Riverboat Inn & Suites

Felt like we were taking a risk by staying here, but went on faith and Google reviews. We weren't disappointed. The staff are great, especially the barkeeper. The room was fine, and we had a nice view of the river from the adjacent balcony. The hotel is located near enough to the city center to make it a pleasant walk. To top it off, the room rent is very reasonable. We hope to stay here again sometime.

I stayed here in December 2024 along with a few other couples for a Hanover alumni event. We had a great time and enjoyed our stay. When I returned home, I realized I'd left my brand new earbuds in my the hotel room and I assumed I'd never see them again, but the wonderful office staff at the Riverboat Inn went above and beyond the call of duty by finding and mailing the earbuds back to me at home. The customer service here is incredible, and I will make sure to always book a room at the Riverboat for any future trips to the area.

We stayed on a Friday, 2 rooms for one night. Charges for those applied to debit and then a random charge for $275+ for same date. No idea what it is for and I have been trying to call them since yesterday. Message says I am calling outside of lobby hours????? Every time I call As for our service dog. He wakes my husband up when he has nightmares from PTSD, which also protects ME!! That is why we can leave him behind to go enjoy ourselves. Thanks for caring. In the summer we use our RV so we don't have to inconvenience others with our dog. Sadly, RV's are not very user friendly in the winter.

Absolutely wonderful experience all week end for the Vintage Hydroplane Event. The owners and staff are so welcoming and helpful , immaculate room, pool and facility. Fantastic location! I definitely have a new favorite vacation spot. ;-)

I would highly recommend Riverboat Inn. It has a lot of character and charm. My husband and I stayed a weekend with a group of friends and we all enjoyed our stay. The back deck was very quiet and relaxing during the day, overlooking the Ohio River. The nightlife with live music and food truck was convenient and fun! It is only a short walk away from the Main Street shops and nightlife. The staff was very friendly and hospitable. We will definately be back!

An extremely pleasant surprise while staying here! From reading reviews before staying we thought it might be a good place to stay, but every aspect exceeded what we expected. The new owners have made numerous updates to the Inn, it is very clean (which they take pride in, and should!), location and views of river are amazing! Outdoor seating is unbelievable, patios and balcony. Job very well done! They definitely put the customers first! We will be back! Thank you for an amazing stay!

Stayed here on Friday/ Saturday. Very nice hotel, it's not the Ritz, and I'm glad, I like staying in Mom and pop type hotels, and this one fits the bill. We came down for the music festival here in Madison, and the hotel is a walk, or shuttle ride away from the event. The folks here, are great. Our room was in the "French Quarters" section, away from the main building. My wife loves the room, says she feels like we are in the bourbon street part of New Orleans. A definite little weekend getaway place, large outdoor patios, local bands on the weekends ( summer time ). I think the next time we stay, I'm going to get the poolside room, out the door,cross the walkway, and step into some cool water.

My wife and I were visiting from Florida (we are English and like to travel around the US), and I always try and choose privately owned or more boutique places to stay as I just find they have more personality, and the Riverboat didn’t disappoint.. as someone who worked hard and built a large business myself, I always have a soft spot for anyone you can see is really making an effort and cares about their business, and it is obvious the owners are putting their souls into this place.. the Riverboat manages to remain homely and has that guest house feel to it, but it is evident a lot has been invested and we really wanted for nothing. We had a King Suite on the second floor which I’d highly recommend, being really spacious, perfectly equipped and, whilst not fancy as such, it was immaculately kept, the bed was super comfortable and having the big seating area off the rooms on that floor really made it with it being summer and able to enjoy the view of the river. The welcome we received on arrival was excellent, so informative and helpful, and the little bar, live music and casual breakfast just topped it off for us. A big shout to one of the owners mom, she really made us feel at home 😊 |This is the only place to stay in Madison in my opinion.. loved it!

