FAQs & FineR Details

Check-in begins at 3PM, and check out is 11AM. We leave this gap to allow us the time to turn over the rooms and clean up for the guests that are on their way, and we ask that you do not arrive early. If you need a check-in or check-out time outside this range, let us know ahead of time and we will do our best to make that happen.

We have self check-in, so everything you need will be waiting for you right inside of the main entrance. You will find your keys, general information about the Inn and about the peculiarities of your room.

If you have any questions and we aren’t around, you can always text us at 608-588-6272. We are a two-woman operation and both work full time, so there isn’t always someone available to greet you in person, but we can usually respond to texts within a few minutes.

If you’re coming in from the east/Madison you’ll be driving west on 14. Swing a left on C (you’ll see signs for American Players Theatre, Tower Hill State Park, and Spring Valley Inn) and continue on C until you reach High Point Road, the first non-driveway street on your left. If you’re coming from from the east/Dodgeville, you will be turning right off of 23 right after the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor’s Center but just before the long bridge over the Wisconsin River; this puts you on C from the other direction, and you’ll be taking a right on High Point Road this time. From High Point, take the second driveway on your left, which serves us (6901) and our neighbors (6903). Travel up the straight stretch of the driveway until you reach a split, then stay right. You will pass our vintage-camper-turned-chicken-coop on your right and the winter pasture on your left. Keep going, and the B&B is all the way on the top of the hill.

Park at the top of the hill parallel to the rock wall with nose or tail at the southern edge opposite the house. Please do not block the garage, and try to leave room for other cars on one or both sides.

We have Google pretty well trained now BUT you will want to make sure when you enter our address you put the town as ARENA, WI, not Spring Green. The limits of SG end only a few hundred yards from us but there is another High Point Road in Spring Green about 10 minutes away, and your GPS will take you to a non-existent address far out of your way if you miss this detail.

The Treehouse and Solarium are both suites - your booking includes both bedrooms and the bathroom. You are welcome to use either or both.

We’ll leave the lights on for you! We only ask that you be mindful of our other guests by keeping quiet in the common areas and on the porch in the late evening and early morning. We have warm-colored safety lighting on the interior stairs to guide you up to bed, but if you don’t feel this is enough light for you, please do use the wall switches.

The main lights in the living and dining room are on a timer and turn off at midnight, so don’t worry about trying to find a switch for them. Please don’t lock the front door - you may be locking other guests out!

Part of our focus on local food production is eating seasonally! Our breakfast menu changes from day to day based on the availability of ingredients, and the considered needs of all current B&B guests. That said, we do strive to accommodate all reasonable food restrictions* (allergies, intolerances, etc.), but we need to know about them ahead of time. That’s why we ask about this when you book and we check again with you when you arrive, in case anything has changed in the meantime. It is your responsibility to supply us with this information so we can plan accordingly and provide you with a delicious home cooked breakfast.

*An example of what we consider “unreasonable” is seeing what we have prepared fresh that day, deciding that you don’t like the offering, and trying to “order” a different breakfast. While we can’t promise to conjure a breakfast that’s absolutely perfect for each and every guest’s tastes on any given day, we would much rather see “Gary doesn’t really like vegetables” on a check-in form than an untouched plate of food we cooked from scratch (and sometimes even grew from seed) end up as chicken food.

We have a wide selection of teas and french press coffee available 24/7 in our drinks bar area.

On weekday mornings, set out fruit and fresh baked goods on the counter for you to enjoy at your leisure. We try to have then ready by 8 am or so.

On Saturday and Sunday mornings, we serve breakfast at 9:00AM. Guests who appear late to breakfast run the risk of fallen soufflés (among other disappointments).

If you need to eat earlier for a tour, let us know on your check-in form and we can usually make that work. Keep in mind Taliesin is less than 5 minutes away - we have found that scheduling breakfast an hour before your tour start time is the sweet spot.

We offer different options for breakfast seating (dining room, sunroom as the weather allows, small tables within each suite…) so you may or may not be sitting together in a room with other parties. From our own travels, we understand that sometimes a quiet, private breakfast is what our guests are after, though we’re sorry to disappoint those who consider the communal meal a hallmark of the “B&B Experience”. You’re welcome to try and strike up conversations with fellow guests if you choose, of course. We’ve watched new friendships grow over the course of a weekend!

We have a wide selection of teas and french press coffee available 24/7 in our drinks bar area, so tea time is whenever you want it! As per Wisconsin law, we are only legally allowed to serve you breakfast, so we cannot offer any kind of formal tea service or any other meal.

We hope you will take some comfort in knowing that Rita, our inside-outside cat, is forbidden from guest rooms and spends the majority of her inside time rotating between the living room and her favorite pink chair in the dining room. We vacuum very regularly, though if we need to we can also temporarily banish Rita to another area of the house that isn’t accessible to guests. For guests with moderate cat allergies, the Solarium Suite is a safer choice because it has its own HVAC system. Guests with severe cat allergies would be more comfortable staying somewhere else.

Bogey the dog is a mountain breed of livestock guardian dog called a Maremma, and he never comes inside the main house. He’s not a big fan of buildings overall though he does love cuddling with his furry friends in their house.

We are not suited for small children - there are many sharp edges, steep drops, breakable objects, and other ways to get into trouble.

We do not have screens, fast internet, or a kids menu. We do have lots of board games and puzzles, and other guests looking for a peaceful getaway.

We welcome kids over 10 who are happy to adapt to the quiet, bookish atmosphere. All minors must be accompanied at all times. Each child must be booked as an adult guest in the reservation.

Nope. Not even a tiny one.

NO. This is not a subject open to negotiation.

Please DO NOT help yourself to the major appliances, including the main refrigerator, freezer, pantry, ovens, range, knife block, or the cookware.

