taken (a month ahead of the cut-​off time for our reserved block). I called best western and they told me the entire hotel was booked for that day. No one called to tell me my block was full, like I was told they would.
So great. Now I have family from across the country needs somewhere to stay. And family from other parts of this state. I had to book a second block of rooms at a different hotel.
Not ideal. Not at all.
The thing that really upset me, is that my uncle was able to book his room a week out of my wedding date-​he booked through a travel website (note sure which) but when he called the hotel to ask a question in regards to his reservation, he asked about additional rooms they said they had other rooms available at that time.
Are you kidding me.
I have read that there were «renovations» to the hotel. Perhaps I was on a floor that still needed updating because my «suite» was reminiscent of a funeral home parlor. The floor we were on was very humid and smelled like smoke.
No
No
No
My two stars is for the view and the location. Most certainly not the price for the value. I get that the location is prime, but for all the other negatives it is not worth it.

Great location and set up well for a traveler coming to Madison. A bit outdated for my taste but very functional.
Lots of great restaurant close by, good bar set up and I’ve found the staff to be very friendly and accommodating.
Ive seen the post where the Unilocaler is upset because she had to take two elevators to get to the 9^th floor. My answer to that: get over yourself! Its not a big deal and the view and suite that you get make it worth the 1.5 extra minute!

I have been comimg here for probably 19 years now when in Madison. I have seen the renovations. The before. The after. While the place has contemporary rooms, the best thing about the Inn that has never changed is its brilliant location hence, the pricey rate mentioned in other reviews.
As the name would imply… it overlooks the main square. Not just the city square… but the «State» square actually: the Wisconsin State Capitol is right there and what a beautiful building that is.
Staff is friendly. Quick check-​in. ²⁴⁄₇ Shuttle service to/​from the airport.

I’m updating my previous review after staying at the hotel this past weekend for the 2^nd time. After this 2^nd stay I have a different opinion on this hotel.
Here are the Pros: The hotel has a great location, a pool, mini fridge in room, free wifi, free public printer/​computer and free parking. The room service breakfast was nothing to write home about, but it was brought up fast and the girl who delivered it was polite. The hotel overall is very clean which is a big plus!
And now here are my Cons:
–The hotel and the rooms are outdated for my taste, I guess their going for a colonial look to match the capitol, but some of the furniture has seen better days.
–Had to take two separate elevators to any room above 7^th floor
–The front desk staff on a Saturday night could not be bothered to give me a number for a cab company, he told me to just stand outside in the cold. If the square wasn’t blocked off for a marathon maybe I would have found one, ended up getting an Über instead.
–And now to my real beef of the weekend and why I most likely will bring my business elsewhere: The same front desk clerk was unenthusiastic when I asked him to look up the parking ticket I had accidentally left in the room. Eventually after a few eye rolls he looked into it. I thought this was nonsense because they mention to you as you check in that if you forget your ticket they can look it up for you! The night bellhop was equally unhelpful. I fully understand that a lost ticket is probably annoying, but I was literally the only guest around so these guys were not busy at all, they were just being straight rude and lazy. I tried to explain my key chains to the bellhop who seriously couldn’t even be bothered to look. He told me to look for it, so I went into his station and looked at a huge wall of keys with no help from him. I was being extremely polite and tried to make small talk multiple times and he showed zero interest. Then because it is valet I had to be walked up to my car by the same rude guy just to get my coat. Overall the whole experience with the night-​staff made me feel like my $ 175 that I paid for a night wasn’t worth jack to them.

