A three-hotel development by Coralville, Iowa-based Hawkeye Hotels is now open in downtown Milwaukee’s East Town neighborhood.
The newly built Home2 Suites by Hilton, Tru by Hilton and Holiday Inn Express hotels sit side-by-side along North Jefferson Street between East Michigan and East Clybourn streets, totaling two buildings and 331 guest rooms, to be operated by more than 100 employees.
The project marks the first step into the downtown Milwaukee market for the three hotel flags as well as for Hawkeye Hotels. The company owns and operates more than 50 hotels across the U.S., including the Courtyard by Marriott Milwaukee North/Brown Deer and the in-development Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Brookfield.
“We are very excited to be a part of the downtown Milwaukee community,” Jay Patel, development manager for Hawkeye Hotels said Jay Patel in a press release earlier this week. “Although the market has slowed down in recent times due to COVID-19, we are extremely optimistic that downtown Milwaukee will continue to grow in the years to come.”
Hawkeye partnered with Bloomington, Minnesota-based JR Hospitality on its new downtown project. Construction began in spring of 2019 and remained on track throughout the past nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Millard Ellis, general manager at Home2 Suites by Hilton and Tru by Hilton.
Ramping up to full operations during a pandemic could be a different story. Occupancy between the two Hilton Hotels is currently 10 to 15%, having been open for about two weeks.
“We’re OK with that for the moment, but obviously we want more, we’re hoping for more,” said Ellis.
Christmas is typically a slow time for area hotels anyway, he said, but New Year’s Eve this year could boost occupancy to 30 to 50% depending on the city’s efforts to enforce restrictions on mass public gatherings.
Meanwhile, all three hotels are seeing high interest for room reservations next year during Summerfest, Wisconsin State Fair and the Ryder Cup golf tournament at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan County, all of which were derailed this year due to the pandemic.
“Those dates are filling up pretty fast, so that’s another reason we’re feeling optimistic,” said Ellis.
The 115-room Home2 Suites is designed as an extended-stay hotel, with kitchenettes and in-room work space, targeting corporate travelers. That market segment was booming before COVID-19 hit, said Ellis.
The 100-room Tru and 116-room Holiday Inn Express are geared more toward guests staying one to two nights.
“Our location is wonderful because we’re right here for corporate business in Milwaukee, but we’re also close enough for all our leisure business, like for Summerfest and any events happening here,” said David Monte, general manager at Holiday Inn Express. “We’re hoping for recovery.”
-
- Tru by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton share a building at 515 N. Jefferson Street.
-
- Hawkeye Hotel’s new Holiday Inn Express is located at 525 N. Jefferson Street.
-
- More seating and work space at Holiday Inn Express.
-
- Single kind bed room at Holiday Inn Express.
-
- Fitness Center at Holiday Inn Express.
-
- Meeting room at Holiday Inn Express.
-
- Hand sanitizer stations and signage is visible throughout the property.
-
- Lounge area in the lobby of Holiday Inn Express.
-
- A two queen bed room at Home2 Suites.
-
- Bathroom inside a Home2 Suites room.
-
- Home2 Suites’ hallway design features earth tones, while Tru’s has brighter hues.
-
- The extended-stay Home2 Suites hotel includes kitchenettes.
-
- A two queen bed room at Tru by Hilton.
-
- Room signage, hallway lighting and color scheme set the two Hilton brands apart within the building.
-
- The shared fitness center between Tru by Hilton and Home2Suites is open with a six-person capacity limit due to COVID-19.
-
- Tru by Hilton’s lobby includes a seating and lounge area.
-
- A game area is located in the lobby of Tru by Hilton.
-
- Shared outdoor patio at Hilton’s Home2 Suites and Tru hotels.
-
- Complimentary grab-and-go breakfast is available for guests at Home2Suites hotel.
-
- Shared lobby area at Home2 Suites by Hilton and Tru by Hilton’s conjoined property.
