V&T Daily
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aloha spirit
Published in the April-June 2010 issue.
The island beauty of Hawaii is enhanced with a slew of new, improved and classic resort spas. Kristie Kellahan takes a look at some of the best.
Living in the moment, living life with joy and abundance, is the Hawaiian way – and, with some of the best spas in America, it is the perfect destination for an indulgent and restorative wellness vacation.
Mandara Spa at Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa
Hilton Hawaiian Village on the Waikiki beachfront has plenty to offer visitors of all ages, with a reputation as one of the most popular resorts in Hawaii. Independently-operated Mandara Spa adds another string to the resort’s bow, with its 25 Hawaiian-Balinese-themed treatment rooms and expert therapists. Guests can choose anything from a Tropical Hawaiian Body Scrub or Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Massage to a Pahoehoe Mud Wrap or Hawaiian-style Hot Stone Therapy (using warm lava stones). Or, if they’re feeling hedonistic, all of the above. Family travellers are well catered for here: mums and dads can bring their adolescents along to experience the YSPA Teen menu – a menu of services designed for older adolescents. On offer for spa-fanatics-in-the-making is a menu of treatments that includes a Heavenly Massage, a Fabulous Fruity Facial and an Acne Attack Facial. Younger kids, if accompanied by an adult, can book in for mini-manicures and mini-facials.
Halele‘a Spa at The St. Regis Princeville Resort
Long ago, the island of Kauai had a reputation as the destination of choice for newlyweds and nearly-deads. That’s all changed now, with eco-travel aficionados giving the ‘green’ island a big thumbs-up and glam new resorts opening their doors to discerning guests. The St. Regis Princeville Resort is six-star all the way. Its Halele‘a (House of Joy) Spa is guided by the Hawaiian concept of the ahupuaa, a philosophy of living in balance with nature. The spa’s 12 luxurious treatment rooms bring the outside in with custom-milled native Hawaiian woods, palm-wood floors and natural-fibre drapes. Halele‘a Spa’s treatments, including the Kaua‘i Taro clay wrap, the Taro butter Pohaku hot-stone massage and various seaweed-extract facials, also feature the use of natural products. Traditional Hawaiian medicine uses plants as well as marine goodies, and Kauai’s abundant water sources – both the fresh water of the island’s interiors and the salt water of the ocean that surrounds it – are well utilised at this spa. Our favourite feature? The resort’s unique ‘mini-services’: convenient 15-to 30-minute poolside treatments. Guests can order everything from a BLT to a 20-minute scalp massage by the pool.
The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
It’s been reported that the first thing Paris Hilton said on her release from jail was “I’m heading straight to the Four Seasons Maui”. With a prime oceanfront location on the sunny shores of Wailea, this resort and its spa are rated consistently as among the best in America. As you’d expect, virtually every kind of massage, body wrap, facial and scrub is on the spa’s menu. In addition, there’s an emphasis on holistic ‘wellness’: along with other health-promoting activities, guests are invited to join sunrise yoga classes on the beach and to learn more about Feldenkrais body therapy.
One of the spa’s signature treatments involves creating a personalised fragrance with the aid of California parfumerie Ajne. The experience includes a scent analysis and bespoke fragrance consultation, conducted just for you by the spa’s aromatherapy and blending expert.
Kohala Spa at Hilton Waikoloa Village
Big Island is also known as the ‘healing island’, and a visit to the resort’s Kohala Spa provides insight into one of the reasons why: the heartfelt warmth and friendliness of the spa’s staff is distinctively Hawaiian. The spa’s traditional Lomi Lomi Hawaiian Massage and Pohaku Massage both come highly recommended. Lomi lomi is more than a mere massage technique: it is a holistic approach to healing the body that is passed down, typically, by Hawaiian elders. Hence, most of the therapists practising it have been tutored by their parents, who were taught by their parents, and so on. The spa’s healing Pohaku Massage is another powerful traditional technique that combines the energies of heat and various pohaku (stones). With time-honoured treatments and ancient healing wisdom inspired by Big Island’s geographical diversity, natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, Kohala Spa raises relaxation and rejuvenation to fine arts.
