The Edgewater

I recommend you avoid this hotel. First, as other reviewers point out, the garage fee ($ 18), resort fee ($ 15), and taxes (14.5%) add up, and, yes, they don’t inform you of that when you book. Next, our ‘lake view’ was predominantly a view of a lower floor roof and trees. If you craned your neck, you could see a bit of the lake from one window. Then the screen to the window fell off in my hand. We received no housekeeping and when we reported this to the front desk, they made no effort at all to fix the situation. They do not have a computer available so that guests can print airline boarding passes, and when the front desk attempted to print our airline boarding pass, they made a mistake and couldn’t fix it. We had to straighten that out with the airline at the airport. Finally, they OVERCHARGED us by $ 150, so we had to call and straighten that out. Save yourself a hassle and book elsewhere.

Nearly 50% taxes and fees on top of room rate.
We stayed for a night over Memorial weekend. Upon check in room was not ready but we got offered free breakfast which was good. I booked two rooms at
for 135 $ total per room including all taxes and resort fees (17 $ resort fees and the property does not even have a pool:). After some misunderstandings between the hotel and
I had multiple charges and adjustments on my credit card. And the final cost was 151 $ per room from base rate 103 $…48 $ taxes and fees?
room charge –103 $
resort fee
room tax
sales tax
resort room tax
resort sales tax
Total 151 $? And that number confirmed by their accountant after multiple emails…
Just keep in mind to add nearly 50% to your base rate!

After waiting a bad review because of a long wait to get into a room, one and a half hours after the 4:00 check in, the hotel did redeem itself with two complimentary valet parkings (a $ 50.00 value) and put us in the nicest room in the category we selected. The views from two terraces provided a nice way to calm down and relax after a stressful start to our stay.

Ordered some mussels at the steakhouse which were rancid. All my table smelt it I had 2 bites and I told the server they tasted like poop! After the Edgewater finally let us leave from the parking ramp. (Bad weather people couldn’t use machine internet down many cars backed up!) for a first class hotel I give it a zero! No one offered to correct any of the bad experiences of many patrons. Not cool! Btw went to Tempest ordered mussels and ate all of them because they didn’t taste rancid they were awesome! Don’t eat mussels at the Edgewater go to Tempest!

Unacceptable service! Can’t even check in for a 4 o’clock check in time! Requested early check in! Waiting over 50 minutes and then told it would be another half hour! Unacceptable! Their awful reputation is evident!!!

By far the best hotel in the Madison area. The Edgewater has all the amenities one could need for a getaway. Spa, restaurants, café, and activities for the winter and summer months make it extraordinary. From hot chocolate and ice skating in January to glorious lakefront views in July, you are sure to have a luxurious stay.

Food is way overpriced for what you get. The Easter buffet was a joke for what they charge. The meet was cold.
The service was terrible. And I found it to be very unclean.

Found a really good deal online for $ 104/​night for the King Edgewater room, which made this option cheaper than other lower-​tiered hotels in a similar location. Location is great, right by the water and walking distance to the Capitol. Overall, this is a good hotel that you could spend your whole day at if there’s a blizzard out or if you are feeling lazy to venture out. You can find a nice corner with a lakeview to read a book, relax in their jacuzzi pool, get a workout, eat in the restaurant, or grab drinks in their bar — all possible without having to brave the outdoor cold! All staff were friendly and courteous.

We stayed the night March 19^th, 2016. We love this hotel. It’s gorgeous, our regular king room was beautiful with a lake view. We loved the hotel bar, the lobby décor, it was super clean and registration staff was awesome. The parking was so convenient attached underground. We did not dine here so I can not comment on food. We recommend this hotel to everyone. The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars was that Sunday morning while trying to sleep in, the maid staff let every door slam shut in and out of the rooms they were cleaning. The doors are heavy and on a self shutting system but there was no sleeping with the doors slamming every few minutes.

Disappointed that they literally don’t have soda cans or bottles available. Get real people.
Lovely facility. Pleasant staff. Rooms are beautiful. It would be nice to accommodate customer needs.

Came to the Edgewater’s for the annual Christmas tree lighting and free ice skating weekend to kick off the holiday season on Black Friday.
It was gorgeous! The outside had a beautiful tree of lights and ice sculptures and santos horse drawn sleigh waiting to take him away. The inside was out of bounds! Elegant, shiny brass and Christmas trees everywhere. The view of the Lake astounds one as you look out the huge windows. A classy establishment to say the least!

