The Pfister Hotel

Absolutely wonderful experience! The staff is amazing and very friendly! Excellent bar service! Most comfortable bed I’ve slept in a hotel! Beautiful view of Lake Michigan from our room!

Leaving my stay at the Pfister, I’m surprised by the wide disparity in reviews. Some call their stays luxurious and decadent. Others merely “meh.” Our stay was a disappointment. Unimpressed. We were expecting more from what appeared, from the website, to be such a beautiful, historic hotel. Upon arrival, yes, the lobby was glorious. But it felt like the only way to sit and enjoy that beautiful lobby, at least in the afternoons and evenings, was if you were ordering drinks from the bar. Given the smallness and general un-coziness of our room (more on that below), for what we were paying I would have liked a spot to sit, read, and relax in the lobby without feeling like I needed to order drinks from the bar in order to have that privilege. Our room (16th floor in the newer tower section of the hotel) was quite small and merely average in terms of condition and amenities. It was clean, but on the verge of feeling slightly worn. Given the range of reviews, I wonder if rooms might be significantly different and nicer in the older, more historic part of the hotel. ??? We visited in July and our room was so cold, even with AC turned up to 80, that it was hard to feel comfortable and sleep. When we tried turning the AC completely off and the heat on, got a weird smell from the heating system. So wound up turning that off and bundling up in the okay-but-nothing-fancy bathrobes from the closet to try to sleep more warmly through the night. Bathroom had generic-feeling toiletries and was small with inadequate space and hooks for hanging wet towels, swimsuits, etc. Pool area had amazing views of downtown and lake, but didn’t feel particularly spiffy. Again, a little worn and dated. At checkout, after our second night of sleeping in that cold, relatively uninviting room, Jack at the front desk was gracious. He offered us a slight bill adjustment for the inconvenience of our room. We appreciated the gesture, but would have preferred the stay to have just been a better one.

The Pfister Hotel is exceptional in every way. From check-in to key-drop, we were pampered in Wisconsin's most beautiful hotel, by the friendliest & most professional staff, and enjoyed a wonderfully luxurious sleep. We've had 2 stays so far in June and will be back for another in July.

Love the hotel beautiful,staff is super friendly and great location. The blue lounge ge on the 23rd floors great with great views of the city. Only reason it does not get 5 stars is because of the café. The Café is below average food and services should be better. Hotel great, Café not so much.

We had a blast in Milwaukee! Staying at the Pfister has a way of making everything seem extra special. Making the reservations was a breeze, and all of the details were taken care of. Checking in was delightful, thanks to all of the special touches and accommodations. The best part of each day was spent relaxing and snacking in the lounge. We really enjoyed getting to know the staff, especially Peter. The views, both inside and out, are amazing. Love the Pfister!