Check in early and stay late during OnMilwaukee's "Hotel Week" sponsored by VISIT Milwaukee. These seven days will be packed with stories about historic area hotels, reviews, history, food and drink, staycations and more. Find out what it's like to be a tourist in this town. (Chocolate on your pillow not included.)
Downtown Milwaukee is bustling with development and that includes a variety of new hotels. With more and more new Downtown lodging options built every day, how is the Marriott – albeit a darn new one – worthy of your hard-earned dollars? By simply doing all the right things right.
The Marriott – designed by Kahler Slater and opened in 2013 – offers 205 rooms and includes ballroom/banquet space, meeting rooms, fitness center, a small-but-welcoming pool, a Starbucks (fronting Wisconsin Avenue) and the Millioke restaurant.
From the moment you walk in, guests feel a warmth exuding from a welcoming, comfortable space. The lobby greets you with a long fireplace, cozy library and exquisite chandelier. One of the best places in Downtown to have a meeting lies along the north wall with a spectacular table and chairs.
The rooms are spacious and inviting with your typical but tasteful furniture that includes plenty of working space – which I especially appreciated. My corner room faced Wisconsin Avenue, with a great view of The Pfister Hotel and the Hoan Bridge to the southeast.
The room had plenty of natural light which is high on my list for a good hotel room – no one wants to stay in a dungeon – and the cozy sitting area provided a place to relax without having to settle into bed and fall asleep. The bed was luxurious, comfy and warm which made me linger a bit in the morning to enjoy it even more.
Marriott Rewards Gold and Platinum members have access to the Concierge Lounge and it is a good one. Guests can enjoy wine or beer, appetizers and light snacks in the evening and a bountiful breakfast in the morning. The lounge overlooks bustling Wisconsin Avenue and is an accommodating space to spread out for a team meeting or even with your family during your stay.
The hotel is nestled on the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Milwaukee Street and serves as a central destination within walking distance to all the Downtown happenings. While the resurgence in Downtown dining – which includes Amilinda, the newly updated Carnevor and the soon to open Pastiche – shouldn’t be ignored, the Marriott’s restaurant, Millioke, is not one to overlook.
Millioke is home to one of the best happy hours Downtown. There is $4 beer, and many wine and rail cocktail specials. Add the $5 appetizer specials and you are bound to have a truly happy hour. We sampled the flatbread pizzas, pretzel bites with cheese dip and hummus options and the standout was the pulled pork pizza. The pork is smoked in-house and the flavor was downright delicious.
During my stay I took advantage of the prime location and also made stops at the Camp Bar in the Historic Third Ward, as well as the Milwaukee Public Market. If you seek convenience, understated elegance and great service, the Downtown Marriott is indeed a worthy hotel choice.
Carolynn Buser is one of Milwaukee's loudest and most adamant cheerleaders (don't dare try to disagree). She's the primary voice behind much of OnMilwaukee's social media and content direction, and apologizes in advance if she can be too sarcastic at times.
What else? She's a wine lover, closet trashy novel reader, beauty supplies addict and devourer of cheese (shocker for a Wisconsin born and bred girl, right?). She's also a bit of a foodie, which is a word most of you hate, we know. She works as hard as she plays - and that includes in the gym! So, you've probably seen her at one of the area's newest restaurant openings (and yes, she will share her opinions good or bad) or enjoying a cold one at a local pub.
All in all, Carolynn's a believer in positive thinking and will do her best to smack down your negative ones while writing about her city, her loves, quests and more.
