Luxurious Wisconsin Hotels to Make Your Trip as Comfy as it is Memorable

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Yoga on the lawn at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, WI.
Relax with a yoga class from the Aspira Spa at the Osthoff Resort. Photo credit: Deb Steenhagen

From giant indoor waterparks to Wisconsin’s iconic supper clubs to acres of natural beauty and the football frenzy of Green Bay, there are plenty of reasons to visit Wisconsin. And there are a variety of Wisconsin hotels to meet your overnight needs. Here, we list our nominees for the best hotels in the state.

Osthoff Resort – Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

  • Beautiful location on the shores of Elkhart Lake
  • Many room configuration options, from standard hotel rooms to luxurious three-bedroom condos with full kitchens and fireplaces for those chilly winter stays
  • The incredible Aspira Spa
  • A variety of activity options on the lake
  • Watersports and bike rentals available onsite
  • 3 onsite restaurants and poolside fare
  • Kids club activities available in the summer for a fee
  • 1 indoor and 2 seasonal outdoor pools
  • Free wifi

The Osthoff Resort is one of my family’s favorites. We have stayed here several times, in both the summer and winter. The AAA Four Diamond resort has a gentile New England feel with its whitewashed exterior overlooking placid Elkhart Lake. In the winter, we cuddled up in front of the fireplace, shopped in the annual onsite Christmas market and took a narrated horse-drawn wagon ride around town. In the summer, we rented bikes for a peddle around the small town, rented kayaks for a paddle around the lake and booked a sunset cruise. 

This is one of those rare spots that works just as well for families as it does for a romantic couples trip. And you can’t beat the Aspria Spa as the focal point for a girlfriends getaway. The massage I had there years ago is still one of the best I’ve ever had – and I’ve had some amazing massages!

Other Elhart Lake Resorts

I will always choose to stay at the luxurious Osthoff, but there are other lodging options:

  • Siebkens Resort (45 rooms, seasonal outdoor pool, accommodations ranging from standard guestroom to three-bedroom suites) 
  • The Shore Club Wisconsin, an Ascend Hotel (49 rooms, pet-friendly, free wifi, indoor pool and seasonal outdoor pool)
Heidel House, a luxury Wisconsin hotel
The pool area at Heidel House. Photo credit: Cindy Richards

Heidel House Hotel – Green Lake, Wisconsin

  • Great location on Green Lake
  • Seasonal outdoor pool and year-round indoor pool with two whirlpools
  • Fitness center
  • Large guestrooms
  • On property boutique and market feature local creations
  • Free wifi
  • 2 onsite restaurants

This charming 114-room hotel and conference center sits on the shores of beautiful Green Lake. Built in 1890 as a private mansion, the hotel closed in 2019 and reopened in 2021. When I visited in the summer of 2023, I was exhausted from spending the day in nearby Oshkosh marveling at the aircraft on land and in the air at the Experimental Aircraft Association Fly-in. It was wonderful to walk into my large guestroom and open the patio doors to a view of the peaceful lake.   

Artwork at the Hotel Indigo in Madison Wisconsin
Fun and funky paint-related artwork throughout the Hotel Indigo, a former paint factory now turned into a luxury hotel. Photo credit: Cindy Richards

Hotel Indigo Madison Downtown – Madison, Wisconsin

  • Great downtown location
  • Large rooms
  • Fun and funky decor honors building’s history as a paint factory
  • Free on-demand airport shuttle   
  • Pet friendly (dogs and cats only)
  • 24-hour fitness center
  • Free wifi

A charming 144-room hotel in a former paint factory, the Hotel Indigo is the hippest Wisconsin hotel I’ve visited. And I would return in a heartbeat! The hotel decor pays homage to the building’s history with fun artistic touches such as a divider wall of half-filled paint cans in the lobby and paint brushes strung up in a hallway. Even the mirror in my room appeared to have paint running down it. There are games to play in the lobby while you wait for friends and the airport shuttle was available to take us to a nearby restaurant for dinner. 

SheBuysTravel Tip: Hotel Indigo is an IHG hotel, so join the company’s loyalty program before you arrive to score points toward future free stays.

