The word “spa” is inherently wet. It comes from a Latin phrase (selus per aqua) that means health from water. Hydrotherapy can take the edge off of our dry-air winters – whether that’s an indoor pool, whirlpool tub or steam room – but water is not the only thing these spas have to offer. There are on-site cafes or restaurants, lounges, and immersive treatments to help you recharge and replenish.
1. Kosa
MADISON
On the top floor of a converted mill, spa founder Shilpa Sankaran brings her Indian culture’s pathways to wellness to this 5-year-old spa, through Ayurveda-minded treatments (facials and massages) as well as food and lattes (masala chai and golden milk, and her mom’s Indian rice-vegetable bowl). Private access to a steam room and sauna can be added to any treatment, and there are communal steam and sauna days. The boho-chic décor includes pottery vessels for CCF tea (cumin, coriander, fennel) and a sun-drenched lounge contrasting plants with the historic building’s exposed brick.
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2. Kohler Waters Spa
KOHLER
A fall refresh updated the cafe, relaxation pool and cold plunge, and this spa continues to fold its parent company’s luxury fixtures into services. This includes the Vichy shower in the Fire and Ice treatment, where peppermint-infused ice spheres energize the skin, and the RiverBath, with soft-colored lighting and jets in the whirlpool tub resembling river currents. New this winter is the Citrus Reviver treatment, incorporating citrus body oil with a facial massage using cold stones.
3. Calladora Spa at Lake Lawn Resort
DELAVAN
You never have to go outside this Delavan Lake resort, thanks to enclosed glass walkways. Pre- or post-treatment, enjoy the indoor pool and bites like the roasted beet salad with lavender-whipped goat cheese at 1878 on the Lake. Last summer the guestrooms and public spaces were remodeled to more properly channel the lakefront setting through nautical-themed, navy-and-cream designs. For a burst of sunshine, and to brighten up the skin during winter, book the Calladora Facial, which features guava-scented products.
4. Aspira Spa at The Osthoff Resort
ELKHART LAKE
Within the last two years, this spa introduced a Himalayan salt therapy room and a crystal healing experience (while you’re lying on a crystal mat, gemstones are placed on your chakras). As a nod to Indigenous people who once lived on the land, pouches filled with water from the resort’s lake are used for the Sacred Waters Hydrating Massage, to activate energy centers and calm the nerves. Post-treatment, relax with a cocktail or mocktail in the cafe, along with lunch items like a Thai grain bowl.
5. The Spa at Sacred Grounds
EPHRAIM
In addition to massages and facials, acupuncture and reiki services are also available, as is a steam room and sauna. For a mental trip to the tropics, book the Lomilomi massage (based on Hawaiian practices of long body strokes), or look no further than the nearby shoreline for the Door County Hot Stone Massage (featuring smooth stones collected from Lake Michigan beaches). The seasonal body polish for winter is chocolate mint, deepening the decadence.