A lovely hotel, but not very user-​friendly. First the good: my room was spotless with a lovely view. The car service was friendly and prompt, and room service was the same — plus delicious. The bed was comfy and shower was giant. All these things mean I just may come back.
Perhaps it’s geared toward the uncommon, but I don’t think an ice machine and vending area on a floor or two would be out of line! And leaving the parking ramp — which cost an additional $ 18! I found out AFTER booking — was a real mess. No clear signage and a million different zones for valet and public. The same can be said for all the different amenities; I get that it’s a big complex, but some basic mapping and an explanation of the various areas would have gone a long way. I nearly walked into a private meeting because the floor listed it as a bar! Perhaps if I had a capable assistant I would have enjoyed it more.
Verdict: I may come back, but probably not on my own dime.

Was looking forward to staying in what is supposed to be Madison’s premier hotel that was bringing back the by gone era of excellence in Madison. Pulled in to check in after long flight in sub zero temps and no valet to be found. Guest clerk seemed surprised that I might need assistance with luggage and valet. Called for assistance and someone who looked like a manager came and asked what I needed. After explaining yet again two guys who looked like valets came in with luggage after manager type got things moving which I appreciated. Was «upgraded» to a King suite with a lake view in Tower. Very long walk to old building with newly renovated room which was not a suite and very long way away from restaurant, bar, lobby etc and I’m here for 3 days. Went to front desk later after having dinner in the Bar and asked about changing rooms but got a lot of double talk and excuses about getting help with a move. I know Mr D wanted to bring this place back to its old glory and better but it falls Way short with most staff members who act like they would rather be anywhere but at what is supposed to be Madison’s premier local. Shame, Shame. Huge letdown time and time again. Thought you were working things out and as an Edgewood fam had faith but this is a big miss. Third time here and was hoping it would’ve the charm but even worse than before

We visited the Edgewater right before the remodel, and then again this January. They did a WONDERFUL job on the remodel. The facilities were done very well. Anything I noticed was very minor (like how come we can’t get the miters right on door mouldings?) The service was average. They have Starbucks on site which is a bonus. The ice skating rink is cute — but tiny and crowded. I loved the deck and especially the natural gas fireplaces. I would go back — great job overall on revamping a classic property!

What an unfortunate experience! My husband and I decided to go to the Statehouse for a few drinks after work. The company I work for uses the Edgewater for events often, so I thought I would give it a shot to determine if we should use them in the future. The servers were aloof, the bar manager was not friendly or welcoming when I asked to speak with him, and they were out of 4 of the beers on tap. I would not feel comfortable asking family, friends, or colleagues to stay there. Sad, but true. It is a beautiful spot!

A much anticipated visit to what has been touted as one of Madison’s Premier hotels, falls far short of expectation.
We had such high hopes for a special Birthday night celebration that included a stay at The Edgewater Hotel in Madison. When I think of world class hotels, a lot of things come to mind. Location, reputation, refined and stylish room accommodations, as well as the amenities the hotel provides. But above all of these other attributes, first and foremost, must be the level of hospitality that a location provides. How well are the guests treated, taken care of, and made to feel welcomed at the hotel… To me, this is the true measure of what makes or breaks a guests overall experience.
Our first encounter with staff was when we first arrived at the hotel, and were unsure of where to park. We drove into what we thought was the entrance of the hotel, and soon discovered that it was simply a turn around drive that served as a valet station or for dropping guests, off at the hotel lobby. As we drove to the end of the drive, a gentleman came out of the hotel entrance, and approached our car. We rolled down the window to ask him where we could find parking for the hotel? His response was, «what business do you have with us today?» while that may seem appropriate, the tone and manner in which it was delivered lacked any tone of welcome or true assistance. When we indicated that we were going to be guests in the hotel, he simply pointed us in the direction of where the ramp was and sent us on our way. (This gentleman had the demeanor & candor of «Thomas» from «Dowton Abey»)
Side Note: Parking and determining where to go, and how to maneuver this parking structure could be a review of it’s own. There is a lot of room for improvement and safety concerns that should be addressed. One should be aware of their surroundings at all times, and at the very least should be able to clearly identify exits or a way out of the ramp with LARGE and CLEARLY marked signage. Not papers taped to the wall… nuff said. Or as my wife would say, «This is not suitable for anyone over 55» ;)
After blindly navigating our way from the parking structure, to the hotel… Our next interaction with a member or The Edgewater staff was at check in. While this gentleman was a tad bit friendlier, he was not overly welcoming, and seemed borderline suspicious as to why we were appearing at his desk… Or at least that was the impression that his attitude exuded. Upon hearing that we had a reservation, he quickly went into his role of front desk clerk, and checked us in. He proceeded to explain the multitude of added fee’s and charges as well as the many spa services that were available to us (for an additional nominal fee) during our stay.
To The Edgwaters credit, the property itself has a lot going for it.
The location of the hotel is fantastic. Right on the shores of lake Mendota in the heart of beautiful downtown Madison Wisconsin. The new addition, aptly named the «Wisconsin Building», is remarkable. The interior décor is beautiful and well appointed.
Our room was bright, clean and well equipped. Our fist impression was again, very positive and from a visual perspective, everything looked very elegant.
If we were visiting a Museum, then I would have felt that this was a picture perfect experience…
However, we weren’t visiting a museum… We were guests, staying in a very expensive hotel for a special occasion, but were not made to feel very special, or welcomed from our fist encounter with staff, and most interactions (or non-​interaction) throughout our stay.

