Hilton Milwaukee Completes $42 Million Transformation

Milwaukee, December 17, 2025 – The historic Hilton Milwaukee, the city’s largest hotel, proudly announces the completion of its $42 million renovation, the most extensive in the history of Marcus Hotels & Resorts, a division of Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS). The project reimagines the hotel’s ornate 1920s architecture and design into a new era of style and sophistication, unveiling a revitalized lobby and bar, transformed meeting and event spaces, and 554 fully restyled guest rooms.

“Hilton Milwaukee has been a treasured icon in the city for nearly a century,” said Michael Evans, president of Marcus Hotels & Resorts. “With this renovation, we are proud to preserve this property’s legacy while warmly welcoming the next generation of visitors, whether they are coming to Milwaukee for leisure, business, or the latest conference at the expanded Baird Center.”

Refreshed Lobby and Bar
Hilton Milwaukee’s grand two-story lobby remains the heart of the hotel, welcoming guests with its original crystal chandeliers, marble pillars and floors, geometric motifs, and intricate woodwork. The refreshed design has a warm, neutral color palette that highlights these historic details. In the hotel’s lobby bar, The Monarch Lounge, soft cream tones and custom blue and brown carpeting complement the bar’s timeless features. Anchored by its stone-and-metal fireplace and crystal chandeliers, The Monarch Lounge offers guests a refined yet relaxing place to gather, unwind, and connect.

Transformed Ballrooms and Meeting Spaces
With more than 34,000 square feet of versatile meeting rooms, Hilton Milwaukee offers the most event space of any hotel in the city. The hotel’s three ballrooms, pre-function spaces, and meeting rooms were renovated to maintain the now-refurbished crystal chandeliers, antique mirrors, gold-leafed adornments, and bright silver accents, along with new carpeting, draperies, and wall coverings. The renovation meets the needs of modern event attendees with updated lighting controls and new digital signage throughout.

Restyled Guest Rooms
The hotel’s 554 guest rooms were completely refreshed, balancing the building’s treasured aesthetic with amenities that today’s travelers expect. The updated interiors bring a warm palette of soft woods and gold accents, complemented by custom-designed carpeting, draperies, and vibrant artwork. Guests can relax amid new furnishings and lighting inspired by the symmetry and glamour of the Art Deco era while appreciating motion-sensor lighting, in-room steamers, and newly installed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

Guest bathrooms were also fully redesigned with new marble countertops, built-in lighted mirrors, and premium fixtures from Wisconsin-based Kohler Co., delivering an elevated, luxurious experience.

A Milwaukee Landmark for Decades to Come 
Opening its doors in 1928 as the Schroeder Hotel, the Hilton Milwaukee stands as a masterpiece and one of the city’s most distinguished landmarks. The building’s original owner, Walter Schroeder, spared no expense in creating the hotel that would bear his name and become a lasting fixture in Milwaukee’s skyline. Designed by renowned architects Holabird and Roche, best known for designing Chicago’s famous Palmer House, the hotel remains a testament to classic elegance and craftsmanship.

Over the years, the hotel changed ownership before Marcus Hotels & Resorts purchased the property in 1972 and renamed it the Marc Plaza. Following the purchase, the hotel underwent an $8 million renovation that reconfigured its original 850 rooms into 550 deluxe units and added both a parking structure and a swimming pool. In 1995, the hotel was renamed the Hilton Milwaukee City Center and inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2011. With this sweeping renovation, the hotel was rebranded as Hilton Milwaukee.

Today, the hotel welcomes thousands of visitors from around the world and serves as a hub for local Milwaukeeans. As the premier convention hotel in the city, its ample event spaces and 554 guest rooms allow it to host groups of nearly any size. Centrally located just steps away from the newly renovated and expanded Baird Center, the Hilton Milwaukee also places guests within easy reach of the Theater District, the lakefront and Summerfest grounds, Fiserv Forum, and the Historic Third Ward. The hotel offers multiple on-site dining options: Milwaukee ChopHouse, Miller Time Pub & Grill, The Monarch Lounge, Starbucks, and The Café.

For more information or to make a reservation at Hilton Milwaukee, please visit hiltonmilwaukee.com.

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.

About Marcus Corporation
Headquartered in Milwaukee, Marcus Corporation is a leader in the lodging and entertainment industries, with significant company-owned real estate assets. In addition to its lodging division, its theatre division, Marcus Theatres®, is the fourth largest theatre circuit in the U.S. and currently owns or operates 985 screens at 78 locations in 17 states under the Marcus Theatres, Movie Tavern® by Marcus and BistroPlex® brands. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.marcuscorp.com.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.