Milwaukee hotels

The Pfister is Milwaukee’s grande dame. This is where presidents stay, and it’s where anyone searching for yesteryear opulence should hang their hat too. Opened in 1893, the hotel is an elegant assemblage of crystal chandeliers, Victorian art, and historic touches like original mail chutes.

The Pfister is hardly a relic though. Guestrooms on the hotel’s historic side (a tower was added to the hotel in the 1960s) underwent a complete renovation in 2024 and now have state-of-the-art audio and a luxuriously muted design scheme. Renovations of the lobby, including its arched ceiling mural, are scheduled to be completed in 2025.

But the best thing about the Pfister is that despite its pedigree, it never feels stuffy. Things like its artist-in-residency program, its casual cafe, and its delightful afternoon tea in the 23rd-floor lounge make this one of the best hotels in Milwaukee not just for presidents, but for regular people too.

Say a prayer of thanks to Catherine of Bologna, patron saint of the arts, that Milwaukee has a hotel as fun as Saint Kate. This downtown playground has five galleries, ranging from museum-style spaces to a walk-in closet, but really the entire property is one big artistic experience, making it one of the most unique hotels in Milwaukee.

Saint Kate’s four Canvas Rooms are decorated by local artists and the “normal” guestrooms come with ukuleles and coloured pencils. Artwork pops out of every corner, from the lobby’s wooden horse sculpture to—my personal favourite—the photos of construction workers’ hands indicating floor numbers.

Even if you don’t stay here, Saint Kate is one of the best hotels in Milwaukee to pop in and peruse. An artist in residence gives weekly tours, local musicians play in the lobby bar, and Giggly champagne bar is the perfect spot to toast the cultured life.

The Kimpton Journeyman might have the best location of any hotel in Milwaukee. It’s in the fashionable Historic Third Ward, home to some of the city’s best shopping and dining, and a five-minute walk from the Milwaukee Public Market, the Riverwalk, and leafy Catalano Square Park.

If you’re visiting Milwaukee for its massive Summerfest music festival, the Journeyman puts you just a kilometre from the action. Rooms are crisp and modern, with yoga mats and umbrellas. Pet owners will love Kimpton’s famously pet-friendly policies, though I found it a bit odd that you have to request a second dog dish in your room.

Foodies will appreciate Tre Rivali, the hotel’s Mediterranean restaurant, but don’t skip the Outsider, the Journeyman’s rooftop bar. It opens up to a large outdoor terrace with views of the Milwaukee skyline, while fire pits keep things cozy in winter.

A mansion so nice they made it twice. Sort of. Built in 1898, this English Renaissance Revival home with Flemish gables was split down the middle, with two brothers living on one side and their sister on the other. The building reopened in 2020 as the Dubbel Dutch, a 17-room beauty that retained many original features, including fireplaces and brass doorknobs.

No two rooms are alike, but all blend 19th-century bones with modern amenities. It’s in the public spaces that the Dubbel Dutch shines though. A living room-esque lounge is stocked with books and board games, and, four nights a week, the parlour is turned over to Agency, a cocktail bar that offers all of its creations in both traditional and non-alcoholic versions.

If the hotel has one drawback it’s that there’s no concierge. A staff member is present during normal business hours, but otherwise service is virtual.

The Trade opened in 2023 to considerable fanfare. Facing the Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks, it’s the ideal place to post up if you’re in town for a game. Before tip-off, grab a local pour at Craft, the Trade’s gastropub, and then score handmade pasta at its Italian restaurant, Il Cervo, after the buzzer.

If you’re an NBA player yourself, or just very tall, you’ll love the MVP Tall rooms, which have California king beds and higher-than-average ceilings and showers. I’m not that vertically blessed, so I’m more appreciative of the Trade’s Wisconsin touches, like robes in deer-hunting blaze orange and the lobby’s replica of Milwaukee’s Hoan Bridge.

