The Oxbow Hotel

Awesome location near Eau Claire’s cute bridge filled downtown, helpful very understanding staff. Great hammock situation. Great record selection. Clean room. Can’t wait to head back on a weekend to catch some tunes, and also ride one of their rental bikes!!

We had the absolute BEST time! The staff was top tier and made me feel welcomed and special! My husband and I came to Eau Claire to celebrate my 40th birthday and came across The Oxbow on a booming site and we were not disappointed! This is a MUST stay and a MUST return type of hotel! The beds were comfortable, the rooms were quaint and clean, the staff was welcoming and informative! Probably one of, if not the best hotel stay we’ve EVER had!

Amazing hotel with LIVE music each night (Friday & Saturday)…also loved the record library and in room record player. The bed was comfortable, the room was clean, and the shower was strong. Loved that they had complementary coffee and tea in the lobby! Also loved the free parking across the street too! Can’t wait to come back for a mini vacation again!

We stayed one night. It was clean, bed and pillows were comfortable, the toiletries were great. We enjoyed the record player in the room. The staff at hotel and restaurant were friendly and very good. It was just what we wanted and more than we expected. Thank you Oxbow hotel and Lakely restaurant.

Comfy, clean, cute hotel. Close to the river and walking paths. Best bar/restaurant with outdoor patio, fire pits and live music. The food was delicious and entertainment was top notch. We were attending a wedding so didn’t have time to enjoy a lot of the hotel amenities but would like to one back to do so. I would definitely stay here again.

Great hotel and great location. Comfortable beds, up to date bathrooms and so clean!!! I was a little wary that it would be too far walking to and from the pubs for the Jazz Crawl, but it was a short, pleasant walk even at the end of the night. The staff was all super friendly and helpful. So glad I booked my stay here!

Fresh and fun decor were wonderful to experience. We loved the added touch of record players in each room and the ability to check out a wide variety of vinyl records. Location walkable to fun downtown Eau Claire restaurants/bars. Rooms were spacious, clean and comfortable. We recommend the Oxbow!

We planned our trip from Iowa to the Mall of America around a night in Eau Claire to have dinner at The Lakely. |The Oxbow Hotel exceeded our expectations. The king suite was exactly as described. Room and hotel clean and safe. The bed is comfortable, the coffee, superb. We checked out to vinyl albums for the record player. |Jose, front desk clerk, is quite a character and a great host. |The Oxbow Hotel and The Lakely are worth the hour and a half drive to the Mall of America.

Fancied up motel I dug the record player I would stay again The Oxbow calls itself a Hotel, but at least where my room was is more motel. No big deal. Stayed in plenty of motels. You do get the accompanying road noise, but it is not too bad. Just city street traffic and not freeway or highway noise. The rooms have been nicely remodeled from whatever road shack this place was before. Each room has a fridge which is always a big plus. Each room also has a record player which I thought was kind of cool. Small but hip collection of records in the lobby to choose from. You can take up to three out at a time. The attached bar, The Lakely, is decent. Jazz band playing when I was there. Not a great beer selection. Was a little bit disappointed that the drink token I got when I checked in was for BOGO and not a freebie. That is not how I am accustomed to drink tokens working. I prefer The Lismore hotel which is a couple blocks away for its quietness. However, I would not object to staying here again.

Such a cool place to stay!! I absolutely love the staff, the vibe, the decor, the record player and music selection, convenient restaurant, good drinks, live performances- all fantastic. For sure would stay again, but would try to book in the main building. My only thing with my room in the flats/unattached building, at least in the late summer/early fall, is that it was pretty musty in the room. They had damp rid packets out but they can only do so much. It was fine for one night but not the greatest vibe- probably not as big of a factor in the main building rooms though.

Wow. What a stay. Truly a must stay if you're going to Eau Claire. For the humble adventurer seeking rest and recovering after embarking to Eau Claire on whatever side quest or main storyline you are pursuing, the Oxbow offers respite that is much needed. Check in was seamless. Front desk staff give you all details you need and more. You don't find yourself needlessly pulling detail from them like any random NPC, but instead get recommended which record might be complimentary to your stay. Absolutely friendly. After a long day slaying dragons or rescuing royalty, you can retire to your room or enjoy a nice Ale or bevvy in the tavern downstairs. They will run the drinks out to your adventuring party where you've gathered around the fire to discuss the spoils of the day. The drinks are what I'd call, "The Golden Age of Mixed Drinks." While I settle on a brandy old fashioned which is native to my homeland, some other members of our party tried other delicious drinks and they did not disappoint. The room was undeniably comfortable. The beds were fit for a king or a queen and felt just as large as a king or queen sized mattress. The sofa was like that of one of the fabled sirens who'd lure passing sailors. At one point , my wife was lured into their midst and only just made it out after a short nap. Be ware of how comfortable it is! Parking was a breeze. Location is second to none. It's within walking distance of a lot in Eau Claire. Overall, if you aren't staying here, you're doing yourself a disservice. Stay here, weary travelers.

