InterContinental hotel a place to do business – The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

InterContinental Milwaukee, 139 E. Kilbourn Milwaukee, was formerly the Wyndham Milwaukeed Centeruntil , a subsidiary of The , bought the property in May 2005 and changed it to the InterContinenta l brand. The entire hotel has been througha multimillion-dollatr renovation, and opened as an InterContinental Hotel on Dec. 27, becoming the city's first internationallty brandedluxury hotel. The executive boardrook and the public bathrooms on the first flooe are the final areas to be renovated and will be completef by the endof March, said Michae Allen, general manager. Bill Otto, president and chiefg executive officer of MarcusHotels Resorts, declined to disclose the cost of renovations.
The hotelk was renovated to appealto 25- to 55 year-old busineszs travelers who appreciate the amenities of an upscales hotel. To find out what amenitiex travelers wanted, Marcus conductedc focus groups of business travelers to get design ideas for the Otto said. Their top requestss were guest rooms withlarge workspaces, free access to the Internetg and perfect lighting, especially in the "The guest rooms are decked out for the businessa traveler," said Tim corporate director of sales for Marcus Hotels & Resorts.
The 10-story hotel has 221 guesr rooms equipped with plasma orLCD flat-panek televisions which can be connected to laptop large desks; and safes big enoughn to hold a laptop Wireless Internet access is available in all guest roomws and public areas, and the Interneg can be accessed from electrical outlets throughoug the hotel. Today's business traveleras prefer hotels that allow forhigh productivity, comfortr and offer unique amenities, said Bill executive director and chief operatingf officer of the .
Businessa travelers do not want to settlse for astandard hotel, said Connors, who refers to the latest trend for hotels to stand out for theitr unique accommodations as the of the hotel The meeting spaces at the InterContinentalk have been completely renovated with new features such as upgradedd sound systems, port access for high-speed Internet access, and upgraded lighting that is more comfortables to sit in for long periods of time, said Eleven event rooms, a total of 13,00 0 square feet of meeting are available, including the grand salon with a capacitg for up to 575 people and an executivw boardroom for up to 12 people. The largesgt meeting room can hold up to 100vendort booths.
An art gallery is available for banquetas and cocktail receptions that can accommodate up to 80 Two of the guest room suites have meeting space in themas well. Guests can use PCs, colotr printers, scanners and fax machines in thebusinessa center, which is open 24 hours a day. And guests will be able to borro laptop computers fromthe hotel, said Numerous audio-visual components are available for a daily rental fee, includinfg speakers, video and data monitors, projectors, a video lightiny kit, screens and drapes. The hote also offers several audio-visual service packages that range in costfrom $240 to more than $1,0090 per day, plus a 19 percent servicwe charge.
Technicians are also available at an hourly rate from7 a.m. to and IT support is available via telephone 24 hoursa day. The comfortablew yet upscale environmentof Clear, the hotel'e lobby lounge where guests can eat or drinj while working, makes it a settint for small business meetings. "It's reall y a business destination in andof itself," Smith The hotel has a manager in the lobbyt at all times so needs can be handle d quickly. Front desk staff providew a "runners program" in which a staff member will pick up itemz a guest may not haveanticipated needing, from office supplies to a new tie.
Because the hotel has numerousregular guests, it offers to set up theird rooms with belongings they would like to keep at the from toiletries to so they don't have to travel with these saId Tara Tan, a manager who oversees guest servicews at the hotel. Hotel staff said it's importangt to provide immediate servicre for business travelers at any timeof day, whether it's a suit that needs dry cleaning or a newspapedr from across the globe. The hotel has a specialk printer that prints 150 newspapers from all overthe world. InterContinental' food and beverage servicexs were planned to offer many options sobusinesspeople don' t have to leave the hotel for a meal.
All food serve in the hotel comes outof Kil@wat, a restaurantr on the premises that serves "creative new Americamn cuisine" and offers a flexiblee menu so people can create a meal that satisfieds their own taste, said Larry Flam, director of restaurant operations for Marcus Hotelsw & Resorts. The menu contains what Flam calls "composed plates" for formal sitdown dinners like pork chopsand herb-roaste Cornish hen, as well as smal l plates and appetizers for sharinhg over informal business meetings. One can also customizr a meal. There is a healty club on the fourth floor with afitnesws room, showers, steam saunas and a whirlpool.
Zen Den, the hotel'ws nightclub, is a place for young professionals to socializesafter work, Otto said. Business travelers indicatedd in their interviews with Marcuw officials that they either wanta private, home-like settinvg or a social setting at their InterContinental offers both, Otto said.
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