We Tried the Luxury Spa Resort from the People Who Made Your Faucet
Inside Kohler faucet company's shockingly extravagant retreat in Wisconsin.
As I sat in my deep soaking tub, which was filling up from a tap mounted on the ceiling, I thought about something I had heard earlier that day: The bathroom is the bookend to your day. It’s true. Most of us start our mornings and wrap up our evenings in this room. And from my current vantage point, this one was pretty luxurious.
In addition to my ceiling tap, which dispensed the water in a narrow, concentrated stream that didn’t splash a drop on me (and reminded me of dedicated spigots installed in gourmet kitchens to fill stockpots), my tub was outfitted with myriad jets, a digital control pad to adjust the temperature, pressure and lighting, a built-in lounger, and a dedicated showerhead to wash my hair. And it was surrounded by a marble shelf where I could prop up my iPad to binge a few shows over my morning coffee or evening glass of wine. Adjacent were a duo of cut glass bowl sinks atop the vanity and a shower with aromatherapy pods whose customized scents were designed to energize, relax, or promote focus, depending on the mood I was seeking.
It was all part of my wellness getaway at Destination Kohler, the flagship resort and spa in Kohler, Wisconsin from the same people whose name graces plumbing fixtures in homes, hotels, and restaurants around the world. I had arrived the previous day after a two-hour ride from Chicago O’Hare, passing by the water tank that towers over the charming namesake village. As I came to discover over the next few days, water flows through every part of the guest experience here.
My Uber driver told me that company founder John Michael Kohler, an Austrian immigrant who owned a farm equipment foundry, actually invented the modern bathtub in 1883 by adding decorative legs to a cast-iron horse trough and covering it in enamel. Kohler soon started mass-producing the vessels, which quickly became popular for their easy-to-clean surfaces that prevented the spread of disease.
Today, bathing features are less utilitarian and more luxurious. Different accommodations in the 241-room American Club, a former dormitory built in 1918 to house the single male immigrants who worked at the factory, tout different bathing technology and go for around $600 a night. Besides the Laminar flow faucet that filled my tub, some rooms have tiles in the shower that can be angled according to your height and body type for a “car-wash”-type experience, while others have showers with oscillating heads to target specific muscle groups.
Not surprisingly, there’s a full hydrotherapy menu at the resort’s Kohler Waters Spa, where I could be scrubbed, rubbed, and rinsed with everything from lavender to coffee to volcanic ash. I booked Fire and Ice, a new treatment that combines hot and cold elements and goes for $275. My therapist donned exfoliating mitts to remove dead skin cells, applied carrot seed facial oil to glow me up, and ran peppermint-infused ice spheres up and down the length of my body.
She then used a Vichy shower—basically a horizontal bar set perpendicular to the treatment table from which emerged a steady alternating stream of warm and cool water— designed by Kohler’s plumbing engineers. The temperature fluctuations were supposed to stimulate my metabolism and boost immunity, and a layer of body butter slathered on afterwards sealed in hydration. (It took all my willpower not to go back to my room and take another dreamy bath, but I wanted to give the cream time to do its job.)
In between soaking and sudsing all weekend, I checked out the resort’s restaurants. My trip coincided with the Friday Fish Fry af the casual, pubby Horse and Plough, where I tucked into batter-fried local perch, cole slaw, fries, and a thick slice of rye bread washed down with Bathtub Brew, a collaboration with Milwaukee’s Eagle Park Brewing Co. The Greenhouse is Kohler’s adorable coffee shop, set up in a stained glass solarium transported from Lancashire, England, where I ordered a London Fog Latte to start my day and a boozy milkshake with dark chocolate Brandy for a little afternoon pick-me-up. And Immigrant Winery was a fun spot to nosh on a pre-dinner cheese and wine flight.
At the Immigrant Room, each of the six dining rooms is an ode to Wisconsin settlers from different European countries; among the standouts on the five-course tasting menu (I opted for the vegetarian version) was a Belgian endive poached in butter and yuzu, which had the texture and flavor of halibut. The Wisconsin Room once served as the employee dining hall; today it’s known for its locally raised grass-fed steaks. I sank my teeth into a New York Strip from Grass Run Farms, drizzled with Cabernet demi-glace and served alongside wild mushrooms sauteed with shallots and thyme.
Before departing on my final morning, I took a stroll up the street to the Kohler Design Center, equal parts history museum, art installation, and inspiration for that kitchen or bathroom reno. Toilets lining one wall from floor to ceiling were decked out in retro hues like Aspen Green and Pink Champagne line, showing how decor has changed through the decades. Vessel sinks in various finishes and materials were displayed within a curved living wall. And entire bathrooms were set up—many with working plumbing—for aquaphiles like myself who dream about adding a little H2-whoa to their water-filled bookend oases at home.
Book your own stay or treatment here.