Winter Getaway: The American Club Resort

Do you need a winter getaway but the Caribbean isn't a viable option? The American Club Resort in Kohler, Wisconsin is just your ticket! Five-Star Resort. Five-Star Spa. Four Diamond Restaurant. Quaint Shops. Tennis Center. Kohler Design Center and Factory Tours (Kohler sound familiar? Look at your bathtub, faucet or sink). World-class golf courses (um, summer only). Only two and half hours from Chicago!

A couple years ago, my husband and I were looking for a little winter getaway. We pleasantly found perfection in The American Club. We selected the Discover Kohler package which included 2 nights at The American Club, breakfast in the Wisconsin Room and a three-course dinner at Cucina. Do pick a package; they are worth it!

Upon arriving, we fell in love with the old world meets new world charm. The history of this place is palpable, especially when you visit the Horse & Plow restaurant where there is a pictorial history of the immigrant workers who once lived here and worked for Kohler Company. If this history interests you and you want to learn more about how your bathroom faucets and sinks are made, then take in the Kohler Design Center with its museum downstairs and/or the Kohler Factory Tour.

If you're a little more into pampering (ahem, like me), do take in a spa treatment or two at Kohler Waters Spa. This is a Five-Star Spa after all. Across two visits, I have had the luxury of partaking in a Kohler massage (great), Sea Lime Sigh (okay), Cranial Sacral massage (different, good) and Lavender Rain Bath (heaven). All I can say is the Vichy Shower during the lavender rain bath is amazing! But having a treatment is just part of the fun because you also get access before and/or after to all the spaces within the spa...this includes the steam room, sauna and whirlpools, the top floor lounge area with fireplace and whirlpool, small workout room, and complimentary drinks and snacks. My favorite place to curl up is in a lounger in front of the fireplace on the top floor. One tip: you must book your spa treatments more than a couple days in advance. They get fully booked especially between Christmas and New Years, which is when we typically visit. Second tip: stay in your robe and have lunch on the 1st floor.

On our second visit to The American Club, we upped the ante by enjoying a five-course meal at The Immigrant Restaurant, a four diamond restaurant. The evening was impeccable, from the service to the food, everything was special and delectable. The restaurant is divided into several small rooms which lends to privacy and intimacy. Our main waiter introduced us to special touches and menu switches that could be made. The gnocchi with zucchini and zucchini bread crumbs was a delightful standout. Also the sommelier swung by to help with suggestions; my only complaint is that the red wine was served at room temperature. I normally wouldn't care, but when you order really good red wine, it does taste better at the proper chilled red temperature of 65 degrees. Wine snob?

On our second stay, we booked the Red Carpet Retreat package at the Inn at Woodlake which is a sister property to The American Club. It is attached to the Shops at Woodlake and contemporary in feel, like a Westin Hotel. Our package included a movie both nights as well as the cute little snack pack above. The second night, the hotel gave us regular popcorn, but my ever so resourceful husband called and requested the caramel corn. He knows the way to my heart! While we enjoyed our stay at the Inn at Woodlake, I would probably hasten back to The American Club next time where the rooms are more traditional and cozier albeit smaller, and where breakfast in the Wisconsin Room is a real feast for the eyes and tummy. Or I have always wanted to stay at the Carriage House which also houses the spa. Just imagine never changing out of your robe!

With your leftover time, enjoy the Shops at Woodlake which are just a shuttle drive away. Actually everything is accessible by shuttle so no need to get your car out. The Craverie Chocolatier Cafe is a must visit, if not to taste some succulent chocolate, then to eat lunch in their cute cafe. The Woodlake Market is also a must-hit for wine, beer and snacks. Or like us, you could buy a bottle of wine and made-to-order french dips at the sandwich counter and eat lunch there. And after all the pampering and eating, there are ways to exercise off the indulgences with Yoga on the Lake, ice skating, cross-country skiing, tennis, etc. Really this place has it all! And there's a lot I'm leaving out, so you'll just have to visit to discover for yourself.

Perfect holiday card photo-op!

While I'm sure The American Club is fabulous in summer, I only know this place as it is decorated sumptuously for the holidays.  

Twinkling with lights. Draped in snow. Oozing with coziness. 

I love it, and you will too. You'll nearly forget that you aren't in some warmer tropical locale.