If you are looking for some unique places to stay in Wisconsin, you have come to the right place. While Wisconsin is renowned for its dairy produce, it is equally famous for its stunning natural beauty and a wide range of exotic landscapes.
No matter if you are having a staycation or vacation, you will need a place to stay when you visit different parts of Wisconsin, and the internet is filled with listings of unique and unusual hotels and rental homes available for staying in this state.
Wisconsin has some incredible remote cabins, lakeside hotels with water parks, converted historic buildings, and even treehouses. My favorites are below, organized into sections from the city to the far reaches of the countryside.
Unique Places to Stay in Wisconsin – Milwaukee
If you are looking for a unique Wisconsin Stay in Milwaukee, I’ve got you covered below. If you are looking for something a bit more off-the-beaten path, keep scrolling. I have plenty of more remote and unique places to stay in Wisconsin below for those who want a getaway rather than a city break.
Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel Milwaukee
Location: East Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee
Saint Kate might just be the trendiest place to stay in Milwaukee. Located right on the river at the top of East Town, the views are great, and the design is better. This boutique ‘arts hotel’ has rotating art exhibits in the lounge and unique designs and desks in each room.
You can get to the theatre, museums, and all Milwaukee attractions from here – that is, if you want to leave the colorful and cozy room at all! It’s complete with a bar, restaurant, and even live music from time to time. It’s a hip spot in town!
Pfister Hotel – Milwaukee Historic Hotel
Location: Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI
Listed amongst the top luxury hotels in Milwaukee, this hotel is perfect for a comfortable stay during your trip to Wisconsin. It was first built in 1893 and has a long and interesting history. While this place offers guests some of the best accommodations and amenities possible for a luxury hotel, it is the spooky history of the hotel that makes it one of the most unique places to stay in Wisconsin.
The Pfister Hotel is famous for its ghost sightings and paranormal activity reported on multiple occasions by guests staying at the hotel. The grand architecture, Victorian art, and classic mid-century design of the hotel are the perfect backdrops for a spooky holiday stay in Wisconsin. There’s also a 23rd-floor rooftop bar (my favorite) and an indoor pool!!
Located in East Town, Milwaukee, you can walk to tons of attractions, shops, and more – and even go boating, kayaking, or wakeboarding on the great lake. It’s right in the downtown area so you won’t have any commute!
The Knickerbocker on the Lake – Lakeside Historic Milwaukee Hotel
Location: East Juneau Avenue, Downtown Milwaukee, WI
Talking about unique places to stay in Wisconsin, this unusual hotel is a stunning living space that is fully furnished to provide guests with a complete vacation experience – kitchens in every room. It’s a huge brick building that is almost reminiscent of an old hospital or schoolhouse (at least I think so!), but it was constructed to be a hotel in the 1920s in what was the ‘gold coast’ affluent part of Milwaukee.
It was redone in the 80s and is now on the National Register of Historic Places due to its part in the development of the city. The living facility comes with a full-service spa and a round-the-clock operational fitness center.
Each room comes fully equipped with all the modern amenities, and its convenient location allows visitors to experience nearby attractions like the Milwaukee Art Museum, Riverwalk Plaza, Discovery World, Pabst Theater, Fiserv Forum, and more.
Unique Places to Stay in Wisconsin – Remote
Here are the most fun, quirky, and unusual places to stay in more remote parts of Wisconsin. All of these unique and gorgeous stays will be decently far from the cities.
Don Q Inn – Themed Hotel
Location: Dodgeville, WI
The Don Q inn is surely the most fun and unique place to stay in Wisconsin – in fact, it is the number one on my list! This quirky and unusual Wisconsin hotel is fully themed, and you can choose from a number or hilarious bedrooms on Expedia.
Sure, you can choose a normal-looking room… but what’s the fun in that? Why not try booking ‘Arabian Summer,’ ‘Caesar’s Court,’ ‘Up Up and Away’ (hot air balloon bed), ‘Casino Royale,’ Sherwood Forest,’ Northern Lights’ (north pole/igloo themed room, or my personal favorites, “Tranquility Base #1 and #2” (you sleep in a spaceship. For real).
