Kohler Waters Spa

My husband and I spent the day at the spa for my birthday. It was by far the most amazing and relaxing spa experience we ever had. The locker rooms are gorgeous and offer a beautiful area to relax, soak in a hot tub or cool off in a pool, and get ready for a night out after an incredible day at the spa. We also loved sitting together in the lounge chairs by the waterfall pool and the hot tub. I had a wonderful facial treatment that left my skin glowing. The water bath for two was also amazing and the perfect start to our day. We can’t wait to return!!!

Too much to take note of, and too many secret pictures I didn’t take. Was too busy enjoying myself, Unilocal’ers! Take my word for it— you should do the same.
The scalp treatment and pedicure/​manicures were great. As can be expected. It’s the massages and other services that are ahhh-​mazing.
Note that holidays and high weekends require 2 services. You’ll appreciate that rule when you see how crowded it gets. I was there the day after Christmas, and it was super busy. Luckily the staff is so amazing that you don’t really notice how busy they are. The spaces are relaxing. Plenty comfy chairs and bodies of water to dip into— if you are flexible and willing to walk around and be patient. If you want to totally zone out in peace a full day, go on a quiet day. I didn’t mind relaxing with others, and doing something else if there wasn’t an empty chair, so I was fine.
Definitely check out the 4^th floor whirlpool. A nice patio for summer. And a long trendy fireplace with chairs, and cushions to sit around it.
If you are into spa experiences try the hydrotherapies — - I call them the car washes. They are such a neat experience and will leave you feeling wow’ed. How can you be naked on a table being sprayed with water without feeling naked — - well, these are professionals so don’t worry about it, you’ll stay covered.
Have a blast!

Seriously, this may be my new favorite place ever even though it isn’t exactly new but it is new to me. It is pure serenity and bliss. I don’t think I have personally ever experienced a more peaceful environment other than I was in some amazing spas in Thailand. But back to reality. Who knew this place was only a 2 hour drive from my home. Connected to the Carriage house, you have to try at least one treatment here and if you can afford it, do five. I mean seriously, make a whole weekend out of it. During our stay we each experienced two treatments and used all their facilities and I was thirsting for more treatments. Just as an fyi, treatments are a little more expensive on Saturdays so keep that in mind when booking them. I experienced a very relaxing spa pedicure, which was very nice but I wouldn’t necessarily come back here for nails and feet persay. DO THE WATER TREATMENTS. Yes, I cannot stress that enough. I also did the 50 minute harmony bath and I’m singing a very fine tune after that, ha-​le-​lu-​yaaaaaaaaaa! Wow, it was one of the best water treatments I have ever received and definitely unique to the Kohler Waters as they use their one of a kind vichy shower to exfoliate and massage you while you are essentially getting rained upon. It is truly a divine experience, leaving you super relaxed. The girl who did my treatment was super nice as well and made the experience worth it and I would request her again next time since she was so nice and explained everything.
Now, onto the facility. Their pool looks straight out of a greek islands royalty magazine, its beautiful but not huge. You can relax on one of their super cozy lounge chairs after you experience a swim. What’s even better is on the top floor of the spa, they have this long and super cool fireplace room where you can sit and relax. I literally fell asleep and dosed off for a good half hour up there. They also have a whirlpool hot tub in the same room. Just pure regeneration of the mind, body and soul. The people working at the spa are also very friendly and will answer any and all of your pampering questions or needs. I cannot wait to come back here again, whether for a nice romantic getaway or a girls weekend. It is just what we all need in the stressful and busy world we all live in. I just wish I could afford to come here all the time. Till next time, paradise, I’m definitely coming back for you!

Worth every penny! I’ve visited the Kohler in Burr Ridge but this facility was awesome. Professional staff, great spa services and tranquil

The services at this spa were 5 star plus! We had a lovely relaxing time. The lavender rain body treatment was amazing! We stayed at The Inn on Woodlake which was very clean. We bought a spa package, including breakfast at the American Club! This was amazing, the service and food at The Wisconsin Room was 5 star all the way! We felt like we got a great deal of wonderful at an affordable price. The cleaning staff at the Inn was so friendly as well as the front desk staff. My only criticism at all was the strong chlorine in the whirlpool and the dated signature product line «hollyhock»… It looks and smells like dish soap. I suggest switching to a private label organic line:) we will definitely be back!

