“Hilton Milwaukee has been a treasured icon in the city for nearly a century,” said Michael Evans, president, Marcus Hotels & Resorts. “With this renovation, we are proud to preserve this property’s legacy while warmly welcoming the next generation of visitors, whether they are coming to Milwaukee for leisure, business or the latest conference at the expanded Baird Center.”
The hotel’s two-story lobby remains its centerpiece, featuring original crystal chandeliers, marble pillars and floors, geometric motifs and intricate woodwork. The refreshed design has a warm, neutral color palette that highlights these historic details. In the hotel’s lobby bar, The Monarch Lounge, soft cream tones and custom blue and brown carpeting complement the bar’s features. The space is anchored by a stone-and-metal fireplace and crystal chandeliers.
With more than 34,000 sq. ft. of versatile meeting rooms, Hilton Milwaukee offers the most event space of any hotel in the city. The hotel’s three ballrooms, pre-function spaces and meeting rooms were renovated to maintain the now-refurbished crystal chandeliers, antique mirrors, gold-leafed adornments and bright silver accents, along with new carpeting, draperies and wallcoverings. Updated lighting controls and new digital signage were also added.
The hotel’s guestrooms were completely refreshed. The updated interiors bring a warm palette of soft woods and gold accents, complemented by custom-designed carpeting, draperies and artwork. New furnishings and lighting inspired by the symmetry and glamour of the Art Deco era were added, along with motion-sensor lighting, in-room steamers and newly installed heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
Guest bathrooms were also fully redesigned with new marble countertops, built-in lighted mirrors and premium fixtures from Kohler Co.
The hotel opened in 1928 as the Schroeder Hotel. The building’s original owner, Walter Schroeder, spared no expense in creating the hotel that would bear his name and become a lasting fixture in Milwaukee’s skyline. Over the years, the hotel changed ownership, and in 1972, Marcus Hotels & Resorts purchased the property and renamed it the Marc Plaza. Following the purchase, the hotel underwent an $8 million renovation that reconfigured its original 850 rooms into 550 deluxe units and added a parking structure and a swimming pool. In 1995, the hotel was renamed the Hilton Milwaukee City Center and was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2011. With this renovation, the hotel was rebranded as Hilton Milwaukee.
Located steps away from the newly renovated and expanded Baird Center, the hotel is also close to the Theater District, the lakefront and Summerfest grounds, Fiserv Forum and the Historic Third Ward. On-site dining options include Milwaukee ChopHouse, Miller Time Pub & Grill, The Monarch Lounge, Starbucks and The Café.
Tags: Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Marcus Corporation Hilton Milwaukee