I checked in on 10/10 to room 18. I have been down to the front desk 3 times. First to let them know the phone in the room doesn't work. They already knew about that but haven't been able to get anyone in to fix it yet. Went down next to say I couldn't find the guest internet. I was told they knew not every room could connect. Went down a third time because the TV won't turn on and the air conditioner fan won't turn off. They knew about the TV not working and told me it's actually a good thing to have the fan run constantly. I'm still in room 18! No mention of deducting anything from my bill. No offer to move me into another room. Best part...the room is right by the entertaining area where I get to hear a trivia contest. That normally wouldn't bother me if I could watch tv. I wish I could give this zero stars.

Wonderful, functional hotel. Clean, sleek, and with everything right where you'd want it. Love the walk-in shower and environmentally friendly shampoo/conditioner/body wash mounted on the wall. Front desk staff friendly and helpful. It's hip but not in that snobbish "we know we're hip" way. Had drinks at the restaurant with Luke as our server. Great service and good margaritas!! There was a small snafu with the bar bill with accidental double billing (card appeared not to go through), but they called me and it's all resolved. Great experience.

Eau Claire, Wi. Very nice modern clean hotel. Seems brand new. AC unit is quiet. Bed is comfy. Shower features hot water. Good WiFi. Restaurant and bar located in the hotel if needed. Vintage vinyl LP's available to play on record players in the room. Large TV. Very little traffic noise, some noise from rowdy bar people but not horribly so. This is my second stay here so apparently I approve.

We stayed in a King Suite last night that was supposed to sleep 3. It is a very cool property -- cool paintings on the walls in the hallways going to the room. Just a really cool look and feel for a very small boutique hotel. We really liked the look and feel. We just didn't have the best night in the hotel. We were staying with our son that is going to UWEC in the fall. We reserved this room since it said that it had a King Bed with a futon or pullout bed. The King Bed was fine, the futon was SUPER uncomfortable. He didn't sleep much at all. He was not happy at all in the morning. The walls are pretty thin. So, when there was movement around us, it was loud in the room. My wife and I were woken up a number of times. The bathroom was odd too. It had a sliding door, like a barn door, but it didn't really seal at all and it was less than 5 feet from the King bed. So, anytime anyone was in the bathroom, if you were in bed, you could hear everything. Kinda gross. So, while this looked really cool, in practice, it just didn't really do the job. The shades in the room were just roller shades so while it was light out, it was light in the room. I found that odd too. Most hotels have a way to block out ALL light so that if you want to nap during the day, you can. All in all, I doubt that we will be back. The look and feel of the hotel are pretty awesome. But the functionality was not so good. And in the end, getting a good night's rest is the #1 job of a Hotel...

Really cool and hip vibes overall. I stayed here for one short night while I was on a business trip and overall enjoyed my stay. PROS: *Great customer service from front staff *Restaurant on site *Clean room with a comfortable bed *A cool record player in every room *Snacks and spirits available in your room for purchase *Really pretty and romantic ambience CONS: *The general layout of this hotel makes me think of a budget-priced motel - I stayed on the ground floor and my room was 5 steps away from where cars were parked. My room had a window and I could see the faint lights and hear the car doors being slammed. *Being a bit picky here - but there wasn't a place in the shower for me to put my toiletries. Also, no bath mats in the bathroom.

It is SO NICE to finally find a hotel with character! I loved the options for checking out the records and the players in each room. I adored the nice amount of space in the main building's rooms. It was clean and felt newer. The staff was friendly and attentive. Each floor had its own artwork for sale! On the other side: the presence of great, larger windows also means you can clearly look in and out around the room... this included the bathroom, which I did not realize until showering and I probably gave some stranger an eyeful!! Some of the room's windows are also easy to just look back into other rooms... Yes, I did finally find the blinds, but, I guess that really dampened the mood for me on my stay. Would stay again? Maybe?

