We will be traveling to the following cities in Wisconsin and need lodging and restaurant recommendations:

-Wausau
-Rhinelander
-Wisconsin Rapids
-Appleton
-Oshkosh

So far I've found Jefferson Street Inn and Stewart Inn in Wausau and Copperleaf in Appleton. I am a picky traveler, and prefer down comforters, clean rooms, and wireless internet. For meals, we are looking for local restaurants with great food.

Thanks for any help!
Cindy

Rhinelander dinner:
Fireside Supper Club. It's located about 3 miles from town on the shore of Townline Lake. Our family used to have a cottage on the far corner of this scenoc northwoods lake. Take Hwy 8 west out of Rhinelander about a mile and a half to Hwy 47 north. Take 47 north about three quarters of a mile to Hwy K. Turn left (west) onto K and in less than half a mile you will see it on the right.
About 15 miles north of Rhinelander on Hwy 17 is the White Stag Inn. Less scenic (as it is not on a lake), but the food is very good. The kessler ripchen is delicious.
For Friday night fish fry we always went to the Al Gen Dinner Club. It's about a mile and a half east of town on Faust Lake Road, Take Hwy 8 east out of town to Faust Lake Rd. Turn left (north).

My favorite place in Oshkosh is the Water City Grill.
http://www.watercitygrill.net/ Located downtown, it has an interesting menu, original combinations of foods, all prepared fresh. It is NOT a "Chain type restaurant". Nice place for both lunch or dinner, or appetizers and drinks, or coffee and dessert. Every time I have eaten there I have come away happy.

Fond du Lac is only about 15 minutes from Oshkosh and my favorite restaurant, located on Main Street downtown is Fusion. www.fusionbymark.com/ Everything I have eaten there has been delicious. Portions are large, you may want to share a plate.

No clue about lodging in Oshkosh area. There are lots of chains by highway 41. Downtown there is a Hilton, don't know about the rooms. I attended a wedding reception there and that was nice.

The "flagship" resort in the area would of course be The American Club in Kohler. It would be about a 40 minute drive from Oshkosh. It is about 30 miles East of Fond du Lac on Hwy. 23.

We stay at Copperleaf in Appleton whenever we're in town for Packers games...I think it will certainly meet your requirements you've listed. We have stayed in a regular king room and one of their fireplace suites and prefer the suites.

We've enjoyed meals at Appollon (fantastic Greek food - more upscale than tavern, and with an excellent menu of Greek wines).

We also had a really good dinner at Casablanca. It was surprisingly good, as I wasn't expecting much of a Latin restuarant in Appleton. Had one of the better mojitos I've ever ordered in a restaurant, and we both enjoyed our meals tremendously. A little spicy...but great.

You can walk to both from Copperleaf.

www.casablancalatinrestaurant.com
www.apollonrestaurant.com

Copperleaf has a small contintental breakfast, but we usually skip that and go to one of the coffee shops nearby. We like Copperleaf coffee's, but prefer Brewed Awakenings -- large menu of breakfast and lunch offerings and very tasty.

www.brewedawake.com

There's an impressive liquor store near Copperleaf with a large selection of wines and beer. Don't know if you imbibe, but we're beer drinkers and are alwasy in awe of their variety of New Glarus brews which are *only* available in Wisconsin. YUM.

Fusion in Fond du Lac does have very good food and an interesting menu.
Two places to try in Oshkosh is the Brooklyn Grill--"gangster themed and Fratello's Waterfront Brewery & Restaurant (a local favorite whose white chicken chili is very good).
If you can afford the American Club I'm sure you'd be satisfied. If memory serves me correctly it's rated 5 diamonds.
As noted most lodging in Oshkosh will be chain places. I've heard the Copperleaf in Appleton gets good reviews--when DD stayed there the plumbing had problems.
Will you be in Oshkosh for EAA?

Wow, thanks to everyone for all of the great recommendations...it's exactly the type of feedback I was hoping to receive! The directions and websites are especially helpful.

kp, I'm not sure what EAA is. We will actually be traveling for business, visiting several long term care facilities throughout the state.

Thanks again everyone...I'll keep checking the thread before we go, and I'll be sure to post reviews when we return.

EAA is the Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in held every summer in Oshkosh. Thousands of varied and eclectic aircraft fly into Oshkosh's airport. Not sure how long it lasts anymore, or when it is this year.

The EAA Museum in Oshkosh is very nice and open all year long.
The EAA Fly-IN is usually around the last two weeks in July. Unless you are really interested in airplanes, it is a good time to AVOID Oshkosh due to traffic backups and congestion.

EAA AirVenture will be held July 23 - 29 2007. It is an exciting time of year -- even for those who don't fly. The entire Fox river Valley from Appleton - Fond du Lac is crowded.