Pfister Hotel – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

  • Swanky hotel in a great city center location
  • Full-service spa
  • Indoor pool
  • Fitness center
  • Blu, the martini bar on the 23rd floor offers breathtaking views of the city

Hubby and I celebrated our 10th anniversary at the Pfister and I still have fond memories of our weekend at the elegant property. A member of the Historic Hotels of America, the Pfister opened in 1893 and has hosted every U.S. president since William McKinley. It’s rumored to be haunted, although I didn’t run into any ghosts when I stayed there. While it’s luxury ambiance makes you want to check in and never leave, the central downtown location makes it easy to walk to many Milwaukee attractions, including the Milwaukee Art Museum.

The Edgewater – Madison, Wisconsin

  • Beautiful historic hotel location on the shores of Lake Mendota
  • Full-service spa
  • 3 on-site restaurants
  • A short walk to the University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Ice skating rink set up in the winter
  • No pool

The Edgewater Hotel in Madison is a throwback to a more sophisticated time in leisure travel—when the hotels were grand, the accommodations plush and the service extraordinary. When my husband and I stayed, our lakefront room was 500 square feet with a wall of windows overlooking Lake Mendota that gave my husband a front-row seat for a brilliant sunset on a bright winter day. (I was happily in the spa getting a massage, so I missed the romantic moment.) With just 202 rooms, the hotel fills up quickly on popular weekends, such as fall Saturdays when the University of Wisconsin football team is playing at home. Book early if you want a spot.

The Abbey Resort – Fontana, Wisconsin

  • Lakefront location on the shores of Lake Geneva
  • Full-service Avani Spa
  • 2 onsite restaurants
  • 334 newly-renovated suites and guest rooms with a patio or balcony
  • Year-round indoor pool and seasonal outdoor pools

On yet another anniversary, Hubby and I stayed at the Abbey and spent a glorious day at the Avani Spa. The only full-service resort on the lake, the Abbey has a  marina with boat rentals. Onsite dining includes the 240° West, which serves steaks, seafood and small plates, and the more casual Waterfront restaurant. There are three pools, one of which is adults-only. Make s’mores any time of the year and go ice skating in the winter.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Don’t miss a stop at the Elegant Farmer in nearby Mukwonago, Wis., to pick up one of the best apple pies you’ll ever taste. They’re baked in a bag and chances are the pie will still be warm from the oven when you take it to the checkout counter.

Chula Vista in Wisconsin Dells. Photo credit: Amanda Williams

Chula Vista Resort – Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

  • 80,000-square-foot Indoor waterpark and 120,000-square-foot outdoor waterpark passes included in every stay 
  • Resort is a Wyndham Wisconsin Dells property, so you can earn or spend points with a stay
  • Beautiful location along the Wisconsin River 
  • 18-hole golf course
  • Full service spa
  • 200-foot-tall Ultimate Rush Thrill Ride in the outdoor waterpark area is the tallest ride in Wisconsin Dells 

This has long been my favorite Wisconsin Dells resort. It has a quiet, classier vibe and benefits from its location away from the frenetic activity of the main drag in town. Accommodation options range from resort rooms that sleep up to 6 to vacation rentals with a kitchenette. For large families, there’s the Chalet, a private, two-story house in a secluded woodland setting with a complimentary shuttle to and from the resort activities. Waterpark access starts at noon on the day you check in and you can use the waterparks until they close on the day you check out.

Waterslides tubes at Great Wolf Lodge
Colorful tubes for slides at Great Wolf Lodge. Photo credit: Amanda Williams

Great Wolf Lodge – Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

  • Suites that sleep up to 6, some with bunk beds for the kids
  • Condos with full kitchens sleep up to 16
  • 80,000-square-foot indoor waterpark with slides, lazy river and thrill rides
  • Adults-only hot tub area

Great Wolf Lodge has locations throughout the US but this is the “OG” Great Wolf Lodge site – the very first location in the chain. And it’s still thriving. Great Wolf is always a popular option for families thanks to its large rooms, including the feature my kids loved the most: suites with a separate area with bunk beds for the kiddos. Plus, the resort has daily story times and an evening dance party in case the kids are tuckered out for a day in the waterpark. Holidays (Howl-i-days as they’re called at Great Wolf) are especially magical, with festive activities on top of the regularly programmed family fun. 