Went to Eau Claire for the Chippewa Valley Gem and Mineral Show (which is a must for WI crystal lovers) and was happy to have stayed at The Oxbow. The hotel has a unique vibe which I would describe as hipster chic. Loved the rustic-y, Up North feel to it. The Eau Claire Jazz Festival was going on the weekend I visited and the hotel had a free jazz concert in The Lakely which was awesome. They also gave you buy one, get one free drink tokens for the bar, yippee! Definitely a fun atmosphere at The Oxbow!

This was an exceptional hotel downtown Eau Claire, WI. My wife and I stopped here for the evening after a night of dog- sledding in Modiva, WI. We had such a fun time at Lakely thier bar and restuarant downstairs. They had live UW students playing Jazz in the bar while we ate an amazing steak dinner over some great drinks. They had an awesome beer menu and mixed drink selection. Our room was very modern and hipster-ish. Many great features.... clean, modern, big bed, right downtown near bars and restuarants, walking distance to everything, cool record players in room. We had a wonderful time and would definitely come back again.

We mostly loved it! Record player in each room. Vinyl in the lobby you can check out. Nice decor. The only thing was that our bathroom door (sliding pocket door) would not close all the way. No way to latch or lock so it just kept sliding open. I shoved a slipper under the door to keep it shut. The gal at the front desk seemed surprised when we told her about it. There is no way no one else has complained about this. It was Room 2. Beware.

No table service, wine served at the wrong temperature, and the vegetarian options just didn't taste good. I wanted to like the place as the interior design is freshly northwoods without being northwoods. Great social feel. Sorry.

If you ever stayed at this location. Score it became Oxbow, you are in for an awesome treat! If you've never stayed here before, try it! It is a cool, comfy, homey, unique experience and it is obvious how much thought and passion went into the creation of the entire hotel. Locally sourced and refurbished materials are used throughout the entire hotel, which offers a history like no other places I've stayed. The record player in each room, and a music library offering so many LP options, was so cool. It felt like home away from home and Oxbow helped make my return to Eau Claire perfect.

Ours stay at The Oxbow hotel overall was just average. We visited in February((it was not busy season )); overpriced during offseason. the adorable patio we were not able to use. The parking lot was full of snow which made it difficult to navigate. We were welcome and greeted graciously by the staff. The staff = 5/5 stars. We stayed in the flats - ((motel style not connected to the hotel ))- this was the worst possible situation it was so loud and the walls are paper thin. We stayed two nights. The first night the people were so loud next-door, it ruined our stay. The staff was apologetic but did not do anything to significantly help the noise issue, nor did they credit our stay. Not to mention it is right along a busy road so we heard cars in traffic all night. Bring earplugs!!! Hotel had a great vibe to it; however was unfortunate that we left our stay feeling not refreshed or relaxed.

When you see the phrase "hotel restaurant" as part of a restaurant review, it is almost always in the context of something like, "... but it's not bad for a hotel restaurant." Hotel restaurants bring to mind prepackaged food sold at an exorbitant mark up because the owners know they have a captive audience. You know, the kind of place that serves fast-food quality hamburgers for $15. So when we heard that The Oxbow was going to have its own restaurant, we quietly hoped that they would not become another example of the "hotel restaurant" stereotype. The Lakely, the new restaurant in the Oxbow, clearly throws that stereotype out the window. Helmed by renowned local chef Nathan Berg, The Lakely offers an innovative yet compact menu that should satisfy the needs of any diner in the Chippewa Valley. We decided, being the adventurous eaters that we are, that we would visit The Lakely on opening night. Obviously, the first night a restaurant is open is always an adventure, but we were remarkably surprised at how smoothly the service went over the course of the evening. Jimmy, our server, did an excellent job of making sure that the pace of our meal perfect, and his attentiveness to our table should be commended. We were also impressed with the speed of the bar service under lead bartender Jorja. Our beverages were promptly refilled despite the complexities of some of the cocktails on the menu. As a group, we sampled virtually the entire menu and we were, to say the least, impressed. While we could wax poetic about essentially everything we ordered, four menu items truly stood out. On the starter list, the roasted squash soup had an amazingly smooth texture and intensely rich flavor. Another starter of note was Berg's take on traditional Canadian comfort food, poutine. The substitution of thinly sliced potatoes for fries and the savory mushroom gravy turned this appetizer into a clear winner. Among the main courses, the clear consensus of the group was that the Hot Dish Au Canard was one we would definitely order again. The perfectly cooked duck combined with wilted greens, wild rice, and sarvecchio cream sauce was a wonderful, savory feature on the menu. Another star on the menu was the Wild Rice Kofta, an outstanding vegetarian option with a spiced tomato cranberry sauce. The Kofta was an eye-opening revelation, and proof that not all restaurants in Eau Claire force vegetarians to eat piles of steamed vegetables. Finally, we would be remiss if we did not mention the cocktail menu at The Lakely. Under the creative direction of lead bartender Jorja, there are several innovative beverages on the menu worthy of your attention. Two that stood out for us were the gin-based Corpse Reviver and the Maple Bourbon Sour, both of which became fast favorites among the group. The clear consensus of the group was that The Lakely was offering a menu that is truly unique in the Chippewa Valley. Nathan Berg's innovative food and his commitment to local producers, combined with a fun and creative cocktail menu, as instantly turned The Lakely into one of our go-to spots. --- Geoffrey D. Peterson

