Washington House Inn: A Guide to Cedarburg's Historic Flagship

The Washington House Inn is Cedarburg's flagship place to stay — the top-rated hotel in town, a historic bed-and-breakfast-style inn right on Washington Avenue in the middle of the historic downtown. This is an honest guide to what it's actually like: the real history (which even the inn's own marketing tells inconsistently), the rooms, what's included, the few things worth knowing before you book, and how it fits a Cedarburg visit. For live rates and to book, see the Washington House Inn listing.

The history: older than "1886"

You'll see the Washington House Inn described as "established 1886," including on some of the inn's own pages — but the fuller story starts earlier. The inn was founded in 1846 by Conrad Horneffer, a German immigrant who'd learned the saddler's trade and built Cedarburg's first inn along with the town's first harness shop. That makes it, by its own history, Cedarburg's original inn.

The 1886 date refers to the building. Horneffer's original wooden structure was replaced that year with the three-story cream-city-brick building that still stands today. It ran as an inn into the 1920s, then spent decades as retail stores and apartments before being bought in 1983 and renovated back into an inn, reopening in 1984 with 15 rooms. More rooms were added over the following years, and in 1994 the nearby Schroeder House brought the total to its current size. So the accurate version is: founded 1846, current building 1886, revived as an inn in 1984.

The rooms and the two buildings

The inn has 34 rooms across two buildings. Twenty-nine are in the main inn — the cream-brick building on Washington Avenue, which has an elevator — and five are in the Schroeder House, three buildings north, which has a more private, tucked-away feel (its second floor is reached by the original staircase). Every room is individually decorated and named for a figure from Cedarburg's history: early settlers, mill builders, the town's first doctor, its postmasters. It's a genuine touch, not a theme — the names trace the actual people who built the town.

Rooms lean romantic and historic: antique furnishings, original details, and amenities like whirlpool baths, fireplaces, and steam showers in many rooms. This is a bed-and-breakfast experience rather than a modern hotel one, which is the appeal for most guests and worth knowing if you're expecting standard hotel uniformity.

What's included

Two things guests consistently single out. The first is the evening wine and cheese social hour — around 5pm daily, featuring local Wisconsin wines (including bottles from nearby Cedar Creek Winery) and cheeses. The second is the deluxe continental breakfast, a scratch-made buffet with rotating hot items, pastries, and fruit. Both are complimentary, as are wifi and parking. There's also a rotating art gallery in the lobby spotlighting local artists, and on-site massage can be arranged. For a lot of returning guests, the social hour and breakfast are the reason they come back.

What to know before you book

An honest guide includes the caveats a sales page won't. A few things reviewers consistently mention: some rooms are on the snug side, so if space matters, look at the larger rooms or suites rather than the entry-level ones. Some rooms face Washington Avenue and can catch street noise and light — worth requesting a quieter, rear-facing room if you're a light sleeper. The parking lot is free but small and close to the building. And a handful of guests feel the package rates run high for what's included, so it's worth comparing room-only versus package pricing for your dates. None of these are dealbreakers — it's consistently the #1-rated stay in town — but they're the real texture behind the five-star average.

The other practical note: it books out early for festival weekends. If you want to stay here during the Strawberry or Wine & Harvest festivals, reserve well ahead — see our festivals guide for dates.

How it fits a Cedarburg visit

The inn's biggest asset is location. It sits right in the middle of the historic district, so the shops, galleries, restaurants, the Cedar Creek Settlement, and the festival footprint are all a short walk out the front door — no driving, no parking hunt once you've arrived. For a weekend of walking the downtown, it's about as central as it gets. Our things to do in Cedarburg guide maps out the rest of a visit, and the where to stay in Cedarburg guide covers how it compares to the town's other lodging.

Booking

For current rates, room details, and availability, see the Washington House Inn listing. Book directly and well ahead for festival weekends and fall, the busiest times.