Magnuson Grand Hotel Madison

Prós: The rooms were quiet from interior noise, i.e. no sounds from adjoining rooms or the hallway. Housekeeping did a good job in the rooms, seemed clean enough and smelled clean. Amenities were adequate for my needs. Front desk people were always very pleasant. The breakfast each morning seemed to be well stocked, several choices including a hot meal with biscuits and gravy and scrambled eggs.

Contras: The common use areas, especially the waiting area outside the elevator and the elevator were always dirty. One day in particular something serious had been spilled - some thick red sticky sauce - from the entrance across the floor to the back of the elevator. No choice but to step in it if you wanted to get into the elevator. I informed the desk attendant about 9 AM (the spill looked like it had been there for some time) and when I returned about 1 PM the spill was still there. When I first checked into my room the 'Febreeze' like smell was overwhelming and it took a couple of days to lighten up - needed to open a window whenever I was in the room. The hallways have a rather unpleasant smell, musty and lingering food odors combined, but the carpeting and walls seemed clean and in good repair.