The hotel itself is lovely, with a room view of the Capitol across the street, and from the 7^th floor. However, the staffing has some MAJOR issues.
Having booked with AAA rewards, our room rate was reduced– if we had payed full price, there would have been serious complaints lodged at a corporate level.
Arrival and check in went well.
Lacking a hot tub was inconvenient– however the whirlpool jet bathtub was a nice addition to the room.
All night there was the sound of running water consistently.
The next morning, check out was at noon.
While still in bed at 10 am, a maid ENTERED OUR ROOM. If there was a knock, it was not heard– the room has a seating/​desk area that can be closed off from the bedroom and bathroom area. The maid apologized and left, however it is unacceptable that a room that was being checked out of in two hours was entered by morning routine housekeeping… period.
Using their telephone checkout system, we left our room and did not need to stop at the front desk to check out traditionally. Greeted by a line of five groups of guests, waiting (and filling the lobby completely– I might add). One valet was working, and everyone was stuck unable to leave, smashed together in a tiny lobby, with luggage laying everywhere.
After FINALLY getting our vehicle and hitting the road, I realized I left a 19.5 fl. oz. size bottle of expensive shampoo (aprox. half full) in the shower of the room we had just checked out of.
At 8pm that evening I called the hotel– to ask if the bottle had been turned in. And a muffled man answered the phone mumbling so badly I didn’t understand if I had called the right number. His response to my explanation was that it was thrown away– let me transfer you to housekeeping and you can leave them a voicemail.
I told him that was unacceptable, and that I have a personal item that got left behind and that I was just told it’s getting thrown away.
After going ’round a few more times, I was asked to hold so he could check and «see if a manager is just sitting around to take my call.»
I spoke with a manager named Sandy, who was not an observant listener in problem solving. While explaining to her the situation I said I had been told it got thrown away– and I asked her if they just throw things away how do they know that items aren’t actually just growing legs and walking away– to which she cut me off and began storming about me accusing her staff members of stealing– etc. etc. etc.
After a few minutes of going off I asked if she was done interrupting me yet– and then explained to her how I was told by the front desk that my item had just been thrown away– and that to a guest who loses something of value– it’s slightly suspicious, and does not feel good as a customer who is staying in a NICE hotel in a larger city.
She huffed with me about getting contact information– and was very bothered by the fact that I didn’t have a contact number readily available for her.
I received an apology about the man who answered the phone– for the way he handled the situation. But she never once offered any sort of condolence.
I was called back about ten minutes later– and informed that the housekeeping had logged my item and that it was safe.
She asked if I was local and could pick the item up or if I needed it shipped– and after my response of local, she hung up immediately.
Having been born and raised in Madison– I expected MUCH MUCH MORE from the nice hotel on the Capitol Square.

Long a favorite of visiting political, business, entertainment and comfort-​seeking luminaries, the Inn also provides fantastic views of Madison’s historic Capital building, on one side, and beautiful Lake Monona, on the other. A friendly and attentive staff provided quality service throughout my stay, and a dip in the pool” released the hounds” after a day chock full of meetings. The room service meals that were ordered (along with Gin Martinis) were a cut above regular hotel fare, and well-​prepared. The hotel’s location, just a couple of blocks away from legendary State Street, allowed ample opportunities for walking tours of the surrounding area — including the stunning main campus of the University of Wisconsin-​Madison. From the animated activity of people clustered in the lobby, I was easy to discern that the hotel was a favorite of major airline pilots, stewardesses and other support personnel.

I really liked staying here! All the rooms were clean and really nice! The location is perfect! Everything was walking distance! I highly recommend this place!

Location was good, right in the heart of the square but my room was as big as a closet! I could barely close the door after putting the luggage cart in there. It would have been fine if it were an overnight stay but I was the for a week. It was a room right next to the elevator, a queen. The hotel it self was clean and nice. Bed was very comfortable they also gave me a hard time about a late (noon) checkout, which I got after some complaining. I also wasn’t a fan of them holding my car via valet. I like to come and go as I please but having to get my car from the valet every time was annoying. Also had a fantastic view… of a roof. One last thing, the toilets are LOUD. If you’re alight sleeper someone in another room could wake you during a late night potty visit.

I had a problem with booking and ended up paying for 2 nights and only stayed there one night. They were not helpful and unaccommodating. When I tried to talk to them about booking problem, they were condescending and unhelpful.
Room they gave us was next to air conditioning unit. Workmen were walking by our window in the morning.

A very pricey hotel for very average facilities.
However, Best Western Plus Inn On The Park is located literally right on the Capitol square. So, you essentially pay for the location.
Good things to note are:
* Free valet parking for 1 car
* You can check your luggage in early
* Spacious rooms
* A bar and restaurant are available (I’d recommend eating elsewhere)
* An indoor swimming pool is available (decently sized)
* A fitness facility is available (don’t expect much)
* A mini arcade center is available (only 2 or 3 machines)

Great location horrible front desk told us our room would ready it was not, rooms are dated. Cheap rates but rather they hire better staff that know what they are doing and pay more. Stayed else where on our second days as the staff again was rude, told us the room would be ready and was not, and the manager couldn’t care less. Much better hotels in the area to be staying here.

We loved this place. Right in the heart of downtown and beautiful view of the lake. Clean rooms, comfy beds, prompt and delicious room service. Great pool room and fitness center. No complaints and we can’t wait to return!

