OverviewLocated a 1-minute drive from the nearest Highway 12 on-ramp and about a 5-minute drive from Lake Monona, the Holiday Inn Express Madison is geared towards travellers who require a hotel with easy highway access, a free breakfast and an indoor pool.
Each of the hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms comes equipped with free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a coffeemaker, a desk, a hair dryer and an iron and ironing board. Rooms with a microwave, a mini-fridge and a jetted tub are also available and the hotel is wheelchair accessible.
Hotel amenities include an indoor pool, a hot tub, a fitness room, a business centre, laundry services, free parking and a free breakfast. A complimentary evening reception is also offered Monday through Thursday evenings. Pets (weighing 25 lbs or less) are permitted for an additional $20 per pet, per night.
The University of Wisconsin can be reached within a 10-minute drive. Alliant Energy Center can be found about 8 minutes away on foot, while South Towne Mall is a 2-minute drive away. Henry Vilas Zoo is an 8-minute drive from the hotel and Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is roughly a 17-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, pets permitted for $20/pet/day, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: September 11, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's staff, location, breakfast and rooms.
The hotel's staff were the source of numerous compliments by reviewers, who characterized them as friendly, accommodating and helpful with suggestions and directions. One guest remarked, "I was very impressed with the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff. Upon check-in the staff relocated me to a room that was not directly behind the elevator so that I would be assured of a quiet night".
Many guests were pleased with the hotel's location. They described it as easy to find, and close to the University of Wisconsin, the airport, restaurants, Alliant Energy Center, downtown Madison and highway access.
Several lodgers enjoyed the hotel's free breakfast, and described it as delicious, filling and well stocked, with a nice selection of hot and cold items and a spacious breakfast area. One patron noted, "The breakfast bar was extremely well maintained and had a variety of items: scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, sausage, cinnamon rolls, make-your-own pancakes, as well as cold cereal, fruit, yogurt, bread for toasting, etc. The coffee was delicious!".
The hotel's accommodations were also enjoyed by several reviewers. They found them to be quiet, clean and spacious, with comfortable beds and fast Wi-Fi. A few guests had complaints about their rooms, however (see below).
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few complaints about the rooms.
Although several lodgers were pleased with their clean and comfortable beds, a few guests had complaints about their accommodations. They reported musty odours, worn decor and noise from guests in adjacent rooms.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.3 out of 5 with a 93% recommendation rate from 73 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #32 of 62 Madison hotels with an average rating of 4 out of 5 from 67 reviews.
Hotels.com guest reviews rated the hotel 4.3 out of 5 from 63 reviews.
The author called the hotel on September 11, 2013 to verify some information.