Eco hotel rooms almost finished at new Union South
After 16 years in the hospitality business, Jessica Johnson knows how to open a new hotel. As the inaugural manager of the Wisconsin Union Hotel in the new Union South, she’s looking forward to the challenge of opening this upcoming April 15th.
“I’m excited to be part of this process,” said Johnson, who was fresh off working on the debut of new 100-room Hotel Indigo in Rahway, NJ. Hotel Indigo, owned by Intercontinental, is a chain of boutique hotels, the same niche the new Union hotel will fill locally.
“Here at the Wisconsin Union we’ll be offering a boutique experience and eco-friendly accommodations,” Johnson said of the 60-room hotel. “We’re catering to visitors to the campus, whether it’s for a conference, visiting professor or attending a Badger sports event.”
In keeping with the sustainability theme–one of the key planning principles for the new Union South–the new hotel rooms feature the latest technology to save energy, conserve water, and recycle disposable products. The rooms, much improved over the ones they replace at the old Union South, offer amenities and prices comparable to other local hotels: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, large screen televisions, fitness room, and extended stay rooms with kitchenette and living quarters.
“I understand that guests have many choices in lodging locally, but we are committed to providing outstanding service to all of our guests, exceeding their expectations,” said Johnson. “Our guest rooms are stylish with spectacular views of Union’s South plaza, historic Camp Randall stadium or the downtown area of Madison. For work or play, our comfortable guest rooms at the Wisconsin Union Hotel are sure to provide a memorable experience.”
The key to the new hotel’s success is building relationships within the campus community. “In the hospitality industry you need to have good rapport with customers as well as other hotels in the area, ” added Johnson. “We’ll often collaborate depending on room availability and needs of customers. Granted, we have a specific range of clientele who are tied to UW-Madison specific activities and proximity to Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery-Morgridge Institute for Research, Camp Randall, engineering and other schools and centers on the southwest side of campus.”
Union members are welcome to book the Union South hotel rooms. “With Badger Bash returning to Union South after a two-year hiatus at Engineering Mall, we’re hoping not only to fill the hotel but also to accommodate UW fans with additional pre-game opportunities at Union South,” said Paul Broadhead, assistant director for facilities at the Wisconsin Union.
So far, Johnson said already there is a lot of an interest and reservations are growing.
For more information or to reserve a room, contact 608.263.2600 or hotel@union.wisc.edu.