The only thing keeping this from a 5 star review is cost.
Yes, you get what you pay for. This is not a 1-​room spa in your neighborhood. It’s absolutely beautiful. Pampering. Relaxing.
My husband and I had a couples massage. Incredible. Definitely ONE of the best massages of my life, but I’m not sure about THE best (considering it’s double the price of even the pricier massages I’ve had). What you’re paying for is the hydrotherapy experience. A cold plunge and hottub in every locker room, a co-​ed hottub with a coal-​burning fireplace, a waterfalled relaxation pool, Kohler showers, tea and snacks everywhere, impeccable service, and a steam room/​sauna in every locker room.
This is truly a treat. For my husband and I for ONE service costs almost as much as a family of four to spend a day at the Magic Kingdom.
I know I am just a lowly plebian, but I would recommend more packages, discounts, deals. Or maybe an option to just pay for the hydrotherapy experience OR a spa service, a la carte. That may make the services and experience more accessible.

My wife and I came here with another couple early December. We arrived at the American club Friday and received couples massages on Sunday. The ambience is amazing at this place, and our first massage was exceptional. The prices are high for the resort and spa, so next time we come we will be staying one less night and adding in some extra spas services. Beautiful place for first time spa goers!

(2014) we come every year and stay in the carriage house. Some important changes this year:
* you can’t just hang out in the spa without a service booked (during peak periods like the holidays). Even if you stay in the carriage house. They shut down elevators and use wrist bands to police this. It does make it far less crowded though.
* you can only hang out in the spa on the day of your service. If you stay at the inn, you have to book two services to hang!
* you can not buy hang out access during peak periods any longer.
Be warned. If you used to milk the spa for as much time as possible, you now will have more restrictions.

During our recent stay at the American Club, hubby and I each had 2 spa treatments. I agree with other reviewers that the high price for the treatments is worth it if you really get the full resort spa experience. Available chaises around the pool area in the lower level can be hard to come by but are comfy if you can snag one. I did not make it up to the 4^th floor but hubby said it was nice. We also did not try the spa lunch. The waiting areas and locker room areas were impeccable. We’d come back and try to enjoy more of the amenities like the hot tub and sauna that I can’t use while preego.
Both of my treatments — a basic facial and a maternity massage — were really good. I really liked both technicians and the front desk staff was very nice as well. They do try to push their products after the service, but not in an offensive way. Hubby said both of his services were good but he didn’t rave about the skin treatment.

My husband and I went to kohler for our baby moon and it couldn’t have gone better. We did the package for expecting parents that included spa services for both of us. I did upgrade the room to the immersion suite and it was worth every penny. The small gifts i received throughout my stay was such a nice touch. I highly recommend this place it’s very romantic and relaxing.

The Waters Spa is a resort spa — more expensive than a day spa, but worth it when you take advantage of the full facility and spend several hours there to truly relax. I’ve been there several times and each time my visit is wonderful.
The robes are luxurious, they have many amenities to enjoy: in the locker rooms you can relax in a Kohler shower (with several shower heads), whirlpool bath, cold plunging pool, steam room and a sauna room. In the common room outside the locker rooms is another pool with a waterfall and lounge area. There are two other quiet waiting rooms to wait in before your service and are nice if you don’t like the sound of the water. You also have access to the 4^th floor, which is an enclosed roof deck with a large whirlpool bath and a lounge chairs in front of a very cool fire place. I brought a book and relaxed before and after my service and that made it even better than just having a service!
I’ve had facials and massages here as well as some of their unique experiences like the H20 Inspiration for Two. They’ve all been amazing, relaxing and the technicians were all very nice. The only things I haven’t tried are the salon services (hair or nails).
I like the quality of the spa and the attention to detail. I also love the Kohler-​line of bath products and now keep the body wash in my shower! My only gripe would be that although they have water, apples and a snack mix available, they only serve spa lunches 11am-​3pm. I would love the opportunity to eat at other times (evening). But that isn’t enough to deter me from coming back! And I almost forgot to mention, making reservations is a breeze! Very professional and knowledgeable staff.

