Backyard Destinations

 Disclosure: I received assistance with accommodations at County Clare Irish Inn & Pub during my stay in Milwaukee in exchange for writing about my experience in the city. This assistance in no way affects the opinions expressed in my posts about the city. All opinions are my own. 

After doing online research while planning a trip to Milwaukee in the summer, I came to the sad finding that there are no hostels in the city.

As that’s my preferred form of accommodation at this point in life, I had a brief what-am-I-going-to-do??? moment. I was planning on staying in Milwaukee for five nights. How was I going to find a reasonably affordable place to stay that was within walking distance to Milwaukee’s attractions? Or at least somewhere near bus stops so I could easily hop on and off to get places?

Eventually I wound up at County Clare Irish Inn & Pub, which I think is a reasonably priced option for those looking to come to Milwaukee. It’s $140+tax per night for a standard room, plus you get breakfast, plus there’s a bus stop right in front so it’s easy to get around via public transit. It’s also within walking distance to places like Discovery World, the Milwaukee Art Museum and Veterans Park.

(As a side note, I do think having hostels in the city could help attract more travelers who prefer the hostel environment and/or are on a budget.)

Honestly, I’m not that picky about where I stay and always make the effort to appreciate what I have. But I have to say that this was one of the cozier accommodations I’ve had and my favorite part about this place is its Irish theme. It is a bit of an older hotel, but that didn’t bother me and I think added to the character of the hotel.

I stayed in a standard room, which had a queen-sized bed, two sofa seats, a desk with a lamp next to an outlet (which made for a perfect work station), a whirlpool bath, a toilet room and a shower stall.

Everything felt pretty luxurious to me!

Another huge perk is that there’s free breakfast from 7am to 9am in the restaurant, and you can have the chef cook you eggs however you’d like, and he’ll bring it right to your table.

My stay at County Clare Irish Inn & Pub was a pleasant experience. I bumped into a guy in the elevator who said he had stayed there on multiple occasions and absolutely loves it. I can see why, and I would recommend the place to anyone looking for somewhere to stay while in Milwaukee. (If you prefer more modern accommodations, however, then you may want to look for other options. But I would definitely come back here.)

Nice lobby area

Clean room + free breakfast + immediately accessible bus stop + restaurant & bar on site + within walking distance of the lakefront and a few museums = what more can you ask for?

For more information on County Clare Inn & Pub, click here.