The Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee
Expert reviews
“Milwaukee’s grandest old hotel dates from 1893. The lobby’s long, high barrel-vaulted ceiling puts you in a Victorian frame of mind from the moment you step in. Rooms are decorated with a Victorian flavor and some are odd shapes, reflecting the complications of pouring modern amenities into an old structure—but this actually adds to the charm.”
“Milwaukee’s most historic hotel, the Pfister was built in 1893. The hotel exudes old-style European elegance.”
What guests liked
- Top location
- Boutique style
- Comfortable beds
- Free Wifi
- Friendly staff
All you need to know
The Pfister Hotel is an expansive historic luxury hotel located in downtown Milwaukee. The building was opened in 1893 and was named the “Grand Hotel of the West,” and has since stood as an iconic landmark within the city.
The hotel is known for its grand architecture, lavish interiors, and elegant atmosphere and hosts many cultural and music events throughout the year.
The impressive Pfister Hotel has 307 guest rooms and suites, each with its own unique design and decor. The guest rooms have been designed with modern luxuries while retaining their historic charm.
Each room features modern amenities such as flat-screen TVs, high-speed internet access, luxury bedding, and luxurious private bathrooms. The hotel also offers a range of luxury amenities and services, including a fitness center, a spa, and a salon.
The hotel has a variety of amazing dining options including Mason Street Grill, however, it is its impressive art collection that the Pfister hotel is noted for. With over 80 pieces of original artwork, the hotel is an important fixture in Milwaukee’s art scene and hosts many artists-in-residence, who live and work in the hotel’s studio space and interact with guests.
The glamorous Pfister hotel is well-located in the downtown area of Milwaukee, surrounded by many excellent restaurants and bars. The hotel is within walking distance of the Wisconsin Center, Cathedral Square Park, and the popular Pabst Theatre and is the ideal place for people looking to add a touch of old-style glamor to their stay.
Hotel deals & lowest price guarantee
We partner with Booking.com and Agoda. Both booking websites offer the lowest price guarantee so you can be certain you will always get the best deal for this hotel. If you have seen a better price elsewhere, all you need to do is contact the booking website and they will refund you the difference immediately. You can price match right up until the day before check-in.
Location
Recent guest reviews
21 September 2025
Exceptional
The king suite was perfect. Great lighting, superb decor. Wonderful to be there. Mason Street Grill was really good.
Leaving.
18 September 2025
Exceptional
The staff was exceptionally warm and welcoming, with the Bell boys standing out by offering excellent recommendations throughout my stay. Their friendly demeanor truly enhanced my experience.
18 September 2025
Grand old hotel
Old hotel but meticulously maintained. Very friendly staff, who go above and beyond to welcome and please.
No complaints.
14 September 2025
Overall we loved our stay!
Big rooms, super comfortable beds, great bathroom, great breakfast cafe
I wished the spa had hot tubs or steam rooms and a locker room.
9 September 2025
Exceptional
Everything about this hotel makes you feel like you're worth something. It was one of the best hotels I have ever stayed.
I couldn't stay longer 😂
4 September 2025
Great trip loved staying in the city
Historic and great location
Nothing
2 September 2025
Beautiful historic hotel with updated accommodations.
The King Suite was very spacious and comfortable.
Overnight parking was expensive. We found parking in a nearby garage.
31 August 2025
Excellent facility in a convenient location well appointed with excellent service
The room was well appointed and the staff was fantastic
Initially the room smelled of cigar smoke but they managed to get the smell out
28 August 2025
Loved the champagne at check-in.
Very clean and elegant
The only thing I experienced was the noise from the rooms next to us and in the hall which made it difficult to sleep at times.
21 August 2025
Exceptional
Everything
Nothing
19 August 2025
Great experience with a really centric location
Great location for walking to various city sites, museums and the lake
Really great experience but the fact that guests have to stand in line for over 1 hr for restaurants on premise was a little annoying.
18 August 2025
Exceptional
It's very upscale and very clean
Parking is $38
16 August 2025
Exceptional
Beautiful hotel! The location is great and convenient to getting to see many of the sights around Milwaukee.
