Wisconsin's Weekend Morning News
WWMN Interview: Milwaukee Hotels Nominated for Awards
Well Milwaukee has been on the national stage with the RNC and we need to keep it going because the Pfister Hotel, Blue and the Bar at St. Kate the Arts Hotel are among the nominees for USA Today's 10 Best Awards. What does that all mean? Well joining us on our Tri-County Contracting Hotline is Brianna Greer. She's a chef concierge at the Pfister and Brianna what an exciting time it must have been for you during the RNC. It was thank you so very much you know we always have such wonderful things happen at the Pfister because we are the center of Milwaukee but to have the RNC here it was a true honor. And one more thing as I understand former President Trump selected the Pfister as his home away from home during that event and if anybody knows hotels he does so that had to be quite a compliment. All I can say is that I did hear Trump say he stayed at a very nice hotel. Brianna Greer, she is the chef concierge at the Pfister Hotel. I love the French talk. I love the fun. I do love to say it all the time you're concierge. How do you become a concierge? That's a good question. Well I've lived many lives and so I am a sconesome girl but I actually was in New York City for 21 years and so I was very very fortunate and honored to be mentored and guided into the hotel world and so I started as a concierge in New York City. And how does the Pfister compare with some of those New York hotels? You know what I have to say it still has the excitement and the bustle of what New York City offers but I have to say our hospitality and warmth is definitely 10 times more than any hotel outside of Wisconsin and you know the Pfister it just has a family feel and Milwaukee itself. I tell my friends back in New York City that Milwaukee is such a gem because it offers everything and anything that you want but it also has this beautiful ease to it you know and you still get the friends and family feel. All right let's talk about the USA Today 10 best awards. This isn't new to you because the Pfister has been nominated for best historic hotels and resorts in the past. That is correct. Yes we were truly honored last year to be number six top historic hotel in the USA Today's top 10 best awards. Tell us a little bit about why the Pfister is so special. Well you know as I mentioned before we are the epitome hotel the center historic hotel for Milwaukee. You know we have such history 131 years. Our hotel has been the choice for presidents and performers hall of famers where the hotel to go to for any red carpet event gallows and such. So for us it does make sense that the hotel would be in you know the pile of these amazing historic hotels all over the world. You know it is a true honor and a testament to the team. You know it definitely is we have a wonderful group of team members. Well and the best hotel bar. I'm not surprised that Blue is on the list. I'm going to tell you a little story Brianna. During the RNC I was getting my media credentials and well I have a minor friendship with one of the girls who was doing that and she said Libby I'm not a beer drinker. Everybody's talking beer. I want to know where to go for a nice cocktail and I told her about Blue at the fister. She she went there with a group of other people and she told me the following day. She said of all the things she did while she was in Milwaukee going to Blue was her favorite. I'm glad to hear that too because it is truly an amazing experience. I think that's the word you can say about Blue. You know where it's located situated on the 23rd floor. It overlooks the sky panoramic views of the downtown and Lake Michigan. So for me it is such a special special spot and I have to say we have the best bars members and I have to say the live music we're so fortunate because we get some amazing amazing talented people there. And it's just such a nice vibe. I mean you don't feel rushed. You feel completely relaxed when you're there. It is true. It is true. Yes. I mean it has one of those I think you've stepped away right from the hustle and bustle of kind of being outdoors in the Milwaukee city. You know if you're coming to the hotel and you're here from business and it's been a long day you can kind of just go up there and escape and just have a wonderful evening relaxing to what Blue offers. And the other thing is the bar at St. Kate. The Arts Hotel is also nominated for this and again it's a little different vibe because it's off the lobby but it's still great bartenders and you know those bar bites and everything that I love music. And if you get a little tired of sitting sitting down you can go and look at some of the galleries which makes it so special. It is true. I mean clearly the Marcus group knows what they're doing right. I think so. It would be nominated three times at our St. Kate hotel bar Blue itself and then of course the sister hotel. But with St. Kate you know we're so fortunate to really have our sister property be completely different from the sister hotel because it offers another side another opportunity for guests to really explore the city. So whether you have your historic hotel lovers or if you're more of a modern contemporary boutique that's what St. Kate offers and that bar it is the center. You know so many people come to us and they always say even the locals you know the St. Kate bar is the place to be. You know you can have the restaurant on the second floor area and then we also offer the googly champagne bar room which is amazing. And then of course again another opportunity for live music. All right so tell us about the USA Today poll because you've got to feel a little divided because you're competing against a sister hotel with the bar at St. Kate. But what can we do as you know fans right here in southeastern Wisconsin? What can we do to help you along to make sure you're on the top 10 of that list? Thank you. We appreciate that. Really we do because you know the sister I think has been there for so many families and so many generations. And so please you know for our readers just vote. It is so simple to do. You know I'm one of those where I'm like oh voting it's going to take forever or you're going to have to sign up or you're going to have to put a card down. But no I promise you it's two seconds of literally just a click and that is it. And you can even do it from other emails. So the more opportunities the more will help us to get on that 10 best. So if you just go to the 10 best hotels USA Today's 10 best awards and there is the website right there and it'll just literally state it right there and you'll click on it right there. And we will have that posted here on our website at wtmj.com for the Wisconsin weekend morning news show and you can come to our website if you didn't get that and you can click on to it to vote. And I got to tell you Brianna anytime I've been either at Blue or at the bar at St. Kate I have had a fabulous relaxing time. Thank you so much. It's so wonderful to hear that. I mean honestly we all pride ourselves in making sure the guests have a memorable time and that you experience exactly what we feel working here. So that means a lot. Thank you for that. Brianna Greer, thanks for joining us today. Thank you so much. What an honor. I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me.