A bold vision combining lavish beauty with historical integrity, Hotel Retlaw in Fond du lac, Wis., is designed to dazzle when its grand reopening takes place this fall. Hotel Retlaw will be restored back to its original splendor with 127 well-appointed guest rooms and suites. The Retlaw was originally designed in 1923 by American architect Herbert W. Tullgren.
“Hotel Retlaw came on the scene during an era of incredible social, artistic, and cultural excitement. We are looking forward to bringing this iconic treasure in central Wisconsin back to life while infusing it with contemporary luxury,” said Yvonne Roberts, principal of Guru of Luxury and creative director for Hotel Retlaw.
For the renovation, Roberts paid homage to Tullgren’s evolving styles of design, from Neo-classical revival to Art Deco. The design for the Grand Dame of Wisconsin was approved without a single revision by both the State and Federal Historic Preservation entities.
The guarantor behind the project is David Barker, president of Barker Financial. Barker is a real estate entrepreneur, author, scholar, and a former economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. This will be the first hotel in his impressive real estate portfolio.
Plans for the extraordinary $25 million renovation include a destination farm-to-table restaurant, sophisticated espresso café and wine bar, a beautifully refurbished relaxation pool, and new luxury spa. Renovation, that commenced this month, will preserve the historic significance and aesthetics of the iconic property, while infusing it with contemporary luxury.