Auguat04,

For staying in Appleton, you are on the right track with Copperleaf. The Black & Tan restaurant is now located inside that hotel. But for the BEST food in Appleton . . . Casablanca, Casablanca, Casablanca!!!! They have an incredible wine list, and every single thing I have had from their menu has been very memorable. It is very cozy, the wait staff is wonderful, but the food is perfect!! The owners also own the restaurant right next door -- Senor Tequila's. Great margaritas and Authentic mexican food. A lot more casual than Casablanca. You should try both.
A little further up the Avenue (toward Lawrence University) is a new Tapas restaurant that is also getting great reviews. Haven't tried it yet.
~Chilepepper

August04,

I live in Oshkosh...I would not recommend the Park Plaza downtown. It is a dump. The newest and nicest hotel is probably the Hilton Garden Inn, located on 20th street just behind the EAA.

Wilbur is right on with his restaurant recommendations. Also, on Tues/Thurs nights Water City Grill has a dinner deal for 2. You get a bottle of wine, 1 appetizer to share, 2 gourmet soups, 2 salads, 2 entrees (from regular menu), and 2 desserts and coffee for the rock bottom price of $50 (total, not per person!). It is probably more than twice that amount if you price it separately. Just an FYI!

StephCar,

Thanks for your reply. I didn't end up traveling with my husband on the last trip, we are going next week and we were about to book at Hilton Garden Inn when someone told me about a bed and breakfast in town. We will try that this time, since I like to review B&B's, but the Hilton recommendation is great to know for the next trip.

I hate we won't be able to go to the Water City Grill, that is an incredible deal! Some of my husband's coworkers have already made plans for a large get together somewhere else in town. We'll keep Water City on our list for the next visit.

Thanks again! I'll post a Wisconsin trip report when we return.

My apologies for not posting a Wisconsin trip report sooner. I kept meaning to write out a great report. Since that didn't happen, I'll just take my notes and post what I have later today.

Thanks again to everyone for the recommendations!

Topping

kp,

I ended up posting my trip report separately from this post...I'll paste the info below in case it is helpful.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35046805

Trip Report: Wausau, Wisconsin Rapids, and OshKosh, April 2007

Review of restaurants follows the lodging reviews: Jefferson Street Inn located in Wausau and Brayton Bed and Breakfast in Oshkosh.

Jefferson Street Inn, Wausau

Taking into account our overall experience, and the limited options in Wausau, we do plan on returning to Jefferson Street Inn when we are in the area. However, you need to make sure you are getting a decent rate to justify the stay. Rack rates at Jefferson Street Inn are overpriced for what you get. In my opinion, this is not a boutique or luxury hotel as others have described. It is a nice, average hotel.

Arrival and First Impression:
Our first impression at Jefferson Street Inn was positive. They lobby is pretty and well kept with competent front desk workers and music in the hallways.

Room/Bathroom:
We stayed in a luxury suite. There is a living room area with a loveseat, coffee table, and work desk. The kitchenette area with coffeemaker is nice, but the coffee “use by” date had passed. The room was very spacious and had a fireplace in both the bedroom and living room. Guests should note that the fireplace does not put out much light or heat (if wanting a “romantic” mood). The bedroom was also very spacious. The sinks and jetted tub were open to the rest of the room, so it may be difficult if a couple traveling has two different schedules. (The one getting ready can not just shut a bathroom door while the other person sleeps.) However, the shower and toilet are together in a small area off the sinks and this area is separated by a door. Two sinks were very nice to have while traveling with a spouse. The robes and Aveda toiletries were also a nice touch. The whirlpool bath was spacious, but one jet was broken. The bed was very average, especially considering the push in the hotel industry for heavenly, comfortable bedding. Jefferson Street Inn has not joined the bedding bandwagon. There was no duvet or triple sheeting, average cheap hotel linens, no king pillowcases (two standard cases used on one pillow!), and an average mattress. None of this is terrible, in fact it is expected in an average hotel stay. But for an establishment that markets itself as a “luxury hotel”…I expect more.