Oh, and there’s an actual airplane on the front lawn. If you didn’t have a reason to visit Dodgeville before? Now you do.
The Inn at Windmill Farm
Location: Fairview Rd, Baileys Harbor, WI
Like a scene straight out of ‘The Sound of Music,’ this stunning location is surrounded by lush green fields that invite you to walk along and experience the beauty of nature. While the B&B has all the cozy amenities to make your trip luxurious, it is more famous for its artist studio and watercolor painting classes.
It was built in a classic Dutch style in the early 1900’s and was a working farm for many years. The antique and classical interior of the inn is ideal for a rustic weekend away from the city – there are only 3 rooms so you will feel a part of the family. The place is equally famous for its rich breakfast and food options and scenic landscapes that embrace it from all sides.
The Ingleside Hotel
Location: Golf Road, Waukesha, WI
Ripped straight out of the pages of Architectural Digest, this serene hotel is the perfect place to spend time on your next trip to Wisconsin. The tastefully decorated rooms are filled with all the luxuries you could expect from a good hotel. Like many of these unique places to stay in Wisconsin, many rooms offer views of green pastures for miles around.
The fun indoor water park is ideal for adults and kids of all ages to let go and enjoy themselves, especially in the scorching summer heat. The Ingleside Hotel has an amazing in-house restaurant that serves specialty dishes throughout the day. The peaceful ambiance is perfect for a solitary Wisconsin getaway from the busy daily routine or a quick mental-health break in optimal peace.
Hauser’s Bayfield Cabin
Address: Raspberry Shore Dr, Bayfield, WI
Hauser’s Bayfield Cabin is the ideal living space to spend a romantic weekend getaway in Wisconsin, away from the worries of daily life and embraced by natural beauty on all sides. This cozy cabin is covered by snow during winter and offers guests a chance to experience a peaceful stay with all kinds of modern luxuries to make your trip more comfortable.
The stunning quartz walls and the pine ceilings of the classic cozy cabin comprise the ideal ambiance for your warm stay in the midst of the Bayfield area – in far north Wisconsin and removed from any cities. Actually though, the nearest city is miles away!
You can visit for a snow-blanketed escape in winter or for water sports in the summer. You can enjoy walking, hiking, sailing, kayaking, snowshoeing, skiing, snowmobiling, and more fun activities to make your trip more memorable.
Anaway Place (Previously Candlewood Cabins) Glass Houses
Location: State Rd 80, Richland Center, WI
Anaway Place is an incredible property with 7 cabins/houses surrounded by high clear glass panes that allow you to experience the natural beauty that surrounds them from all sides. One is a repurposed barn, another is a glass house and another even looks like a lighthouse.
These cabins are truly some of the most unique places to stay in Wisconsin. All are different from one another and special in their own way. They have rebranded from the ‘Candlewood Cabins’ and offer an incredible getaway in the south.
The good thing about these cabins, aside from their tastefully decorated interiors and cozy environment, is their recycled construction using reclaimed glass and tin. The cozy and scenic location is perfect for a weekend of solitude and rumination on your vacation days.
Brentwood Lodge
Location: Baraboo, Wisconsin
The Brentwood Lodge is the ideal Wisconsin getaway destination for larger groups or families – if you are looking for a cozy place to spend your free time. The lodge is surrounded by acres of natural land, offering guests a prime opportunity to spend their time engaging in leisurely activities like bird hunting, fishing, biking, hiking, and more.
It’s nice and secluded so the space is your own – although you are a few minutes from outlets and shops. A few more minutes drive and you will be at the Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park of Wisconsin Dells!
The natural backdrop of this stunning property is perfect for events and photoshoots aside from vacation lodging. The patio is to DIE for and can hold tons for a barbecue! The Brentwood Lodge offers four fully furnished bedrooms that can host more than 12 guests comfortably, and is, without a doubt, one of the best places in Wisconsin for your weekend away.
Unique Places to Stay in Wisconsin on a Lake
If you prefer unique Wisconsin stays that are lakeside, there are plenty of those too! Wisconsin actually has more lakes than any other state in the USA.