This was a nice place, however, for $200+/night, I felt it was overpriced. The room was nice but it was pretty small and my feet were BLACK after walking around in our room. Umm... this is something I would expect at a Motel 6, NOT at a nicer hotel where we are paying $200+ a night. That was gross and we had to lay towels down on the floor to walk on. I don't know, maybe I am being picky, but to me, this is not ok! Aside from that, the bed was comfy, came with a full stocked mini-fridge (also pretty pricey), and the area itself was very nice, although not a whole lot to do or go. I like being able to walk to bars/restaurants, etc. and there was a lot going on in the area, we had to drive for about 10-15 minutes to get to other places. We had 2 dogs and the hotel was located right across the street from the river which was very convenient to have a place to walk them, that part was nice. Other than that, I do not think we would stay here again as there were other hotels in the area which were way less expensive and would have met our needs just as well.

Cute mid-century modern, trendy boutique hotel/motel. We were in town for a concert at the State Theatre/Eau Claire Performing Arts Center, and the Oxbow was a good place to stay and be able to walk to the show plus bars and restaurants. A plus was that the hotel is also dog friendly, for a $25 additional fee. As such, we stayed in one of the pet-friendly rooms in the motel portion, a queen patio room. The room was cute (if you've ever stayed at the Holiday Music Motel in Sturgeon Bay, the queen patio rooms are somewhat similar to their rooms) and well kept. Our room did have a faint musty odor, but included a desk, side chair, a record player (complete with vinyl for check out in the lobby), a fun Wisconsin-based snack bar, a mini bar, a mini fridge, hair dryer and MALIN+GOETZ toiletries. It was 17 degrees below zero while we were in town, but the hotel does have bikes available for guests at the Oxbow Outfitters, and I would have enjoyed taking advantage of this in nicer weather. They also rent canoes and kayaks. We overheard another guest ordering complimentary coffee service for their room to be delivered the next morning, and we decided to do the same. Within 15 minutes of our suggested delivery time we received french press coffee service and cream delivered to our room, hot and flavorful. Also, the hotel was offering complimentary Kickapoo Coffee in the lobby and Rishi Tea. On the evening we stayed, The Lakely restaurant in the hotel was booked for a reservation-only supper club, but we received two BOGO drink tokens at hotel check in and stopped by the bar at The Lakely later in the evening and had some very good red Zin. If I find myself in Eau Claire again for an overnight, I would stay at the Oxbow again as it was fun and reasonably priced.

It was my first time in the EC; and this was a great introduction to a fun city. The hotel is comprised of two parts: the main building and the flats: a separate building. I stayed in the upper level of the flats, and thought my room was eclectic and clean. Lots of cute little touches including locally sourced items in the mini bar, boutique soaps and lotions, and record players in each room. My only complaint.... after checking out, I received a bill for close to $30- for items I never took from the mini bar. I called the hotel, and the charges were quickly reversed. So quickly in fact, it had me wondering if all patrons are charged. Hmmm. But, no harm no foul. I would absolutely give them another try the next time I'm in town.

Super cute & modern, fun hotel BUT non functional Queen suite TV is not ok the same room as the bed Bathroom sink is in bedroom area with zero space for anyone to get ready! Zero vanity space! Bathroom itself is TINY and felt cramped! Bed is so uncomfortable and soft I tossed and turned all night! For the cost it's wayyyyyy not worth it! Stayed at the Lismore last time and wanted to try something else but so wish we were at the Lismore again! Not a fan of the Oxbow! Way over priced and not that great! Cannot even lay in bed and watch TV, weird!

