Our stay at the historic Hotel Ruby Marie in Madison, WI was a fantastic experience all around. The staff, location, and accommodations were ideal. The most striking feature of this hotel is the atmosphere. The Hotel Ruby Marie is a beautifully maintained 150 year old building, and the history is palpable. From the lobby, through the corridors, to the rooms the property if full of elegance and charm. Historic photos hang on the wall, and the hallways are lined with beautiful antiques. The rooms are similarly appointed. Comfortable, homey, with a notable touch of class. The bed was very comfortable, The bathroom was large and great for two people getting ready in the morning. An especially nice feature of the Hotel Ruby Marie, were the added bar and restaurant on-site. On the first floor is a delightful pastry shop/deli, which hosts the complimentary hotel breakfast every morning. Delicious sweet and savory pastries and coffee are available. They also offer sandwiches and wraps later in the day. Located around the back of the property is a quaint and quirky tavern. They had live music the night we arrived and it was a wonderful place to unwind at the end of our night. They offer a variety of local beers and tasty cocktails at a much better price point than you'd find at many hotel bars. We only stayed here one night, but I look forward to booking a longer stay in the future. The Hotel Ruby Marie is a beautiful property. Highly recommended. read more

Boutique hotel in great location. Easy walk to downtown, restaurants, and pubs. Wonderful character at a reasonable price which includes parking. Tv is small, I mean small. Some street noise and Trains nearby but not bad for a downtown hotel. I would recommend. read more

Came in town for a convention Last minute. I was initially looking for a familiar chain named hotel. Walked into a restaurant/Bar and found out Hotel Ruby Marie had available rooms for a good rate. I asked to see the rooms, did a walk through and just just jumped on the bed like the letter T. oooooh my gosh I fell in love!!!! Love the hot tube that they have in the bathroom, the comfortable old school bed. I only stayed there for one day and I wanted to empty out my suitcase in the dresser they had. Thats how comfortable I was. I definitely want to stay there again next time I'm in town!!!! read more

My sister in law planned an overnight stay in Madison and at her suggestion we checked in at the Ruby Marie. My husband and I opted for a premium room because we wanted the jacuzzi, and with the fireplace it just sounded so cozy. We all arrived early since we were going to a local show and the person at the desk, Dylan or John, I'm not sure, was nice enough to let us check in before the scheduled time. The price of the room ($160 + taxes came about to $183) included two drink vouches at the Up North and a breakfast voucher for two at the Come Back In. The room itself was really nice. The bed was very comfortable, the jacuzzi was a pretty decent size, and the fireplace gave the room a really nice atmosphere. Really, the biggest negative experience of our stay there was getting our free drinks at the bar. When we checked in we were told the 3pm-7pm happy hour on the voucher was more of a suggestion than a rule. After we got back we went straight to the Up North around 7:10, not long after the show finished. The bartender seemed drunk and was acting really obnoxious. I asked for a bloody mary and the bartender's response was "Seriously? I just put everything away." and he seemed so annoyed at my request. He made a few sarcastic/rude comments while making my drink too, and I've never had someone make me feel like such an inconvenience all because I ordered one drink. My sister in law asked for a bourbon and coke and he gave her a bourbon and WATER and they had to ask for a coke on the side. Afterwards we went to Essen Haus, but that's another review entirely. The jets in our jacuzzi also didn't work, but after calling the front desk in the morning they gave us a partial refund. I was a little disappointed, but because they did what they could, I can't really fault them for that. Breakfast at the Come Back In ended up being one of the biggest highlights of our stay, at least for me it was. With the voucher we were able to get prime rib and eggs and two bloody marys. The prime rib was cooked very nicely, with the eggs and pan style potatoes it was definitely a filling meal. Easily a step up from the usual muffins/waffles that most hotels offer as a complimentary breakfast. Our tab came out to $6 with the extra bloody marys we ordered. Overall, there were some hiccups in the experience and the bartender is truthfully the only reason I'm not giving them a 5 star rating, but if I stay at any point in the future, I hope those issues will be solved. read more

Hotel Ruby Marie - Premium room with Jacuzzi. The fireplace is off to the right, don't mind my dirty boot, haha. - Hotels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The Ruby Marie has character, with everything that means for you. It's in an old building, and they've kept as many of the details as they can -- cool old room layouts, converted gas fireplaces in the rooms, old furniture -- and I can't remember the last time I saw one of those chains you pull to flush the toilet. It's very clean. Weekday breakfasts are wonderful pastries from the bakery downstairs, weekends apparently mean breakfast at the Come Back In. Appreciated the drinks at the Up North, too. Just know that Ruby Marie is not a quiet experience, between the bar noise (don't forget to ask for a room that isn't over the bar), the traffic noise (the fan helps), the trains, and the noisy floorboards. Sleep might be a challenge. I get why people like it here so much, though -- it's very casual and laid back and friendly. It's convenient to the square and Willy Street. You can find bikes across the street and this is a VERY bike-friendly city. There are so many amazing restaurants in walking distance, I can't begin to name them. I just need my sleep is all.. read more