The Trade isn’t just one of the best hotels in Milwaukee; it also possesses the city’s best rooms. Its two-story Presidential Suite features a private elevator, fireplace, full kitchen, patio, and more all-star touches.

The Iron Horse pays tribute to Milwaukee’s loudest legacy. The city was the birthplace of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and the hotel captures the company’s rebellious spirit, providing biker-specific amenities like covered motorcycle parking.

There’s lots of leather, and rooms feature exposed ducts and brick walls. Even better, you’re right across the Menomonee River from the Harley-Davidson Museum, and you can get new biker boots at the Milwaukee Boot Co., whose flagship store is off the lobby.

Riding the open road can be rough, so the Iron Horse has an on-site spa offering massages. If you’re travelling with Spot in the sidecar, you’ll be glad to know the hotel is pet-friendly. Dogs will feel right at home in the Yard, the largest outdoor hotel restaurant in Milwaukee, though they might prefer Ash, where chefs cook ribeyes and lamb loins on an open hearth.

I love Milwaukee history, so I have a soft spot for the Plaza. Built in 1925, it served as a bomb shelter during WWII and retains some original Art Deco touches. Due to the building’s age, there are no elevators and limited accessibility, but the hotel has buckets of charm and does what it can to accommodate contemporary needs.

The hotel’s Classic rooms are slightly dated, but the Premier rooms were all recently renovated. Conveniently, all rooms come with kitchenettes and guests are given access to a nearby gym. My favourite thing about the hotel, though, is the Café at the Plaza, which serves breakfast and lunch.

In winter, I like to pull up at its 70-year-old, U-shaped Formica counter, while in summer the rear patio, surrounded by ivy-covered walls, is the perfect Milwaukee secret.

Milwaukee is a beer town, and the Brewhouse Inn & Suites is one of the best hotels in Milwaukee for tapping into that history. Seventeen years after the Pabst Brewery shut down, a massive restoration reopened two of its buildings as the Brewhouse in 2013.

The renovation maintained many original features, including a gorgeous stained-glass window of King Gambrinus, the off-white bricks that give Milwaukee its Cream City nickname, and the tops of six giant copper kettles. All of the Brewhouse’s 90 rooms are suites with kitchenettes, and many have handsome arched windows with views over the old Pabst complex and the city skyline.

The bedroom doors, resembling frothy glasses of beer, would be more at home in a frat house, but otherwise, the decor does a good job of immersing you in the building’s history. If you’re visiting in summer, book one of the Baron Terrace suites with a private patio.

Wisconsin’s biggest city is a pretty laid-back place, where sweatshirts are acceptable in just about any situation. But if you want to glam things up, head to the Metro, one of the few truly fancy hotels in Milwaukee.

The Art Deco stunner has a stylish black, grey, and gold colour scheme that never strays into gaudiness, and a vibe that feels like there’s always a Champagne cork popping somewhere. It’s an ideal setting for a wedding reception or rehearsal.

Even the Metro’s Basic King Rooms have sitting areas and spa tubs, but if you want to go full Gatsby, look into the Executive Suite, with its separate living area and moody, charcoal bedroom walls. Then, when you want to loosen your tie, drop by Oggie’s restaurant for classic Wisconsin cheese curds, or tip back some umbrella drinks at Pufferfish, Milwaukee’s only rooftop tiki bar.

The Drury lacks the panache of some of the other best hotels in Milwaukee, but for a reliable stay in an ideal location, it won’t let you down. It only opened in 2019, so all of its 227 guestrooms still feel fresh.

The design is basic but tasteful, with photos of Milwaukee on the walls. But the best sights are the ones out the windows, of downtown towers and boats cruising the Milwaukee River. The Drury has a pool and hot tub, nearly 420 square metres of meeting space, and a free dinner buffet that comes with three complimentary drinks.

It also has a feature few hotels in the city can boast. It’s connected to the Milwaukee Skywalk, meaning in winter you can walk to the Baird Center convention centre and the bars and restaurants of the 3rd St. Market Hall without ever stepping foot outside.