Whether situated on one of the Great Lakes or any of Wisconsin’s smaller lakes throughout the state, these unique lakeside hotels and rentals will come with tons of waterside fun.
The Geneva Inn – Adventurous Lakeside Hotel
Location: Lake Shore Drive, Lake Geneva, WI
Located at a five-minute walk from the Big Foot Beach State Park and eight-minute walk from the Geneva Lake, the Geneva Inn is the perfect spot for your next adventurous Wisconsin getaway. The hotel features thirty-seven fully furnished rooms with all the modern luxuries found in five-star hotels and rentals around the globe.
The Geneva Inn is one of the most unique places to stay in Wisconsin because of the sheer amount to do in the area and because of the gorgeous views. In the area there are tons of fun things to do – from viewing ice sculptures, hitting the area’s ski slopes in the winter, visiting a golf course, boating on the lake, catching a show at the Alpine Vallet theater, or even taking a hot air balloon.
The rooms have an old-fashioned touch to them while still having modern amenities. Make sure to get one with a lake view! Enjoy this unique blend of modernity and rustic wildlife views in peace while you sip your hot cup of coffee on a chair with a view of the Geneva Lake.
Bay Top Lake House on Lake Superior – Wisconsin Lakeside Cabin for Groups
Location: Bayfield, WI
This 3BR home is my top recommendation for groups for a unique Wisconsin getaway. Located a few miles from Bayside in the north of Wisconsin, you can literally have a BBQ on the shores of the lake.
Designed like a rustic log cabin but fitted with tons of amenities, this place will make you feel like you are secluded in the mountains. The interior is fitted with wood, giving it a really authentic cabin feel. Relax under the living room skylight or have a swim in the lake – only if it is summer, of course!
Lighthouse Inn On Lake Michigan
Location: Memorial Dr, Two Rivers, WI
Nothing says ‘unique’ quite like this Lighthouse Inn located in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. A rustic lighthouse has been converted into a fully functional hotel that offers a stunning view of Lake Michigan. This boutique inn has been expanded to create fully furnished nautical-themed accommodations for guests with an indoor pool, spa, private beach (15 from the hotel), restaurant, and a fitness center.
You can choose a room with a pak view or a lake view – which will be right outside your window! Located at a few minutes’ walk from the local Two Rivers libraries, museums, and public parks, this property is the ideal spot to spend your vacation in peace.
AmericInn Ashland Hotel, Splashland Waterpark & Event Center
Address: E. Lake Shore Drive – Ashland, WI
This hotel is on this list for the kids – it’s a perfect family destination in Wisconsin. The AmericInn Ashland Hotel offers basic lodging along Lake Superior, but what makes it unique is the indoor water park with waterslides and super-close proximity to Lake Superior.
You can spend the day (with or without kids!) having fun on the waterslides and relaxing on the beach of the lake. The hotel also has a wide range of modern amenities like gyms, saunas, and more to make your trip memorable and relaxing.
The private beach along Lake Superior is the perfect spot to rest your eyes and get rid of all the stresses of your life while enjoying a serene vacation in Ashland, Wisconsin.
Well, that’s all I’ve got for unique places to stay in Wisconsin for now, but I will be adding more to the list as I find them! Wisconsin is also unique for living; if you make that decision, Daymakers Moving is located in Wisconsin and knows the whole state well!
Let me know in the comments below if there are any you think I should add!
Love unique stays?! Plan a trip to another unique stay in one of these locations:
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Passionate, full-time travel blogger with over 230k on social media and 150kMPV blog. Extraordinary photographer with two DSLR's + a drone with a love for capturing candid moments, epic drone shots, and magical compositions. I'm a natural-born content creator originally from California, but I've been on the road for 9 years living, working, traveling, blogging, and photographing my way around the world. I recommend the most amazingly adventurous and unique + boutique travel experiences/stays and helpful products to my audience and write comprehensive guides on my website that have helped millions of travelers so far. I love to inspire people to plan their dream trips, and many readers have given feedback as such. The reach on my platforms continues to soar, especially when combining cutting-edge social content with optimized articles on my high-authority website.