Saw this place on Around the Corner with John McGivern. We thought it looked fun so we booked it for over Labor Day weekend. We stayed in a king balcony room in the Lodge, a remodeled motel. Parking lot on site is limited. There is an overflow lot across the street. It would be nice if the people staying at the hotel could have the parking spots right at the hotel instead of having to park across the street. The parking lot across the street should be for the bar, outfitters and restaurant. That would make much more sense and it would be easier for people staying there. The room was decent. It was actually clean. The showerhead unlimited hot water and the toiletries provided are high-quality. The biggest problems we had in the room were temperature control and the horrible chemical air freshener that went off every 15 minutes (gave me an instant migraine). It was super cold when we got there, then we had to turn on the heat. Then it got super hot and we had to turn on the air. We tried 1 million different settings with the heating and cooling and could not get it right. We took the battery out if the chemical air freshener and that solved that problem. The rooms can get noisy, especially with live music but it's only until 1130pm. You can get free ear plugs at the front desk. It really was not that bad. I had an air filter running the whole time so it blocked the minimal noise. The balcony is not private and that's hard to tell from the website. It really is not even a balcony at all. It's just the outside walkway with benches on it. When you stay in the lodge you enter your room from an exterior door that has the bench next to it. So that's your balcony. Online, the property looks a lot larger than it is. But the location is really good. You can walk to lots of shops, restaurants, entertainment, bars and many parks on the rivers. Also, when you stay there, you can use their bikes for free. They even have a tandem bike. No one told us this upon check-in so we missed out on using the free bikes which kind of irritated me. Would we stay here again? Probably.

Talk about a diamond in the rough. (FYI: Price isn't taken into account here since it was a business trip, but I think prices are reasonable for what you get.) The room: Unique interior design and each room has a record player. Guests can go down to the main office to rent out records (free). They have a good selection. Nice locally-made soaps are provided in the bathroom, so no worries if you don't bring your own. Clean and comfortable. When you check in, you get a drink token to use at the bar in the main building. They serve excellent craft cocktails and also have beers and wines. Their happy hour is incredible too (from what I remember). Really laid back atmosphere with nightly performances near the bar. We were there on a Tuesday, which was jazz night. Like everyone else is saying, the place is hip and modern. I'd go out of my way to stay here again. Eau Claire is definitely an up-and-coming city in WI, with the Oxbow setting the tone.

I am sure it is just the timing of my stay and the fact that the hotel was picked for me, but the rooms give me a Bates Motel feel. There is not a coffee maker, my room has a knock on the wall every 30 minutes or so, the internet is not working (I am here on a business trip) and the heat barely works. From the outside it looks cute, but inside becomes a different story. Update** As my stayed continued, I could hear the gentleman next door going to the bathroom, the shades in the room are not privacy, therefore had to drop towels over them so I could change and sleep without anyone being able to look in. The toilet/shower area doesn't give enough room to change in there.

I found dirty, soiled towels in my room. YUCK! I spoke to a front desk worker over the phone, wonderful young woman. Manager was not helpful. Not coming back.

Stayed at the Oxbow for a wedding and it was wonderful! The room itself was super cute and they provide really nice bath and body wash in the shower. The front desk staff were very friendly as well. The rehearsal dinner was at the restaurant and the food was really good and the bar staff made the most amazing Moscow mules. Hope to stay at this hotel in the future. The rooms are decorated cute and they had a record player that my boyfriend took full advantage of. Check them out if you are in town! The location is close to shops and scenic views w bridges.

We were up in Northern WI for a small business trip and just randomly decided to stop in Eu Claire WI to stay and have dinner at this little hotel that we did not research. I had no idea but this is Bon Iver's hometown and this very cool little hotel we're staying at has record players in every room (yep for vinyls) and Bon Iver's newest album is the record they put in each room by default. So now I'm chilling here listening to Bon Iver on vinyl as I'm writing this feeling pretty fking awesome after a great dinner. So glad we chose this hotel; the rooms are cozy and swanky, the restaurant had delicious food and live jazz music, the reception area is very well designed with lots of wood accents - barnyard doors - reclaimed wood coffee table and there is a small but beautiful art gallery w/ seating, complimentary coffee and tea, very friendly staff [WHAT MORE CAN I SAY?]. I could be completely wrong but I feel like the owner(s) / designer(s) of this hotel really put a lot of thought into the overall appeal. My guess would be they just simply wanted to charm their guests. It really feels like a hotel that cares about their hotel and how people feel during their stay and after their stay. Cool tidbits about the rooms; random lamps, especially the small desktop type lamp that illuminates the record player, barnyard door for the bathroom, ample size shower and split living room and sleeping area. Based on the price and the low expectations I had, this is easily one of my favorite hotels in WI and Chicagoland.

