The only Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five Diamond hotel between Chicago and Minneapolis, built for golfers with access to four Pete Dye courses.
The American Club began as a dormitory for Kohler Company immigrant workers in 1918. It has since become one of only a handful of properties in the United States to hold both a Forbes Five-Star rating and AAA Five Diamond designation. The 241-room main building and 55-room Carriage House (closed for renovation through May 2026) sit in Kohler Village, directly adjacent to Blackwolf Run and its two Pete Dye courses. A complimentary resort shuttle covers the ten miles to Whistling Straits in roughly 20 to 25 minutes.
The hotel functions as the operational center of Destination Kohler. Comprehensive golf packages bundle accommodations with rounds at the Straits Course, the Irish Course, the River Course, and Meadow Valleys. For groups planning three or four rounds across the property's courses, the package pricing represents meaningful savings over booking each element separately. The shuttle logistics are handled by the resort, which eliminates the need for rental cars on golf days, though a car remains useful for excursions to Elkhart Lake or Sheboygan.
Kohler Waters Spa occupies a separate building on the grounds and holds its own Forbes Five-Star rating. Treatments emphasize hydrotherapy using Kohler water products, with 50-minute massages starting at $255 on weekdays. The spa operates extended hours and offers a 20% discount on all 50- and 80-minute services every Wednesday. For traveling companions who do not play golf, the spa and the adjacent Shops at Woodlake provide a full day of activity without leaving the village.
The rooms reflect the Kohler Company's manufacturing identity. Every bathroom features Kohler plumbing fixtures, and the attention to material quality extends to down comforters, complimentary morning coffee, and afternoon tea service. Three on-site restaurants cover the range from casual to formal dining. Free WiFi, free parking, valet service, a fitness center, racquetball courts, a cycling studio, yoga classes, and nature trails round out the amenities.
Nightly rates of $400 to $600 and above place The American Club at the top of the Kohler market. The property competes not on location alone but on integration: the courses, the spa, the dining, and the logistics are all managed under one operation. For golfers building a trip around the Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run portfolio, no other property in the region offers that level of coordination.