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Ritz-Carlton Spa, Kapalua, Hawaii  

Several months ago Ritz-Carlton finalized a $180 million transformation at its AAA Five-Diamond Kapalua, Hawaii, hotel with the opening of the 17,500-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Spa, Kapalua. The hotel, which has 463 fully-renovated guestrooms, including 107 Residential Suites, is located on the healing waters of Waihua, which the ancient Hawaiians believed was the most pure form of water.

The spa features 15 treatment rooms, with half opening to private outdoor shower gardens, and all with iPod docking stations with pre-programmed music selections and robe warmers. The spa also features two outdoor couples’ hale (cabanas), men’s and women’s relaxation areas with the depiction of lava stone grotto areas, steam rooms, saunas, and whirlpools, and the only coed indoor/outdoor relaxation area in Hawaii with a whirlpool.

The Waihua concept is evidenced by wood panels carved with images of taro leaves and the dry stone river bed design in the entry. The walls are curved, representing water movement, with water walls in select areas. Guests walk through groves of tall bamboo, and Hawaiian artwork is present throughout the public corridors. Basalt stone floors are found in the treatment rooms, and the lockers are made with mahogany wood. Raw natural ingredients of spa treatments, including Hawaiian sea salt, kukui nuts, awapuhi, and ginger, have been placed in alcoves.

The spa offers a range of Hawaiian-based spa treatments, including authentic Lomilomi massage and Hawaiian healing treatments based on relaxation and rejuvenation. Guests may honor Kupuna Kahiko (ancient elders) from the Honokahua burial site by presenting an offering outside their treatment room.

Many of the spa treatments incorporate natural ingredients in the spa products such as pineapple, papaya, kukui oil, coconut, pumpkin, and blueberry. The spa features a range of innovative facials using Murad products and the natural lines of Naturopathica and Eminence, along with Intraceuticals Oxygen Infusions treatments. The spa also offers pregnancy massage treatments using Mama Mio products. The salon offers a full range of hair, manicure, pedicure, and waxing services; treatments for younger guests, such as a Choco Holic Pedicure; and packages for teenagers, including the Bring a Friend Package, which includes a 50-minute Lomilomi Massage or a 50-minute Ritz-Carlton Signature Facial, side by side, followed by a Fabulous Feet Pedicure.

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Winter health, an Ayurvedic perspective. 

Courtesy Darci Frankel Spa Owner Hanalei Day Spa  

The winter season Kapha season. The time when the Earth and water elements are predominant and when Kapha dosha has a tendency to accumulates in your system. If you have a tendency toward excess Kapha (phlegm and mucous) to facilitate greater health, take Kapha pacifying lifestyle and food choices which are lighter, warming and stimulating foods, spices and beverages.  Pancha Karma during the winter and spring season helps eliminate excess Kapha.

Here are some signs that indicate you may have excess Kapha in your body:
· Obesity or overweight
· Congestion, runny nose
· Slow or dullness in the mind
· Fatty deposits/lipoma
· Slow digestion, assimilation and/or elimination

Tips for staying balanced in winter:

· Wake up earlier.
· Eat more warming foods which are in season.
· Find a skin brush or loofa mitts at your health food store and dry brush your skin before your daily shower and Abhyanga self massage. 
 · Give yourself a vigorous daily abyanga oil massage to keep the lymphatic system moving. Click here for instructions.
·  Be active and exercise more vigorously.
·  If  it is a cloudy or colder day, add some heating/warming spices like ginger, black pepper, or cayenne to your foods or tea. This will counteract the heavy, cold qualities and help you feel light and clear.
·  Establish a good routine waking up and going to bed earlier. 

Ayurveda, Balanced Body, Day Spa, Hawaii Spas

 

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Garden work is no work at all at Hanalei resort
“Unspoiled … unplugged … unforgettable,” the brochure read. “The sweep of Hanalei Bay with its backdrop of fluted emerald peaks and cascading waterfalls is the stuff dreams and movies are made of (’South Pacific’ and ‘Jurassic Park,’ to name a few).

Hanalei Colony Resort
Address: 5-7130 Kuhio Highway, Haena, Kauai
Rates: Start at $240 per night. Ask about packages, specials and kamaaina rates.
Call: (808) 826-6235 on Kauai; toll free (800) 628-3004 from the other islands

Notes: Forty-eight vacation condominium units have two bedrooms, one-and-a-half or two bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, living room, dining area and lanai. Amenities include a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and barbecue and picnic areas. A complimentary afternoon mai tai party and all-you-can-eat continental breakfast are offered weekly. An optional lei-making class (nominal fee) follows breakfast. Wireless Internet access, two computers for guests’ use and a lending library of books, toys, puzzles and games also are available free.

Beach and Botany Package: The Beach & Botany Package includes five or seven nights in an ocean-view or premium oceanfront condominium, gourmet picnic lunch, one-day kayak rental for two on the Hanalei River, beachside massages for two, a welcome basket of gifts for gardeners and two annual memberships to the National Tropical Botanical Garden (www.ntbg.org), of which Limahuli Garden and Preserve is a part. Each guest must make a minimum commitment of a four-hour work session on two different days at Limahuli. They can choose the activity that best suits them, ranging from taking inventory and potting plants in the nursery to hiking an unpaved trail to weed and plant trees. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old. Prices begin at $1,994.85, double occupancy, for five nights in an ocean-view unit during low season (Sept. 9 to Dec. 19).
“Enjoy the splendid views of the Hanalei Valley lookout and National Wildlife Refuge — a little further on is Haena State Park located in the shadow of the ancient Ka Ula A Paoa Heiau — the temple of the hula goddess.
“It’s here that we’ve created a tranquil lodging environment built with a sensitivity to the unique character of its surroundings.”
To my boyfriend Rick and me, Hanalei Colony Resort sounded like the ideal escape. Constantly on the go with high-stress jobs, we decided it was time to make time for ourselves in Haena.