My husband and I stayed here during the Eaux Claires music festival. The hotel has a really cool vibe and is in an area of the city that is being developed like crazy so it's definitely setting some trends for area businesses to live up to. It was a monstrously busy weekend for the hotel with all of the events surrounding the festival and almost everything went smoothly and we felt well taken care of. We did have a couple hiccups with our stay, but I could tell it was not common in the way that management handled things. Allison was super attentive to our issues and went out of her way to make it right. We would definitely recommend staying at The Oxbow and plan to do so again the next time we find ourselves in North Western WI. If you stay here, make it a point to check out the activities they offer in the area through Oxbow Outfitters, the fancy ass cocktails at The Lakley (attached restaurant), the record selection in the front lobby (3 free rentals a night), and make sure you ask the friendly and knowledgeable staff for recommendations on everything awesome to do in Eau Claire. You can tell that folks in EC love their town and they want you to love it too.

First time staying at the Oxbow. I loved the atmosphere and the location. We were able to walk to our favorite places. (Fyi for the best burgers ever, walk to the Amber Inn). First and foremost, the customer service and staff are probably the nicest and most accommodating I've experienced. I give the staff 5 stars. I'd stay at the Oxbow for that reason alone. I have a couple of gripes but they're not reasons to not stay there again. Here are the compliments. We stayed in the suite. It was very spacious which was great. The bed was comfortable and I appreciated the large TV in the bedroom. The "living area" was convenient because we had a couple friends over to watch the Badger game. We had a great view of Eau Claire. Now some of the slight annoyances. There were no hooks or holders for towels. The vanity was small so we really couldn't lay our hand towels on there. Please put a couple of hooks near the vanity. The door to the bathroom was a rolling barn door. It fit the decor but it's not really functional. Now, I was there with my husband so neither of us cared about sounds. Just be advised that the door doesn't give one privacy. But maybe millennials are above that and good for them if they are. Overall, it was fun and an enjoyable experience. I'd stay there over other "typical" motels around Eau Claire.

Just stayed here last night and my husband and I had a phenomenal time! This place is just so charming. The rooms were hip, comfortable, and CLEAN! We checked out early and Will at the desk was the nicest guy you could ever meet! He gave us recommendations of places to go in town and even brought coffee over to us as we were looking at art in their little gallery. This place goes above and beyond! Would definitely stay here again. I am not one for reviewing places, but I just had to for a place this great!

Nicely appointed boutique hotel. We stayed two nights the staff was very helpful and friendly. They have a great outdoor patio with fireplaces. Amazing craft cocktails and food. We'd definitely stay there again if we were in the area. Few minor things that would prevent this from being a five ...lack of counterspace for toiletries, aside from natural light there's not a whole lot of light to put on make up or get ready to go out and also some pretty interesting parking if you do not park in the flat lot. For a few nights it was no big deal. Completely enjoyed our stay.

This is a quaint hotel/motel with a minimalist style that allows one to be downtown and near the river and bike paths. Those are the high points that we found (and this was our second time staying at The Oxbow). I can't say I'd recommend this place to anyone with children or any group (more than two people in their small rooms is uncomfortable). This place is for a niche population for sure. COFFEE? "Bueller, Bueller...?" The rooms do not have coffee machines. They have overpriced alcohol and candy, but no coffee. One can call the front desk (only on the morning of, NOT the evening before - asinine) to order a french press delivered to the room. I mean, I get it, in theory this is a nice option, but logistically this falls apart pretty quickly. Both times we stayed it took over 25 minutes to have coffee after waking up. If you want to be able to get up shower and have coffee right away this hotel totally fails. The bathroom set up makes everyone uncomfortable. Again, I get the thought behind having the sink separate from the bathroom and the bathroom in the bedroom, but for people trying to get ready and navigate the small room it is a real pain. I will say the toiletries are high end and smell great. The record player and album rental are fun. No free breakfast. Limited free parking on site. The beds are comfortable. The staff is pleasant but, not in any particular hurry most of the time. Overpriced for what you receive from this hotel/motel. I don't know if we will stay there again, but it might be perfect for a couple in their early twenties looking for a night out downtown and a place to crash that's not a hotel chain.

