SpaHalekulani – Hawaii Tropical Spa Pleasure

Before any treatments are performed, your spa pleasure begins with SpaHalekulani’s exclusive gentle foot pounding ritual. Your feet are first wrapped in fragrant, steaming towels, gently tapped with Polynesian bamboo (“ton ton” pounders), and finished with a light scent-ual misting.

The maile (pronounced my-lee) vine is their signature fragrance and is used in many of the products used in their treatments.

Each luxury spa treatment room is a spa suite, equipped with private steam showers. There is also a couples suite for couples treatments, with a Japanese-style furo tub.

Their SpaHalekulani Bridal Suite has two treatment beds, as well as an adjoining room for hair, manicure and pedicure stations. The day that I toured the spa, they were preparing for a bride and her attendants. They were all getting some type of treatment, as well as spa cuisine delivered to the suite. There is also an outdoor private lanai for those in between treatments.

Regular guests also can enjoy a private (lanai) spa terrace, separated by foliage, also allowing a view of Gray’s Beach known by the Hawaiians for its healing “Kawehewehe” waters.

They offer a Samoan massage that uses smooth stones wrapped in mulberry bark, and toning, revitalizing noni juice and a Signature spa treatment Polynesian Steam Therapy, inspired by Tongan traditions. After a gentle tapping-style massage to loosen the upper chest and back, this treatment envelops you in your own humidifying steam tent made of kapa cloth.

While your feet are pampered with reflexology, you inhale the lemony vapors of lemongrass, said to have antiseptic and skin-healing properties, along with earthy mists of kava root, said to ease anxiety and instill a profound calm, and eucalyptus to let you breath easy.

SpaHalekulani was developed by Sylvia Sepielli, operator of SPAd, (Sylvia Planning and Design). She has also overseen projects at The Mauna Lani Spa, on the Big Island, and Mii Amo at the Enchantment in Sedona, AZ as well as many spas in Japan & Asia.

SpaHalekulani was the first spa to fully explore the healing traditions of Hawaii’s diverse cultures, especially those from the Pacific Islands such as Samoa, Tonga and Tahiti. The Polynesian ambiance is abound – with sliding Japanese doors to the sandal-wood-scented massage beds.