The Governor's Mansion Inn sits in the heart of Madison, welcoming travelers with continental breakfast and a coffee shop for morning fuel. Guests stay connected with in-room WiFi while outdoor seating areas provide space to relax in the fresh air.
Located on a lake, Governor's Mansion Inn is in Downtown Madison, a neighborhood in Madison. Orpheum Theater and Wisconsin Veterans Museum are cultural highlights, and travelers looking to shop may want to visit Dane County Farmers' Market and State Street Shopping. Looking to enjoy an event or a game? See what's going on at Camp Randall Stadium or Alliant Energy Center. Visit our Madison travel guide
130 E. Gilman St, Madison, WI, 53703
What's nearby
State Street Shopping
6 min walk - 0.4 miles
Capitol Square
6 min walk - 0.4 miles
Wisconsin State Capitol
10 min walk - 0.5 miles
Orpheum Theater
9 min walk - 0.5 miles
Overture Center for the Arts
9 min walk - 0.5 miles
Getting around
Madison Station
17 min walk
Dane County Regional Airport (MSN)
16 min drive
Restaurants
The Old Fashioned
7 min walk
Michelangelo's Coffee House
10 min walk
Ian’s Pizza Madison | State Street
9 min walk
Cask & Ale
10 min walk
Gotham Bagels
7 min walk
About this property
Governor's Mansion Inn
Hotel near University of Wisconsin-Madison
Governor's Mansion Inn provides amenities like free continental breakfast and a coffee shop/cafe. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
Additional perks include:
Express check-out, express check-in, and smoke-free premises
Outdoor furniture
Room features
All guestrooms at Governor's Mansion Inn boast comforts such as air conditioning, in addition to amenities like free WiFi.
Free continental breakfast available daily 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
A coffee shop/cafe
Guest services
Housekeeping (on request)
Outdoors
On a lake
Outdoor furniture
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
No elevator
Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
Wheelchair-accessible parking
More
Smoking not allowed
Room amenities
Bathroom
Private bathroom
Shower
Towels provided
Entertainment
LED TV with digital channels
More
Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
Heating (climate-controlled)
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 21
Check-out
Check-out before 11:00 AM
Express check-out available
Special check-in instructions
There is no front desk at this property
Guests will receive an email within 48 hours before arrival with check-in instructions and an access code; access will be through a private entrance
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Access methods
Access code, private entrance
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Property payment types
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
Property is also known as
Governors Mansion Inn and Cafe Hotel Madison
Governors Mansion Inn and Cafe Hotel
Governors Mansion Inn and Cafe Madison
Governors Mansion Cafe Madison
Governor's Mansion Inn Cafe
Governor's Mansion Inn Hotel
Governor's Mansion Inn Madison
Governor's Mansion Inn Hotel Madison
Frequently asked questions
Is Governor's Mansion Inn pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking?
Limited spots are available.
What time is check-in at Governor's Mansion Inn?
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime.
What time is check-out at Governor's Mansion Inn?
Check-out is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Governor's Mansion Inn located?
Located in Downtown Madison, this hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of Lake Mendota and University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison Children's Museum and Capitol Square are also within 10 minutes. Madison Station is 17 minutes by foot.
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Reviews
Governor's Mansion Inn Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
9.8
Cleanliness
10
Location
9.2
Staff & service
9.6
Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 152 out of 182 reviews
10 - Excellent
152
Rating 8 - Good. 20 out of 182 reviews
8 - Good
20
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 182 reviews
6 - Okay
2
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 182 reviews
4 - Poor
4
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 182 reviews
2 - Terrible
4
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Pamela
Oct 1, 2025
Liked: Staff & service, amenities
Our room was just what we needed and the best part was the private porch with lake view. I’ll definitely be back soon!
An absolutely beautiful inn. The room was so comfortable…fabulous bed, modern bathroom, quiet. The inn is gorgeous with a fabulous location on the lake. Will definitely be staying there again!
Absolutely loved our stay! Very quaint inn with a lot of history. We will definitely be returning. Only downside I’ll mention is we would’ve loved to have the option to open the windows overnight, as it was a bit warm when we returned. We ended up powering on the AC which worked well, but would’ve been great to feel that fresh air off the lake.
We were a bit hesitant that the renovation was not great, but it was beautiful! Clean, nice, tasteful with a nod to the era of the historic hotel and area. Met the owner who was very nice, had a peaceful walk in historic Mansion Hills are, and a very quiet restful night.