Staff was very friendly and funny , nice affordable place to stay ... coffee pot did not work that well but I'm sure they would of fixed it if asked but was not that big of a deal ... shower took a few mins to get warm but once it did was nice and hot Has that nice Old feel but over all nice

Used to come here thru week 100 per nite thru week.came here now on Wednesday 177 per nite no body here. We r done. Come here if u want to be ripped off on price

Rooms are quite large, bed was comfortable, customer service was great, friendly and helpful staff!! Beautiful scenery, bar right there on the property, food truck there also !!! All around great experience!

This place was filthy...smelled like mildew. I was really looking forward to this stay. The lady at the desk and on the phone was extremely nice. However immediately after entering the room I noticed the smell. Almost couldn't stand it. Needed to buy some air freshener at local store. I didn't really look at the room until right before check out. I wouldn't have stayed if I had looked under the cabinets or under the bed before staying. Several spiders beside and under bed...big one under cabinet. Mold and dirt under sink. Nasty mold in bathroom. Woke up with sore throat and cough and bug bites. Now I know why! Don't stay here!

My boyfriend and I reserved a room at the Riverboat Inn & Suites June 19th - 20th, 2020. We ended up in room 101. We needed a hotel that would take a larger dog. The fee for our dog was $40 for up to 3 nights which wasn't bad since we were staying 2 nights. When we arrived we were told we had to have a kennel with us but when we booked the room it was never mentioned and it is not on the website. Luckily they let it go. We checked in about 2:15pm and were taken to our room right away. When we got there, the lady that showed us the room had to adjust some plugs so everything could be plugged into the outlet (TV, fireplace, and mini fridge). When she plugged in the TV it had static but she changed the channel and the static went away. She was frantic and seemed unprepared. After she left we noticed the room was very damp like they had just turned on the A/C. We unpacked some things and left to take a walk around town. When we came back before dinner to change, we noticed the picture frame above the bed was badly warped from the moisture. It smelled very musty in the room, like a basement. The moisture was so high in the room even the plastic veneer on the bathroom cabinet was almost completely peeled off and just barely hanging on. The door to the room was not sealed so you could see light under the door and halfway up the right side. This was also a door to the outside so there were plenty of creepy crawlies to keep us company including spiders, flies, and crickets. The floor was absolutely filthy. We had to wear our shoes in the room it was so bad. We wiped a napkin on the floor and it was black. We decided to watch some TV and realized that once you get above channel 20 the rest were very staticky. We decided to stay that night because we wanted to enjoy at least one full day in Madison but definitely couldn't stay the second night. We got up about 7am to take a shower. Before I got in the shower, I could see the grout was falling of the wall in spots and there were spots of mold above the shower tile. We understand this is an older building and we were not expecting the Taj Mahal but the room definitely should've been cleaned and maintenanced. This room cost us $140/night with the pet fee for two nights. That is WAY too expensive for this room even if the problems were fixed. As you can see from the pictures half of the room is cinder block walls (like jail cell from what I have seen on TV). When we checked out the lady asked if we enjoyed our stay. I told her we were actually checking out a day early and described the condition of the room. She was very apologetic and left a note for the owner. She ensured me the owner would be calling to discuss the problems and a refund. This was all on Saturday the 20th. Apparently the owner was not so concerned. My boyfriend called and spoke with her Sunday evening and was told the she was going to charge us a $25 cancellation fee for my Sunday stay but refund the rest. She didn't say anything about our complaints. We spent $275.20 for the two nights and she refunded us $92.60 for Sunday. I cannot fathom how this establishment is highly rated. I would highly recommend anyone considering a stay here to take your money elsewhere. If you have a larger dog try the Bestway Inn. If you read some of the other complaints you can tell the owner doesn't care if you have a problem. I would also add that they say they have changed their breakfast because of COVID 19. This isn't true. We found a review from over a year ago that said their breakfast is just frozen Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches in a bowl of ice, orange juice and coffee. That is also what it is currently. My only thought is they took three old, run down rooms and decided to charge a premium for them if you have a dog.

