Connected to the newly extended Baird Center, the historic art deco landmark is the city’s largest hotel and Milwaukee’s meeting and convention destination of choice

Milwaukee, December 5, 2024 – The historic Hilton Milwaukee, Milwaukee’s largest hotel, announced today that it is undergoing a sweeping renovation that will cement its status as Milwaukee’s premier meeting and convention hotel. The renovation, which is expected to cost more than $40 million and be completed by summer 2025, will be the most extensive in Marcus Hotels & Resorts’ history, encompassing the transformation of its guest rooms, 34,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces, and the hotel’s exquisite lobby.

“The Hilton Milwaukee has been a towering mainstay in Milwaukee since 1928 and we are thrilled to usher in a new modern era that honors the hotel’s long tradition of style and elegance,” said Michael Evans, president of Marcus Hotels & Resorts. “While taking great care to celebrate its distinguished past, this remodel will dramatically elevate the look, feel and experience of this stately city landmark into a brand-new hotel. As the largest hotel in Milwaukee, we look forward to welcoming locals, leisure travelers and group and convention guests alike as they experience and enjoy everything about our hometown, including the expanded Baird Center right across the street.”

Previously known as the Hilton Milwaukee City Center, the hotel officially has been rebranded to “Hilton Milwaukee,” as it is most commonly known, to coincide with the coming transformation.

Luxuriously Appointed Guest Rooms

Expressing an elegance that matches the grandeur of the hotel, the completely revitalized and restyled guest rooms will marry the hotel’s 1920s aesthetics with modern style and luxuries.

Featuring a warm color palette with soft wood and gold accents, each renovated room will be completely made over to include new furnishings and lighting that highlights the clean lines and symmetry found in contemporary art and design. New custom-designed carpet and draperies will elegantly adorn each guest room, along with vibrant artwork to pop against the neutral wall tones.

Guest room bathrooms will also be completely redesigned and remodeled to include newly tiled showers, marble countertops and luxurious finishes, along with Wisconsin-based Kohler Co. fixtures and mirrors with built-in lighting.

To appeal to today’s travelers, the new guest rooms will also feature motion sensor lighting, steamers, Nespresso machines, and more. In addition to the aesthetic improvements, all guest rooms will feature updated heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

The timeless design extends into the corridors with new wallcoverings and light woodwork throughout. Custom carpeting featuring an organic design with shades of gold and blue will flow through the hallways transitioning to a structured pattern near the elevator lobbies, with art deco fixtures lighting the corridors.

Milwaukee’s Largest Meeting and Event Spaces

As the true showstoppers of this spectacular hotel, the hotel’s three ballrooms, pre-function spaces and meeting rooms will undergo extensive renovations. Dating back to the early 20^th century, each ballroom features high ceilings and beautiful details such as the original chandeliers, antique mirrors, gold-leafed adornments and bright, silver accents. These historical elements will be carefully refurbished to their original glory as they gleam down on countless weddings, meetings and other special events for decades to come.

Throughout the hotel’s event and meeting spaces will be entirely new carpeting, draperies and wall coverings. Complementing the elevated aesthetic will be a full modernization of the spaces’ functional capabilities. That includes a new state-of-the-art sound system, updated HVAC and lighting controls and new digital signage throughout. Whether hosting groups of 1,000 or 20, the Hilton Milwaukee’s numerous flexible spaces accommodate meetings and events of all types and sizes. With a dedicated on-site events team, everything from staging to AV to catering and décor is handled by professionals experienced in delivering impactful events.

Magnificent Historic Lobby

As soon as guests enter the hotel, they are taken back to the 1920s. The two-story lobby encapsulates the distinctive glamour of art deco design, welcoming guests with elegant chandeliers, geometric motifs and rich woodwork accenting the stately marble pillars and floors. The original lobby bar, now called The Monarch Lounge, welcomes locals and guests alike to relax, work or socialize as they sip a cocktail and unwind amid the lounge’s original stone and metal fireplace.

Responding To Market Conditions

As part of the renovation, the Hilton Milwaukee will renovate all 554 guest rooms in the historic hotel’s original footprint. The remaining 175 rooms located in the west tower will eventually be removed from available room inventory.

The decision not to renovate all guest rooms was the result of careful evaluation of current hotel market conditions, projected room supply and demand, and the risks associated with proposed new hotel room supply that will require significant public subsidy. While the original intention was to renovate and operate all 729 rooms, the smaller renovated footprint is more aligned with the Company’s investment criteria when factoring in these challenging dynamics.

Hilton Milwaukee’s Rich History

Originally built in 1928 as the Schroeder Hotel, the Hilton Milwaukee is an art deco masterpiece and one of the city’s finest hotels. The original owner of the property, Walter Schroeder, spared no expense as he created a hotel that would bear his name for many years and become a historic masterpiece in the city of Milwaukee.

Many compare the hotel to The Palmer House in Chicago, which was built by the same architects, Holabird and Roche. After opening, the hotel became the grandest hotel of its time with many of the original elements still celebrated today. Directly connected to the Baird Convention Center, the hotel welcomes thousands of visitors from across the globe and serves as a hub for local Milwaukeeans.

In 2011, the Hilton Milwaukee became a member of Historic Hotels of America. As Milwaukee’s convention headquarters hotel of choice, Hilton Milwaukee offers the most meeting and event space of any hotel in the city—more than 34,000 square feet—including three ballrooms and 18 well-appointed meeting rooms of various sizes. Its central location means guests are just steps away from the newly constructed Baird Center and mere moments away from the city’s Theater District, the lakefront and Summerfest grounds, Fiserv Forum, the Deer District, and the Historic Third Ward. For more information on the hotel, visit www.HiltonMilwaukee.com, find the hotel on Facebook or Instagram (@HiltonMilwaukee).

About Marcus Hotels & Resorts 

Marcus Hotels & Resorts owns and/or manages 16 hotels, resorts and other properties in the U.S. The company’s distinctive portfolio includes city-center meeting hotels, upscale resorts, historic properties, and premium branded and independent first-class hotels. Marcus Hotels & Resorts is an approved operator for all major lodging brands. A leader in the hospitality industry since 1962, Marcus Hotels & Resorts creates asset value for hotel owners through its expertise in management, development and product repositioning. This includes unique food and beverage concepts, developed by Marcus Hotels & Resorts, such as Mason Street Grill, ARIA Restaurant, Milwaukee ChopHouse, Miller Time® Pub & Grill, and SafeHouse® Restaurant. For more information, please visit: http://media.marcushotels.com and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.