Hyatt Regency Milwaukee

The Hyatt Regency Milwaukee opened in 1980 and was last renovated in 2009. It’s a business hotel first and foremost, but expect to see a good deal of leisure travelers on weekends given the hotel’s proximity to local arenas and downtown attractions. The lobby is bright and modern, highlighted by striking carpet that has wavy patterns and vibrant colors. Several clusters of contemporary furniture provide lots of places for quiet conversation or casual meetings. When major conventions are in town or conferences are hosted at the hotel, the lobby often buzzes with activity. 

The Hyatt Regency is centrally located in downtown Milwaukee, a five-minute walk to The Wisconsin Center via a connected skywalk. Several of the city’s top attractions are also within a five-minute walk, including BMO Harris Bradley Center, riverfront Pere Marquette Park, The Shops of Grand Avenue, Miller High Life Theater, and the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. The historic Pabst Theater is a seven-minute walk across the Milwaukee River. The lakefront Milwaukee Art Museum is a nine-minute drive or 16 minutes via public transit (the bus stops in front of the convention center). It’s just a six-minute drive to the Harley-Davidson Museum and to Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. Driving to General Mitchell Milwaukee International Airport takes roughly 16 minutes or about 40 minutes by bus. 

Guest rooms are comfortable, spacious, and tastefully decorated, though some units look slightly dated, with beds that have fussy, light-blue dust ruffles. Walls, carpeting, and drapes are light tan, and lighting fixtures are sleek and contemporary. The furniture has a tigerwood-style finish, and some pieces are topped with glass or granite for a classy touch. Perhaps the best feature is the skyline views that most units offer, and Lake Michigan can be seen from some of the east-facing rooms on higher floors. 

Standard Doubles and upper-floor Regency Club rooms are 300 square feet and have desks with office chairs and upholstered armchairs, and 18 larger Suites on the top floors also are part of the inventory. Standard amenities include mini-fridges, coffeemakers with free Tazo tea and Starbucks coffee, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and robes, but there are no microwaves or safes. All of the average-size bathrooms have roomy granite vanities and shower/tub combos, magnifying mirrors, and upmarket toiletries. Units are generally quiet, clean, and well maintained.  

Amenities at this hotel are a plus, with a variety of features that cater to business travelers on the go. A skybridge connects the property to the city's major conference center, and the hotel has its own 33,000 square feet of event space, including a rooftop ballroom. There's ample comfortable seating and tables at the 24-hour business center for informal meetings, and multiple computers and printers. Wi-Fi is free throughout.

For dining, Bistro 333 serves American classics for breakfast (fee), lunch, and dinner. It also has private dining spaces and a large bar with a good selection of wine and craft beers. Guests staying in Regency Club rooms have access to the Regency Club, where there's a free weekday breakfast (it’s closed on weekends) and other perks. 

The hotel doesn't have a pool, but the 24-hour fitness center has a good selection of LifeFitness cardio and strength-training machines, free weights, and yoga equipment for guests to borrow. Sarah’s Pantry sells souvenirs, sundries, snacks, sandwiches, and Starbucks coffee. Other amenities include room and concierge service, valet dry cleaning and laundry, and valet and self-parking is available in an attached garage for a fee. Pets are welcome with a surcharge.