01.01.16

Meetings-Conventions.com

Wisconsin

By: Chris Duthie

TO-DO LIST
The 355-room Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, with 62,000 square feet of event space, has a new Adventure Center for hiking, mountain biking, slacklining, volleyball and disc golf.

See more here.

12.31.15

RedTri.com

Indoor Water Parks That Will Save Your Winter

By: Amy Bizzarri

The tropics have come to Chicago! Well, kinda. If you’re looking for humid temperatures, palm trees, beach chairs and water play, head to one of the region’s indoor waterparks. There are great options located a short drive from the city and many offer day passes. Click through our album to see which ones you should visit when you need an escape.

Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark – Lake Geneva
Main Attraction Climb, swim or slide down Moose Mountain Falls, the main attraction at this spot, located just across the border in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, less than two hours from Chicago. Perhaps the biggest draw here is the Tiny Timbers area, which is ideal for kids ages 3-6 due to its swings, slides, spouts and mushroom waterfall. The main activity pool has a rope climb and a water basketball court. A lazy river snakes around the entire waterpark.

Thrill Factor: 2 out of 5. This park is designed with kids ages 10 and under in mind. There are two single and double tube slides, which are just right for kids of any age with swim skills.

Family Appeal: The adjacent Timber Ridge Lodge is designed for families: One- and two-bedroom suites are available, so parents can relax and watch a movie in the living room area while the kids are nestled in bed. Plus the waterpark and lodge are located within the Grand Geneva resort complex, and you can not only enjoy splashing around the waterpark but also skiing, skating, sledding and horseback riding in the winter, golf in the summer, and spa time year ’round.

7020 Grand Geneva Way
Lake Geneva,
866-636-4502
Online: timberridgeresort.com
Admission: Room rates start at $195/night and include waterpark admission. On weekends and holidays, the waterpark is reserved for resort guests only. All other days, groups may purchase admission by contacting 262-249-3499.

See more here.

12.31.15

RedTri.com

Indoor Water Parks That Will Save Your Winter

By: Amy Bizzarri

The tropics have come to Chicago! Well, kinda. If you’re looking for humid temperatures, palm trees, beach chairs and water play, head to one of the region’s indoor waterparks. There are great options located a short drive from the city and many offer day passes. Click through our album to see which ones you should visit when you need an escape.

Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark – Lake Geneva
Main Attraction Climb, swim or slide down Moose Mountain Falls, the main attraction at this spot, located just across the border in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, less than two hours from Chicago. Perhaps the biggest draw here is the Tiny Timbers area, which is ideal for kids ages 3-6 due to its swings, slides, spouts and mushroom waterfall. The main activity pool has a rope climb and a water basketball court. A lazy river snakes around the entire waterpark.

Thrill Factor: 2 out of 5. This park is designed with kids ages 10 and under in mind. There are two single and double tube slides, which are just right for kids of any age with swim skills.

Family Appeal: The adjacent Timber Ridge Lodge is designed for families: One- and two-bedroom suites are available, so parents can relax and watch a movie in the living room area while the kids are nestled in bed. Plus the waterpark and lodge are located within the Grand Geneva resort complex, and you can not only enjoy splashing around the waterpark but also skiing, skating, sledding and horseback riding in the winter, golf in the summer, and spa time year ’round.

7020 Grand Geneva Way
Lake Geneva,
866-636-4502
Online: timberridgeresort.com
Admission: Room rates start at $195/night and include waterpark admission. On weekends and holidays, the waterpark is reserved for resort guests only. All other days, groups may purchase admission by contacting 262-249-3499.

See more here.

12.24.15

The Resorter

Grand Geneva hosting ‘staycation’ for New Year’s

Start counting down to 2016 and come dance the night away at Grand Geneva’s Deja Vu party where guests will enjoy a champagne toast, party favors and a lakeside fireworks display for $15 (tickets will be sold at the door). For just $35, kids 5 to 12 can join in on the fun with a NYE Junior Celebration that includes arcade-style video games and a $10 token credit, air hockey and pink pong tournaments, crafts, games and more. A kid-friendly toast complete with a buffet and beverage is included. To reserve a spot for your child, call (800) 558-3417 (advance reservations are required).

