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    Knickerbocker on the Lake

    2.8 (97 reviews)
    ModerateHotels
    Open Open 24 hours

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    Jasmine G.

    My absolute favorite place to stay for a little break from day to day life. I live in Milwaukee, but staying here makes me feel like I'm on an actual vacation. The rooms are stunning and I always feel safe. I've never heard any loud neighbors or guests, and the lobby alone is always so clean and gorgeous.

    Jay A.

    I don't usually review a place before I've settled in but here we go... In short, I don't like it. It's my fault that I chose a hotel that was not on the preferred list but the hotel I love was full and the others were significantly more than normal. Me being a good financial steward went for the lower cost. I looked online using the travel tool and they had great pictures. The pictures they show are of their suits which looked okay. So I arrive and I'm in a basic room. Damn, this was not what I was expecting. Walking in through the lobby I was like oh this is nice! Then I walk into this Motel 6 level room that is sweltering hot from the ancient furnace being cranked up to hell. It's not going to cool off anytime soon so I figure out how to turn the thing off (I think), crank the window ac unit and open the window. A cold compress and now my core temp is back to normal. Ugh. Do they expect anyone to actually work in this dark dungeon nook for an office space ? And if you turn sideways you can walk through the bathroom which only takes about 1 step from the door to the backside of the tub. Why is the carpet so dirty? Like they haven't shampooed the carpet in 2 years. Ugh. Well now I know. I travel here a lot but this will be the only time I stay at this place. I'd ask for another room but it's probably not reasonable to expect it's better than this if they can't get this one right. At least the lobby is nice. One star for that. There are so many other nice hotels in Milwaukee, give one of those a try because this one my friend is not one of them. Ugh 6 more days. One star. 4 hrs later.... Okay so remember I opened the window and cranked the AC. I decided to go get some dinner at an amazing place (I'll tell you all about that later) while the room cooled down. I return and the place is still hot. I cranked the furnace to off like they told me but that thing just kept on cooking! I returned to a room that is still warm, and I can't sleep with the window wide open. So I call the front desk to figure out how to get the furnace to turn off. The guy says don't worry about it, we will put you in a cooler room that's a little larger. Like that they just made it right, without me even asking. Now I'm in a jr suit (I think )and it's much nicer. Is it the best suit I've ever stayed in nope, but it's what I expected when I booked here. I really like the space and it has plenty of character. I found myself talking about the next time I stay here which reminded me to update this review. +2 stars for the better room, +1 more star for the amazing service. Thank you!

    Cool lobby

    Great location. Quiet neighborhood. Clean room. Fast service. Secure parking. Totally recommend for an affordable, safe, reliable, and cozy place.

    Mari P.

    I stayed here after flying into Milwaukee and although initially the check-in staff was less than helpful, some staff were better and the accommodations were reasonable for the value. Here's my complaint: I had a bad fall and sprained my ankle coming in the back door from the parking lot. After using my hotel key to open the door, I stepped inside and there was a single step down immediately after the threshold. There was NO warning and I went down hard on a cement floor. This was the first day of our trip for a family reunion. The guy who helped us check in was not interested, however when my husband went to file an incident report, the lady who was working the front desk was very helpful. My foot is still swollen and sore but I am hoping to recover without further medical treatment. Here's a picture of the threshold that took me down! They need to make people aware of the step or it's going to happen over and to other people going through that entrance. As you can see they painted the outdoor step yellow, but there was no warning about this step inside. If you're staying here, be careful and let THIS review be your warning!

    Little kitchen in standard room.
    Mary J.

    We stayed here one nightand enjoyed ourselves. Since we arrived later in the evening all the street parking was taken and we had to pay $18 to park in their lot. Many hotels in Milwaukee charge much more so we were ok with it The room was very unique, see my photos, with a small kitchen area as well as an eating area and desk. The bathroom is very small, the toilet paper roll is RIGHT NEXT to the toilet to the point where you have to lean a little bit to unroll it. We decided Thursday to stay in Milwaukee Friday night so we got a pretty good price for the room. We weren't looking for anything luxurious and enjoyed the quaint surroundings. This is not too far from the lakefront and it's a great part of town.

    The open "coffin" door
    Cher M.

