The Baehr Haus

I especially liked hearing the Sun Prairie folklore and legends connected with the beautifully built turn-of-the-century homes. The hotel itself is a distinctive boutique place right in central Sun Prairie, close enough to walk to shops, a supermarket, restaurants, and bars. Heidi, the Baehr House manager, welcomed me warmly and shared useful tips about the city. She’s a wonderful conversationalist. My room was one of six, each decorated differently. The bed had fresh linens and a comfortable memory foam mattress. There was a large basket of snacks, bottled water, plenty of toiletries, and more towels than I needed for a weekend. I’d recommend staying here. The hospitality was outstanding, and Heidi is a big reason the Baehr House takes such good care of its guests. Thanks again, Heidi.

It was very quiet, though I’m sure that depends on how many other guests are around and what they’re like. That made it just right for the solo getaway I wanted. I slept really well, and the comforter was so good I briefly thought about stealing it, just kidding. The room was very clean, and the snack basket was a nice surprise. I’m local and glad we have this option in town. I hope this fairly new business succeeds.

The place is cute and clean, and we liked the snacks, but check-in was a mess. Nobody was at the desk. There were papers with other guests’ names and directions left out, but nothing for us. Calls to the main number went unanswered, and the voicemail box was full. Since we booked through Expedia and couldn’t get into a room, we asked for a refund. Expedia couldn’t reach management either. I emailed my number, and eventually they texted our room number and door code. I was told more instructions would come by email, but they never did, even after I followed up. I never learned the checkout time. We also couldn’t figure out the AC, so we slept terribly. The TV required an app on our phones, and neighboring guests tried twice to enter our room late at night by repeatedly using the wrong code. This place has potential, but check-in and the electronics and amenities need to be easier to use. Then it could be perfect.

You can walk to pubs and restaurants from this older house near downtown Sun Prairie, but I didn’t find it comfortable. The room felt stuffy, and the AC sounded like a vacuum cleaner, making it hard to sleep or watch TV while it was on. To use the TV, you have to sign in with your Amazon account or HBO, Hulu, or another service. That’s inconvenient. The host never showed up. The only message I got was an email claiming they hadn’t received the money, which obviously wasn’t true. It felt like a bed and breakfast without breakfast or a friendly host. Nothing about the place appealed to me. If you want somewhere comfortable, go elsewhere. Days Inn is better.