My hubby and I got a couples massage here. To rate the whole experience, I’d say we had better for cheaper (and we had a discount).
Starting with the spa facilities: the indoor pool and the rooftop hot tub had great lounge chairs and an oasis-​like setup. Unfortunately, there were really only enough of the nice chaise lounges for a dozen people total and of course they were all taken. Having to wait in line and scurry to snap up a chair when someone looked like they were leaving ruined the experience right off the bat. On top of that, when my hubby and I finally got two chaises next to one another, it was on the rooftop next to the hot tub that is a chlorine hot tub minus the water. Our eyes were burning so badly from the chlorine we had to leave. We would have sat on the outdoor deck area but that too was smaller than the patio on my condo in Chicago (which is just a stairwell) so we couldn’t sit there either.
On the plus side — and the reasoning for three stars — was the actual massage. The masseuses were punctual, professional and relaxing. The room itself had a nice fireplace, relaxing music and the massages were great. The room was close enough to the waterfall to hear it, (relaxing!) however, you could hear some of the attendants trying to talk over the sound of it in the hallway which woke us up and took us out of the zone.
Would we go back to the spa? Not sure.

Excellent massages, good service and relaxing atmosphere. The spa itself is much smaller than we had imagined and when there are a lot of guests, it’s a bit uncomfortable, however relaxing none the less.
I had the best prenatal massage if my life and they take such pride in what they do, as they should.
We dinned at Wisconsin Room and would highly recommend that place. Also visit the tea room & courtyard in the American Club.

Stayed at the AC for a work event and brought my childhood bff as my guest. I booked us the 50 min kohler massage. It was the best massage both of us ever had! 50 minutes was definitely not enough, wish I would have gotten the 80! With a 20% discount from my company it was still $ 173 for each of us (incl tip). Waaaaay more than I would spend at home, but I’m glad we did it. The amenities are a bit small but I liked that they have separate ones for women and men as well as coed.
I will definitely book another service or two next time I’m at the AC.

Went with a group of gal pals for a weekend late January. We were all excited to get some much needed pampering. We pulled into the drive passed the big gates. We were pleased with the majesty of the old-​world American Club facility… only to realize we were booked in the cousin property down the street, around the corner and in the strip mall. Hmmm, not my idea of a posh place to lay my weary head after a long day of work and a two and a half hour drive from Chicago. My buddy and I upgraded to a room atop the building with the spa. It was a good move but an expensive one. We could wear our robes to breakfast, tea and happy hour, which was ideal.
We signed up for the Girlfriend package. It included a room, a meal at a mediocre restaurant nearby, a spa service and a bottle of wine. The spa, hotels, restaurants, and exercise facility are connected by shuttle. It’s a quick shuttle but I still felt this campus-​style resort experience a bit odd.
The spa itself had some lovely aspects. The main pool was heavenly. Lounge chairs surround the pool and waterfall. I spent most of my time there reading and reflecting. There was a large hot tub and loungers with a fireplace on the top floor. It was a nice place to relax as well.
I didn’t like the décor in the waiting areas. Filled with bad 80’s floral porch furniture, it was a weird place to hang waiting for a massage or facial. The services I had were lovely but not cheap! Headed home, I realized for the money I spent in Wisconsin, I could have purchased a flight to Europe. Wisconsin cheeses or Parisian? Hmmm.
I don’t mean to come down so hard on the place, some things shone brightly (again the pool, services and the staff). I do love me some spa time but I’ve had better for cheaper.
I recommend Kohler for people living near by who want a lovely day spa experience. Staying over? I’d try another destination next time.