We do all of the Birdhouse’s laundry on site but our laundry room is NOT for guest use. If you are traveling and need to wash your clothes, Spring Green has a laundromat.

We live in a wooden house in the woods, so fire is no joke. We no not have a grill or fire pit for guest use.

In the colder months, we are happy to build a fire for you in the living room fireplace if you’re in for the evening - please ask!

Yes, all you have to do is book both suites, which includes four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The base rate includes 4 people, and additional guests are $50/person/night.

You’re still in a B&B, so all the normal rules still apply (and we still live here!). The main difference is that you can take up the whole guest fridge, not worry too much about bothering other guests, and get a bit more comfy in the common areas. Please do not invite non-overnight guests to The Birdhouse without permission.

If you would like to host a small gathering during your stay (with additional non-overnight guests), please get in touch with us via email to discuss options. Our dining table can comfortably seat 12, with additional common area seating in the living room (7-10) and sunroom (10-12).

We do not have the facilities to host weddings, but we have had many wedding parties stay here over the years - please get in touch to discuss logistics if you want to host anyone to get ready pre-wedding.

We do have central air conditioning (not controlled room by room). On the hottest days, the Treehouse West room tends to heat up in the afternoon sun - keeping the blinds closed and the door shut helps, and the Treehouse East stays much cooler. The Solarium rooms get some midday sun, but stay cooler as they are more shaded by the trees and insulated by the hillside.

Please don’t. We use as many low- and no-fragrance products as possible in our cleaning and household, as many people are sensitive to strong fragrances. Please refrain from applying perfume, cologne, body spray, or aerosol deodorant in the bedrooms - the fragrance lingers much longer than you do and can be hard to get off of furniture, carpets, etc.

No, we do not offer any cots or cribs. Each suite includes 2 guests in the base cost and can accommodate up to 4 guests (with extra guests at $50/person/night).

The Solarium Suite can host up to 6 total guests by special arrangement (in a third queen bedroom in the same hallway - smaller and usually used for storage). Please contact us by email if you are interested in this option.

Probably not. We have a long, winding, uphill driveway with a parking pad on top of a hill. There is no pull-thorugh turnaround option, and depending how long your vehicle and trailer are (and how many other vehicles are parked) you may or may not be able to turn around.

Good question! We keep a whiteboard in our dining room up to date with the hours of your local options each night. We have a few good options for a town this size, but be aware that your choices diminish rapidly after 8 pm (and even earlier on Sundays).

We have some trails we try to keep maintained on our property - maps available onsite.

Tower Hill State Park is just down the road, which has some short trails and a pretty cool historic site. Governor Dodge State Park is much bigger with a wide variety of trails, about 15 minutes south towards Dodgeville.

The Driftless Area Land Conservancy has a few trails in the area that are pretty neat - Phoebe Point is just past Taliesin and has a nice view over the river.

The Spring Green Preserve is a local favorite, with an out-and-back hike that takes you through some really unique ecosystems - native desert (with cactus and everything!), sand prairie, oak savanna, mixed hardwood forest, rocky outcrop, and “goat prairie.”

We are always surprised how many people travel to Spring Green and only know about one of the three major spots (starting with the nearest):

1. American Players Theatre: Repertory company with an outdoor 1,100-seat theater and an indoor 200-seat theater. They produce a wide range of classic and modern plays from June through mid-October (with one indoor production through November).

2. Taliesin: Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio, with tours for the mildly interested to the fanatical. The visitor’s center is worth a stop even if you don’t end up taking a tour.

3. The House on the Rock: A classic roadside attraction on steroids - started as an odd house people wanted to see, then evolved into a four hour fever dream of sensory overload.

So glad you’ve asked. Some of our faves (in no particular order):

• Convivio: Impeccably curated selection of wine, spirits, and mostly kitchen-adjacent gifts (plus an espresso bar and a secret basement cocktail night on Fridays in the summer).

• The White School: Wood-fired pizza at a historic schoolhouse with a fabulous back garden. Friday and Saturday nights only during the summer.

• Arcadia Books: Stellar local independent bookstore with a great selection and interesting events.

• Slowpoke Lounge and Cabaret: Impeccable vibes. Laid-back bar with great cocktails, shelves of records, and lots of live music throughout the year.

• The Frozen Local: Small batch ice creams made with local ingredients and a whole lot of love.

• The General Store: A Spring Green classic, with lunch specials and a wide range of gifts.

If you realllly want to know…

• Mineral Point: Old mining town turned artist colony. Full of neat stone houses, galleries, shops, a historic site, and more. If you like natural wines, stop at the American Wine Project for a tasting.

• Baraboo: Clowns and cranes. No, really.

• Mount Horeb: A cute town turned suburb with a bustling main street and a whole personality centered around trolls.

It’s right there! A popular spot for kayaking, canoeing, and slowly floating in a tube. Check local conditions before getting out on the river, always wear a lifejacket, and do not underestimate the power of the current! Several local companies provide rentals and shuttle services.

Not at all! Before we acquired the property in May 2019, this was a family’s home. They had expanded it several times to keep up with their growing family (5 children!) but by the time we got on the scene, the home hadn’t been regularly lived in for almost a decade and there was a mountain of deferred maintenance necessary. Yes, we furnished the B&B completely. No, we did not build the kitchen. We’ve made many small modifications to the building, and return guests will no doubt see many more in the years to come.

Yes! We have private rooms above the kitchen and on the ground floor.

Once you see the driveway, you’ll know 70% of the reason! The town of Spring Green is very quiet in the winter with the main tourist attractions closed for the season. We also take the chance to recharge, work on some of those ongoing projects, and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Definitely not - we don’t need another daily chore! Or an exponentially multiplying herd!