The American Club Resort Hotel Completes Multi-Phase Renovation to Guest Rooms and Common Areas

KOHLER, Wis., May 01, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) - Kohler Co. announces the completion of an extensive, multi-phase hotel renovation project dramatically enhancing its award-winning The American Club Resort Hotel. The renovated historic building continues to serve as a brilliant showcase of the company's plumbing and interiors products and as a resort destination for the discerning traveler who seeks the finest in hotel surroundings, amenities and service.

The hotel has a history of incorporating innovative design and receiving coveted hospitality awards. The American Club was built in 1918 to house immigrant workers of the Kohler Co. and was restored and refurbished in 1981 as a luxurious hotel, earning the Midwest's only AAA Five-Diamond Award in its first year. Today, the resort boasts a property worthy of the coved Forbes Five-Star Award. The hotel has continued to hold the AAA Five-Diamond distinction for 27 consecutive years, and is one of only 36 hotels worldwide to be AAA Five-Diamond and Forbes Five-Star.

"With the recent hotel renovation and Forbes Five-Star distinction, The American Club continues to promise unmatched service, inspiring surroundings and outrageous resort experiences for our guests. As one would imagine, each bathroom is designed as the showpiece of the guest room integrating stellar products from the Kohler portfolio selected to enhance the experience," said Christine Loose, Resident Manager of The American Club.

The rooms boast striking design elements that incorporate rich colored draperies, dark wood accents and elegant furnishings. The eclectic mix of furniture with purposely mismatched finishes and styles mimics a collector's cozy home. The guest room renovation incorporates plumbing, furniture and tile products from the Kohler Co.'s diverse product portfolio. The products are incorporated from the following brands: Kohler, Kallista, Baker, Mark David, McGuire and Ann Sacks.

Each carefully designed bathroom offers a unique configuration of experiential shower and bathing experiences that are warmly decorated with earth tones, accent tiles and artistic elements. The bathrooms offer guests a relaxing refuge featuring experiential products including the KOHLER Flipside showerhead, Ambient Rain, VibrAcoustic bath, WaterTiles and innovative ADA-compliant Elevance rising wall bath.

Prior to reaching the guest room, resort visitors will be welcomed by a timeless remodel of the resort's common areas including the Lobby and Library. The floor-to-ceiling renovation project features new carpeting that is a replica of the hotel's original carpet pattern. The renovated guest rooms include high-definition flat screen TVs, unique over-bed lighting, white Frette bedding highlighted by a deep red bolster pillow and throw, wireless internet and iPod docking stations. Some guest rooms also feature in-bathroom televisions.

For water-conscious guests, The American Club has a new water conservation effort in the rooms where placing a porcelain Karner Blue Butterfly, made at the Kohler factory across the street, indicates if sheets should be changed. "We choose the Karner Blue Butterfly because of its special story in Wisconsin," said Loose. "This particular species was endangered but is now flourishing in the State of Wisconsin. This is our way of helping tell that success story through our conservation efforts."

To capture the history of the property, each room pays homage to a famous American from all walks of life. A plaque on each door features a different famous American's signature and the guest room includes historical photographs and information about its featured icon, examples of who include Ben Franklin, Harriet Tubman, Babe Ruth and Susan B. Anthony. Four rooms at the hotel are named in honor of a Kohler family member, most notable the Ruth DeYoung Kohler room, also known as the 'Eau de Vie' Suite. 'Eau de Vie' is French for Water of Life and the Suite includes a customized showering experience, providing six different spa sensory journeys with water, sound, lights and steam. The suite's exquisite sok(TM) overflowing bathtub with chromatherapy fills from the ceiling providing stunning visual imagery to the bathing experience. The open concept room with a glass enclosed fireplace in the middle, features rose etchings in honor of Ruth DeYoung Kohler, who was courted with roses for three months until she accepted Herbert V. Kohler Sr.'s wedding proposal.

The company is continually renovating the hotel and its properties to provide Five-Star amenities and the latest Kohler Co. products. This cycle of hotel renovations began in December 2009 and will be complete by May 2012. The next renovation the company plans to execute will begin in late 2012 to enhance the 55 guest suites at The Carriage House, annex to The American Club that is the home of the Kohler Waters Spa. That project is scheduled to be unveiled in spring 2013.

This renovation follows the recent on-property enhancements of the Kohler Waters Spa, Cucina Italian Restaurant, Sports Core Health & Racquet Club and Inn on Woodlake.

Learn more about The American Club Resort at www.AmericanClub.com or 800-344-2838. Stay up to date on resort happenings on Facebook, facebook.com/americanclub and on twitter, www.twitter.com/theamericanclub .

About Kohler Co. Hospitality & Real Estate Group

The Kohler Co. Hospitality & Real Estate profile includes The American Club, boasting the first and only Forbes Five-Star hotel property in Wisconsin, and world-renowned championship golf courses Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run. Kohler Co. also operates The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa in the birthplace of golf, St Andrews, Scotland, a AA Five Red Star property and recognized as one of the 10 most exclusive lodgings in the world. The Hotel stands astride the 17th hole of the Old Course and the North Sea. Just behind the 18th hole, Kohler Co. is renovating what will be known as Hamilton Grand, 26 of the world's most extraordinary apartments which will be sold as 99-year leaseholds in the spring of 2012.

About The American Club Resort

The American Club Resort is in a select group being one of only 36 hotels worldwide to be rated both Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond, while the Kohler Waters Spa is one of just 30 spas worldwide to earn the Five-Star -- both firsts in the State of Wisconsin. Additionally, it was named No. 3 Golf Resort in North America, by Golf Digest Magazine. In addition, Kohler has hosted the 1998 U.S. Women's Open at Blackwolf Run, as well as the 2004 and 2010 PGA Championships and 2007 U.S. Senior Open at Whistling Straits. Kohler will also play host to the 2015 PGA Championship and 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. The resort features 11 dining establishments from the Forbes Four-Star Immigrant Restaurant to traditional pub fare at Horse & Plow and rustic Italian at Cucina. The resort is located in the Village of Kohler, Wis., one hour north of Milwaukee and two and a half hours north of Chicago.

Reported By: The Kohler Co.