If you want to relax and rejuvenate on your Hawaii vacation, there’s nothing better than a visit to one of its top spas — especially when you can just roll out of bed and walk a few steps to experience the nirvana of a Hawaiian lomilomi or heated lava rock massage. Locally sourced ingredients like sugar, honey, ginger, coffee and cacao make body wraps and facials delectable, too. Here are our favorite hotels with spas on Oahu.
TIP: Don’t waste your day! Since most hotels have check-in until 4pm, be sure to ask for an early check-in. If they can’t accommodate, they will usually let you store your bags so you can head to the beach!
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
Disney’s first resort without an attached theme park, Aulani celebrates Hawaiian culture as well as animated characters in sunny Ko Olina, west of Honolulu. After romping with kids at the ocean lagoon or one of many pools and “splash zones,” adults will appreciate massages at Laniwai Spa or cocktails at the Hawaiian-language-themed Olelo Room. Lodgings range from studios with kitchenette, queen bed and sleeper sofa all the way up to three-bedroom villas that sleep 12.
Highlights: All treatments include entry into Kula Wai, a 5,000-square-foot outdoor hydrotherapy garden for adults, offering private vitality baths, herbal pools, jet whirlpools and six different waterfall rain showers. Create your own complimentary body polish from Hawaiian ingredients such as sea salt, cane sugar, kukui or coconut oil, herbs and fragrances at Kula Wai’s spa mixology bar. This being Disney, of course there are special treatments and packages for kids and family, too.
Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina
The newest Four Seasons resort in Hawaii is almost an island unto itself. Inside the upscale Ko Olina enclave west of Honolulu, it boasts tranquil rooms, casual-elegant dining (including Michael Mina’s Fish House), oceanfront pools, unique cultural activities, exclusive excursions and the sprawling Napauka Spa & Wellness Centre, home to 17 treatment rooms and three spa hale (open-air huts). The consistently warm, sunny weather provide incentives to linger in one of the four pools, including the spa’s fifth-floor rooftop lap pool exclusive to spa patrons.
Highlights: Specializing in traditional Hawaiian therapies such as lomilomi massage and modern advances, such as the multi-sensory, virtual reality wellness experience known as the Vessel, the 10,000-square-foot spa also offers a unique after-hours, private stargazing opportunity for couples and an excellent hair and nail boutique. It also offers special treatments for teens and Its special treatments for teens and keiki (children).
Halekulani Hotel
The subtle palette of its elegantly understated rooms, breathtaking views of Diamond Head and curling waves, and its illustrious SpaHalekulani lead to “serenity now” at this iconic bastion of oceanfront luxury. Shielded from Waikiki’s hustle and bustle, Halekulani shines as a center for gourmets and arts aficionados, including lovers of Hawaiian music and hula, who head to the outdoor House Without a Key for nightly performances.
Highlights: SpaHalekulani was the first luxury spa to draw from the healing traditions of the Pacific region. Book ahead for the Traveler’s Welcome, a massage package that counters jet lag and swollen feet with hot and cold elements, the spa’s signature Maile Mist and a cocktail on the Spa Lanai. Salon services are also first-rate.
Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa
Like many a grande dame, Waikiki’s first hotel (opened in 1901) has undergone several expansions and facelifts over the years. Now part of Marriott’s Bonvoy program (yes, you can use points), the 793-room Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, offers award-winning restaurants, nightly Hawaiian entertainment in the courtyard, and beachfront access to the moana (ocean). The luxurious Moana Lani Spa is the only oceanfront spa in Waikiki, showcasing Hawaiian healing traditions and innovative spa rituals in nine massage and three facial treatment rooms.
Highlights: Men and women have their own spacious locker rooms, dry and steam saunas, water therapy rooms and relaxation lounges, while couples can take advantage of ocean-view spa suites. Clients also have access to the extensive Westin Workout gym and the beach.
The Royal Hawaiian
Now a Luxury Collection Resort (and also part of Marriott’s Bonvoy points program), this beachfront, Moorish-inspired pink palace has lost none of its luster since opening in 1927 in a once-royal coconut grove. Instead, it has only gained a reputation for excellent cocktails at the Mai Tai Bar, fine dining at Azure restaurant and a modern tower that’s a luxury hotel-within-a-hotel. It shares a beachfront fantasy pool with the neighboring Sheraton Waikiki but has its own, smaller tranquil pool on the ocean side as well as the serene Abhasa Spa on the garden side.
Highlights: Abhasa means “illusion” in Sanskrit, but it’s no illusion that this spa is one of the top in Hawaii. Treatments feature tropical ingredients such as organic coconut oil, Hawaiian honey and passionfruit, and include complimentary garden yoga sessions.The signature Abhasa Harmony massage fuses Hawaiian lomilomi and Japanese shiatsu techniques.
Turtle Bay Resort
Set on five miles of beach, the 850-acre Turtle Bay Resort is a natural playground on Oahu’s North Shore, just 45 minutes away from Honolulu. The resort offers a variety of water sports plus horseback riding, helicopter tours and even off-road Segway excursions, while awaiting nearby are fruit and shave ice stands, world-class surf breaks, the family-friendly Polynesian Cultural Center and lush Waimea Valley. Nalu Kinetic Spa & Fitness Center takes its inspiration from the waves (nalu) and love of the land (aloha ‘aina).
Highlights: The massage menu brims with tempting choices, especially for those who have been active all day, with options such as Himalayan salt stones, arnica, coconut argan oil and lava shells. Try the Cocoa Oxygen Enzyme Facial for a deliciously aromatic and rejuvenating therapy.
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