Wow! Really cool place and AWESOME staff! Tristin, Hannah, Shania, and CV were the best!!! I didn't get the bar staff names, but they were excellent too! The room was super clean and fresh, even had a record player too! The bar was right next to check in and had a cool group singing away! Great selection of IPA's and since I got there late they only had meat and cheese platters that were really tasty and perfect! Was not expecting this and way better than staying at the Hampton Inn!! LOL Keep up the great work! See you next time!

Crappy hotel. Overpriced. Hot water ran out half way through my shower. Sink would not hold water. Dirty hotel. Looks like the white tile in the bathroom hasn't been washed since last year. There are better options in Eau Claire.

We spent two nights at the Oxbow in a King Balcony room. The room was average in size, but the decor is a cool Wisconsin retro look right down to the record player your room. The bed was perfect and the room very comfortable. Really helpful and friendly staff, great coffee in the lobby every morning and, amazingly, they had bikes we could take out onto the Chippewa River trail which is just two blocks from the hotel. We also so had dinner at their restaurant, The Lakely, and even though we arrived 30 minutes before they were done serving our waiter was a pro and didn't rush us. Great food! This is a real gem of a place to stay, can't wait to come back.

Wow, what a delightful surprise! A trendy renovation of an old building, coupled with music, art and a delicious breakfast (smoked trout omelette with spinach and chèvre!). I will be back here for sure!

We stayed here for a girls getaway and I cannot say enough fabulous things about this place! From the desk staff (hi Kayla and Daniel!) to the bar staff (hi Logan!), it was TOP NOTCH! We felt appreciated by everyone that worked there, the vibe is incredible, the food was great and the drinks?! Swoon worthy! Staff had awesome recommendations for us for eating, dining, exploring, dancing, karaoking (is that a word?!) and now I keep telling all of my friends about it. Who knew it would be so awesome?! Can't wait to go back!

The front desk and cleaning people are awesome at the Oxbow, i just can't recommend paying $110 for what you get. $30 more and you can get a more comfortable and fully functional room at the Lismore.

The staff was extremely nice, and the place is better than advertised. For the same price as a chain, why wouldn't you stay somewhere like this?

I stayed here in March for a winter weekend for a gals get-away. It had many bonuses. Location was close to shops and theater. The path to the river walk is just across the street. The food in the restaurant was wonderful for both breakfast and dinner. Because it was winter and still cold, it was perfect to have the restaurant on site. They were not serving lunch, maybe because it was off season. Excellent service from mostly college age young people. There is an elevator and hot coffee and tea in the lobby all day. We are 2 middle aged / older ladies and we had room 33, on the 3rd floor of the main older building above the restaurant. It was a queen suite room with a bedroom and a sitting room. All new and lovely. It does work for 2 friends as they give you bedding to make up the sitting room futon couch in to a single bed. The bedroom has no door, so it's not private. Whoever sleeps in the sitting room has to walk into the bedroom to use the bathroom. The sink is outside the bathroom between the 2 rooms. This worked fine for us. We would stay there again.

Great place for a weekend stay, and the food at The Lakely is superb. The menu is smaller than the norm but there is more than enough variety to satisfy anyone's taste. Start with the squash soup and you won't go wrong, and if you show up Thursday through Saturday they have live jazz on stage. And I can't say enough about the drinks too.

I stayed two nights in early June while in Eau Claire for business. It was my first time staying at the Oxbow and I was super surprised. The Northwoods hipster aesthetic is front and center and it, along with an incredibly engaged and friendly staff, sets it apart from the chain hotels. From my short experience I found there was an authenticity to the place- every detail of the lobby, the rooms, the grounds, the restaurant, etc., seem to be curated and intentional. I loved the vinyl LP library in the lobby, the retro furnishings and custom art (Brian Moen!) in the room, and the selection of local snacks and craft beers in the minibar. The wifi was fast and the long work table in my room made it easy to get some after-hours work done. I stayed on the floor-level of the "Flats", and while I loved the motor lodge feel, the room was smaller than I hoped and was kind of loud being close to a busy intersection. Looking forward to maybe staying in the Main House next time. While I was there the hotel was hosting an artist in residency from Chicago and it was cool to watch her and her team work on a building-sized mural across the street from the hotel. It's apparent things like artist collaboration and neighborhood engagement is important to the owners. The hotel is conveniently located downtown. From the front door of my room I was able to walk to local shops, around the rivers, and best of all - Ramone's ice cream parlor across the street. My second night I enjoyed a really good dinner at the hotel's restaurant, The Lakey. The weather was cooperating and I was able to sit outside in their large patio. I had their koldtbord (Norwegian charcuterie, basically) and it was awesome. I wasn't able to go back to the patio later at night, but it looked cool with their large fire pits going. All in all, I'm a fan and will definitely be coming back!