I love this hotel. Love the view of the lake. Love my big bathroom with separate shower and water closet. I will definitely stay here again and again every time I am back in Wisconsin. I love the fit spa, gym, which has 2 separate studios and the big hot tub. My coworker and I took our time at the gym which atleast for 2 hours. It has a sauna in the women’s bathroom too. What a great hotel and great stay in this place. Way to end my travels for 2015.

The Edgewater is one of the nicest hotels at which I have stayed. For the last two years, my wife and I have celebrated our anniversary at the Edgewater. Both times, we stayed in the Premium Lakefront King with bathtub. The rooms were perfectly clean and very elegant with large windows and good views. The large bathtub and shower were a luxury.
After the staff found out we were celebrating our anniversary, we came back from dinner to find a congratulatory card and bottle of sparkling wine from the staff, which was a very nice gift. We also had a couple of meals from the Statehouse restaurant and found the food to be high quality and presented well. It is close to the top tier for food in Madison, but not the best. The meals are very expensive and not a great value for the price point, but this is typical for hotels so if you don’t mind paying a little more, at least you can be certain you will receive good food.
Overall, I am very happy with the overall experience provided by the Edgewater.

In Madison for Christmas and decided to give The Edgewater a try rather than stay at Concourse like we always do.
Upgraded to Langham King Suite since it’s Christmas. Made the room about $ 75 more per night and $ 15 more per night for parking. Which I knew going in so that’s not my disappointment.
King suite … Has a sub zero fridge so we packed some Spotted Cow beer and a bottle of wine for our alone time on Xmas Eve before going to bed. No wine opener or wine glasses, no beer opener and not a dish or utensil to be found. Not really a suite now is it? I have to pay a resort fee every day and I don’t even have a wine opener? Even Motel 6 gives you a wine opener and a couple of plastic cups — which would have been better than nothing at all.
Couldn’t get one of the blinds to close on the window facing the other building.
Disappointed and won’t be back.

Was in the Edgewater restaurant on Sunday for brunch to celebrate a birthday
Unfortunately a very disappointing experience
Place was not packed but service was poor. Coffee was tepid and the quality very poor
Some guests ordered hot chocolate and the unanimous view was it was an instant based concoction
The duck vin entre was tasteless and the burger had tomatoes ice cold! The fries appeared to taste like frozen ones
For an upscale place the food and service was very disappointing and all we had were memories of the brunches that we had in the old Edgewater enjoying Crêpe Suzette cooked at the table

Spending a wedding weekend at The Edgewater was fantastic.
— Car Service: Available to pick you up from the airport and to shuttle you around Madison. Just give them a ring before you need the car! Car service starts at 6am but if you need to leave earlier for the airport, they will comp you for the cab!
— Room: Comfortable beds and pretty spacious (assuming you get the king size bed/​room). There’s also a «master switch» that controls all of the lights in the room along with localized switches for individual lights. And yes, this was totally a point worth making!
— Staff: Incredibly helpful and generous with their time.
— Bar: Their Bloody Mary’s are all the rage. I’m not the biggest of them in general but let’s just say at a table of 3 — we had 5 BM’s on our tab.
— Wedding Venue: Absolutely gorgeous! You get the lake as a backdrop as well as a ballroom pretty enough that décor was kept at a minimum. So awesome!
My two small criticisms is that the kitchen closes earlier than one would expect and the layout can be quite confusing. Nonetheless this wouldn’t deter me from staying here again. Not at all.