Waikiki Plantation Spa at Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach
There’s no doubt that the view from Waikiki Plantation Spa has a serious wow factor. Indeed, it is the only penthouse spa in Hawaii offering awesome views over Waikiki Beach and the vast South Pacific Ocean. Located on the 17th floor of Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach, the two-level spa boasts a penthouse deck and elements of traditional Zen rock gardens. Waikiki Plantation Spa offers a full menu of massages, facials, nail services, waxing, hydrotherapy, body wraps and scrubs. You can also take the scent of paradise home with you: the spa carries its own line of beauty and bath products, Island Girl, containing hydrating botanical oils derived from three types of nut – kukui, tamanu and macadamia.
AquaSPA at Aqua Aloha Surf & Spa
Island spa pampering need not leave a massive dent in your wallet. Aqua Resorts are known for their great locations, hip, fun style and reasonable prices. The Aqua Aloha Surf & Spa hotel, located just three blocks from Waikiki’s white-sand beaches, has a surfing theme throughout its rooms and public areas. The hotel’s on-site AquaSPA offers a wide range of massages, facials and beauty treatments, with seasonal specials helping to keep prices reasonable. With the Spring into Spa getaway, for example, guests enjoy a daily 50-minute massage plus accommodation for the price you’d normally pay for a room. Their SPA-licious deal also looks like a winner: you get two 50-minute massages for every three days you stay.
Pua Day Spa at Aston Kauai Beach
There are 25 Hawaii hotels and condo resorts in the Aston group, representing a great mid-price accommodation option in the islands. Bargain e-deals can be found on the group’s website: a recent search showed rooms in Maui from US$89 and in Waikiki from just US$91. The Aston Kauai Beach at Makaiwa in Kauai enjoys an idyllic location, sprawled over 10 beachfront acres, amid a coconut grove that dates back almost a century. Rooms are decked out in a tropical Polynesian style with private verandas just made for afternoon snoozes. At the hotel’s Pua Day Spa, guests can beautify the Hawaiian way with traditional lomi lomi massage, fruity body scrubs, restorative body wraps and various grooming treatments.
The Kahala Spa at The Kahala Hotel & Resort
The Kahala Spa, about 20 minutes drive from Waikiki, is one of the most upmarket and exclusive in Hawaii. Recently, The Kahala spent US$52 million on renovations, adding five extra spa rooms to its complex. It has also put more treatments and services on its menu – most of them geared toward one of the fastest-growing sectors of the spa market: men. The new, residential-style treatment rooms incorporate private shower and changing areas and have views of the nearby golf course and Koko Head Crater. The spa also includes a men’s retreat, complete with barber’s chair for shaves – AU$108 (US$95) for 45 minutes – and a suite dedicated to manicures and pedicures. Using the ‘premium’ teeth-whitening service, AU$341 (US$300), is a convenient way to spruce up your smile while you’re on holidays. At AU$512 (US$450) for two hours, the Lovely Hula Hands, a synchronised four-hand massage, is pricey – though we’re assured the healing effects of this powerful lomi lomi massage will last longer than our tans.
Heavenly Spa at
the Westin Maui Resort & Spa
The accolades keep rolling in for Heavenly Spa at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa. Why all the fuss? It could be the breathtaking ocean views overlooking Kaanapali Beach, or the spa’s outstanding facilities for singles and couples. The AU$5.68 million (US$5 million) spa has 16 treatment rooms including two couple’s massage suites – each with a whirlpool and candlelit ambience – and an oceanview relaxation lounge in which guests are pampered with ginger-lavender lemonade and lavender biscotti. An outdoor cabana for single’s or couple’s massages is surrounded by waterfalls and lush gardens, and is popular with celebrity guests seeking added privacy. A wide range of beauty treatments and fitness facilities tempt guests to spend their entire holidays within the resort’s grounds. •
Photography courtesy hotels and resorts.
TRAVEL FACTS
getting there
- Hawaiian Airlines flies regularly from Australia to Oahu, Hawaii, with onward connections to other islands in the group. Phone 1300 669 106 or visit www.hawaiianair.com.au
where to stay
further information
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