A Midwest Spa That’s Worth The Drive And The Money

Kohler Waters Spa 📍 Kohler, Wisconsin

Kohler is kind of like a resort island in the middle of not much else. There isn’t a long list of sights to see or things to do, so spending your days inside a gorgeous spa pampering yourself won’t make you feel like you’re missing out on anything.

Every spa service comes with a full day of access to the spa’s hydrotherapy facilities, and even a single afternoon may feel like a glorious week’s vacation. It did for me.

Vibe

If you can’t relax here, you may not be able to relax anywhere. From the moment you first descend the staircase to the Kohler Waters Spa treatment areas, it’ll feel as if you’re descending into a portal to a calmer, gentler world. This is a place that’s all about the water. Guests are greeted with a rotating selection of infused waters. And while infused water is a common spa feature, it’s rarely done as well as Kohler—yes that Kohler—does it.

The main pool at the Kohler Waters Spa is kept at a steady 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Services

This is a full-service spa that offers massages, facials, body therapies, and does hair, nails, and makeup. You’ll want to pay special attention to the spa’s hydrotherapies. Imagine a massage and body scrub under the most exquisite shower you’ve ever experienced.

This is, after all, a spa from a company that also dominates the plumbing business.

Separate men’s and women’s locker rooms offer warm whirlpools, cold plunge pools, saunas, and steam rooms. A larger whirlpool tub for all genders is located on the fourth-floor roof deck where you’ll also find a 12-foot fireplace. Another all-gender pool and waterfall is located just beyond the spa entrance and kept at a steady 85 degrees.

I opted for my favorite style of massage — hot stone, and it was so glorious I came back after lunch for a facial and another dip in the spa’s dreamy pools. If you’d prefer a spa lunch and the available snacks aren’t cutting it, there is an on-site cafe.

Prices

Spa services aren’t cheap at the Kohler Waters Spa, but they’re also not outrageously priced. Prices for massages, facials, and body therapies are in line with what you’ll find in cities like New York, Chicago, and Dallas.

Eighty-minute hydrotherapy sessions cost around $250. Expect to pay around $200 for a facial. My personal favorite massage at the spa—the Himalayan Salt Stone Massage—costs $169 for 50 minutes on weekdays. Expect to pay $30 more for massages, facials, and body therapies on weekends and holidays.

Location

You’ll find this slice of paradise just beneath what would be the thumb if Wisconsin were a hand. It’s part of the Destination Kohler resort complex that’s about an hour north of Milwaukee by car and about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Chicago.

Kohler Waters Spa is located across the street from the original Kohler factory, where plumbing fixtures, tiles, and generators are still manufactured today. It’s sandwiched between The American Club resort and what may be the most epic plumbing showroom in the world, the 36,000-square-foot Kohler design center.

Address: 501 Highland Dr, Kohler, WI 53044
Phone: (800) 344-2838
Website: https://www.destinationkohler.com/well-being/kohler-water-spa

Bottom Line

This is an off-the-beaten-path spa that’s well worth a visit. It’s impeccably maintained and a rare place to get away from, well, everything. And that’s priceless.

Meena Thiruvengadam

Meena Thiruvengadam is a traveler who explores the world with the curiosity of a journalist. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Travel with Meena. She's worked for Bloomberg, Business Insider, and Yahoo, and continues to contribute to publications including Conde Nast Traveler, Travel+Leisure, Fodor's Travel, The Washington Post and more.

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