The Expectations: Hotel Ruby Marie was everything I hoped for, plus more. I expected a fun, memorable stay in a kitschy hotel in Madison, and it came with a friendly staff and goddamn delicious complimentary food. The Reservation: Super easy. We waited until the last second to make plans. Called on Friday mid-morning and made reservations for that night with no problem. I don't know if online reservations are available - it said "no rooms available" online so we called to see, and of course there was vacancy. The Location: The hotel was very easy to find. We took the highway into town and knew where/what we were looking for: a gorgeous red building at the corner of Wilson and Blair. About a 4-5 minute walk from the Majestic and the Capitol. Parking: We got there around 7pm. Parking was a little difficult in the lot by Essen Haus and Come Back In because it was the dinner rush but we just waited for someone from the restaurants to leave, took about 5-10 minutes. We were able to leave our car there the next day after check-out, just needed to tell the front desk that we'd be leaving it there for the day. Check-in: We warned them we were checking in late and they told us we'd get our keys from the barkeep in the Up North Saloon on the 1st floor. It was crowded but he attended to us quickly and professionally. The Bar: Our free drink vouchers (1 per guest) were good during happy hour 3-7pm and they let us use them at 7:30 so we grabbed a quick drink before heading out. Later in the night, we went back to the Up North Saloon to meet a friend, had beer and a little pizza around 11 pm. The Room: We paid for the cheapest room available, at $150 after taxes, and had a wonderful view of the lake. Everything was clean, the bed was nice, the bathroom had modern furnishings and the shower was very nice (it had one of those giant shower heads). The building had some creaks and groans throughout the night like an old building would and it wasn't bothersome. I don't think there were many other guests because I didn't hear anyone else in the hotel. The Staff: Laid back and unobtrusive. I don't think they'd have free toothpaste for you or stuff like that that you'd find at a big chain hotel so you just need to manage your expectations. The front desk is closed at night but checking in and out was easy and we had no other problems. It seemed like a do-your-own-thing kind of place, like you're renting an apartment room for the evening and the landlord isn't going to be there to hold your hand. The Perks: The free drink vouchers were a nice touch but more importantly, we got a complimentary meal at the Come Back In the next morning. You order whatever you want off the menu. That means a steak & egg and skillet breakfasts with wheat toast and potatoes, an orange juice, an apple juice, and a bloody mary with a chaser. For FREE. The friendly server didn't even bring us an itemized bill, she just let us know that gratuity wasn't included in the voucher. I would definitely recommend this hotel to other Madison visitors. read more

If you like trains running through your room at 2 A.M. than this might be for you . This is the worst, I feel I should have been informed that there were trains that operated right outside my room and I would have chosen another establishment to stay with, how ever I wasn't given that courtesy, so I honestly can not recommend this place. read more

I'm giving this locally owned spot 5 stars for the simple fact that everyone I've sent there has loved it. With the amazing rates (forget about inflated prices), proximity to the best food & retail as well as bike path and lake, and free drinks at the Up North this is the spot. Side note: Scottish band Camera Obscura claims the place is haunted, which is very cool. read more

I found the Hotel Ruby Marie when searching online for a hotel to stay at during an overnight trip to Madison with my husband (we were visiting the MMoCA for the Houdini exhibit). After reading the reviews I decided to book a room -- the lure of local charm & history totally beat out any of the other "normal" hotels in the area. The entire time we were there (sadly, just overnight), my husband kept commenting how cool it is, and that he was glad that I found it and booked a room. The hotel is decorated as it would have been in its heyday, and we had fun walking around and (quietly!) checking out both floors. Our room (a "basic" - single queen) was clean, and surprisingly roomy. The bed was comfortable, and the mini-fridge was put to use storing leftovers from our huge dinner at the Essen Haus. The complimentary bottled water, coffee and creamer was enjoyed when we woke up from a restful sleep. As others have mentioned, two drink tickets were provided when we checked in and our drinks were enjoyed at the Up North Pub located on the first floor. The location of the hotel was extremely convenient. We actually didn't realize how close it is to the downtown area until we explored a bit after happy hour. Since our stay was mid-week, we helped ourselves to a free continental breakfast in the morning. Complimentary juice, grapefruit and a variety of pastries and muffins were made available downstairs in the deli/bakery. I can't speak to any complaints regarding the sound of the trains. Maybe it was the room we were in, but we only heard two ... neither were very loud nor running through at an inconvenient hour. I also can't speak to complaints on the noise from the bar(s). We were on the third floor and again, it was mid-week so the noise probably wasn't up to its usual level, but we didn't hear anything. We will definitely stay at the Hotel Ruby Marie the next time we visit Madison. read more