15 August 2025
Our 50th Anniversary stay to recreate our wedding night was memorable.staff was so nice and treated us to a free breakfa
Very historic hotel and it was a good location in downtown.
The heavy and lumpy duvet on the bed. We prefer a light blanket.
14 August 2025
Wonderful stay!
This is hotel is fabulously beautiful! The lobby, the room, the Mason Grill, and breakfast room exceeded my expectations. We had a delicious dinner in the Mason grill.
12 August 2025
Excellent
Clean ,friendly staff
11 August 2025
I’d stay there again in a heartbeat
Great location, clean and very nice staff
My room a/c wasn’t working very well.
6 August 2025
Elegant
Beautiful ornate hotel that feels like it would fit fine in any of the Grand cities of Europe. You will definitely feel fancy with people in long dresses and suits. Lots of helpful staff.
4 August 2025
Perfect anniversary weekend getaway
I love the smell of the lobby
Doors were a little loud
4 August 2025
This is the place to stay.
It is stunning. Champagne upon arrival was fabulous. Just gorgeous. Restaurant in the lobby was outstanding.
Nothing
1 August 2025
It’s sure not inexpensive, yet I’ve made this our Milwaukee spot for visits to see family because — wow! What bliss :)
Just gorgeous!
27 July 2025
Beautiful one of a kind stay.
Beautiful. Fancy. Had a couple drinks at the lobby bar. Enjoyed the bar on the top floor. Beautiful bathroom. Beautiful room and view. Comfortable bed. Hotel robes. Loved the location. Was able to walk to the Pabst Theatre for a show.
Wish the concierge told us initially we could park on the street for free on Sunday. Paying $38 to park at a hotel we're guests of is outrageous. Parking should be free for guests.
21 July 2025
Great Location with Nice Staff
Nice historic hotel in a great location in DT Milwaukee. The walkability was perfect to the Third Ward, Art Museum, and River Walk. Nice bar in the lobby and staff was very helpful and friendly. Parking is easy on-site.
Rooms in the newer tower felt a bit stale and there were parts of the hotel that try to offer some old world opulence actually felt gaudy and just old. Amenities were sparse too.
16 July 2025
Wonderful hotel!
Beautiful hotel. Lovely rooms with comfortable beds. Excellent restaurant on site.
I loved it all. Although bathroom door needs adjusting to shut properly.
13 July 2025
Exceptional
The hotel was close to everything. Places we went to were less than 10 minutes away
13 July 2025
An excellent hotel.
Our suite was gorgeous. Best bathroom of any hotel we have ever stayed in! Super comfortable bed too. Architecture in hotel so lovely.
Everything in the hotel was PERFECT
10 July 2025
Exceptional
Being able to see the Los Angeles Dodgers get on the team bus while I enjoyed breakfast! I also liked how nice I was greeted when I checked in. The lobby bar area was fun too!
I wish I had a better view from my room. I was in 629. When I checked, I was given that particular room because of limited availability. The room itself was great.
9 July 2025
This is a beautiful hotel with a superb staff everything you would need for a luxurious stay.
Beautiful hotel, comfortable rooms, absolutely stellar service. Surprisingly excellent in dining food options.
We were originally put in a room that had a strange loudly vibrating wall whenever some sort of electrical panel on the other side of the wall turned on. Layla at the front desk promptly switched us into another room and had engineers go take a look at it.
9 July 2025
Exceptional
Absolutely beautiful historical property. Upscale for good value.
8 July 2025
Great trip. Helpful staff
Everyone was so nice and helpful and it was clean and in a great location
Nothing
6 July 2025
MKE Summerfest with the Family
This hotel was amazing! Extremely beautiful. Everyone working at the hotel was so pleasant and helpful. They went above and beyond on a daily basis. The complimentary champagne at check-in was a nice surprise! The hotel was very conveniently located for our visit to Summerfest, the lakefront and Discovery World children's museum.
Nothing to comment in this regard!