What a great place to stay. It was a bit pricey for us, but we splurged. Kathy and her staff were so great, funny and easy to get along with. Rooms are very clean and well decorated. Sitting out on the balcony, is very relaxing with an exceptionally nice view. Nice selection at the bar, and I felt the prices were reasonable for the drinks.

Great location, nice staff, but lots of issues: I stayed on a Friday and Saturday night and they had a musician playing really loudly right next to the rooms, didn't stop until 11pm or so even though they said 10pm was the cut off. So couldn't get to sleep until they stopped. The rooms are okay but not super clean. One of my friends rooms smelled terribly like mildew. Can't recommend

A true hidden gem in Madison, IN. I will 100% return for a longer visit. The staff was super sweet and really took the time to interact with every guest that came. I was made to feel at home. My biggest regret is that I had to cut my visit short. One of the few rules they have was not to drink red wine in bed so white wine should be good.

The room was very unkept and needs maintenance. The floor was very dirty, the blinds that cost $6 were missing slats. The door to the outside was not sealed and let a lot of insects in. The shower was missing grout and had mold on the walls. The owner doesn't care at all if you have any problems. The TV doesn't get stations without static and the room reminds me of a jail cell. Way to expensive at $137 a night for two nights with a pet. The breakfast they serve is a joke might as well not serve anything, frozen breakfast sandwiches, orange juice and coffee. Try another hotel you will probably not find one with more problems than this place.

We went here on a girl's weekend and really enjoyed so many things about this place. The staff was incredibly nice and helpful. We LOVED the outdoor space. It was cold outside so they had it enclosed and we played games out there all afternoon. We also sat out there and listened to live music that evening. The view of the River is beautiful. What a gem of a place to visit!

We love the Riverboat Inn! This was our third Regatta and we can't imagine staying anywhere else. Don't worry about reviews on other sites talking about the room being small. With so much to do at the hotel and in Madison... you don't spend much time in it anyway! We actually love the quaintness and the staff are all nice and quick to accommodate your needs. Bar is great. No restaurant at the Inn, but that's ok because the Shrimp House is right next door. The entertainment at night was great and what a fabulous view of the Ohio River and Regatta fireworks!! Thanks Riverboat we will be back!!!

If you want modern room with lots of amenities this is not for you. But if you can deal with clean, small rooms with lots of charm, a great view of the river and friendly service then you will fit right in at the RiverBoat Inn. I recently attended an overnight 65th birthday party with 26 other women and we all stayed at the RiverBoat. The staff were prepared for us and treated us like family. They were smart enough to put us in an out building that was perfect for us. At the end of the building where our sleeping room were there was a balcony with enough chairs and tables to accommodate our crowd and us not be a bother to the other quests in the other buildings. The patio area has nice outdoor furniture, a huge cooler full of ice and a fabulous view of the Ohio River. The sleeping rooms are very small but most have a double bed with a small fridge, a microwave, TV, and Wi-Fi. They provide a continental breakfast (pretty basic) and at least on weekend nights they have live music (a guy with a guitar) singing on the main patio. We all headed to hear him play for a bit but ended up back on our own balcony. The views are fantastic, They have a small swimming pool where some of us hung out for a bit in the afternoon. We took our coolers and music and made ourselves at home. The hotel is located within walking distance of downtown Madison, which is a cool little town. Also within walking distance is the Key West Shrimp House so all in all great place to stay if you are heading to Madison IN for a night or two.

I really like the Riverboat Inn. Stayed here many times when riding the area and now on biz. Quaint, clean, friendly and always accommodating. Recommend and will surely return any time I'm in the area.

My wife and father-in-law stayed there last week. They said the rooms were all immaculately clean and decorated with Christmas decorations. The people and service were fantastic and friendly. Great view of the Ohio river. The rooms were large and spacious and the beds very comfortable. Highly recommended!