Nice place, charming, very comfy bed and down comforter. Close to many things within walking distance (shops, food, lake, bars). I swear it was haunted though! read more

I've stayed at the Ruby Marie twice now, and I love it! They have a quick and easy check in/out process. The staff is friendly and helpful. It's quiet at night so you can get some quality sleep, and the beds are super comfortable. My room was very clean, and it looked out onto a little courtyard below with other visitors enjoying a wine and the summer weather. It's location is great-far enough from the nightlife of downtown that you don't hear street noise, but close enough that you can walk to fantastic bars and restaurants. An added bonus is the local bar connected to the Ruby Marie. They had a great band while we were there. And there's a sand volleyball court right outside by the (free) parking lot. I'm not sure who owns it, but it makes for a really fun and welcoming environment. I highly recommend staying here. I will absolutely be back. read more

I have never posted a review on Yelp before but my recent experience at Ruby Marie compels me to do so now. I've stayed at this inn on several business occasions over the last 5 years because of the super clean and well-appointed rooms, great breakfast, nice parking, convenient location to Capital and University. But now I Yelp because of the superior service by their staff! Last month my family had several rooms because of my daughter's graduation from the UW. On Sunday morning, the day of the ceremony, there was a huge snow storm, causing my best plans for an afternoon party to go awry in addition to transportation hassles. John not only offered to call a taxi service but stayed on the line holding for almost 15 minutes to arrange a ride. But that is not all he did! He very generously allowed me to use some of their service space to prepare for the party I had planned later that day at another location! He gave me some towels and use of electric outlets, all after I had checked out and went to the graduation! We came back and he monitored it all for me. Talk about going above and beyond. What an AWESOME experience of customer service. I will continue to stay only at Ruby Marie when in Madison, and now I will tell everyone to enjoy a night of exceptional hospitality there! Thanks Josh and John - you guys are great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

I really liked our stay here. Parking was included, the rooms were cure, and there was a free delicious breakfast served by The Come Back Inn included with our stay. If you're looking for a really quiet hotel, I'd keep looking as you can bear music from the bar downstairs and a passing train here and there. read more

We have stayed here the past two years for the CrossFit Games. It was recommended in the RedBull magazine and it did not disappoint. The location is central to everything in Madison, the rooms are comfortable, and the breakfast is delicious. In addition, the staff is always pleasant and willing to help answer questions, provide suggestions, etc. We look forward to our return. Other reviewers have noted the music from the bar, but I always travel with earplugs so it was never an issue for us. read more

I've stayed at a lot of hotels but none have made me feel like I'm about to go on an impromptu ghost adventure quite like Hotel Ruby Marie. And I mean that in the most positive way possible. They even embrace it in the decor a little bit. It's fun. It looks immaculately restored from 150 years ago which gives each room and part of the building a unique feeling. The rooms are cozy and intimate and from what I saw, not full of ghosts. It felt like a mix of a bed and breakfast and a hotel. Very nice staff, free baked goods in the morning and the looming but not worrying presence of spirits make Hotel Ruby Marie a very cool hotel experience. Hot tip: open your closet real quick expecting a poltergeist and then laugh with your significant other! read more

The Ruby is a great hotel. The staff are helpful, accommodating and quite cool! I was in town on business and they had great rates for the location. It is a unique, clean and comfortable hotel. I had a fireplace and a decent view of Lake Monona. It is in walking distance from the square and has a nice bar downstairs with some great patrons. By the way you get 2 free drinks for every night you stay. If back in Madison, I will definitely stay at the Ruby again. read more

Very nice, updated bed and breakfast. Furnishings and architectural details true to contextual history of building. Updated bathroom fixtures, quaint, lovely! I agree with most of the reviews written here. The noise from the pub can still be heard on 3rd floor. (Thankfully,, I had the 3rd floor room.) Street noise from morning rush hour traffic is discernible as well. Big deal if you're a light sleeper. Yes, the wi fi connection is not the greatest at this venue, SSID signal seems to fade in and out. Overall, a pleasant inn. read more