6 July 2025
Very good
Beautiful, well kept, and friendly professional staff
5 July 2025
It made my wife's 78 birthday one of the best birthdays.
Number one best part was the staff. Everyone from the front desk to the lounge host were warm, friendly and helpful. Everyone we met went beyond expectations to make sure our stay was fantastic. The staff was so great we are already thinking about our next stay at the Pfister Hotel.
It was perfect.
5 July 2025
10/10 will definitely stay again
clean and friendly! comfortable beds!
4 July 2025
It was the perfect hotel for a memorable mother-daughter trip
Historic property Well maintained
2 July 2025
It was the perfect birthday celebration.
Excellent, ate at the hotel.
Nothing
2 July 2025
Exceptional
Wonderful room, great location
Breakfast was not included
21 June 2025
Would recommend.
It was clean (even the parking ramp), security seemed always available, decorative, pleasant and relaxing. The staff was great.
The lounge area women’s room was humid, our room was nice but stained carpet. There was a delay to check-in (past 3 pm) which delayed our plans a bit. It was a busy festival weekend
21 June 2025
Very good
Very nice place. parking on site. Clean. Beautiful lobby.
We showed up at the time they said we could get our room (3:00pm) and we ended up waiting over an hour before they gave us a room (4:10pm). Room was a little expensive because of summerfest.
17 June 2025
Exceptional
I booked a stay for my birthday getaway and this was first time staying at Pfister The hotel is stunning, staff is welcoming Everything was on point
10 June 2025
Luxurious!
The cleanliness, the gorgeous lobby and bar, and the art collection. Lovely staff too!
I wish fancy hotels in the US used classical furniture rather than corporate looking cabinets and tables.
7 June 2025
Exceptional
Lounge near the fireplace, high tea, great location, great food.
4 June 2025
Exceptional
The Lobby as you enrered was Soo Beautiful to see and the offer of a glass of champagne as you arrive was a Wow experience to start.
nothing
3 June 2025
Gracious living at it’s best on a budget
The interior spaces, the facilities and all the up to date mod cons
Couldn’t stay longer
3 June 2025
Beautiful historic hotel with all the modern upgrades
We had some check in issues where the booking system had apparently went down causing some overbooking. They upgraded the rooms, one only had a pull out couch and not a real bed so they moved that room the next day.
lack of Coke products and sundries store options.
27 May 2025
Exceptional
Excellent service and food. Annie was fantastic.
23 May 2025
A really great hotel
Great public areas
23 May 2025
We will return!
Beautiful and classy hotel in every aspect!
Rooms could use updating, however were spacious and comfortable.
20 May 2025
Exceptional
This hotel is lovely - I liked the convenience of the bar/lobby, restaurants, parking. We stayed in the Historic side and our room was beautiful & comfortable. I will definitely stay here again
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Breakfast in the room
- - Wine/champagne (additional charge)
- - Coffee house on site
General
- - Room service
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Facilities for disabled guests
- - Barber/beauty shop
- - Lift
- - Safety deposit box
- - Heating
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Paid WiFi
Business facilities
- - Meeting/banquet facilities
- - Business centre
- - Fax/photocopying
Reception services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Luggage storage
- - ATM/cash machine on site
- - Concierge service
Activities
- - Fitness centre
- - Spa and wellness centre (additional charge)
- - Massage (additional charge)
- - Indoor pool
- - Indoor pool (all year)
- - Evening entertainment
- - Spa facilities
- - Back massage
- - Neck massage
- - Foot massage
- - Couples massage
- - Head massage
- - Hand massage
- - Full body massage
- - Fitness
- - Live music/performance
Cleaning services
- - Dry cleaning
Parking
- - Parking garage
Pool and wellness
- - Rooftop pool
- - Pool with view
- - Heated pool
- - Sun loungers or beach chairs
- - Swimming pool
- - Swimming pool
Miscellaneous
- - Breakfast takeaway containers
- - Delivered food is securely covered
- - Face masks for guests available

More photos

29 September 2025
Grand property well located in downtown Milwaukee. Very enjoyable stay and plan to repeat in future.