Amazing and gorgeous place to stay. The rooms were comfy and clean, and the space is marvelously well restored. Staying in such a historic building is also such a privilege!
My only comment would be the breakfast. It has a fairly limited menu (just bagels, scones, coffee) with very few "filling" options. I would've appreciated at least some cereal. I'm more than happy bringing my own food when I stay somewhere, but my room also didn't have a fridge and there isn't a public fridge, so I had nowhere to store perishables.
The room on the first floor was small but cozy. The host communicated well how to enter the property and the room. The beds were very comfortable. It was nice to be able to control the temperature in the room. The bathroom was extremely clean. There were no chairs in the room but there was a small bench. Breakfast included scones, fruit and bagels, as well as coffee. Delicious! There is parking in the premise. I highly recommend staying here.
My daughter and I had such a great stay at this beautiful and unique inn! Lovely room, wonderful breakfast, great location close to campus. Highly recommend!
I had a last-minute trip to Madison. This hotel was near where my friend’s wedding was. It’s completely charming. The house is great, reminded me of a sorority house from college. It’s pretty much a self service place, but the room was comfortable, location was fantastic. If you’re not looking for any special frills, this place does the trick.
This was one of my favorite stays ever! We had a private entrance and the whole place to ourselves, and it was a very good bargain for this time of year… walking distance from the capital and the farmers market. The details were immaculate, and it was like having my own apartment away from home. I will definitely stay here again!
The room was a little small and doesn’t include a mini fridge or microwave, but every other amenity makes it such an amazing place! I would definitely return and stay here again.
The fact that several governors had actually previously lived on the property was fascinating. The downstairs rooms were very spacious and intriguing. The breakfast had a nice variety of items to choose from and the coffee was good!
This is a historic building. Formerly the actual Governor’s Mansion. So the room had a historic feel. More expensive than the usual stay, like a Days Inn, but worth it. Halt the price of where I often stay, Madison Concourse. It is within walking distance of the Capital Building and a ton of great restaurants! Will definitely return!
Lewis
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
8/10 Good
JUANJO
Mar 2, 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Charming old mansion. Nice location. Minimal staff. Spartan - closet consists of a rod near door, with an assortment of plastic hangers, and a small fridge in between; dorm-room like.
Vintage mansion that housed the governers of Wisconsin from the 1800s through the 1850s. The location on Mansion Hill with a view of the lake is very nice. We walked to the capitol area for dining it's about 5 blocks for dining. The Inn has modern heating and air-conditioning but no elevator and vintage bathroom fixtures. The bed was comfortable, the room light and airy with high ceilings. It's the kind of place that travellers who like vintage, like me, would enjoy.
I stayed in the Garden Studio, which has a private entrance on the back side of the house. The pictures of the suite don't do justice to how large it is; it's probably 900 square feet, including a large bathroom, a kitchenette, a 4-seat table, and a couch area with TV. The king-size bed was wonderful and I slept very well. There is a slight amount of morning noise coming from upstairs but I think it's just the staff putting out the breakfast. I observed no noise whatsoever after dark.
I love the location. And the history! And the scones and coffee are very good. But, two problems. First, the air-conditioning is completely inadequate for the heat and humidity in Madison. The owner should’ve learned that by now and provided stronger air conditioning and fans. Secondly, there was a mysterious buzzing sound. That would’ve kept me awake at night, except that I have a white noise machine.
Charles
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
4/10 Poor
Richard
Aug 30, 2023
Disliked: Cleanliness
Unfortunately not as clean as we had hoped for.
Hi. My daughter and I checked in here for her college move in. I was given a code and room number which was fine and we entered our room no problem. However, I have to write to say the room was not as clean as we'd hoped for. There were hairs on our pillow cases - the sheets had been cleaned but a long hair was still on there. Also, my daughter looked under the bed and she said it was so dirty. I'm sorry, I don't like giving bad reviews but my daughter didn't want to stay there so we immediately checked out and went to the Hilton Garden Inn. I had paid in full a while back so I knew I would not get a refund nor did I even try to email the owners. Also the chandelier above our bed was hanging out of the ceiling by its wires. Another reason why we didn't stay. Sorry for the review but I wanted to be honest.
David was very helpful, and he allowed us to use their microwave in the kitchenette! Location is great for Downtown Madison, great view of the lake. They provide suggestions for dinner, coffee shops and more!