Love, love, love this place! Very cozy and the staff is always welcoming and nice... favorite place we've ever stayed in Madison!

My family and I stayed here over the weekend. Kathie, the owner, and Terry were so sweet and accommodating. You feel right at home. The rooms did have a slight scent of mildew but the place is older so we definitely were not expecting anything Marriott-esque. Everything was functional and comfortable from the pool, the bar, the patio seating, the walking distance to downtown. Would definitely stay again!! Thank you guys!

Yet another lovely weekend with a charming young lady at this fun and friendly hotel. Called friday morning..they were able to accomdate me friday evening by moving others around and several phone calls...totally out of the ordinary efforts as I don't really stay here often enough to merit such attention and effort. Great atmosphere where it is nearly impossible to tell the difference between guests..staff..and ownership as there is terrific conviviality amongst all those enjoying this fun riverside hotel. Talented and fun live music on the back porch overlooking the ohio river with everyone participating in the family friendly "party" atmosphere...with guests breaking out guitars and songs for hours after the talented guitar gentleman from louisville was finished with his set. Folks...you are missing out if you dont take advantage of Indiana gems such as this hotel...and this area of Indiana...

As a business traveler who spends 30 weeks a year on the road I was in need of something different than the standard hotel chains. This place fits the bill! Friendly staff, awesome bartender, beautiful views of the river and clean comfortable rooms. Lastly, if your nice they will let you use their golf cart to travel around town! Love this place!

Just spent a wonderful 3 nights here, the Staff was friendly,very much service oriented,and hospitable. The Hotel is located within easy access to Downtown Madison with all its shops and entertainment. This is a must stay when visiting Madison.

Terrible stay, began with the owner Cathy stalling us in our room bc we had a dog... Tho supposedly dog friendly. She also verbally abused us and accused of us not having a kennel for our dog, which we did. Bed bugs in room 104 master bed.. Pictured below/bites. Wasps in bathroom and bug infested pool. Cathy yelled at us and wouldn't stop insulting or raising her voice bc our dog barked for 15 min at breakfast time. She walked away when i tried to talk civilly. The only ppl she treated well were those of common race and social class as her... Basically all the other patrons. Bedbug issue reported to Jefferson County public health department, who said they would tell them to rid room 104 of bedbugs, but said they cannot inspect cases due to a law that needs to be changed. I think Cathy has more issues on her plate than worrying about a dog that may be out of its kennel and barking for 10 min... She has a public health infestation issue. She also told me she doesn't regularly clean the comforters on the bed... Which explains the hygienic issues there. Gross! Don't go there unless u want to inspect for bed bugs, wasps and other bugs in your room and the pool and be verbally abused by owner if you are a different ethnicity than her and have a dog that barks once... Even tho they r supposedly "dog friendly" what a joke! Avoid this place... As it has the initial attraction of a charming hotel in a good local... As long as u don't mind being fed on while you sleep by bed bugs and risk them getting in to your bags. We quarantined all of our bags in plastic bags for 2 months and washed clothes w hot water to insure the filth didn't enter our home upon return. Beware!

Went here a few weeks ago for a wedding nearby and I will never return. This place has hopefully seen its better days, but i'm not sure it has. First there is a musty odor through most the building that doesn't seem quite right. The lack of maintenance on the patio was noticeably lacking, there were plenty of cobwebs and debris that a simple dust and sweep could take care of. Hell run a leaf blower through it once a day and it would help. The decor is that of a 1990's shipwreck I believe? I can only speak for the main building seeing as I did not stay in the others. Now on to the worst part, a very apparent roach problem that is absolutely disgusting. I saw two different species......SPECIES......TWO! In total I saw 4 roaches in one day and night 2 tiny ones in the room, 1 right outside the door, and 1 Huge roach of some other sort in the lobby during daylight. That tells you there are tons more and that is disturbing to say the least. The only true positive was the view of the river, but I will not give them credit for the Ohio River.

