Kate, Cash genned up the post based on all the e-mails I've received so far. If there isn't a quote for one listed, they didn't offer a quote. Cash and I thought we could let everyone see what's out there, let folks air their opinions, narrow it down to the top three and then do site visits on those places so that we can get enough info for everyone to vote.
Anyway, my top three are (in no particular order):
Candlewood Suites is very nice. It's got a very nice restaurant attached and is close to a couple of other high end restaurants, in addition to a Brew Pub and some smaller restaurants and fast food joints. On the flip side, it's five miles from downtown, which is where all that is hip and happening. They do have a complimentary shuttle (with a five mile radius, how convenient), though, so all is not lost.
The Inn on the Park is smack downtown, right across from the Capitol building. It's a little older, the place has been renovated, but it doesn't have the luster it was noted for 30-40 years ago. Still, prime real estate, especially for pub crawling in this town. Capitol Square is anchored on one corner by State Street (the hotel is two blocks up, on another corner) and that is primo pub crawling. From the upper levels of the hotel you can see at least two of the lakes in Madison, maybe all four.
The InnTowner is located in the middle of an area known for student housing. It was actually built to take advantage of the nearness to the VA hospital and the UW hospital. There isn't a terrible lot of stuff close to it. One prime restaurant, a few decent ethnic restaurants and a liquor store (just keep in mind, you can not buy alcohol from stores after 9:30pm, you gotta go to the bars to do your boozing if you run out at home.) It is within two miles of State Street (downtown), Monroe Street (a two-three block shopping area with at least one nice restaurant), and University Station (a couple of shopping plazas, where there is a restaurant called Firefly, Asian-American fusion) which is the radius of their complementary shuttle. Actually, if you don't mind walking (and June is prime walking weather), it's a very pleasant walk to State Street. I lived in that area and walked to school every day (which is one end of State Street.) Monroe Street is probably actually a little closer than State Street and University Station is about 6-8 blocks from the hotel.
I've stayed at the InnTowner. I would recommend in on the Park, since it's closer to stuff. But, I have no knowledge of the the Candlewood Suites.
I love the idea of the Inn on the Park.
Madison is a great town to walk around in. The whole Capital square / State St. / University area... so it seems wrong to me to be in a hotel where we'd have to drive to get downtown....
(just keep in mind, you can not buy alcohol from stores after 9:30pm, you gotta go to the bars to do your boozing if you run out at home.)
Or drive to... what's that suburb? Mendota? (eta: Maple Bluff, right?) Anyway, we've made tons of trips out to a liquor store there (on N. Sherman), where you can get beer until midnight.
I like the Candlewood, even if it isn't right smack downtown. The rates seem more reasonable and, unlike the Inn on the Park, they don't appear to jack you in the ass for a/v.
I'll call the Crowne Plaza for room rates, but I'm making the assumption they'll be higher. I thought if people had strong feelings about certain hotels we could narrow down the field and I could make site visits to the ones we felt were only strongly in the running.
I like the Inn on Park but get the feeling that the event costs will be higher (not just the room rate).
Candlewood is farther out from the downtown area, but the area it is in is very nice. It's Fitchburg, which has seen expansive growth recently, so most everything in the area is much newer. Right around the hotel is a nice plaza with quite a few shops and the Great Dane Brewpub. Once you get out of the immediate area of the hotel, though, it's not very pedestrian friendly. Most of Madison's outlying areas aren't.
Inn on the Park is the most expensive. You're paying for location, there. Close to everything, including at least two of the local microbreweries. The option here, is maybe looking for outside venues for prom?
InnTowner is my favorite, but only because I'm very familiar with the area. I lived within blocks of it for two years and could walk to all my favorite places and school. I was in great shape. :) Don't forget, they offer a complimentary shuttle service. Also, one of the campus bus routes runs right by it. It will at least get you to the Memorial Union (a fun place in and of itself), which is at one end of State Street. The bus is free and it runs between the hours of 6:00am and 12:45am. If you stay somewhere until bar close, you'll have to cab/walk.
The Marriott is very nice, too. They have a seven story waterfall in the lobby. My last company held their Christmas parties there for a number of years. Again, not close to downtown, but a hop-skip-step from Greenway Station which is chock full of expensive shops and restaurants. Starbucks! The only hotel close to a Starbucks. Again, once out of the immediate area, not super pedestrian friendly. But one of the breweries is in moderate walking distance, along with more shops.
The Crowne Plaza, while not too shabby, is on the east side which is much less economically advantaged, shall we say? (I should know, I grew up there.) It's across the street (and by street, I mean a 6-lane major artery on the way out of town) from East Towne Mall, but there aren't a lot of high class restaurants, bars or interesting things to see. We're talking Olive Garden and Chili's. Again, very pedestrian unfriendly.
we're eating at Firefly regardless of where we stay right?
Update:
Inn on the Park has no rooms available for June 20-22. Since we weren't specific in our request (it was sent before we chose a date), they only held dates for us for May. We can take them off the list.
