Why would anyone want to stay at one of the chain same old same old modern hotels? This is are 2nd stay. Lowest price we could find but twice the hotel as the rest. Old 1800's building...such character! compentary drinks at their bar which has a beer garden....free breakfast in the
morning...and not continental either! Love this place!

The Hotel Ruby Marie is a hybrid hotel and bed & breakfast. Don't expect the usual hotel perks like a pool or 24 hr staff. Instead you get a most unique experience with beautiful old rooms, excellent location, and wonderful dining/drinking options next door. This is the perfect place for couples wanting something different during a Madison stay. I would not recommend this property for families. Great people and funky flavor make this a must stay in Madison.

This is the second time I've stayed at the Ruby Marie and I will return. It is an old boarding house and full of history. The staff is very accommodating and helpful. Check in and out can be unusual during after hours as the front desk is only staffed during the day. The hotel is conveniently situated within a 5 minute walk to the square and several nice restaurants, among them, Sardine & Osteria Papavero. It also sits above four intertwined eateries. In fact, you'll have the opportunity to experience the Up Front Bar for happy hour, the Come Back In for weekend breakfast and the Sunshine Cafe for weekday breakfast. The fourth restaurant, The Essen Haus, is known for their boot of beer and polka dancing, a real midwest experience. I would recommend getting coffee at one the nearby local spots: Ground Zero, Bradbury's or Ancora Coffee. There is free parking in at the back of the building- which is also the entrance to the hotel.

The pictures and reviews do no say enough about this hotel! The historic decor was a turn-off to me upon booking, but seeing it in person, it is nothing short of lovely. It's old decor with a modern take and is truly gorgeous, not gaudy. I stayed in room 12 and don't have a bad thing to say about it. The bed was comfortable, I definitely used the jacuzzi tub, and it had large windows facing out toward the lake. I also enjoyed using the drink tickets at the Up North (I think?) Bar. The bartender was friendly and the atmosphere was great. We met new people and had a blast!
The breakfast is from the local bakery so it is all pastries. However, there was a wide variety as well as savory pastries and everything was excellent.
The only negative I have is that it lies right next to the train tracks, and there is a train that comes by early... like around 6. However, I did not find it to be too loud and really all the wonderful benefits of this hotel easily outweigh that small inconvenience.