Fodor's Expert Review Pfister Hotel

Milwaukee's grandest old hotel dates from 1893. The lobby's long, high barrel-vaulted ceiling puts you in a Victorian frame of mind from the moment you step in. Rooms are decorated with a Victorian flavor and some are odd shapes, reflecting the complications of pouring modern amenities into an old structure—but this actually adds to the charm. The Pfister is three blocks east of the lakefront. The penthouse-level bar Blu has a view of the skyline. An English tea is served in the fern-shaded dining room most afternoons.