We stayed here recently for a short overnight visit to Madison. We were heading to an event near Capitol Square and wanted to be close by. Fortunately, if you’re into playing the Priceline game, this is the only 4-​star hotel in the Downtown Madison neighborhood on their system. We played around with rates and were able to snag a room for a little over $ 100 — once taxes and the $ 14 resort fee were added in, it turned into more like $ 150, but it was still better than other nearby options which were priced at $ 200+ (and on a weeknight! Whaaat). The Edgewater was perfect for us, as it was only about a 10 minute walk from the Square and within super close proximity to fantastic restaurants and bars.
The hotel rooms are split between two different towers. Our room was a pretty standard accommodation and yet was very nice. It seemed very clean, and the staff was super friendly. Overnight self-​parking is $ 18/​night — which is pricey but beats trying to find alternative parking blocks away from the busy Capitol Square. There is a spa with pool and a few restaurant options. It was a little confusing what the resort fee gave you access to other than WiFi — it seems like it covers pool access, but then there were various postings about day pass costs, standard gym memberships, etc. We weren’t there long enough to fully investigate. We did take a walk around the outside; the hotel sits right on Lake Mendota, which makes for a beautiful backdrop. Located less than a mile east of the UW Memorial Union, this would be extremely convenient for anyone visiting the campus. Overall, we were really happy with our visit and will definitely consider The Edgewater for future visits!

My wife and I stayed at the Edgewater for our 15^th wedding anniversary and had a phenominal stay. We had a premium lakefront room and the view was gorgeous. The staff was very friendly and welcoming! We also enjoyed a beer at the Boathouse and some pampering in the spa. Highly recommended.

Stayed here for our wedding. Yes, it’s nice, but just don’t leave anything behind in the room worth of value.
We forgot a couple of items behind in the room (yes, I know that’s on us) and I called the next day and got the run around from everyone that worked there, all the way up to the manager. Not one employee could give me a consistent story of how their room service works after a guest checks out. The manager gave me a long winded explanation, which basically equated to if you leave something that is of value to the people cleaning the room, it’s gone, otherwise, if they can’t find value in it, they will log it in their system.
They assured me they would check in and follow up with me and it has now been over a month.
There are plenty of better, more honest hotels in the Madison area and for a much better price. I suggest you do your research and consider this as a last ditch effort and if you can, push back your trip to Madison to stay in a different hotel.

Conference facilities are great. The space was good for our group of 40. The food might have been a bit more money than other places, but the jump in quality was really noticeable. And the staff were really friendly and anticipated our needs.
I don’t usually review conference facilities, but we noticed a big difference here. They were flexible in costs for our nonprofit too. We would definitely come back and put this location at the top of our list for events.

I’ve stayed at the Edgewater twice since the new renovation, and enjoyed both visits. The hotel is definitely considered «luxurious» for Madison and Wisconsin standards. Location is right along Lake Mendota, so there’s always a beautiful view whether it’s frozen solid or in the summer.
The rooms are decorated nicely, and the beds were comfortable for my particular liking (med to firm). I actually slept rather well, and this rarely happens at hotels. The bathrooms are quite spacious and outfitted with Kohler products. I’m a stickler when it comes to cleanliness, and The Edgewater passed the test.
There are a few restaurants on site. However, if you visit, do yourself a favor and get out of the hotel property to sample what Madison has to offer (on the Square or Willy Street). There’s also a nicely equipped gym in the old school but remodeled Langdon building, as well as a relaxation pool and spa. One thing I don’t really understand is this «resort fee» of $ 14 that is tacked on to the bill. The Four Seasons and Montages of the industry don’t even pull that off.
Service was satisfactory in the hotel. The staff wasn’t noticeably friendly nor rude… so, all was good. The Edgewater is definitely a nice property and probably the best in Madison, and the location cannot be beat.

As long as don’t mind paying a lot for mediocrity than The Edgewater is for you. On our cross country trip we decided to splurge in Madison for this prime location hotel. We arrived late and the sweaty desk clerk said they were out of the type of room we ordered so we were placed in a handicap room. Not the end of the world, but our king bed was a queen and the room’s layout was awkward and small. We were below ground and it felt so.
The rest of our stay wasn’t bad but nothing was great. Room cleaning was really late, the food was so-​so, and the kicker was the up-​charges for parking and «resort fee». The room literature said we had free wi-​Fi for 24 hours… as long as you don’t count the $ 14 fee. Gee, what was the $ 200/​night fee for?
Major disappointment.