12.20.15

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

New Year’s Eve rocks at resorts around the state

By: Brian E Clark

For Ryan and Diane Litwin, it wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve if they weren’t at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake. The same is true for Linda Buholzer and her spouse. For Jim DeMeo and his family, it’s the Grand Geneva Resort that pulls them back to celebrate the new year each Dec. 31.

“This will be our ninth New Year’s at the Osthoff,” said Ryan Litwin, whose family lives in Mukwonago. “We like it so much that we started to ask our friends to join us, so that now it’s become a tradition for a group of us to ring in the new year.”

The Litwin family first traveled to Elkhart Lake and stayed at the Osthoff years ago to watch Road America auto races. They asked about winter activities, Litwin said, and were told that the winter holidays were an especially nice time to visit.

“We want to be at home for Christmas,” he said. “But we gave New Year’s a try and really liked it. The Osthoff was a great place to go for our family because there were things for kids to do, even when they were younger. Our children are 19 and 20 now, and they say they’re going to want to come here with their families when they are older.”

Litwin said he also likes the small-town feel of Elkhart Lake and its walkability.

“That’s important around New Year’s, when I don’t want to be out on the roads,” he said. “We always go bowling in town when we are here for a few days and go out to the local restaurants. But it’s the Osthoff that really brings us back. Kids can skate on the pond, toboggan on a nearby hill or go for a carriage ride at the Osthoff. And the whole resort is really decked out nicely.

“There is a huge Christmas tree that is probably 15- to 20-feet tall and beautifully decorated and lit. The place just has a warm and friendly feeling to it. We like Lola’s on the Lake in the hotel because they often have a jazz theme and bring out the hats and noisemakers to celebrate. It’s always a lot of fun. And the fireworks at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve is pretty cool, too.”

This year, the Chicago band Quiet Storm will perform R&B, funk and rock at Lola’s until 1 a.m., with a champagne toast at midnight.

Linda Buholzer, who lives outside Monroe, said she and her husband are also Road America fans who have stayed at the Osthoff at other times throughout the year for a decade.

“This will be our third New Year’s, and a lot of our friends who we’ve met at Road America go there,” she said. “It’s a big, fun get-together. We especially like the Elk Room because it’s decorated so nicely. It’s cozy with its big fireplace. But the whole place is very festive. They do a fantastic job. Even without snow, it looks amazing.”

Jim DeMeo, who owns a plumbing company in suburban Chicago, said he and his wife have been celebrating New Year’s at the Grand Geneva near Lake Geneva since their girls (now 13 and 17) were little.

“It’s a great place for families to go, but adults go there to have a good time, too,” said DeMeo, whose family has been going to the resort since it was the Playboy Club. “It makes you feel comfortable, if that’s the right word. There are things for everyone to do. We usually stay for a couple of days. My in-laws come and other family members, too, so we just enjoy the time together.

“On New Year’s Eve, there are a lot of people walking around, many dressed up, enjoying the decorations. It’s beautiful. Adults can be in a bar or at different parties and kids can do their activities, too. Once we went skiing late at Mountain Top ski hill and when we got back to our rooms, you could see fireworks going off (at 10 p.m.) just beyond the mountain.”

Other resort options for celebrating New Year’s Eve include:

The American Club in Kohler is offering evening dining specials at all of its restaurants so guests can pick the party that suits their mood. The Immigrant Restaurant will feature a five- or seven-course tasting menu with optional wine pairing, while The Wisconsin Room will offer a special prix fixe menu with wine.

For those who like dancing, DJ Joe Ryan will host the evening’s music in the Woodlands Hall. Guests can enjoy desserts from The American Club pastry kitchen, an open bar, party favors, late night snacks and a champagne toast.

Elsewhere, there will be live music from the Dave Steffen Band at The Horse & Plow. The Winery Bar will have DJ Heavy. For details, see americanclubresort.com.

The Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan offers several New Year’s Eve packages for families and couples. The Grand Lobby will turn into a 1940s lounge, complete with live music. Overnight guests can enjoy a buffet dinner. For a quieter evening, the Latitude 43 Restaurant will have live music and a four- or five-course dinner. When midnight arrives, guests can play in the resort’s waterpark and watch a beach ball drop. See blueharborresort.com.

The Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells is offering a special New Year’s Eve buffet with house-made sweets created by the resort’s executive pastry chef. Kids can take part in a duck race and try to smash a piñata before balloons drop at midnight. There’s also cookie and gingerbread house decorating and story time by the fireplace for children. See kalahariresorts.com/wisconsin.