    Stayed in room #620 for the Milwaukee Wine Festival on Aug. 13. Boyfriend wasn't sure about letting me pick the place to stay (I tend to prefer to "wing it" which he thinks is code for "sleep on a park bench" but boy was he ever pleasantly surprised with my choice of the Knickerbocker. First this to know: the Knickerbocker is part hotel, part condos. So you have full-time residents living in this building as well as a steady stream of internet-savvy (It wasn't listen in Kayak, Expedia and the like-- I really had to dig around to find this place) people coming in and out. For some people this is their home, not just their home-away-from-home so the "hotel" vibe wasn't as present as in, say, a Doubletree or a Hilton, and it was a quiet and restful place to stay. It was nice to be in an off-the-beaten-path place that didn't look beaten up. The clerk at the front desk was ridiculous (in a good way) He was good-natured, kind of goofy, but very friendly, and he made it seem like we just MADE HIS DAY by walking into the hotel. I don't know what he was on, but I want some of it. The room was clean, decorated, and very homey. It was like house-sitting for a friend (with really good taste in decorative pillows.) with a kickass flat screen TV and GIANT walk-in closet. Seriously...the closet was as big as the bathroom. You could fit a full-sized bed in there. I was distracted by neat features like the molding (I took pictures, see below) and an old-fashioned dry cleaning passthrough in the door. (which explains the coffin-like doors for those reviewers who don't know how to READ the giant instruction signs inside them), and a kitchenette (complete with a waffle iron, which left me with a 'huh' expression on my face). The only con for me was the bed. It was kind of hard... or maybe just stiff? I'm not sure, but I think it was some version of a tempur-pedic mattress. It did no favors for my back, but after being out of bed for a couple hours, I realized that my back felt better than it had in days. So I'm not sure if I'm a hypochondriac or my back is just falling to pieces. Maybe Yelp can help me find a chiropractor before I return to Milwaukee! Parking was awesomely easy. We arrived around 4 and found a (FREE) parking spot right in front of the building. There's tons of free parking all around the hotel, so I'm not sure what previous reviews were referring to when they complained about parking. Oh, and it was only $99 to stay on a Saturday night! Compared to even the most generic of hotels nearby (Comfort Suites, anyone?) It was the least expensive option by far.

    Creepy looking "The Shining" hall ways.

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    8 months ago

    Excellent front desk service thanks to Jade who gave friendly and personalized attention at check-in.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Knickerbocker on the Lake

    Review Highlights - Knickerbocker on the Lake

    The room had character because it's a older building, but it wasn't shabby or rundown.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    The Iron Horse Hotel - The lobby area

    The Iron Horse Hotel

    (463 reviews)

    $$$

    Walker's Point

    This place is just COOOOOOOOL. You will NOT regret your stay!! My boss took a bunch of us here for…read morea team building. It has been my favorite hotel stay to date. Make the reservation!

    My stay at The Iron Horse Hotel was extremely disappointing, especially for a property that markets…read moreitself as a boutique experience. From the moment I walked in, the lobby was overwhelmed with a heavy, Axe body spray-like scent--so strong it felt like walking through a middle school locker room. I assumed it was temporary and that my room would be a relief, but unfortunately, it was worse. The room smelled musty, like a house that hasn't been aired out in years. To make matters worse, the wallpaper was peeling off the walls, which is unacceptable for a hotel at this level. Beyond that, the overall cleanliness of the hotel was lacking. For a boutique property, I expected a much higher standard, but the space felt worn and not well-maintained. The bed was hard and uncomfortable, and the towels were rough--far from the soft, high-end feel you'd expect. The most concerning part of my stay, though, was waking up at 1:45 AM struggling to breathe. It genuinely felt like a reaction to something in the room--possibly mold or poor air quality. I initially thought I was getting sick, but after spending a few hours away the next day, I felt completely normal again, which makes it hard to ignore the room as the cause. If you have any respiratory sensitivities, be cautious. I contacted the front desk to explain the situation and was told checking out early without being charged for another night wouldn't be an issue. I even offered to return around noon so they could turn the room, but was told not to worry since they weren't sold out. When I returned later that day, there was no note, and the staff refused to honor what I had been told, citing the late checkout time. While I understand policies, the inconsistency and lack of follow-through were frustrating. I also dined at the hotel restaurant, which didn't help the experience. The food was overpriced for the quality--my salad was warm, fries were room temperature, and clearly sat out too long. Dessert was equally disappointing; the lemon tart was buried under an excessive amount of powdered sugar, making it unpleasant to eat. It's honestly a sad day when I transferred to a basic airport hotel--Hyatt Place Milwaukee Airport--and had a significantly better experience. The bed was more comfortable, the towels were actually soft, and even the shampoo and conditioner were noticeably better quality. On top of that, the Hyatt was spotless, which only made the lack of cleanliness at Iron Horse stand out even more. Overall, this stay fell far below expectations. Between the condition of the room, air quality concerns, cleanliness issues, and poor service recovery, I won't be returning.