Housekeeping/Service:
While the common areas and restaurant are very clean and nothing seemed out of place, our room was another story. Jefferson Street Inn was described as “ultra clean” and “spotless” in a previous review. The housekeeping staff must have changed, because we had a completely different experience in our room. There was dust throughout room, a solid layer on nightstands, lamps, and headboard. I wiped down the headboard before we went to bed and called first thing the next morning to ask housekeeping to dust when they clean the room (I just assumed the room hadn’t been stayed in lately and so some dust had accumulated since the last time it was cleaned). When we returned that day, housekeeping did not dust. The bed was made and towels replenished, but a robe was left laying on the floor and a jacket I had ironed and left hanging on a hanger on an interior door must have been knocked off and was lying on floor. I went downstairs on my way back out and told the front desk that the room still hadn’t been dusted. The front desk worker said he had let the housekeepers know so there shouldn’t be a problem. I then asked if there was a manager on duty I could speak with about our housekeeping. At this point, it just seemed that attention to detail was lacking (and did not match the rest of our experience at the hotel) and I thought that management would want to know. The front desk worker said the managers were in, but were doing other things in the building and I would need to check back after 3:00pm when things slowed down a bit for them. This was a bit shocking. As a previous hotel manager myself, I cannot imagine being too busy to resolve a guest concern. I also would not expect the guest to “check back by” later. At the very least, they could have either sent someone up to dust or taken my cell phone number and had the manager call me when they had some time. Nevertheless, I checked back at 4:00pm when I returned and let a manager know the situation. She listened to my concern and assured me she would take care of it. She asked me to call if it was still not dusted when I went upstairs. It wasn’t. The front desk person came up with rag and cleaner (I assume this was the manager’s way of taking care of it). Again, from a public relations standpoint, I would have come up myself if I was her. I didn’t like the idea of the front desk work having to clean just because housekeeping had left for the day and the manager passed it off on him (and we’d already lived with it for a day at this point anyway!), so I just asked him to leave the rag and solution and ask housekeeping to take care of things in the morning. I did a quick wipe down of other surfaces in the room with the rag and cleaning solution. The room was cleaned the next day and was then great overall! (However, the hotel needs to recheck their spring cleaning schedule, the television units and back cushions of the upholstered furniture all had caked on dust.) All of that said, housekeeping staff tends to rotate at hotels, so this experience may be completely different on another visit.

Location:
The location is great if you are going to be in downtown Wausau. It is easy to walk to restaurants, the public library, and an array of downtown shops.

Breakfast:
The continental breakfast is very good for what it is – yogurt, some cereal and breads; the fruit did not look fresh, but it was April so that is no surprise. The hotel restaurant is a great stop for lunch or dinner.

Overall:
Overall, Jefferson Street Inn performs as an average hotel, and is an excellent selection if that is what you are looking for when you make your reservation. Do not pay more than $125/night for an executive room or luxury suite. If rates are higher I would go to the Marriott Courtyard and get a better deal on an average room. Jefferson Street Inn is not a boutique or luxury hotel experience, but is a decent place to stay for business in Wausau. (I would not recommend it for a special occasion or anniversary.)

Brayton Bed and Breakfast, Oshkosh

Taking into account our overall experience, we do not plan to return when we are in the area. However, you may want to consider staying here if you are searching for a one-night getaway in Oshkosh...

Check-in/Arrival:
When we walked up to the front porch, we noticed a chalkboard sign that had “Welcome…” with our names written on it. One of the owners, Nicole, greeted us and offered us a complimentary upgrade to another room. Her and her husband, Scott, gave us a tour of the house and we learned about the renovations they completed on this historic home. All of the rooms have a private bathroom. The two suites have soaking tubs. The Brayton Suite differs in that it includes a bathroom that can be closed off from the rest of the room. There are plenty of common areas to rest and relax if you want time outside of your room. The owners also offered us some wine and cheese on arrival and there was bottled water in the room. Nicole has breakfast cards you fill out with what time you plan to eat and then you circle what options you would like for your breakfast. This was the first time I have seen this, and I thought it was a great idea.

Rooms:
We took Nicole up on the upgrade, and chose to stay in the Belle Suite. It is a large room with an impressive king size bed. There is also a loveseat and coffee table in the room. As a business traveler, my husband missed having a small work desk in the room. There is a large dining room in the common areas that you could use if you needed to conduct business while there. The house has wireless Internet. Our room did not have an in-room iron and ironing board, but when we asked for one Nicole put an iron with a small ironing board in our room. We especially enjoyed the soft embroidered sheets and comfortable mattress. I am usually partial to down-like comforters, but found the bedding to be soft and cozy. It was the best night’s sleep I had while traveling through the area. The room is decorated with brown and burgundy hues. Usually when I have stayed in a historic home, there can be issues with heating and cooling (since it is “shared”). No worries here…we slept in comfort.

Bathroom:
The soaking tub and pedestal sink are located in the room and there is an alcove area in the back corner where the shower and toilet are located. Just as advertised on their website, each space is separated by curtains. We especially enjoyed the plush towels and soft robes. There are plenty of hooks just where you need them (near the tub and shower). All of the fixtures are new throughout the room. The shower had great water pressure and plenty of hot water. The bathroom areas are complete with fantastic smelling soaps, bath foam, body wash, lotion, and Aveda shampoo/conditioner. Space for toiletries is a bit sparse near the sink, if you are staying for an extended period this might be something to consider in this room.