Derek and I stayed here the very first night we moved to Madison before moving into our apartment. We were so happy in general that we barely noticed the hotel, but had a pleasant experience and nothing to complain about. Because of that, when friends or family have visited over the past two years, I’ve always suggested this place.
My mom booked a room for my graduation weekend (yay me!) weeks beforehand. Then, because of a medical problem, she had to cancel about a week/​week and a half beforehand. They had a 2-​week cancellation notice which is ridiiiiiiiiiculous! They said that she would still have to pay for two nights. I got stuck with a room I didn’t want that they could have given to some poor sucker who booked late, but nope, I guess they’d rather just make loyal customers into ex-​customers.
The room was small. My friend and I both woke up with weird skin rashes from the bedding, or maybe from fleas? The affected spot on my arm finally went away after a week. The AC/​heat was loud and blew in our faces. The night staff were so unfriendly. I did eventually get to talk to a manager, and he took my complaint down but just looked at me with a dazed face. It felt good to be able to say to someone, «I think you were unkind to my mother. I used to recommend you, but I won’t anymore.»
Maybe I should’ve thrown in that I’ll write a bad Unilocal review too?

For the price we payed this was well worth it. Great location right next to the capital building and within walking distance of state street. The room was very large and clean, it fit four people perfectly. After a long night partying on state street it felt good to jump in the pool in the morning. Valet parking is required but its free. Loved the free Wi-​Fi in the room!

Sandy at Inn on the Park is AMAZING! Sandy is a woman who really knows how to take care of business — she doesn’t sugarcoat anything and she really whipped our wedding into shape. I loved that she helped guide us through every detail, setting up a timeline and coordinating everything the day of the wedding so that we didn’t have to worry about a thing. She took my husband and I from a chaotic mess of ideas floating around and somehow helped us create a wedding reception that exceeded our expectations.
I loved that the staff at the Inn on the Park was flexible with our Friday night wedding, letting us come in the night before to decorate. The reception itself was beautiful and the food was great! We had a band instead of a DJ and the venue was very flexible with it, letting the band set up early in the day. We also had a photobooth and that was no problem at all. We got married in the Capitol and I love that the Inn on the Park was so close to our ceremony location — no worries about transportation or our guests unable to find the location or our guests driving anywhere after the reception.
And I have nothing but compliments about the hotel as well. Our room was gorgeous and we loved waking up in the morning on the Capitol square — and the farmer’s market! I would recommend the Inn on the Park to anyone planning a wedding. I loved that the package we picked out had everything included and it was a very reasonable price compared to a lot of other places we looked at in Madison. The Inn on the Park (and Sandy!!!) made our reception planning so easy and stress-​free. They even received the stamp of approval from my parents, who were very impressed! Thanks again!

After reading the reviews on Unilocal!,I was worried about staying here. Especially after I looked through the photos! Yikes! The good news, though, is that it was so, so much better than expected.
Its location on the park is awesome-it’s so close to the convention center and the lakes in either direction are accessible and lovely. The rooms were clean, and much more updated than in those pictures. And they have refrigerators! Not mini bars that are prestocked with things, but actual fridges where you can stow your leftovers from dinner or your six pack of Spotted Cow. Our room was a little weird, in that it had a sliding glass door that opened into the pool area. Mainly, we were creeped out by this and kept the curtain securely drawn, but I imagine if you wanted to use the pool or work-​out facility, then this would be convenient instead of creepy. No problems with the thermostat, desk persons, cleaning staff, or excessive noise.

My wife and I stayed here as part of a wedding block. The wedding reception was held at the hotel and many of the guests were staying here, so admittedly, we might have had a non-​standard experience. That said, we really enjoyed ourselves at this venue. The service was good. When we had trouble with the thermostat, someone came right up and resolve the issue. When we arrived, the valet took good care of our car and was very helpful. The front desk staff, who were dealing with a number of people checking in at once, were efficient without sacrificing service or politeness.
We were able to partake of the catering at the hotel, and we were really impressed with the food. The food, the servers, the bartenders, they were all well worth it. We also ate dinner in the restaurant/​bar on the first floor one night and had a wonderful meal. I had a salmon sandwich that was both creative and flavorful.
The location of this venue is a big benefit. We were able to walk everywhere we needed to go during our weekend visit and never had to pull our car out. With so many restaurants surrounding the capitol, we had no trouble finding a variety of food. There was even a Walgreens down the block if you needed toiletries or snacks.

My fiancé and I stayed here during our recent trip to Madison for my sister-in-law’s graduation. I didn’t think the hotel was anything special, but it was clean, comfortable and affordable. The location was fantastic as well, right next to the Capitol building and walking distance from State St and campus. The biggest pros were free wifi in the rooms, which worked very well, free shuttle to the airport, and friendly staff. The biggest cons were the size of the rooms, and the fact that there was no continental breakfast. Its not luxurious at all, but I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a clean, affordable, centrally-​located hotel in Madison.