Pulse Legacy Archive January / February 2013 | Page 20

member profile
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16)

currently undergoing renovations.
The improvements are also aimed at
sustainability. The spa recycles about six
tons of materials annually and, in the
past year, it tied its water lines to those
of the Kohler Co., situated across the
street. “We have saved, this year alone,
1.2 million gallons of water and it was a
US$12,000 investment,” Kolb says.
Another component of quality comes
in the product lines it offers. Offering
Kerstin Florian International (KFI), Skin
Authority and Aromatherapy Associates,
Kolb says the spa doesn’t carry any
products that are not ISPA resource
partner members.
“They play a very integral part in our
industry and if they are not an ISPA
resource partner, they are not in the
Kohler Waters Spa,” she says.

Kohler Spa Clients
When it comes to its clientele, Kohler
Waters Spa doesn’t have a typical customer. Guests range from those looking

ABOUT THE SPA
Spa type: Resort spa
Open date: Dec. 18, 2000
Area in square footage: 24,595
Number of rooms: 21
Interior designer: Cheryl Rowley of
Rowley Designs
Number of full-time spa staff: 34
Compensation: Guest services is
hourly; managers are salary; therapists
are commission
Staff training: New associate orientation through Kohler Co. and a five-star
training program for all new hires and
existing associates
Annual marketing budget:
US$350,000
Guest ratio (women/men): 60/40

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January/February 2013

for a quiet respite away from the city to
social groups celebrating special occasions. Treatments range in price from
US$65 for a spa manicure to US$215 for
an involved water experience, which
means spa guests also varies from the
price-conscious to the not-so-price-conscious.
“There is no such thing as cookiecutter spa guest. Everyone is looking for
something different,” Kolb says. “You
have to listen to exactly what they are
saying and even the hints they’re dropping to understand what you can do
best to get them to come to your spa.”
In 2008, about 11 percent of Kohler
Waters Spa clientele was from the local
community rather than guests from the
hotel. When the recession affected the
number of guests staying at The
American Club hotel, and thus visiting

the spa, Kolb decided to promote to the
local area. Local clientele has since risen
to 16 percent, with the majority of these
clients making the two-hour drive from
the Chicago area.
Although the motivation behind visiting the Kohler Waters Spa is varied,
many clients tend to try a water treatment during their visit. The custom
massage continues to be the spa’s most
popular treatment and its “bread and
butter,” offering the lowest cost per
service. Although, Kohler Waters Spa’s
one-of-a-kind water offerings continue to
entice guests.
“When they are here, they might have
two services: a massage [that] they always
have [and] something wild, interesting
and different, [like] our water treatments,”
Kolb says. “In other words, they come for
our innovative plumbing.” ■