LODGE KOHLER is located in the heart of Titletown
Lodge Kohler, across from Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers. Photo credit: Mimi Slawoff

Lodge Kohler – Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Closest accommodations to Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers
  • Many guest rooms have a view of the stadium
  • 4-diamond luxury with high-end Kohler bathrooms
  • Luxurious Kohler Waters Spa

When SheBuysTravel contributor Mimi Slawoff visited the Packers’ Titletown football theme park, she stayed at the Kohler and says, “Each morning I woke up to the three-head shower, which turned my morning shower into a mini spa treatment.” Even better, though, was the actual spa treatment at the Kohler Waters Spa! This is the go-to hotel for Packers fans who want to be as close to the action as possible. Mimi recommends that hardcore Packers fans book the ground-floor Terrace Suite for game day festivities. Located within 100 yards of the stadium, the spacious suite features a lounge and dining furniture, a fire pit and gas grill.

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa – Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

  • 3 onsite restaurants
  • Horseback riding and seasonal sleigh rides from stables on property
  • Moose Mountain Falls Waterpark with a lazy river, 2 waterslides and outdoor pools.
  • Full-service spa
  • 2 championship golf courses
  • 20 downhill runs for skiing and snowboarding in winter, plus sledding, ice skating, cross country skiing and snowshoeing

The family-friendly Grand Geneva Resort & Spa is the jewel of Lake Geneva. Recently remodeled, the resort features 356 luxurious and comfortable rooms. Enjoy views of the pool, water fountains, and two golf courses when you sit on your balcony. Dine in the onsite Chop House for great steaks, Ristoranté Brissago for Italian food or Grand Café for a quick bite or brunch. Check out the onsite WELL Spa and Salon with fitness center and climbing walls to keep up your routine.

Madison Concourse Hotel and Governors Club – Madison, Wisconsin

  • Indoor pool and whirlpool
  • Onsite restaurant, bar and Starbucks
  • 24-hour fitness center
  • Dog friendly
  • Free wifi
  • Free airport shuttle

This boutique hotel in the city center offers luxury on every floor and uber luxury on the top three floors where you’ll find the Governor’s Club. Guests of the Governor’s Club receive access to the 12th-floor capitol-view lounge featuring complimentary breakfast in the mornings, and cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the evenings. The hotel has 373 guest rooms, including the 100-room Governor’s Club executive level, that feature luxurious Dayton Street Comfort Collection bedding. 

Inn On Lake Wissota – Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

  • Rooms with romantic features such as jetted tubs and fireplaces
  • Free wifi
  • Full breakfast included in the room rate
  • Free parking

This bed and breakfast has a variety of charming room features that make it a great choice for a romantic weekend getaway. Located just 24 minutes from the Eau Claire airport on the shores of Lake Wissota, the rooms at the inn include thoughtful touches such as separate sitting areas and bathrobes. Note that children must be 11 or older to stay at this property.

Best Western Premier Bridgewood Hotel Resort – Neenah, Wisconsin

  • 2 indoor pools – a children’s pool and an activity pool with basketball and a separate slide
  • Indoor and outdoor hot tubs 
  • Pet friendly
  • Free parking
  • Free breakfast
  • Free wifi
  • Many suites have whirlpools and fireplaces

This locally-owned resort close to Appleton and Lake Winnebago has 56 recently renovated guest rooms and 39 suites in a variety of sizes. The on-site Ground Round Grill & Bar offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and room service.

More Wisconsin Hotel Options

In addition to the luxury resorts that dot the state, there are luxury vacation rentals in the rural areas and natural wonders such as the Apostle Islands. Forget the campgrounds and stay in an apartment like this one that sleeps six and promises a view of Lake Superior. 

Or try this 4-bedroom vacation home with 100 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline and room to sleep 10. Or this 6-bedroom vacation home on Lake Michigan in Kenosha, just 65 miles north of Chicago.Looking for luxury in western Wisconsin? Try this riverfront property in LaCrosse. Or head northeast to Sturgeon Bay, the gateway to Wisconsin’s famed Door County peninsula.

Cindy Richards is a Pulitzer Prize nominated journalist who serves as the Editor-in-Chief of SheBuysTravel.com. She also is the mom of two now grown kids who have traveled with her since that first, fateful plane ride when one preschooler discovered a barf bag in his seat pocket and his sister, finding none in hers, demanded, “I want a barf bag too!” She has been a reporter, editor and columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune, an editor at Chicago Parent and Catalyst Chicago and an instructor in the graduate school at Northwestern’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism.
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