I had a wonderful 2-week stay at this remarkable hotel, with stunning river views, and close to all the downtown activities of Madison (and there are many). After work each day I came home to the Riverboat, and it felt just like that: home. Staff, guests, owner--all friendly, fun and welcoming. I became part of the famiy. The accommodations were just right -- not fancy, but not sterile like the chains. I'd recommend this place whether you are in Madison for work, or a jumping-off vacation place to explore the historic downtown and nearby bourbon country.

All of the people running the place could not have been nicer, and the accommodations are unique but in a beautiful, comfortable way. Great views, great social life, walking distance to everything downtown... just wonderful!

We just spent two nights in the paddlewheel. The staff was very friendly. The motel has a beautiful view. The room we stayed in had a horrible smell and the bathroom was very small. It had a kitchen sink for use as our bathroom sink. The soap they furnished was so watered down we couldn't use it. This morning when I took a shower, there was no water presser and when I got some water I was either getting burnt or freezing. I don't know what the rooms in the main part were like, but don't stay in the paddlewheel unless you like the Bates Motel.

We stayed in the Paddlewheel building and could not have been more dissatisfied! When we entered the room, it was filled with a musty, moldy odor which was quite strong! There was mold on the walls in the bathroom, in the shower, and on the shower curtain. The AC never got the room to a comfortable temperature - clammy is the best way to describe it! The AC unit was also so loud that it kept me up all night - I was already not sleeping well due to the odor in the room - the noise just added to it. I would have turned it off, but did not because that was the only way to get any circulation of that musty air. Luckily, we do not suffer from allergies because someone with allergy issues would never have been able to stay in that room! The bedspread was stained - the light fixtures and the window had cobwebs on them. The shower head needs replacing - many holes not working properly. It appeared as though they use this building as an overflow on festival weekends (which this was) but did not prepare the rooms thoroughly. Those rooms should not be used in those moldy conditions! We had paid for two nights, but left after one very long night and made other arrangements. Interestingly enough, I was not able to see any of the Paddlewheel rooms on the website ahead of time. The other two buildings may be better maintained, but the Paddlewheel is not in what I would consider to be a healthy, habitable condition!!!! We will NOT be returning!!!

Words cannot express the experience I had at Riverboat Inn and Suites!!! Kathie, Terry, and the rest of the absolute fantastic staff, THANK YOU!!! My fiance and I along with his brother and wife spent this past Saturday night at this absolutely amazing gem in Madison. I had done some research on Madison on Friday, as when we plan a trip it is usually spur of the moment. The reviews I had read on Yelp along with other sites led me to give Riverboat Inn a call. The moment the person on the phone answered, I immediately felt like family. I booked room 104 in the building behind the main hotel...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED...it is right by the pool and is absolutely lovely. When we arrived, we were all in awe at the spectrum of beauty we saw before us. The landscape, the multiple patio areas with gorgeous, very comfortable furniture and firepits, and of course, the view....wow. This staff treats you like one of their own as soon as you walk through the door and it makes you never want to leave. They bend over backwards to make sure your stay is unforgettable. They all work SO hard and it absolutely shows. We were given a free beer at the bar as we were "first-time virgin's" & a golf cart shuttle to and from a nearby restaurant. That night after dinner we headed to the patio to listen to some wonderful acoustic music and relaxed with great cocktails and friends we had met while there. Enjoyed a very tasty breakfast the next morning and then a quick dip in the pool before it was time to pack up. Needless to say, none of us wanted to leave and vowed to each other to come to this place at least once a year. We are already on the wait list to come back for the Regatta next year and hoping to come back in October for the "Soups, Stews, Chili's, and Brews Festival". Please, if you are planning a trip to this lovely town, stay at Riverboat. You will not only not be disappointed, you will be absolutely overjoyed.