Ambassador Hotel celebrates 95th anniversary after opening in Milwaukee in 1928
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- After opening its doors on May 4, 1928, the Ambassador Hotel near downtown Milwaukee celebrated its 95th anniversary on Thursday.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson officially declared May 4, 2023 as "Ambassador Hotel Day."
Dozens gathered inside of the hotel to honor the building and its legacy.
Ambassador Hotel officials added the Trademark® Collection by Wyndham flag to their property, a move the hotel's general manager Jon Jossart said was "perfect."
"The Trademark® Collection by Wyndham features unique, independent properties, all beautiful in their own way, for travelers who are looking to get away from the predictable hotel experience, yet benefit from Wyndham’s great loyalty program. It will help us increase our visibility, while maintaining our independent iconic property," Jossart said in a statement. “Our guests regularly tell us our hotel’s art deco flare leaves such a lasting impression, transporting them back to another era. That’s not something we want to change, but rather highlight to more guests with the backing of the world’s largest hotel company. It’s a very exciting development. We are thrilled to be joining the Wyndham family.”
Happy 95th to the historical Ambassador Hotel near downtown #Milwaukee! @mayorofmke has proclaimed May 4 as “Ambassador Hotel Day” to celebrate. @cbs58pic.twitter.com/AzKPQbnTNU
— Ellie Nakamoto-White (@ellienw_news) May 4, 2023
The hotel is also undergoing a makeover, with guest rooms receiving updated flooring, drapery, furniture, mattresses, and Apple TVs.
Also new is the grand re-opening of The Fitz restaurant, which has been closed since the start of the pandemic.
"We are so excited to be welcoming back chef Juan and his wonderful team who worked with us for many years prior to the pandemic. His creations in our Envoy restaurant, which was later rebranded as The Fitz, received rave reviews and we will be bringing many of these favorites back," Jossart said. “A lot of exciting things are happening to our historic property. The Ambassador is a gem for the City of Milwaukee, our job is to continuously polish it and keep it sparkling well into the future.”