The Osthoff Resort and Aspira Spa
Although known for its cheese, verdant plains and glacial terrain, the state of Wisconsin is also home to a number of formidable resorts and spas, many of which I’ve reviewed. Recently, I had the pleasure of traveling to Elkhart Lake, WI to review the Osthoff Resort (a AAA Four Diamond luxury resort) and its brand new Aspira Spa.
First Things, First ~ The Resort
Perched on the shores of pristine glacial Elkhart Lake (named by the indigenous Potowotomi Indians because its shape resembled an elk’s heart), and surrounded by lush forests that flourish on the moraine, the Osthoff Hotel was originally built in 1886.
The Osthoff would become the preferred vacation destination for the well-to-do traveler, who wanted exquisite scenery, luxurious accommodations, and a place to escape to from the wretchedly hot summer days of their heat-retaining concrete cities.
During this time, luxury resorts such as the Osthoff, were being built all over the U.S. because of a demand by those who preferred staying in the U.S., versus traveling great distances overseas to Europe.
These turn-of-the-century resorts had the finest of everything and were considered equal to, if not better than, many of their overseas “cousins”. After the halcyon days of this quaint little town’s unrivaled resort and tourism growth began to wane (in part because of historical, economic and urbanization factors), by the mid-1950’s, this picturesque town’s tourism trade began to fade; all of the area’s resorts would be affected, including the town’s “grande dame” Osthoff Hotel. Reluctantly, the Osthoff family sold its beloved hotel. The new owners would then convert the property to a popular summer performing arts camp, where it continued operating until the late-1980’s. By 1989, another group of investors purchased the camp, and decided to give new life to the Osthoff, and rebuild it as a luxury resort.
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n 1995, the Osthoff Resort reopened its doors, reaffirming itself as a luxurious resort and preferred vacation destination. The current owners (a privately held corporation) didn’t compromise the integrity of the original architectural design, which is quintessentially and quaintly Bavarian-esque, and which honors the founder’s heart and homeland.
Even the resort’s present-day meandering grounds, accentuated with gazeboes, “set-a-spell” benches, waterfalls, lush greenery, stoic evergreens, and beautiful flora, transports its strolling guests to a bygone era, where simpler was better, and when quiet was a customary respite for the weary body, mind and soul.
In mid-2004, ground was broken for a multi-phase round of new builds and upgrades, which included an entire new wing of rooms (condominium suites), expanded conference and meeting space, expanded ballroom, a new gourmet restaurant, and a brand new full-service spa.
In November 2005, construction was completed; the resort could now boast of a new wing with forty-eight suites (up to 2,300 s.f. each, complete with kitchen, dining and living areas, balconies, Euro-designed walk-in showers and whirlpools), bringing total accommodations to two-hundred-forty-five suites and guest rooms (three floors); a ballroom that can accommodate up to one-thousand; an updated, techno-state-of-the-art meeting and conference center (easily accommodating up to six-hundred); a fabulous gourmet restaurant, Lola’s on the Lake (named after resort General Manager, Lola Roeh); this new restaurant serves traditional-nouvelle fusion cuisine paired with impressive wines (the restaurant comes complete with a beautiful hand-planed wooden bar, and serves lunch and dinner; the resort’s other restaurant, Otto’s, offers lighter fare, including a children’s menu); and, a new full-service spa, Aspira Spa..
