During a recent visit to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I chose to stay at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center downtown, due to its location and amenities. Arriving at the hotel, I spotted the entrance to the attached parking garage. After parking, I trudged my suitcases down the long hallway to the Hilton building. Reaching the end of the hallway, I was surprised that the lobby was still not in sight. Heading to the right, I followed the signs until I reached the front desk area.

It seems I arrived in the middle of an important discussion because it took almost a minute for both clerks behind the counter to acknowledge my presence. Once they did, however, check-in was relatively smooth and quick.

I was booked into a corner room on the 14th floor, so I retraced my steps to the elevator, avoiding some maintenance on an escalator. The ride up was smooth, and upon exiting the car, I wheeled my suitcases down the long hallway (as the front desk never inquired if I needed bell assistance) to my room.

Entering, I encountered a miniature hallway, with a closet to the right and the bathroom door to the left. The bathroom, furnished in slate tile, was equipped with Neutrogena toiletries and, one of the best features of the room -- a light under the sink counter that functioned as a nightlight to make midnight runs to the bathroom a lot easier on the eyes.

The room itself was spacious and plush. A chair and desk sat along one wall, a small love seat and entertainment armoir occupied one of the walls with windows and the king bed was up against the wall that bordered the bathroom. The colorings in the room were beige and buttercream with accents of cranberry and jade, with a definite art deco influence. From the bank of windows on two sides of my room (a perk of having the corner spot), I had views of the Midwest Airlines Center and the west side of the city, including the Miller Brewery.

Hungry from all the walking, I made a dinner reservation at the hotel's signature restaurant, the Milwaukee Chop House. Seeing the portions of the entrees at neighboring tables, I skipped the appetizer and went straight for the eight-ounce filet mignon ($29), which was served a little pinker than the well-done I had ordered, but was quickly whisked away by my server for a few more minutes on the grill. The four-cheese baked potato ($5) I ordered as a side was a heavenly carb-overload, and the Apple Baskets dessert (apples in crepe baskets with rosemary ice cream; $6) was a nice finish to the meal. This is definitely one of the better places to eat in Milwaukee.

Later in the evening, I enjoyed a drink at the Miller Time Pub. Sponsored/owned by the Miller Brewery, the offerings are primarily Miller brews, but they surprisingly had an extensive collection of Leinenkugel micro-brews on tap and bottled. Leinie (as it's known to its fans) has some of the best brews you will ever imbibe, so I was happy to cap off my night with a pint. The Pub also serves a decent bar menu, though I was still too full from dinner to try anything.

The Hilton Milwaukee City Center inhabits a building that has a long history of accommodating visitors to the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Built in 1928, it was originally known as The Schroeder Hotel and was designed in the Art Deco stylings of the era. Over the years, it has been known as the Sheraton Schroeder Hotel and the Marc Plaza Hotel. Ten years ago, the property underwent a multi-million dollar renovation to restore its original 1920s classic design and was rebranded as a Hilton franchise. The property added 250 rooms, bringing the current total to 730 (including suites), and it added the ultimate in hotel amenities -- an indoor waterpark.

Paradise Landing was the first indoor waterpark to be located in an urban location in America. But even though it located in the hotel complex, the waterpark, surprisingly, is not free to guests. Hotel packages are available that include admission, or tickets may be purchased at the park itself. The observation deck on the second level is free, so if you just want to take a look, it won't cost you anything.

The Hilton Milwaukee City Center is a classy hotel, with decent amenities (hi-speed internet access is slowly being added to the hotel), and a great on-premises restaurant and pub. The only thing that really marred my stay is lack of customer service. While the restaurant and pub staff were top-notch, the front desk staff were less than helpful, unless prodded. Perhaps it was an off night, but it's not my job to be telling them how to do theirs.

Otherwise, this hotel is one of the best in town. For more information, or to book a room, please visit www.hiltonmilwaukee.com.

Related articles:

Part 1: Downtown Milwaukee Presents a New Face To Visitors
Part 2: Milwaukee: Where to Eat, Stay and Play
Part 3: Milwaukee: The Basics

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For more information:

Visit Milwaukee: 1-800-231-0903; www.visitmilwaukee.org.