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| - 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.
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