Housekeeping:
The rooms and common areas are very clean and nothing was out of place. Like some other places we have stayed, saran wrap covers the glasses in each room so you know it has not been used and has not collected any dust in between guests.

Location:
The location is great if you are going to be in Oshkosh. The home is near the college campus and is only a block or so away from an array of downtown shops. Had the weather been better it would have been a neat area to explore.

Service:
Nicole has created a welcoming environment. She is a wonderful and hospitable host that aims to please. We returned from dinner and found brownies and chocolate covered peanut butter waiting for us. We were even offered a glass of milk to take back to our room. The owners are very personable. There were a few offhanded remarks in our conversations that made us a bit uncomfortable. Admittedly we are fairly conservative folks, so other people may not have noticed or been bothered by the comments. We appreciated their offer to be flexible on our check out time. I cannot imagine they would not go out of their way to meet a guest’s needs.

Breakfast:
My husband and I signed up for the two different options so that we could “sample” each. I mentioned something in passing about this, and Nicole went above and beyond and actually went ahead and had our plates ready with both items. We had breakfast lasagna, strawberry cream cheese stuffed French toast, grapes with yogurt and mixed nuts, bacon, and banana bread. It was so much food I couldn’t finish my plate. You also have your choice of an array of juices, milk, tea and coffee.

Overall:
Our experience of feeling a bit uncomfortable and the lack of an in-room desk will make us look elsewhere the next time we visit Oshkosh. Those with different travel requirements may want to consider this bed and breakfast.

Restaurant Reviews

Wausau

City Grill: One of the best “hotel restaurants” I have visited with a wide variety on the menu, nice food presentation, and pleasant surroundings. Always had very nice servers and wait staff, though the service was slow (took 10-15 minutes after each meal to get bill, get card taken, and get out).

Lunch: Pick two lunch special with a southwestern wrap and tomato bisque soup. Soup was just average, but enjoyed the wrap. Portions were small. Great root bear in a chilled glass.

Lunch: Oriental Chicken Salad (moist chicken, great flavor), would definitely order again. Chocolate tiramisu – warm on outside with cold center, dry though it did have a rich flavor on inside (I’m assuming this was a frozen/reheat situation). The strawberry on top looked terrible and should have been omitted since it looked so bad. There are times a garnish actually makes a meal look less appetizing!

Dinner: shrimp cocktail (shrimp bland/slimy, great cocktail sauce), yummy chicken tortilla soup and a house salad.

Dinner: Husband ordered prime rib, which he enjoyed. I ordered chicken tortilla soup since I enjoyed it so much the first time. This time the “chicken tortilla” soup, when served, actually had beef in it. No problem, it was still tasty, but the servers did not explain the change when ordering chicken tortilla soup. Good dinner rolls. Out of root bear, tea tasted “municipal”.

Wright Place on 6th: Very nice atmosphere, convenient location near downtown. Great house salad (though small) with balsamic vinaigrette that tasted very fresh. I ordered the shrimp pomodoro which was just average (not bad, not great). Husband had the filet, average almost chargrilled taste with smooth mashed potatoes. Excellent dessert – Chambord and raspberry white chocolate tarts. Coffee was a bit bitter, they were out of splenda. Root beer (a regional specialty at other restaurants) was average in a non-chilled glass. Good service.

Back When Café: My favorite of the week, it has a great downtown location and nice atmosphere.

Lunch: Fresh organic mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette was the highlight of lunch, along with excellent iced tea. The “Farfalle Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce” was actually made with penne, sauce tasted bland and the chicken breast was just okay, nothing special.

Dinner: Loved the chicken with garlic lemon herbs. It was served with cheesy scalloped potatoes and a terrific caesar salad. Wonderful roasted vegetable soup and another fresh house salad topped off this great meal. Only disappointment was the desserts. They look great, but taste average. We tried the turtle cheesecake and chocolate covered raspberry gelato – I’d pass on both in the future.

Sweets on 3rd: Marvelous chocolate if you are looking for a snack in downtown Wausau.

OshKosh

Water City Grill: Excellent food and atmosphere but terrible service. No drink refills and waitress did not check to see if I needed anything after I received my food (when she did resurface it was just to bring the bill). I do not recommend the iced tea, but the salad I had was fantastic! It was the Cobb salad with curried balsamic vinaigrette, served with the best fresh bread I had all week (wheat and French bread).

Wisconsin Rapids

Hotel Mead's Cafe Mulino: Tortellini special, heavy on the vodka (almost tasted like they didn’t reduce it enough), standard Italian meal; nothing great, nothing bad, but for $10.50 (beverage, tax, and gratuity included) who is complaining? Wouldn’t recommend it anywhere else, but for a convenient meal in a small town I was pleasantly surprised.