Milwaukee's historic Ambassador Hotel adds Wyndham brand. It's a first for the 95-year-old hotel.

The Ambassador Hotel adding the Trademark Collection by Wyndham brand.
The Ambassador Hotel adding the Trademark Collection by Wyndham brand.

Milwaukee's historic Ambassador Hotel is adding the Trademark Collection by Wyndham brand − the first such national brand affiliation since the hotel opened 95 years ago.

That new agreement taps the 132-room Ambassador, 2308 W. Wisconsin Ave., into Wyndham's global reservation system.

And, while the Ambassador’s name and rooftop neon sign will remain, the hotel is updating its guest rooms with new flooring, drapery, furniture, mattresses and TVs, according to the announcement. All rooms feature Apple TV, allowing guests to use their own streaming services.

The Trademark Collection by Wyndham features unique, independent properties, said Jon Jossart, Ambassador general manager.

The new brand "will help us increase our visibility, while maintaining our independent iconic property," Jossart said in a statement.

The Ambassador Hotel, known for its Art Deco design, opened in 1928. But it fell into a decline during the '70s and '80s as its near west side neighborhood saw a departure of hospitals and other key employers along with an increase in crime.

Local real estate investor and developer Rick Wiegand bought the Ambassador in 1995 and started a decade-long $14 million restoration.

Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on InstagramTwitter and Facebook.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee's historic Ambassador Hotel adds Wyndham brand

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