Press Kit

Hawaii's Spa Island

Few places evoke more of a sense of natural wellness, spirituality, healing and beauty than Hawai`i’s Big Island. It is here, on the largest of the Hawaiian Islands, where the unbridled powers of the volcano goddess Pele conspire with refreshing tradewinds, soothing ocean waters, indigenous healing methods and a landscape flourishing with therapeutic plants, in creating a sublime retreat for mind, body and soul.

Simply walking barefoot on a black sand beach, or taking a vibrant, meditative snorkel in crystal clear waters immediately transports visitors and residents into a more reflective mind frame. Feeling the warmth of the sun, or the moisture of a light tradewind shower, gazing at a rainbow touching down between green valleys, watching sea turtles bask in the sunshine, all create a paradise for the senses and the spirit. Just being on Hawai`i’s Big Island can in itself be a healing, nurturing experience.

It is no surprise that many excellent spas and spa resorts are found on the Big Island today. Most offer Hawaiian treatments like lomilomi massage, and a few have evolved to become renowned healing centers in their own right. Here is a sampling of the Big Island’s best spa experiences and treatments:

Ahu Pohaku Ho`omaluhia—Hawai`i Island Retreat
The Big Island’s northwestern coastline is where Hawaii’s greatest ruler, King Kamehameha the First, was born. It is a land rich in mana, or hidden power, and a natural setting for the healing arts. The new Ahu Pohaku Ho`omaluhia (“Sacred Stones”) is a hidden treasure, an eco-friendly spa retreat located on 60 oceanfront acres in the charming rural district of North Kohala.
Highlights include treatments that draw from the guidance, inspiration and teaching of Hawaiian ancestors, spirits of the aina (land), and local kupuna (elders), including deep, rhythmic lomilomi massage. Beautiful outdoor massage hale (ha-LEH) or houses, are ideal for couples’ treatments, and are nestled alongside a small stream and waterfalls. Each hale features a large bathtub filled with fragrant Hawaiian blossoms for post-massage luxuriating and aromatherapy. Other stunning venues include several oceanside hale, forest hale and hale that overlook a lush valley.

This boutique lodge is ideal for peaceful, private accommodations. Nine spacious guest rooms have large bathrooms with separate showers and soaking tubs. For those that are drawn to a more back-to-nature experience, five delightful yurts beckon the spirited traveler.

Ahu Pohaku Ho`omaluhia’s dedication to sustainability parallels the Hawaiian value of caring for the land. The retreat produces its own electricity via solar cells, and grows most of its own food, flowers and herbs. Fields of tropical blooms and native healing plants such as ti and awa are harvested for the spa treatments, and the retreat also grows and presses its own kukui nuts, which yield a remarkably light oil used in massage and other healing treatments.
Visit www.hawaii-island-retreat.com for more information, or call (808) 889-5061.

Mauna Lani Spa
The Mauna Lani Spa is often heralded as the Big Island’s best spa experience. The spa is a gorgeous Hawaiian haven that consists of 25,000 square feet of indoor space and approximately 15,000 square feet of outdoor treatment space. It includes 17 treatment areas; eight indoor and nine unique outdoor hale (thatched huts), a naturally heated lava rock sauna, a one of kind Aquatic Body Therapy facility and a relaxation hale situated in the La’au (healing) Garden.

The nine outdoor hale – two of them large enough for a couples’ massage and all with outdoor showers – are surrounded by lush tropical landscaping and a fragrance garden scented by gardenia, ginger, pikake, pakalana and a variety of other beautifully scented flowers. Two hales have lava rock soaking tubs for specialty treatments and one features a Vichy shower. A lava rock sauna (enhanced with aromatherapy), a fragrant herb garden and a relaxation pavilion dot the landscape. Surrounding it all is a simulation of the 16th century Kaniku lava flow, which provides a stark, moon-like context to the lush tranquility of the spa grounds. The Lava Rock Sauna is one of Mauna Lani Spa’s most popular Hawaiian treatments. In an open-air, sun-warmed lava sauna, a black clay mud treatment is applied, detoxifying the skin while the mud dries. Cold water for drinking and melted ice for ladling over the body are offered. From there, guests rinse in an outdoor garden shower and re-moisturize with the spa’s signature body oil. Afterwards, guests are led to Hale Nahenahe, the Spa’s relaxation pavilion, to conclude the treatment with a meditation session. Visit www.maunalani.com or call (808) 881-7922.

The Spa Without Walls at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii
The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai`i’s award-winning Spa Without Walls lets you enjoy the splendor of Hawai`i’s tropical climate with 10 private outdoor waterfall hale (huts) and 5 more oceanfront. With the soothing sounds of water, the pleasant ocean breezes and the floral scent that fills the air, treatments integrate Hawai`i’s natural therapeutic environment and ancient healing arts into every experience. Rejuvenate your inner mana (power) from head to toe as our trained therapists work with you to achieve balance and calm. Couple’s cabana and six indoor treatment rooms are also available. Consider a signature Big Island Kona Coffee/Ka’u Orange/Vanilla exfoliation treatment using locally blended products. For more information or to make an appointment, call the Spa Without Walls at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii (Big Island) 808-885-7540 or visit us online at www.fairmont.com/orchid.