    The Pfister Hotel - The Pfister Lobby

    The Pfister Hotel

    (454 reviews)

    $$$

    Downtown, East Town

    We love it here. Very spacious and relaxing. Rooms are so clean and the pool has a beautiful view…read more Everyone here is so nice and accommodating. The lounge is perfect for snacks and breakfast. I would definitely upgrade to that package and the people working in the lounge were so sweet and kind to our whole family. Again the views are amazing. Really kid friendly.

    I'm somewhat torn on this review. I think the hotel is beautiful - especially the rooms in the…read moreolder part which scream history (and have huge corridors - very European feel!). I thought our room size was decent - a suite with a separate bedroom and sitting area. However, it was very pricey and I think for the price, we shouldn't have had hair in the shower, a discarded tissue by the nightstand and .. something gooey on the phone. I know it's hard to find every nook and crannie of these rooms, but it is very expensive and compared to other hotels of this caliber/price, this was unusual. Hopefully an anomoly. I also thought we booked 2 queen beds but these beds were certainly only doubles - not so large when you've got 4 people staying in a room. Service was good when we were there, though I tried to contact them my email ahead of my visit (no reply) and also by phone where I wasn't greeted super warmly. However, upon arrival, we were welcomed with a glass of sparkling wine to check in and the staff at the front desk was very helpful and friendly. The pool is nice but not that large and depending on how many people are there, it can be tight. It's also near the upstairs restaurant, so you might get to wait at the elevator with half of the people in dressy attire and half in bathing suits. The artwork in the conference/event area is lovely and throughout the old part of the hotel is really interesting. I love quirky and this had a mix of historic and quirky which was nice. Parking was attached (just a different elevator if you're staying in the historic part of the hotel).

    The Kimpton Journeyman Hotel - King room city view

    The Kimpton Journeyman Hotel

    (161 reviews)

    $$$

    Historic Third Ward

    The rooms are awesome. Hotel is clean and super friendly. Ice machines on every other floor…read more But On my stay the internet sucked. And so did the TV. I called down and asked if there's something wrong with the internet. She said "No it's working great down here"....Solid lol. Nice troubleshooting. So I just used my Hotspot for my stay. I don't know if they have streaming or not because my menu button didn't work on the remote. And BTW when you turn on your TV you need to hit channel up button until you get to channel 5....and then surf. My guide button didn't work. Great location though. Cheers !

    Whenever I travel, I like to stay at Kimpton hotels because the vibe is always right and they offer…read morea lot of nice amenities and extra little perks. On a recent trip to Milwaukee, however, our experience with the Kimpton there was less than ideal. When we arrived on a Saturday to check in, they couldn't find our reservation and despite showing them receipts and proof that I had made one, it instantly set off bad vibes from the staff. Once they "found" our reservation, we were offered two complementary beverage coupons for the rooftop bar as an apology which we appreciated. Unfortunately, when we got to our room, we were put into a room with two queen beds - it was my husband and I traveling together, and when I called down to the front desk to request a king bed room, I was very briefly and rudely told that there were none available. A king bed was the type of room that I had booked and paid for, however. Trying to not let this phase me and ruin our short weekend trip, I decided to let it go and leave it be. The room itself was clean and spacious with good water, pressure and plenty of hot water. Our television didn't work, and when my husband called down to the front desk, he was very rudely told that it was affecting all of the televisions in the hotel. No solution or reimbursement was offered. We did partake in their complementary happy hour in the lobby from 5 to 6 PM and enjoyed a seasonal whiskey cocktail. And the rooftop bar had a nice layout with heated and covered patio space with fire pits. Normally, I rant and rave about how much I love Kimpton hotels but this one just missed the mark for me.

    DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Milwaukee Downtown - Hotel Exterior

    DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Milwaukee Downtown

    (127 reviews)

    $$

    Westown, Downtown

    From the moment I pulled up to the valet sign, everything was fantastic. It was 13°F today, yet the…read morevalet, Humbero, was fast, efficient, and welcoming. At the front desk, Shenna greeted me with professionalism and kindness and made me feel very welcome. I was given an amazing corner room with a unique, cool layout, and I absolutely loved it. Later, I went downstairs to check out the restaurant. Even though it didn't officially open until 5:00 PM, Christy at the bar graciously took my order for room service. She was wonderful. My food arrived within 15 minutes. When I noticed they had forgotten the sauce and tea, I went down myself, and Christy truly went above and beyond by making sure I had plenty of sauce and serving me great tea. The vibe of this hotel is incredible . I even received a complimentary cookie from the front desk , which was surprisingly delicious since I usually don't even like cookies. Huge shout out to housekeeping for having my room perfectly prepared, and to the kind person mopping the lobby floors when I arrived. This is officially my favorite hotel in Milwaukee so far. I'm already looking forward to staying here again for my next 5K in a few weeks ‍ and anytime I'm in the city. Final shout out to Antonio and Aaron at the front desk as well. Thank you all!

    The DoubleTree's location is great and situated near a bunch of quality restaurants and local…read moreattractions in the area. While the room was okay for the most part, there was a persistent vomit-like odor near the bed that wasn't resolved despite my request for cleaning. As a result, I had to sleep on the couch on the opposite side of the room and my work schedule made it inconvenient to request a new one. The bathroom was missing some basic amenities such as a soap dish, so I had to leave the bar soap on the counter. The shower's strong water pressure was really nice compared to the flow-restricted showers commonly found in California hotels. The staff experience was mixed. The night reception gentleman (working Monday through Thursday) provided outstanding customer service for his consistently warm and energetic greetings every time I passed. The night valet Martin also deserves special recognition for his outstanding service, sprinting to retrieve my car and showing remarkable attention to detail by noticing my night work schedule and trying to proactively have my car ready. However, the daytime valet service was disappointing. Two valets would unnecessarily retrieve my car together (Maybe one was shadowing the other). During these retrievals, one valet would sit on my belongings in the passenger seat (this happened multiple days). I later discovered after leaving Milwaukee that she damaged my glasses. Given the short distance to the garage, this practice seems unnecessary and showed a lack of respect for guest property. If they noticed stuff on the seat, they could've just walked back. For future improvement, I would suggest better attention to guests' personal belongings and a review of valet procedures.

    Kinn Guesthouse - Common space

    Kinn Guesthouse

    (39 reviews)

    Downtown, East Town

    Unique hotel that operates more like an Air BNB. Check in is by website and you get a code to…read moredoors by email. Each floor has a communal area with full size luxury kitchen, dining room, and two seating areas. This is an ideal setup for wedding parties, company retreats, and other group gatherings. For me this was very convenient and easy for business travel. Similar to the big chains that are all by app now. Coffee service is excellent and included with nespresso machine, milk, non-cow milk and frother. Workout space is in basement and not bad. Very clean. Mariott clean. Not many service people as no front desk but there is an office and they were nice and helpful. Fun fact- this is my 500th review :)

    My husband and I was traveling in for a weekend getaway and show. Upon our arrival , everything was…read morekeyless. We enter the lobby with a code. There was no one to greet you like most hotels. We park our car across the street loaded the luggage onto the cart and went to our room. The room was beautiful and spacious. However, the concept of the hotel was communal . There is a full kitchen, dining and social area with a large tv. During our stay it was very quiet and you never really saw any other guests. However , we did meet the manager, upon our departure inquiring about our stay. In which we would definitely stay again , the experience was great and relaxing. If you want total privacy without traditional service then this place is for you.

    Knickerbocker on the Lake - hotels - Updated May 2026

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