Great deal staying at the Ruby Marie. Built in 1873, located across from Lake Monona and is just steps from Capitol Square and nightlife. It has a bed & breakfast feel, but it is actually a hotel; you don't have to share bathrooms or eat breakfast with other guests. In fact, they gave us 4 free drink tickets for the neighboring bar, Essen Haus and a coupon for 2 free breakfasts at the Come Back Inn next door! Excellent deal for the price. The luxury suites have jacuzzis and the showers have nice powerful water pressure. An odd peculiarity I noticed in the morning: the shades were drawn and I noticed the faint sound of rain outside. When I peaked through the shades, it was a beautiful sunny day. read more

Nice hotel with very friendly staff. The room was spacious and comfortable. Highly recommended!

Came in last second to find a room in hopes that the Badgers beat Duke.. Wanted to be downtown for the experience. Something in forty years from now we could say we werw there for. The front desk was very nice and helpful answering different questions we had. With the purchase of the room we were giving free parking and two free drinks. Not a bad way to start the night off. Hotel was very old sorta creepy feel. Something you see in an old horror movie. Definitely Victorian style. Room was clean, bed was soft and we had a nice night. So dont let the oddness keep you from staying here. Breakfeast is included with the stay. It includes very delicious fresh baked pastries and muffins, cereal, milk, or juices. There are many things in the immediate area to keep you entertained. Essen Huas resturant and bar, bike path right across the road, Goths Great Dane (4blocks away). Duke ended up beating Wisconsin. But we most the most of our night anyways. Thanks to this hotel having some availability mom and dad were able to slip away for a night and enjoy downtown festivities. We would come here again to avoid higher downtown prices when just looking for a cheap room to lay our heads. If it is clean and not haunted is all we care about. read more

Excellent/unique place to stay in Madison! Great service, clean and cozy hotel rooms that are Victorian style but not at all "over the top." Accommodated our family of 5 perfectly. SO much better than the hotel chains. Staff was excellent. Location perfect! We walked to Capitol building, the lake and local pubs. An easy and comfortable place which was still upscale. read more

Another great time at the Hotel Ruby Marie. Totally unique hotel and that comes from someone who is on the road 100 nights a year!

Comfortable bed, had no issues with noise, amazing food, nice bar downstairs. Good location to visit madison, decently priced.

Friendly and clean environment. Homemade continental breakfast! Beautiful view of lake Mendota. Highly recommended for a relaxed and peaceful night. read more

Stayed here on a Friday night. Was in town for a show. And needed a place for one night. Beautiful older building with modern touches. Free breakfast..happy hour drinks..comfortable beds. This hotel was a rooming house for the railroad in the 1800's. Walking distance to our venue also a plus!! read more

The hotel is old and over a bar. It is noise both from the bar and the heating. Needs to be updated! Most bed and breakfast have great breakfast but Breakfast was cold and really not anything more than what you get at a hotel. Very close to capital area and lake. Would not stay again read more

The hotel is in a great area, it has pretty much everything you need around it. It was very clean and the staff was outstanding. I've never stay at anything like it, and would do it again! Thank you all for a great night! read more

I previously gave this hotel 4 stars. But, based on our experience last night I have to give them a severe downgrade. We had stayed at the Ruby Marie almost every time we travel to Madison. That's done now. Last night we had a room on the main floor and could hear everything that was going on outside. Birds, traffic, late night bar patrons. Worse though, was the noise inside the hotel. Lots of loud drunk guests slamming doors and congregating in the hallway after midnight. Recent changes at the hotel give you no one to call about this as well. There is no longer an after hours inn keeper and the hotel info directs you to call the bar downstairs if you need anything. Considering the bar likely helped to put our neighbors into their current state, I wasn't confident that they would be able to resolve the issue. Also, the bed and pillows were incredibly uncomfortable. All this ended with us packing up and heading back to Chicago at 1:45am after listening to the noise for a couple hours. When I called the next morning to complain all I got was "Sorry, we'll put a note down". Sad as this was one of our favorite spots. read more

Cute historic inn, helpful staff, let us check in early but just too loud with the traffic from busy streets below...