Interesting hotel in the heart of downtown Eau Claire. Attentive staff, quaint rooms and an attached restaurant with live music. Very close to UWEC. Give it a try.

This hotel really needs updated. The room smelled like mildew and floors were dirty. The restaurant food was marginal. There are better hotels in the area.

I was a guest at the Oxbow from Tuesday, October 15 until Friday morning, October 19, invited to Eau Claire as one of the authors taking part in the Chippewa Valley Book Festival. I was excited to see such a wonderful accommodation upon arrival. Unfortunately, I left deeply disappointed in the experience. Beginning on Tuesday, there was no wireless internet. As a working writer, this was essential for me to continue to work between events. When asked how long it would take for internet to be back up -- understanding it takes time -- I was told on Tuesday afternoon, about 3 pm, that the router had been destroyed and a new one was being sent overnight. On Wednesday morning, I went to a cafe to get work done before my first school visit at 9 am. I figured by the time I was back, there'd be some kind of update. But coming back at 11:30 and hearing no update except the router wasn't there yet was.not exactly welcome. I had a work meeting at 12:30, with a need to be back at the hotel for my next event at 1:30. To say I had to rush to a cafe and be on that essential call in that time frame was stressful and frustrating is an understatement. I skipped lunch because there was not time for it. I attended my next school visit without having a bite to eat. Upon return from that event, after 3 pm, I was unhappy to hear that the router never showed up. At this point, after heading to a cafe at 6 am to get work done, having done two events as a guest author, and having had nothing to eat, I was more than a little fed up. Not to mention that at this point, I'd had to pay for 3 extra gigabytes of data for my phone to do basic things like look at a map, to let my company know that I had no internet, and so forth. It was completely unacceptable at this point, especially with zero update on the situation. Now $50+ in the hole for data I didn't want to purchase, as well as coffee I also didn't want to purchase while at the cafe, I hoped to wake up to internet on Thursday morning. No such luck. I once again set up shop at a cafe for the entire morning, went to lunch, and headed back to do some last minute preparation for my big evening event at the hotel. As of 2:30, the time I prepared to leave the hotel for my talk, there still was no wireless internet in the hotel. I sat in the lobby for a bit while waiting for my host to pick me up and listened to the front desk staff tell new guests that they'd "had a little internet trouble today" and "it should be up shortly." Both were untrue. I'd been there two full days without internet, and every time I asked when it'd be back up because I needed to work -- again, a hotel being used for the book festival guests who, like me, probably are not there on vacation but need to work -- there was hand waving and "we don't know." The internet was back by 10 pm on Thursday night, conveniently timed for when I planned to leave. Never during this time did I get any help about where I might be able to access the internet. A staff for the festival told me later that the library across the stress lent out wireless hotspots. That could have been nice for staff to share, given that I know I wasn't the only one asking about how I was supposed to get work done or use the internet. Every time it came up, it was a lot of hand waving and non-answers. Go because it's a cool, trendy place. But don't expect much help when an issue arises. Don't anticipate listed amenities to be available, either. OH. And the rooms don't have their own coffee pots or keurigs. So to get even hot water, you have to go down to the lobby. Not exactly convenient.

Fantastic minication at the Oxbow. From the 50's deco decor to the record player in the room complete with LP lending library in the lobby. The Lakely was a great spot for a nightcap. Craft cocktails built by the best mixologists. Can't wait to come bacj

If you want a different hotel experience this place is for you. I had the occasion to stay here for a tourism conference just a couple of blocks away. The décor of the room and the check in lobby used local wood and a lot of retro artwork. Adjacent to the main lodging area was a patio with fire pits to decompress around. I was pleasantly surprised when I went into their attached restaurant to also listen to some local musicians. The food and the service were all excellent! And not every place has a record player in every room with vinyl that you can check out and enjoy.

Excellent food, service, and atmosphere. This place is so cool I want to spend the night even thought I'm a local!

Cozy environment, excellent service and a generally comfortable and enjoyable experience.

We celebrated my birthday weekend with a weekend trip to The Oxley and we couldn't have enjoyed ourselves more. From the free upgrade, to the beautifully designed and clean rooms, extremely comfortable bed and bedding, it truly was a wonderfully relaxing weekend! Check out The Lakely for a bite, phenomenal food!