View original article by Alex Palmer and Kate Mulcrone for SuccessfulMeetings.com
Milwaukee
“Beer City” has a whole lot of excitement brewing. With renovations at major meetings properties and the debut of several new hotels, there’s never been a better time to visit.
The 205-room Milwaukee Marriott Downtown opened on Wisconsin Avenue in June. The $54-million property has 9,000 square feet of meeting and event space as well as a café/bar and a Starbucks.
The Courtyard Milwaukee Downtown has unveiled a renovated lobby and restaurant, The Bistro. The 169-room property has 2,649 square feet of meeting space divided into four rooms. Free wireless Internet is available throughout the lobby.
Last year, the Hilton Milwaukee City Center completed a $14-million renovation of its rooms and public areas. The 729-room hotel has 35,000 square feet of meeting and event space with five ballrooms and 18 meeting rooms. The property was also awarded AAA Four-Diamond status in 2012.
The Four Points by Sheraton Milwaukee recently touched up both its meeting and pre-function space. The lobby and restaurant have also been newly renovated. The hotel has 149 guest rooms and a total of 7,500 square feet of meeting and event space and can host up to 385 attendees.
The Hilton Madison Monona Terrace renovated its 240 guest rooms and lobby last spring to the tune of $2 million. Rooms were updated with new carpeting and furniture as well as media hubs that allow guests to connect their laptops and mobile devices to in-room TVs. The hotel has 1,288 square feet of meeting space and a direct connection to the 250,000-square-foot Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center.
In November 2012, the 128-room Hilton Garden Inn opened in downtown Milwaukee with 4,500 square feet of meeting space. One standout feature is a 1,000-square-foot, five-story atrium that can be used for receptions. The hotel is located in the Loyalty Building, a 19th-century landmark.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will build a 158-room hotel in Milwaukee’s historic Third Ward neighborhood at the corner of East Chicago Street and North Broadway. The new property will feature meeting space, a ground-floor restaurant, and a rooftop bar. At press time, the hotel was expected to debut in 2015.
Farther afield, The American Club Resort in Kohler, WI has wrapped up work on The Carriage House, its self-enclosed annex. The 55 rooms now feature new plumbing, furniture, linens, and — of course! — Kohler-branded products.