My husband had stayed at Hotel Ruby Marie several times before on business but this was my first visit. I understand now why he keeps coming back! The hotel is an old railroad hotel that was refurbished about 10 years ago back to it's original charm. Our room was large with one queen and one double bed. The mini fridge had complementary water, beer and real creamers for your morning coffee. The bathroom had the old-fashion black and white tile and fixtures, spacious shower with double shower heads, and toilet with the pull-chain flushing system. I peaked in to the room next door while it was being cleaned the next morning and notice that room had it's own stove. Everything was clean. For our $85/night room rate we also received four drink tickets to the Up North Bar located below. I was a little worried about that the bar noise would keep us awake but we couldn't hear it at all from our room. We also received a free breakfast at the little bakery below accessed, of course, by the beautiful old wood stairway. There was a large selection of homemade pastries, coffee, grapefruit and cereal to choose from. Eggs could also be cooked upon request. What was especially neat was the center courtyard, totally hidden from the outside world. Even though the hotel is on the second and third floors of the buildings, there is a small balcony for people to sit (and smoke, if that's your preference). All in all, this is a true gem hidden in downtown Madison (the Capitol is only a few blocks away). read more

This is my place of choice when I visit Madison for conferences. Walking distance from the Capitol Square. The rooms are very quaint and different rooms have different lay outs so it's different each stay, but somethings are always true: The rooms are always clean and comfortable; the staff is always incredible; the breakfast at the bakery is outstanding. read more

My husband and were driving from Chicago to Madison for a concert and were looking for an inexpensive place to spend the night. Not only was the Ruby Marie the least expensive hotel within walking distance of the Majestic Theatre, but it had a charming atmosphere, everyone was friendly, and we got two complimentary drinks to the adjacent bar and two free breakfast entrees and beverages at the neighboring restaurant. Definitely the best deal in town. My only complaint was that the radiator was making loud rattling noises (if it wasn't the radiator, then it was something outside). However, I definitely plan to stay here again the next time we're in town. read more

I throughly enjoyed my stay in this very neat historical building. Id prefer to be able to rate with half stars simply because it deserves 4.5. The only reason not giving 5, is because we couldn't adjust the heat in the room and it was so hot we had to open all the windows because there is no concierge after 7pm. The breakfast in the morning was wonderful, fast and excellent service. I would absolutely stay again but ideally a different room with climate control. read more

Looking for lodging that totally fits the Madison Wisconsin vibe? Well look no further than here. From the great neighborhood right off the downtown to the great attached German restaurant to the cool live music bar on the floor below to the 1800s charm of the building to the wonderful bakery that is part of your stay during your breakfast. This is the place. https://twitter.com/scottcomedy/status/847805220533006336 read more

I got no reply to my email inquiring about availability and the phone wasn't answered. Whatever their area of expertise is, it doesn't seem to be in the reservations department. read more

My husband planned an overnight trip to Madison and selected the Hotel Ruby Marie because of its great history and location. Check in time is 3PM but we were in the area at 1PM and stopped in. We were told our room was ready and given the keys. We did not actually go to the room because we had a few errands to run, plus my husband has Parkinson's Disease and it is too difficult to keep coming in and out. When we came back at 3:45 we went to our room to discovered it was never cleaned. Dylan at the front desk kind of blamed us because we arrived before his shift and therefore he thought the room was cleaned. We asked for another room, but they were sold out. He told us to come back in 30-45 minutes because he had to personally clean the room since his housekeeping staff had left for the day. We returned in 45 minutes went into the room and turned a lamp on which blew a circuit in the room. We went back to the desk and Dylan said that the bathroom lights work so don't worry - even though nothing in the actual room worked - television, clock, fireplace. (Fireplace did not work at all.) He called someone to figure out the issue. He did give us a small credit. We were leaving for a very early dinner reservation and the people above our room were noisy. We hoped when we returned it would get better. We came back about 8:15 and the noise was loud - talking, music and constant walking around the room. The inn is very old and the floors from above really creak - a lot! Went back to Dylan to complain and he said he hoped that they would go out for the night. They did for about hour. At 10:30-11:00 the noise was so loud - this time singing, music and the loud creaking of the floor was unbearable. Dylan was gone for the night and the instructions said to call the bar downstairs. I called the bar they picked up the phone and put it down. I called back but the phone was busy because they just laid it down. The noise, now singing, creaking kept going on - we have not slept yet. Finally, at 2PM I called the Innkeeper who was not happy and said he would be over in 20 minutes. At 3:30 nothing - the noise including more creaking now included them filling up the whirlpool tub and getting into it. We left at 3:45AM and drove 2 hours home - this was difficult because with my husband having Parkinson's through his body schedule off. Great get away weekend, Hotel Ruby Marie. I called the Innkeeper the next morning for a full refund and he said he normally does not like giving refunds but would make an exception. Never invited us back for a night to prove that they are indeed a nice Inn. If you must stay here - please ask for a room on the top floor or you will not sleep. read more