DoubleTree by Hilton Madison Downtown — Hotel in Madison

"DoubleTree by Hilton presents a freshly baked, warm chocolate chip cookie with walnuts to each guest at check-in. Used to suggest DoubleTree hospitality, and symbolize its culture of care, it has been used to differentiate the DoubleTree hotel brand from its competition."

DoubleTree in Madison might as well present you with a slap in the face at check-in to show how uncaring and shady they are. During my two night visit, I would have rated them much differently as the hotel was great and so was the service. My 3 year old son was with me in my hotel room and on the second night he had a sudden stomachache and threw up on the comforter. Mind you, it covered less than a 6" x 6" area, and consisted of nothing highly stainable, such as red Koolaid.

I felt terrible about the incident, but the comforter was nowhere near ruined. In fact, a good wash in the washing machine would have cleared it right up. Even if that didn't do the trick, a bit of bleach could have been applied and all would have been saved.

I expected a modest cleaning fee to be tacked on to my credit card for the trouble.

I found out days after my stay, that I was charged $150 to replace a comforter. So instead of washing a perfectly good comforter, DoubleTree of Madison threw it out! I can't believe that those comforters cost $150, but if they truly are, I also can't believe they would just throw out a $150 comforter.

I called and politely explained my situation to the woman at the front desk, the woman in billing, a Manager by the name of Anthony, and the GM, Tom Ziarnik. All, but the GM, were helpful but unable to credit my account. The GM was able to credit my account, but was not willing to, helpful, or caring. I've also contacted their corporate customer support, who have made no effort in getting in contact with me for the past week.

UPDATE (3/27/2013) I got in contact with someone at the corporate office. They were very sympathetic with my specific situation and were willing to refund the charge. In response to their quick and kind actions, I've revised my service rating from "Poor - Fair" to "Very Good". This is a great hotel, but be sure to keep...

May 2023

I recently stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Madison Downtown for my daughters graduation. The hotel is like a home away from home. The staff is always very friendly and helpful. However, the highlight of my stay this trip was "Liz", the breakfast server.

Liz was always sooo friendly and welcoming. She made sure that we had everything we needed, and she was always happy to chat. She even gave me a hug goodbye on our last day!

The food that Liz served was also delicious. She made a point to ask us about our preferences, and she always made sure that our food was cooked to perfection.

I would highly recommend the The DoubleTree to anyone looking for a great place to stay. But if you do stay there, be sure to ask for "Liz in the morning". She will make your stay even more enjoyable.

Here are some specific examples of how Liz went above and beyond to make my breakfast experience special:

She remembered my order from the day before, even though I was staying at the hotel for several days. She brought me a cup of coffee while I was waiting for my breakfast to be prepared. She chatted with me about my day and made me feel like I was a part of the family. I would not hesitate to recommend Liz to anyone looking for a great breakfast server. She is friendly, attentive, and makes sure that you have a delicious and enjoyable breakfast experience.

Also, a shout out to Sandra!!

2021

Just returned from Madison, and wanted to share my experience with you.

Upon checking in at the DoubleTree downtown, we were greeted warmly by front desk employee, Karen. During our stay we had many interactions with the staff. Each and every employees greets you with a smile and goes above and beyond to make sure that their guests are happy!

One person In particular I'd like to give a huge shout out to is, Maddie Mintz (The Front Desk Manager). Maddie is patient, courteous and oh so knowledgeable. I would definitely say she is a HUGE asset to the Hilton Brand and should be recognized for her patience and thoughtfulness and caring towards her customers.

Thank you Maddie, for all you do!!

PS I must mention the warm chocolate chip...

I think one develops a predilection towards a hotel, based on the memories that are created there. The DoubleTree in Madison became one of those special hotels for my family and I.

The staff had always been welcoming and warm, but maybe it was the warm gooey chocolate chip cookies the front desk gave out on those crisp fall days, or having a drink in the bar to warm up on those snowy nights before heading to our room, or the breakfast burritos the following morning before leaving for the game.

Indeed, the niceties played a role in where we chose to stay, but it was the memories with our daughter that will be with us forever and made us want to return time and time again. It’s hard to believe four years have passed, but she’s now a senior at UW Madison, and from the first time I took her to visit the campus, to the parents' weekends, and football games, the hotel on West Johnson Street became our home away from home.

I’ll never forget the AXO father-daughter weekend or the game against Michigan when my son flew in to join us or the “cookie van” picking us up at the airport and dropping us off at some of our favorite local restaurants.

Now, as I gaze out on the Capitol building glowing brightly in that crisp Madison air, I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for the memories and for playing such a big role in my family’s experience during my daughters' college years.

We’ve been unable to secure rooms for graduation weekend, (any help would be greatly appreciated) but we’re holding out hope that we’ll be staying with you again and adding to the wonderful experiences we’ve had...