The Ambassador Hotel has been a fixture on the west side of downtown Milwaukee since 1928, nearly 100 years.  Designed in 1927 by Urban Peacock and Armin Frank, the structure boasts many of the hallmarks of Art Deco design.  Its gleaming marble floors, stylized polished nickel sconces, bronze elevator doors and ornate plasterwork made the hotel a favorite spot for society weddings and gatherings.  Sadly, the hotel and the surrounding area fell into disrepair during the 1970's and 1980's.  The hotel was purchased in 1995 by an alumnus of neighboring Marquette University with plans to revitalize the property and surrounding neighborhood.

Prior to 1928, the mansion of Amos Appleton Lawrence Smith sat on the current site of the hotel.  He was the attorney to Captain Frederick Pabst, whose mansion remains at its original site located just east of the hotel.  A.A.L. Smith was the son of the founder of Appleton, WI and Lawrence College.

Following the purchase of the hotel in 1995, a slow and meticulous restoration over the next decade completely revamped the hotel's image.  The lobby level was restored to its original splendor of 1928.  Dropped ceilings and drywall were removed to reveal intricate details and archways along with vintage radio nooks.  The carpet in the lobby area was removed, revealing an expanse of original marble which was subsequently restored to its stunning current condition..  The Ambassador hotel's ambitious $14 million restoration has served as a cornerstone in the rebirth of the surrounding neighborhood and its bold rooftop sign once again beckons guests to enjoy a true Milwaukee legend.

Guest rooms were reconfigured to allow for more spacious accommodations. The original rooms were very small.  The new rooms have combined 2-3 of the original rooms to create the current spacious accommodations.  The hotel now has has 132 guest rooms, including 10 whirlpool suites.  Details in the guest rooms such as archways as well as original interior doors and hardware were preserved where possible, allowing the vibe of the 1920's to remain in tact while fully modernizing guest accommodations.

The ornate terra cotta on the exterior of the hotel was also brought down piece by piece, restored and reinstalled to the facade.  The iconic rooftop sign was resorted, preserving the landmark view as guests approach downtown Milwaukee.  There were three houses located behind the hotel that were moved to vacant lots in the neighborhood to make room for hotel parking.  Today, the hotel offers on site parking in its surface lot or 300 car parking garage.  

Photos from the hotel's history and renovation are below.  Take a journey through the history of this true Art Deco masterpiece.