I stayed at the Schuster Mansion Bed & Breakfast over a long weekend in Milwaukee and have only good things to say about the place. Located in an area in the west part of the city, the Schuster Mansion B&B is a gorgeous Victorian mansion built in 1891. A quick stroll through the Concordia neighborhood will show you lots of gorgeous mansions, some in various states of disrepair, which makes it all the more heartening that Schuster’s proprietors – Rick and Laura Sue Mosier – take such good care of the place.
After a long bus ride, we were met by Laura Sue and she ushered us into her warm kitchen. Guests have access to the kitchen, including a fridge, in which guests are invited to keep leftovers. After a quick tour of the main floor, we were shown to our room – Prairie Sky. The attention to detail in the decoration is awe-inspiring. The theme is blue, with lace and a beautiful sky motif on the ceiling. Despite its Meet Me in St. Louis trappings, there are mod cons, including WiFi, cable television and a DVD library.
The breakfast served is amazing – the Mosiers are great cooks, on top of running a top-shelf B&B. I had a breakfast apple bread pudding the first morning, a breakfast hash served with a praline French toast the next, and crepes on my last morning. The food was excellent – freshly prepared and good portions (not too large – I hate slamming down platters of food in the morning). Breakfast is served in a crystal and china-filled dining room. I felt like a character in an Agatha Christie mystery, ready to reveal who the killer was. As a great addition, by the way, there’s a jar of cookies for the guests.
The location of the Schuster is great because it’s close to Downtown Milwaukee – as a walker, it took about half an hour to get there. There are lots of other B&B’s in the area – as well as some fading, crumbling mansions. It’s not the greatest neighborhoods – our first evening there, we asked for suggestions for dinner and were told about a corner burger joint. When we got there, we noticed that everything was covered in thick Plexi Glass, and the guy behind the counter asked about our order through a microphone like at a currency exchange or a bank. But despite the vague sketchiness of the area, we’ve had no problems with safety and in the daytime, walking around Concordia was totally fine.
I hope Schuster Mansion B&B will be my regular hub for Milwaukee. It’s a great place, run by wonderful professionals. A five-star experience.
Click here to visit the Schuster Mansion Bed & Breakfast for more information and to make reservations.