This hotel is outstanding! The location cannot be any better! Right off the lake and a 5min walk to downtown! My partner and I took a weekend trip to Madison and decided to stay here because my sister and her fiancé stayed at The Edgewater for New year and loved it. So we arrived before our check-​in time and found out that our room was ready at 1pm. How awesome is that! The service was phenomenal! Everyone was so friendly and professional. The food and drinks were delish and again the location was unbelievable. I definitely recommend The Edgewater and will be returning again.

This may not be the «fairest» review I’ve ever written here, but it was my reality, so here it is.
I was pretty stoked on the Edgewater. I was in town for a meeting and my company put me up here. The website was promising and the property was actually beautiful when I arrived. Good work, travel manager. Big rooms, comfy bed, pretty views, nice staff.
But in the morning, I got up bright and early for a run before my meeting. The run was very windy and very cold, so I was very happy to be back in my room after. I went to take a shower, only to find that the water wouldn’t get hot.
I say this might not be fair because I didn’t have the time to let them fix it. I had an hour to shower and get out the door to my meeting, so I had to take a very cold, uncomfortable shower and get on with my day. I’ve never had to shiver through a shower before and that, my friends, is what we call a deal breaker.
I’d been ready to give a 4 – 5 star review but have to give 3 based on the shower situation. It’s a really terrible way to start your day.

The Edgewater’s rooms are really lovely. The room I stayed in was overly spacious, with a deliciously comfortable bed, and a really nice view of the lake. As a lot of people have mentioned the main areas (lobby, meeting rooms, etc.) are also quite well-​appointed and it’s clear that they put a lot of love into the remodel of this hotel.
For the location and amenities the price can’t be beat and I would definitely be happy to stay here again!

Kudos to the owners, investors, partners, contractors and employees who’ve obviously worked quite hard to breathe new life into this historic Madison hotel. I was fortunate enough to get an invitation to attend the Grand Reopening Extravaganza on Thursday, October 23, as the event was something to behold.
+ Awesome ballrooms and meeting spaces; for the event, they had all of these areas decked-​out to the nines. I could easily see a wedding, a company party, or a convention taking place in any of the wonderful spaces. The food that they offered in each ballroom and meeting space was unreal as well. Seriously competent catering/​food services staff here.
+ Décor of the main/​public areas is lovely. Reminded me of «art deco meets craftsman meets modern.» The wall of box-​lit Wisconsin photos is great as well.
+ Finally! Fast elevators! Four elevators, all of which move along at a comfortable clip means short waits, even when the place is packed (like it was on this night).
+ Sky bar. Oh my gosh. What a beautiful, classy bar. And the views! Look to one side and you have an unobstructed, picture-​perfect view of the capital. Look to the west, and you’d swear you could jump right into Lake Mendota. Oh! There’s the Union, too! ;-)
+ The presidential suite. Heated floors. Shower big enough for a party of 12. Jet tub. Awesome Lake Mendota views. Comfy chairs and couches. A dining room. Top notch all the way around.
+ The regular rooms. I guarantee there aren’t any nicer rooms in the city. None.
+ The staff! Oh my gosh — from the executive chef, to the hospitality folks, to the general staff, to the doormen — each was kind, professional, and very helpful.
I could really see myself taking a little stay-​cation here in the near future. Truly wonderful! Thank you for putting so much effort into refreshing the beloved Edgewater!

The Edgewater Hotel was still under construction this weekend when they hosted my friend’s wedding. I cannot speak to the quality of the rooms because the hotel itself was not finished. However, I can speak to the wedding reception area and the beautiful patio. I can also speak to the wonderful service and staff and how helpful they were.
First of all, we had made reservations but the hotel wasn’t ready yet By the time we were supposed to stay there. They had very professionally let us knows week ahead of time that they were not going to be able to honor our reservations due to complications and delays in the construction. I got a personal phone call from the manager twice letting us know that the hotel was not going to be ready in time for us to stay there for this wedding. They had already made alternative reservations for us at another slightly less nice hotel of nearly equal status. We were able to spend less money because the alternative hotel was not as nice and charged us less.
The Edgewater did an excellent job with the wedding and the reception. The ground floor by the beautiful lake front patio was exquisite. They decorated it very tastefully and had a nice open atmosphere. I would recommend to anybody to do their wedding reception here if they were going to do a wedding in Madison.
The wedding itself was on the patio and it was beautiful. The hotel even made alternative plans for us if there was bad weather. Thankfully there wasn’t bad weather and we are able to have it on the lake front patio.
There was a string quartet, 100 nice white chairs and the beautiful view of the lake.
Looking forward to returning this hotel when it is fully constructed.