When Charles and I were looking for a location for a Fourth of July weekend getaway, everyone gave us the same recommendation: The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin. This five star/five diamond resort known for its idyllic beauty and charm is just over 2 hours North of Chicago. Our friends' recommendations set our expectations high, and we both had such a fabulous time that we can't even put our fingers on what our favorite part of the trip was.
You are likely familiar with Kohler's Kitchen and Bath products, and yes, Kohler, Wisconsin is where the Kohler Company is based. The Village of Kohler was built around the company's plant, and The American Club was originally built to house single immigrant workers. In 1981, the large building that had been a dormitory became The American Club, a luxury resort with classic American decor and charm. Today, the resort is home to the Waters Spa, nine restaurants, and a pair of championship golf courses.
One of the fun things about this trip was that since I planned our stay, everything was a surprise for Charles. Once we entered the Village of Kohler, we were welcomed with lush green fields, streets lined with American Flags, and ivy covered brick buildings. It felt like something straight out of a Rockwell painting.
We checked in to find that we had been upgraded to a suite. The large room had a sitting area with a fireplace and a wet bar, and a separate bedroom with a king sized bed overlooking the courtyard. As you might expect, the most impressive room was the bathroom, which had an oversized whirlpool tub, a walk in shower, double sinks, and a seating area in the center. It was a true showcase of Kohler artistry, and it made us want to make some upgrades to our master bath at home.
The resort offers a wide variety of activities. Golf is hugely popular - the PGA Championship is taking place at Whistling Straits later this summer - but we opted for some more relaxing ways to spend our time. Our first evening was low key - we were tired after working on Friday and then driving up. We explored the hotel, finding the Greenhouse, an adorable stained glass building in the center of the courtyard garden. The Greenhouse has a coffee shop/ice cream parlor, and the courtyard has swinging loveseats and flower gardens.
Next we went to find some dinner. We chose to dine at the Horse & Plow, the resort's casual pub. The bartender suggested that we start with an order of the fried Wisconsin cheese curds, which were lightly fried balls of perfectly melted cheese. Then I had a chicken salad, while Charles dined on the bison burger with thick fries. Horse & Plow reminded me of the Chicago gastropubs where were usually hang out on Friday nights - but with much better food.
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