05.14.18

Local Walking Tour Owner Named Next Pfister Hotel Narrator-in-Residence

Anna Lardinois to Start New Pfister Hotel Walking Tours and Podcast

The historic AAA Four-Diamond Pfister® Hotel, owned and managed by Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, today announced Anna Lardinois, owner of Walking Milwaukee self-guided walking tours, as its 11th Pfister Narrator-in-Residence. With a deep-seeded appreciation and passion for Milwaukee’s history, Lardinois will share her experiences at the hotel and interactions with guests via The Pfister’s award-winning blog (blog.thepfisterhotel.com) and ongoing literary events. New this year, Lardinois also plans to begin quarterly walking tours and podcasts about The Pfister Hotel.

“The Pfister Narrator program is a natural fit. I have long admired Milwaukee’s history and downtown’s gorgeous architecture. To have the opportunity to share stories from one of our city’s premier, iconic downtown hotels will be an invaluable experience,” said Lardinois. “I have spent years helping to bring the city to life through my work with Milwaukee walking tours. I cannot wait to do the same for The Pfister.”

A Pewaukee native, Lardinois began her literary career as a high school English teacher for the School District of Waukesha. She taught at Waukesha West High School and IQ Academies of Wisconsin for 12 years. In 2012, while still teaching, she created Milwaukee’s popular Gothic Milwaukee walking tour, which showcases premier historic sites around the city. Three years later, Lardinois’ love of Milwaukee’s history and architecture led her to found Walking Milwaukee, a collection of self-guided walking tours of the city. She quickly made walking tours her full-time career and has since created a GPS-based, self-guided walking tour of Wisconsin Avenue to complement her other tours. Since starting Gothic Milwaukee and Walking Milwaukee, Lardinois has helped introduce Milwaukee’s history to thousands of visiting tourists. Her Gothic Milwaukee tour was named “Best Milwaukee Tour” by the Shepherd Express in its 2017 “Best of Milwaukee” list.

“Undoubtedly, Anna will be bringing one of the most unique approaches to The Pfister Narrator program, and we are thrilled to have her. Her depth of knowledge and clear passion for the history of Milwaukee matches incredibly well with The Pfister Hotel and its 125 years of serving locals and visitors alike,” said Tim Smith, general manager of The Pfister Hotel. “Whether it is through her new walking tours and podcast, regular blog posts, or any other number of literary events at the hotel, Anna will truly bring The Pfister and its many stories to life.”

The Pfister Narrator is selected each year from a pool of applicants by a review panel consisting of local writers, editors and hotel representatives. Lardinois was named the 11th Pfister Narrator based on her extensive storytelling career and her existing popularity in Milwaukee’s hospitality and tourism industries. Lardinois succeeds Nicole Mattke, who served as the 10th Pfister Narrator.

More information about The Pfister Hotel’s Narrator-in-Residence program can be found at www.ThePfisterHotel.com/Pfister-Narrator. For more information on the latest news and updates from Marcus Hotels & Resorts, please visit: https://media.marcushotels.com.

About The Pfister Hotel
Celebrating its 125th year, The Pfister Hotel is one of the most historic hotels in the Midwest and continues to be the premier hotel in downtown Milwaukee. Originally opened in 1893 by businessman Guido Pfister, it was the most lavish hotel of its time. The hotel’s storied elegance had faded following World War II, until 1962, when Ben Marcus, founder of The Marcus Corporation, purchased this grand hotel out of bankruptcy. The Marcus family renovated and restored the hotel to its original glory, adding convention facilities, a parking garage and 23-story guest tower. The Pfister Hotel remains home to the largest collection of Victorian art of any hotel in the world, and offers an interactive augmented reality tour of pieces in this impressive collection.

Today The Pfister Hotel continues its tradition of gracious service and impeccable style, and has been recognized by AAA as a Four-Diamond property for 41 consecutive years. In 2017, The Pfister Hotel was ranked the No. 1 Best Milwaukee Hotel by U.S. News & World Report and was recognized as a Top Hotel in the Midwest in Condé Nast Traveler’s 30th annual Reader’s Choice Awards. This exceptional property is a member of two prestigious hotel organizations, Historic Hotels of America and Preferred Hotels & Resorts. The Pfister Hotel is located at 424 E. Wisconsin Ave. in downtown Milwaukee. For more information, please visit www.thepfisterhotel.com and follow the hotel on Facebook and Twitter (@PfisterHotel).

About Marcus Hotels & Resorts
Marcus Hotels & Resorts owns and/or manages 20 hotels, resorts and other properties in the U.S., with another property opening in El Paso, Texas in June 2018. The company’s distinctive portfolio includes city-center meeting hotels, upscale resorts, historic properties, and premium branded and independent first-class hotels. Marcus Hotels & Resorts is an approved operator for all major lodging brands. A leader in the hospitality industry since 1962, Marcus Hotels & Resorts creates asset value for hotel owners through its expertise in management, development and product repositioning. This includes hotel food and beverage concepts developed by its Marcus Restaurant Group, featuring premier brands such as Mason Street Grill, ChopHouse, Miller Time Pub & Grill and SafeHouse Restaurants. For more information, please visit: http://www.marcushotels.com and follow the company on Facebook and Twitter (@MarcusHotels).
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