I find this writer's opinions are grossly incorrect. Like the previous readers comments, there is no glass cases with motorcycles in them. Rather, there is an open air display of a meticulously crafted motorcycle that this visitor would simply state is a work of art. It is Truly amazing. I also find it interesting and impressive how many ties they have incorporated Milwaukee with into the design. Aside from the other misinterpretations from the writer, I find the Iron Horse to be a amazing spot to meet with my clients in the spacious (and cozy) lobby over a drink. The open atmosphere is not intimidating what-so-ever, and borders with what I consider a great "hang out" spot. I, personally, cannot wait to attend some of the event's that some of my local organizations are planning at the Hotel's Art Gallery downstairs. I will definitely be back to take in more of the warm atmosphere especially as temperatures drop here in Milwaukee. Keep it up Iron Horse! You are long overdue and more than welcomed here in Milwaukee! P.S. The food is AMAZING! Hat's off to the chef!

Aisha, it was a pleasure taking you through the hotel. Unfortunately, we walked through on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving while setting up our holiday decorations so you may not have been able to get the full experience. I'd like to respond to some of your comments. Your article starts out describing a motorcycle “encased in glass.” You go on to write about “the display case the bike is enclosed in....” There is no motorcycle encased in glass. The lobby features a space for revolving artwork, and the first piece chosen is a rather functional one – a sculptural Milwaukee-made motorcycle by Dave Cook Custom. You go on to write about “approaching the concierge desk beside the bar to check in.” Actually, our front desk is to the right and our concierge office is to the left. Nothing “furtive” about the placement of the front desk as you assert. Our bell staff and valets ask every person arriving if they are staying with us. If they are, they are assisted to the front desk and often their name is radioed in so that the desk staff is ready for them when they approach. The subtly of the front desk is meant to make locals feel as welcome in the hotel as guests. We made a conscious effort for those walking in not be greeted by a monolithic front desk of uniformed staff staring down at computer monitors. If you read our reviews from guests at TripAdvisor.com, you’ll see this process has made quite an impression on guests. You go on to describe the lobby as “...a two-storey(sic) space fitted out with an assortment of rusted knick-knacks, weathered leather armchairs, upholstered booths, amber lighting and stained woods sets an intimate and unselfconscious aesthetic that nimbly bridges the gap between the stylistic period to which the building belongs and its industrial location.” Grammatical errors aside, you missed the significance of the lobby décor on the tour – a tour that every guest and local is offered when they come to The Iron Horse Hotel. Our accessories were either reclaimed from the building itself (part of an effort to reuse and restore as much of the building as possible) or found at antique shops within a mile of the hotel – something we point out to guests to encourage exploration in the neighborhood. The leather chairs are vintage from the era of the building (1907) and imported from as far away as London. There is no amber lighting – rather four custom made wrought iron chandeliers with open filament bulbs. You continue that the lobby lacks “gradation” and “hierarchy or modulation.” Not sure what this means, but the multi-level Iron Horse Hotel lobby offers a second-floor atrium with views from above and below, a fully-exposed original wood ceiling, lower ceiling heights to make the row banquettes cozier and a three-story open staircase of metal and glass that not only connects the two lower levels to the lobby but also offers views of four floors of this fully restored building. You also found “no nooks you can imagine gravitating toward.” Yet we find guests and visitors alike curled up on sofas near the fireplace in the library, checking email from comfortable spots in the center atrium or tucked away sharing a glass of wine in a corner of the banquettes. You also write, “any interesting conflicts or hierarchies a hotel lobby might excite don’t seem destined to arise as a result of the architecture.” Quite the contrary occurs all the time, as we watch visitors mingle with locals, business travelers chat up bikers in the bar, and guests introduce one another at communal tables in the library. Finally, Aisha, you wrote about “the building’s awkward location - a neighborhood of warehouses hemmed in by a railway line, the Sixth Street Viaduct and a roundabout.” The Iron Horse Hotel’s location in an emerging urban corridor and not in the heart of downtown promises that it can be a springboard to further development in this rich neighborhood that joins the convention center and Menomonee Valley to the Fifth Ward and Latin Quarter. The fact is that this is a great spot for a boutique hotel that celebrates the Milwaukee experience. Perhaps a stay at the hotel to experience everything from check in to room service, a drink at the bar or in lobby on a Saturday night to hear local DJs or breakfast next to the fire to chat with fellow guests about their impressions would allow a more thorough review than a brief 45-minute walk through. We hope to see you again for another look.