12.18.15

AmericanSpa.com

5 Farm-Fresh Holiday Spa Treatments

By: Jennifer Nied

I’m splitting my holiday vacation time between my family in Colorado and my husband’s family in Wisconsin this season. We look forward to double the festivities and cheer and maybe a few spa treatments, as both locales are havens for health (more spa offerings). Well Spa & Salon at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa (WI) is one of many lovely spas promoting new holiday specials incorporating FarmHouse Fresh’s delectable products.

Citrus Twist and Plum Bliss Massage (starting at $135, 50 minutes; $205, 80 minutes) An infused citrus oil envelops skin, leaving it nourished with a beautiful, subtle glow. Blissfully last, a breathtaking shea butter is massaged into hands and feet giving the finale clients deserve during the holidays.
All is Bright, Tightening and Brightening Facial (starting at $70, 25 minutes) Flawless skin is coming to town. This facial begins with a sugary sweet shea butter scrub that will cleanse, moisturize, and invigorate. A cactus-infused toning gel increases circulation and improves elasticity for the perfect holiday glow. Next, a clinical peptide facial serum works to banish discolorations, and a powerhouse eye serum sets crow’s feet and lines on the run. A quick steamed towel compress infused with glistening and plumping Agave Nectar Oil.
Power Pudding – Age Renew Facial (starting at $115, 50 minutes) Smooth skin begins with a steaming Butter Brulee whole milk and chicory root wrap to soften skin and open pores. A creamy Green Tea Milk Wash cleanser infuses skin with skin-loving sodium PCA to hydrate and nourish as it cleanses. Next, skin is smoothed with a natural buffing biscuit blend made with calming burdock root, mango butter, skin-enhancing rice powder and whole milk. Tapioca flour, rice, and glycolic and fruit extract-based AHA’s combine in a gentle skin-renewing pudding that tingles away as it sloughs off dry skin, revealing refreshed skin beneath. A firming peptide-enhanced moisturizer helps soften the deepest wrinkles, while Crow Catcher Eye Serum helps to smooth the finest of crow’s feet, bringing you a truly ageless transformation.
Spiked Plum Pudding (starting at $195, 80 minutes) A soothing dip into a creamy powder milk bath nourishes and cleanses before a festive vodka infused sugar scrub smoothes and refines. Skin is painted with a gentle tapioca pudding mask chock-full of glycolic and fruit extract alpha hydroxyl acids-which helps dead skin cells slough away, revealing smooth textured skin. Then, a shea butter melt with uplifting fruit notes is worked into skin, leaving a rich, dewy glow that lasts for hours.
Sugared Plum Manicure ($70, 50 minutes) and Pedicure ($80, 50 minutes) Hands or feet are dipped in a creamy milk bath before a festive vodka infused pear sugar scrub smoothes and refines. Skin is painted with a gentle tapioca pudding mask, which helps dead skin cells slough away, revealing smooth textured skin. Then, a Plum Shea butter melt with uplifting fruit notes is worked into skin, leaving a rich, dewy glow that lasts for hours. Then followed with a Vitamin E enriched paraffin dip. Finished with a polish application.
How does your spa enhance seasonal services to bring cheer to spa-goers?

See more here.

12.17.15

The Resorter

Grand Geneva Resort’s Well Spa and Salon featuring gift cards for holiday season

For the perfect holiday present, give gift cards to Well Spa and Salon at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa. As a holiday promotion, for every $100 in gift cards purchased, the buyer will receive a $25 bonus gift card free of charge. The gift cards can be used for anything from overnight stays to dining to spa and more at either Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark or Grand Geneva Resort & Spa.

The bonus cards can be used for either dining or spa (restrictions apply) at different Marcus Hotels and Resort properties, and are valid from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2016. For more information on the resort, visit www.grandgeneva.com.

12.13.15

The Daily Herald

On The Road

By: Jacky Runice

Not Same Old Lang Syne
Nearby Grand Geneva Resort & Spa is offering a couple of New Year’s Eve offerings for all ages. For ages 21 and older, the Grand Style NYE Celebration package includes a two-night stay in a deluxe guest room; dinner for two at Ristorante Brissago or Geneva ChopHouse; admission to Déjà Vu Party / Dance with a DJ in the Grand Ballroom from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.; two drink tickets per person and a champagne toast; party favors and a midnight balloon drop; and an outdoor fireworks display. Kids can join a NYE Junior Celebration, which includes a $10 token credit for arcade-style video games; air hockey and Ping-Pong tournaments; crafts and games; a kid’s buffet; and beverage to ring in the New Year.