A girlfriend and I indulged in a very affordable week-​end getaway package to Kohler Waters and enjoyed ourselves immensely! She had been before (both to this location and to the one in Burr Ridge, IL), whereas I had never been, so this dual review is coming from both a seasoned pro and a Kohler virgin. :P
When we got there, I noted immediately how «on» everyone seemed to be. I have been to many, many spas, but not really ever a resort one, and when we were ushered out of the lobby it was if we were leaving our world and entering into a land of terminally smiling faces! (Amazingly though, the people did seem sincere, in a professional, rather removed way.)
Your troublesome thoughts should be drowned out by the white noise of the waterfall as soon as you reach the pool room in the lower level.
Having never been to a coed resort spa, it was a bit jarring to see all manner of people in their big puffy robes lounging and wandering around near the pool. (Especially the dudes slouched in their chairs, knees akimbo. Cover it up, man!)
If it’s too crowded downstairs for you, you can always retreat to the 4^th floor where there is a whirlpool spa, fireplace and more loungers (though full when we were there).
The place has a very circuitous layout, so you may be finding yourself wandering around through the rabbit warren of rooms and halls looking for the right waiting room for your treatments; mercifully, kind staff can be found to guide you.
So on to the treatments:
— My massage with Leslie was great. She gave me the choice of scents to incorporate into the massage cream (I chose the hollyhock, their signature scent) and conferred about pressure and other issues as we went along.
— I also had the Citrus Reviver treatment with Maddy. For this one I felt like Rose Royce’s «Car Wash» should have been playing in the background as the soundtrack as I was scrubbed, buffed, polished and finally hosed down. Citrus exfoliants renewed the skin, with a neroli shea butter cream to soothe it; then the Vichy shower washes you clean, while cool stones in your hands wake up the nerve endings. The sound of the shower hitting the tiled floor is as relaxing as listing to a peaceful rainstorm.
— My friend had the Stretch & Flex massage with Kathleen. Similar to Thai massage in that you wear workout clothes, she said they were in touch about comfort level the whole time, and you could really feel the relaxation because of the pattern of pressure and release.
— While I was having the Citrus Reviver she had the Lavendar Rain, another treatment using the Vichy shower, which also makes use of aromatherapy but warm stones rather than cool. Her description was, in a word, «phenomenal.»
A few sort of negative things:
— Being a week-​end, it was crowded, no surprise. But there was really a premium on chairs (not just loungers, but actual chairs). I get that there’s limited space, but when you’re endlessly cycling around just trying to find a place to park it, not so relaxing. (Meanwhile you can pad around in your rubber sandals and sample the snacks: yoghurt raisins, raw almonds, cucumber water, and tea.)
— The clocks in some of the rooms were not obvious/​easy to see (in the main pool/​waterfall room the clock is clear and silver and not very large. It was almost impossible to see without being on top of it.) Since cell phones aren’t allowed (which is my timepiece these days, don’t know about you), makes it hard to keep an eye on the time for your next session.
— This isn’t negative, but just a little odd: I’ve never been to any spa where they stayed on a «last name basis» with you the whole time. The entire time it was «Ms. M_​_​», from everyone (clerks, hosts, therapists, etc.). Even when you went into the treatment rooms, there would be a small tray arranged aesthetically with a small flower and a card with your name (last, not even first and last). It just seemed kind of… formal. Not a bad thing, just distracted me a bit.
Overall, though, this was a great and restorative experience and I would love to visit again. It would be particularly nice during the week when space is less at a premium, though you may not be able to get the same packages, if that is what you are seeking. A quick escape from Chicago!

Beautiful, relaxing, peaceful, and a wonderful answer to a long hard year, and the end of a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend.
There’s everything you could think of here to help you relax (saunas, plunge pools, steam rooms, private hot tubs, lap pools, etc). We stayed in the Carriage House which means that we were able to wake up and take the elevator straight down to the spa area in the morning, go upstairs in our robe for breakfast, and head right back down.
My only complaints are the price (but, that’s expected and warranted), and the confusion on getting a locker. No one told us about how to get a locker or how the spa works so that left me asking others who also didn’t have a clue.
Otherwise, this was a great place to relax. And, the massages were wonderful (but, I will be getting a 90 min one the next time I come, that’s for sure).