Water at its Pinnacle: The Kohler Waters Spa
It is a level of service that cannot be taught or mandated, but must be absorbed over time before it can be radiated.
he Hungarian biochemist and Nobel prizewinner Albert Szent-Gyorgyi said, "Water is life’s mater and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water." The Kohler Company has dedicated itself to making man’s experience with water renewing and ritualistic.
Kohler, Wisconsin is a fairytale company town built around the Kohler Company Factory, where some 
of the world’s most magnificent and sybaritic bathroom and spa elements are designed. A logical offshoot of the famous bath and kitchen creations, the American Club at Kohler has a spa and accommodations showing off some of the most wonderful experiences available with water, not to mention a creative and extensive list of spa services.
Patronized heavily by golfers because of the Pete Dye’s world championship golf courses, Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits, the American Club is the Midwest’s only AAA Five Diamond hotel and resort. It is located an hour north of Milwaukee, and draws meetings and conventions as well as individual visits.
The American Club facility was originally built to house immigrant workers and the high quality of the workmanship shown in the original 1912 building has been accented in ensuing restorations and expansions. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, The American Club is a getaway not to be missed.
Adjacent to The American Club is the Carriage House building that is home to the Kohler Waters Spa. The American Club has had a day spa for years, but the full spa facility debuted only five years ago. And just this summer the Carriage House added 10 immersion suites to bring the spa experience into the guest room and expanded the spa.
We wanted the spa experience to come to the guest, so we now offer special bathing treatments, facials, body treatments all within the custom designed room, said Jean Kolb, the director of the spa for the past 10 years, and a Kohler employee for 25. The immersion suites feature what must be the most fully featured tub on the planet with waterfalls, chromotherapy, multiple heat settings and a variety of whirlpool levels.
The tub, normally tucked into a discrete room, is found in the bathing wing of the room, complete with a separate multi-headed, slate lined shower room and top-of-the-line sinks and fixtures, all Kohler, of course. It is a stroke of marketing genius to showcase the product line in such an inviting setting, elevating the act of bathing into an experience.
The main spa facility has been recently expanded from 16,000 to 24,000 square feet, adding eight new treatment rooms, a rooftop deck that includes a fireplace and a whirlpool in a garden setting. Most of the main spa level is below ground and is reminiscent of the ancient town of Bath, England, that pampered some of the earliest spa goers. The tranquil, cocoon-like setting of the vast facility, accompanied by the pervasive water sounds, was both pleasant and calming.
The stunning soak pool in the central area features a floor to ceiling, tile-lined waterfall that can be heard throughout the corridors. The pool it spills into is centrally located so both men and women spa goers can meet to swim or lounge poolside. Utmost attention has been given to every detail, including the chair and lounges that nestle in countless relaxation rooms and alcoves. The overstuffed bamboo framed chairs defined the description of sinking into the chair as they enveloped me.
The services menu at the Spa has incredible depth and variety. We start brainstorming in August for the new services that we will be offering beginning the following May, added Kolb. We want to always offer innovative water treatments. One such treatment is the Cooler Near the Lake service that combines ice water along with a twist on the ubiquitous hot stone services, but in this case they are chilled stones placed in the palms of the hands during the treatment.
During my firsthand experience of Cooler Near the Lake, my masseur, Marc, applied the lemon salt scrub, avocado masque and warm towel wraps to pamper the feet, while stimulating cold streams crisscrossed the back and arms and a massage loosened up the muscles. The ice water was invigorating and the complimentary post-treatment smoothie was a pleasant punctuation.
Another off-the-charts treatment was the Bath to Bed service that Jacquline brought to my immersion suite. It included a custom mix of minerals, salts and scents added to bathwater that was drawn and then tested to be the optimum 96 degrees, the temperature best suited for mineral absorption. Jacquline left me to enjoy a perfect bath, a bit of champagne and some out of this world chocolate, caramel, pecan turtles. It was a lovely end to a lovely day and the immersion suite bathtub was the perfect setting to watch the plasma TV for bit before retiring to my linen draped four poster bed.
The H2O Inspiration experience was my favorite treatment of all. It began with a walk along a river rock path to a low seat in front of the fire. My masseuse Janee directed me to immerse my feet in the antique copper pot where she had added rose petals and warm water scented with a custom mix called delight. After a lovely soak, we transferred to the massage table where I received a stimulating scrubdown. Also in this well laid-out room was a lovely multi headed shower where I rinsed off. Last stop was the largest bathtub I had ever seen, even more deluxe than my immersion suite tub, if that was possible. The whole experience was tranquil and luxurious, something I d recommend highly.
My last treatment was a Light Hands-on Touch Therapy by Heidi. It was a subtle targeted pressure massage geared to open restricted passages of craniosacral fluid. Similar to other eastern touch therapies, it was not your standard rubdown, but more of an alignment and correction technique. The treatment room included a floor to ceiling waterfall that gently gurgled as I lay peacefully during my treatment.
Custom treatments at the spa include a golfer’s foot reviver and a golfer’s massage that can help before or after a round. With an increasing population of male spa goers, the spa has expanded its services to include other services for men such as specialized bathing services, scrubs, skin care, manicures and massages.
The entire Kohler operation has the benefit of years of practice and the attention to detail that shows time and time again. Sitting one evening in the lobby of the Carriage House, I watched while Chris, the desk clerk on duty, as he gave prompt, thoughtful attention to every guest that approached. It is a level of service that cannot be taught or mandated, but must be absorbed over time before it can be radiated. Chris was the embodiment of years of gracious good will, of caring for his guests and executing his duties in a way that would make Herb Kohler and his family proud.
My work will be done when everyone in the world experiences the benefits of spa, added Kolb. We re a romantic destination, a leisure destination and a bus
iness destination, and everyone can experience the benefits of the spa.
The Kohler Waters Spa at the American Club offers many services including an array of massages, scrubs, wraps, bathing experiences, facials and finishing treatments. The Bath to Bed custom delivery is priced at $90, while a more involved experience like the H2O Inspiration is priced at $190. In general, the more standard services like the Kohler Massage or Citrus Scrub start at $82. The more intricate and engaging services, such as the Good as Gold Wrap or Vie Essence of Life Exfoliating Treatment are priced in the $200 range.
For more information call (800) 344-2838 ext. 700 or (920) 457-8000 ext. 700 or visit:
destinationkohler.com.
The direct spa number is (866) 928-3777.
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