The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club — Hotel in Madison

Honestly, for the price… I was expecting a little more. Their website claims to be the “premier luxury hotel in downtown Madison” — it is not.

Starting with the pros;

•The gym is decent.

•The location is fantastic — all the restaurants near by are walking distance.

•Good view of the Capitol Building

•They did give a free chew toy to my dog — the whole hotel is pet friendly.

Ok! now the cons;

•The parking garage is an absolute nightmare — the clearance is as low as 5’6” and my car actually got stuck between a pole and a wall. I have a smaller Kia SUV, so it was pretty unbelievable for me to have such issues. Luckily another hotel guest saved the day and was able to get me out because Roadside Assistance told me it would have been next to impossible to fit a tow truck down there.

•The rooms are really really outdated — the cable package they have on their TVs looks like it’s from 1990. No smart TV function or air-casting, which is disappointing for “luxury” hotel.

•The hallway by room always smelled like intense body odour — very unpleasant.

•The beds are extremely uncomfortable. I have never had such a problem sleeping in hotel beds. I wish I read the reviews before booking because i now see multiple mentions of that in previous reviews.

•The customer service from the Front Desk was abysmal. I could have overlooked those other two things if the customer service had been amazing. I booked a stay for 17 days (which is a long time & cost me thousands), and the night I checked in not one person on staff offered to help me get all my bags up to my room. They also did not offer to help me carry all my bags down when I left. No one from the front desk bothered to remember me the ENTIRE time I was there. I’ve done a lot of long term stays in hotels, and I’ve always had hotel staff remember my name/greet me each morning/ask how I was/how my stay was going/tell me about local events. I had friends stay with me two nights, and even they commented how no one from the desk bothered to greet us when we would come in/leave.

Maybe just something i took for granted in the past, but definitely makes a difference. It felt…cold. Like they were indifferent to whether I was there or not — not a great trait for hotel customer service. I also had a lot of trouble getting the staff to clean my room and received attitude from a female front desk person when I let her know that my requested cleaning had been missed (for the third time).

I will give a compliment to the older gentleman who was working the Valet desk when I was leaving. He did offer to help me load up my car (once I got everything down myself) and asked where I was heading back to. The dining/bar staff were also pleasant.

The attached Starbucks on the other hand had the best employees. they remembered me & my dog each morning and got to know us very well.

I never once thought of my stay at this hotel as “inviting” or “luxurious”. I would never stay here again and honestly wish I had done better research...

I had a GREAT time here.

Our room was clean, or clean enough, at least - I am not expecting spic and span perfection at a hotel that Google says is 3 stars but I felt comfortable walking around my hotel room without shoes on, which is my personal barometer of cleanliness. Our room was dust-free, cobweb-free, and visibly clean, including the walls and carpet. I am critical of showers and bathrooms but didn't see any dirt or grime in there either. I see other reviews saying that the hotel is outdated and I don't agree or disagree. Our a/c unit was yellowed from age but worked fine, so I suppose if you have a problem with something like that then you may be in need of a 4 or 5 star rated hotel. I didn't notice anything else that could be considered outdated.

We upgraded ourselves to a room that would have access to the governor's club and enjoyed access to the executive elevator, not to mention the governor's club itself. Lovely view and excellent service from the staff in there, and it was a real treat to have somewhere to go to sit and have a drink, either in the main room or the "library". We will be taking advantage of that again!

Service overall was excellent, everyone we came into contact with was professional and polite from the front desk to the employees working in the lounge up on the 12th floor. I had no contact with housekeeping but didn't need anything from that department during my stay.

I thought the location of the hotel is great too, the parking garage was easy to find and has temporary visitor parking while you check in. We paid $18 to park overnight but could come and go at our will if we desired (however we didn't leave until we checked out). We enjoyed a brief walk to a nearby dinner joint and loved the view of the capitol itself.

Overall we had an excellent stay - I am looking forward...

My stay at the Madison Concourse Hotel in July 2023 highlighted a mix of commendable features and notable discomforts. The hotel's prime location in the heart of Madison, Wisconsin, is its standout quality, offering easy access to numerous city attractions.

The expansive lobby of the hotel impresses with its ample space, ideal for casual meetings or relaxing. However, my experience with the room's bedding was less than satisfactory. The linens and pillows, lacking in variety and comfort, significantly affected my sleep quality. Despite efforts to address this with the front desk, the response was inadequate, with limited options provided and a lack of managerial assistance.

Room amenities and space were generally good, meeting basic expectations. Room service offered enjoyable meals at reasonable prices, a pleasant aspect of my stay.

Access to the Governor’s Lounge, courtesy of my room's location, was a mixed experience. The view of the Capitol building was a highlight, but the lounge itself was somewhat underwhelming, especially in comparison to similar amenities in luxury hotels globally.

On a positive note, the hotel's car service for airport transfers was excellent, and the luggage storage was efficient and convenient. However, the limited time at the hotel meant I could not fully explore all its offerings.

The strategic location of the Madison Concourse Hotel is a significant advantage, making it a suitable choice for those visiting Madison. Nonetheless, the hotel seems to rely heavily on this aspect, perhaps neglecting other areas like bedding comfort. While the city itself provided a delightful backdrop to my stay, the hotel's shortcomings, particularly in terms of sleep comfort, were a letdown. This makes it a recommendable option with reservations, especially for those who prioritize location...