Hualalai Sports Club and Spa at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai
The Big Island’s most exclusive spa is also the number one spa in the world, according to readers of Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure magazines. Open only to guests and homeowners of the elite Hualalai Resort, the Spa is uniquely Hawaiian. The lap pool, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms and cold plunges are all set amidst tropical gardens. Exotic spa treatments or massage can be enjoyed in the open-air, secluded behind bamboo screens. The locker facilities offer both indoor and outdoor showers. Hawaiian treatments include lomilomi massage, a traditional Hawaiian massage that connects the heart, mind, body and soul. This sacred healing art, passed down from generation to generation, utilizes rhythmic strokes integrating the use of the forearms and elbows. Island-inspired luxuries include the Polynesian Niu (Coconut) Scrub, a tropical treatment that entices the senses and refines and hydrates the skin’s texture, using a custom blend of organic pineapple and coconut products. The treatment includes a body polish, warm blanket wrap, and relaxing face and neck massage. The final application of coconut milk and coconut moisturizing lotion completes the treatment, leaving skin feeling silky smooth and relaxed. Visit www.fourseasons.com/hualalai/spa.html for information, or call (808) 325-8000.

Ho`ola Spa at Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa
On the Big Island’s western shores, guests of Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa indulge in one of the island’s newest spas, Ho`ola Spa. Ho`ola means “healing” in Hawaiian and this is truly a place of healing and rejuvenation. The 3,200-square-foot spa facility was built with Hawaiian simplicity and an air of distinct luxury. This unique setting includes two immense, outdoor, covered lanai (patios) that have private, unadulterated ocean views. The lanai are perched above stark black lava outcroppings where ocean meets shoreline with crashing waves in rhythmic regularity.

Ho`ola Spa’s one-of-a-kind complimentary Acupressure Pebble Stone Walkway is set on an open-air lanai with stunning coastal views. It’s made of smooth river rocks; as you walk on them, the stones stimulate pressure points in the feet that are linked to every organ in the body. Acupressure, particularly on your feet, has long been known to improve circulation, relieve tension, ease pain, and promote healing.

From the hair and nail salon to the Vichy showers and the oceanfront treatment patios and Hawaiian-inspired therapies and custom product lines, Ho`ola Spa adds an indelible memory to every guest’s visit to Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa. Visit www.sheratonkeauhou.com or (808) 930-4848 (Ho`ola Spa direct).

Kohala Sports Club & Spa
Kohala Sports Club & Spa, nominated as one of the top resort spas in the United States, is nestled in the heart of Hilton Waikoloa Village – a resort filled with an array of unique culture and art. At Kohala Sports Club & Spa, relaxation and healing are raised to an exquisite art, and the culture and beauty of the Big Island of Hawai`i are shared through time-honored treatments, modern therapies, and ancient healing wisdom.

Only at Kohala Sports Club & Spa can one experience a rejuvenating and moisturizing custom-made rare oil used in both the signature Orchid Isle Body Wrap and Orchid Isle Massage treatments. This oil is created with an aromatherapy anti-aging body silk, along with the famous orchids that the Big Island is recognized for. In addition, the massage technique is customized for each individual.

The 25,000 square feet Kohala Sports Club & Spa at Hilton Waikoloa Village is a distinctive facility with a wide range of spa and salon treatments that feature the culture and beauty of Hawaii’s Big Island, complete with a staff that creates a true Hawaiian experience for every guest.

Go to www.KohalaSpa.com or call the spa direct at (808) 886-2828.

Kona Village Resort Spa “There are special gifts to be received from the land here at Kona Village Resort,” says massage therapist Momi Sheehan. “All one has to do is open their heart to truly receive what is there, waiting to be given.”

And Momi can help. As a massage therapist for 20 years, Momi recommends guests begin by experiencing a truly local treatment, a traditional lomilomi massage, soon after arrival. Then, book a couples’ massage in the Oceanside Massage Cabana and experience the awakening of mind, body and spirit. Other popular treatments according to Momi are Hot Stone massage, facials and island-inspired body treatments.

Recent improvements at Kona Village Resort’s spa include air-conditioned treatment rooms, new linens, new hydraulic massage tables and new body wrap and facial offerings with even more emphasis on our island home. Many guests opt for massage treatments in the privacy of their own thatched roof hale (bungalow), otherwise known as “in room.”

Whatever the choice, Momi, along with six other dedicated professionals, are all there to help guests’ transformation from harried and stressed, to relaxed and rejuvenated.

“The spirit of the land here at Ka`upulehu compels us in many ways. Perhaps as guardians, as caretakers, to receive and to give back,” Momi contends. “We all want to share the magical spirit that is Kona Village.” www.konavillage.com or call (808) 325-5555.