Wednesday Dec. 30 – Friday, Jan. 1 at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake geneva, Wisconsin. Grand Style packages start at $799 for a two-night stay (including dinner, drinks, dancing, a fireworks show and more). Kids’ NYE is $35 for ages 5-12 (can be added to any package or a la carte). (800) 558-3417 or grandgeneva.com.

12.13.15

The New York Times

For New Year’s Eve, Hotels Pull Out the Sparks

By: Shivani Vora

New Year’s Eve doesn’t have to mean the usual been-there, done-that celebration. A number of hotels around the country have created packages that include everything from dancing to a fireworks show. Prices below are for two.

The Knickerbocker Hotel, located at the edge of Times Square in New York and with views of the crystal ball that drops at midnight, is offering a night’s stay with dinner and dancing and a New Year’s Day brunch. Prices from $2,890.

Also in New York City, the Plaza Hotel has a Ring in the New Year Package. It includes a night’s stay, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the Palm Court followed by a dinner with a menu by the chef Geoffrey Zakirian, entertainment with a live band and a Champagne toast. Prices from $1,190.

In Newport, R.I., the Castle Hill Inn has an Effervescent New Year’s Eve package for one night with a welcome amenity of a bottle of Champagne, a Champagne tasting and a screening of the 1954 film classic “Sabrina” on the afternoon of Dec. 31, dinner with live music and dancing that night, and a New Year’s Day brunch. Prices from $720.

Guests at Dunton Hot Springs, the 19th-century ghost mining town turned luxury resort in the Colorado Rockies, get a four-night stay, all meals and drinks (nonalcoholic and alcoholic), a multicourse New Year’s Eve dinner, a New Year’s Day brunch, a $370 credit to use for massages or on a guided activities and a $200 credit to the gift shop. Prices from $4, 590.

The Fearrington House Inn, in Pittsboro, N.C., has a shopping-themed getaway to ring in 2016 with a two-night stay, breakfast, daily afternoon tea, a three course dinner on Dec. 30 and a tasting dinner on New Year’s Eve at its fine-dining restaurant, a consultation with a stylist at the local boutique Dovecote Style, along with a $250 shopping credit and a $100 credit for the hotel’s spa. Prices from $1,900/

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, Wis., 90 minutes northwest of Chicago, has the Grand Style Package. Included are a two-night stay, dinner for two, a Grand Ballroom dance party, two drink tickets per person and a lakeside fireworks show. Prices from $799.

Hotels have incentive to offer attractive New Year’s Eve packages because they want to fill their rooms, according to Adam Weissenberg, the head of travel, hospitality and leisure at Deloitte & Touche. “Historically, December 31st isn’t a busy night for hotel stays because people celebrate with friends at home or at local restaurants so properties need to give guests a reason to stay,” he said.

12.12.15

DailyHerald.com

Midwest travel: Kohl Children’s Museum drops the ball twice Dec. 31

By: Jacky Runice

Midwest
Not the same Old Lang Syne

Nearby Grand Geneva Resort & Spa is offering a couple of New Year’s Eve offerings for all ages. For ages 21 and older, the Grand Style NYE Celebration package includes a two-night stay in a deluxe guest room; dinner for two at Ristorante Brissago or Geneva ChopHouse; admission to Déjà Vu Party/Dance with a DJ in the Grand Ballroom from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.; two drink tickets per person and a champagne toast; party favors and a midnight balloon drop; and an outdoor fireworks display. Kids can join a NYE Junior Celebration, which includes a $10 token credit for arcade-style video games; air hockey and Ping-Pong tournaments; crafts and games; a kid’s buffet; and beverages to ring in the New Year.

Wednesday, Dec. 30-Friday, Jan. 1, at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Grand Style packages start at $799 for a two-night stay (including dinner, drinks, dancing, a fireworks show and more). Kids’ NYE is $35 for ages 5-12 (can be added to any package or a la carte). (800) 558- 3417 or grandgeneva.com.

See more here.