About Us
The Chandler Hotel is located in the heart of Downtown Madison. The hotel has a rich history while boasting sophistication and comfort for the modern traveler. This new, first-of-its kind boutique hotel gives a nod to the past while capturing a rich contemporary design featuring a rooftop terrace, fitness room, and spacious gathering areas. No amenity or detail has been missed. Unlock a whole new way to experience Indiana’s “Most Charming Small Town!”
Each of our eight suites at The Chandler Hotel has been designed and curated to showcase the history and wonders of Madison. This boutique experience includes an oversized luxurious shower, local bath amenities, mini-fridge, curated local coffee experience, SmartTV (complimentary Netflix), featuring premium bedding and luxe mattress. The Chandler Hotel is not equipped with an elevator. Suites 101-103 are located on the first floor and suites 201-206 are located on the 2nd floor. Guests who book the second floor must be able to climb stairs.
We do not have a phone line, please respond to your booking text message for all inquiries (this includes reservation changes) for an immediate response. We accept online reservations only. Check-in instructions and key codes are sent via text message from The Chandler Hotel two days prior to check-in date. Please ensure your cell phone number and email are correct at the time of booking.
The Story
Long before it became The Chandler Hotel, the building at 111 East Second Street stood as a quiet witness to more than two centuries of Madison’s rich history.
The story begins in 1816, the year Indiana became a state. That same year, the land—lot #93—was granted to William Hendricks, who would go on to serve as a U.S. Congressman and Indiana's third governor. By the 1870s, the property had transformed into the Sam Herin Livery Stable, a two-story brick Italianate structure that quickly became a hub of local commerce and connection. Sam Herin, regarded as the local authority on horses, ran a business described in the day’s press as a “model of beauty and convenience.”
The building remained a livery well into the 1920s, eventually operated by Louis Eisenhardt, one of its last horse stable owners. With the rise of the automobile, the livery trade gave way to a new chapter—brief but vibrant—when the “Try Me” Bottling Works leased the building in 1939. Plans were set in motion to install $20,000 worth of machinery to bring soda production to downtown Madison. Tragically, the excitement was short-lived, as Roy Cranford, the company’s president, passed away shortly after the announcement.
By 1972, the building took on a quieter role, serving as newspaper storage for the Madison Courier, tucking away its past beneath dust and silence.
Then came a new vision.
In January 2022, Dan and Matt Chandler purchased the building with a dream to bring it back to life—this time as a thoughtfully restored, eight-suite boutique hotel. Inspired by the building’s timeless architecture and deeply rooted history, The Chandler Hotel was born. Today, it stands not only as a place to stay but as a love letter to the town of Madison and its people—a place where history, hospitality, and heart come together.