Unspoiled North Kauai looked radiant in the summer light. Each time we crossed a one-lane bridge (seven in all between Princeville and Haena), we felt we were getting farther away from our hectic daily lives and closer to what Hawaii was like when the air was filled with the songs of birds rather than the cacophony of crowds and traffic.

Haena is the gateway to the storied Na Pali coast, 15 miles of magnificent wilderness. Hanalei Colony Resort sits oceanfront in this pocket of paradise, with expansive lawns, trees and shrubbery skirting each of its 13 two-story buildings.
Our accommodations were clean, comfortable and gloriously unpretentious.
Feeling right at home, we kicked off our shoes for a walk on the beach. Ten steps and we were there. I’d forgotten how rejuvenating cool breezes, salt water and sand could be.

We awoke early the next morning and made the 10-minute drive to Kee Beach, where the paved road ends and the soaring cliffs of Na Pali begin. It was empty save for a lone paddler ankle-deep in the water, ready to launch his kayak.
Sun, surf, sand and sky surrounded us. We stayed for a while, relishing the peace and beauty.

Unplugged
Hanalei Colony Resort makes it easy to “unplug”; none of its condominiums have televisions, stereos or phones.

Our Beach and Botany package (see sidebar) kept us happily in vacation mode our entire stay. Key components of this brand-new “voluntourism” program are shoulder-to-shoulder work sessions with the caretakers of Limahuli Garden and Preserve, less than two miles from the resort.

Not at all joyless toil, these visits are inspiring learning opportunities in a spectacular oasis. Seventeen of Limahuli’s acres comprise a “garden” of ancient taro patches and culturally significant plants, including many of the “canoe plants” brought to Hawaii by the first Polynesians for use as food, medicine, clothing, shelter and tools.

Limahuli’s “preserve” is a 990-acre blanket of untamed greenery, some of it alien species that are pretty but so aggressive they are overwhelming native vegetation. A major effort is under way to eradicate the aliens and re-establish the natives.
With young, 2-foot-high kului shrubs cradled in our arms, Rick and I joined four of Limahuli’s staffers on a half-mile hike to a clearing in the preserve designated for such restoration work.

We weeded, removed rocks and chose the spot for “our” plants to take root. It felt good being in touch with the earth and out of touch with life as we normally knew it.
Back at the resort, we unplugged even more with lomilomi massages performed outdoors in a thatched-roof hale by therapists from the on-site Hanalei Day Spa. Owner Darci Frankel is a skilled Ayurveda practitioner who offers traditional Abhyanga warm oil massages, Utvartana body wraps and Shirodhara treatments on her menu of therapeutic services.

Although it wasn’t part of our package, dinner at Imad and Yarrow Beydoun’s Mediterranean Gourmet restaurant, also on property, was another delightful indulgence. Every table has an ocean view that will capture your attention; unless, of course, the Beydouns have booked a belly dancer for the evening’s entertainment.

Stuffed grape leaves, gyros, falafel and lamb kabobs are among the house specialties, but options also include perennial favorites such as chicken marsala, T-bone steak and grilled fresh fish of the day. Imad’s coconut baklava is a must for dessert.
After dinner, the beach beckoned. We sat there with bare feet and breeze-tousled hair, mostly in contented silence. It was relaxing and romantic and, yes, definitely unforgettable.

We would be back to reality soon enough. There on the cool sand with stars twinkling overhead and waves dancing at our toes, we just wanted to linger in the dream.

Ayurveda, Beach Spas, Day Spa, Hawaii Spas, Spas

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Pampering in Paradise

Hawaii’s spas have raised the art of relaxation and healing to a new level. The traditional Greco-Roman-style spas have evolved into airy, open facilities that embrace the Tropics. Spa-goers in Hawaii want to hear the sound of the ocean, smell the salt air, and feel the caress of the warm breeze. They want to experience Hawaiian products and traditional spa treatments they can get only here.

Today’s spas offer a wide diversity of treatments. Massage options include Hawaiian lomilomi, Swedish, aromatherapy, craniosacral (massaging the head), shiatsu (no oil, just deep thumb pressure on acupuncture points), Thai (another oilless massage involving stretching), and hot stone. There are even side-by-side massages for couples, and duo massages — two massage therapists working on you at once.

Body treatments, for the entire body or just the face, involve a variety of herbal wraps, masks, or scrubs using a range of ingredients from seaweed to salt to mud, with or without accompanying aromatherapy.

After you have been rubbed and scrubbed, most spas offer an array of water treatments — a sort of hydromassage in a tub with jets and an assortment of colored crystals, oils, and scents.

Those are just the traditional treatments. Most spas also offer a range of alternative healthcare like acupuncture and chiropractic, and more exotic treatments like ayurvedic and siddha from India or reiki from Japan. Some offer cutting-edge treatments, like the Grand Wailea Resort’s full-spectrum color-light therapy pod (based on NASA’s work with astronauts).

Day Spas also offer a range of fitness facilities (weights, racquetball, tennis, golf) and classes (yoga, aerobics, spinning, tai chi, kickboxing). Several even offer adventure fitness packages (from bicycling to snorkeling). For the less active, most spas have salons dedicated to hair and nail care.

Of course, all this pampering doesn’t come cheap. Massages are generally $150 to $250 for 50 minutes and $250 to $295 for 80 minutes; body treatments are in the $150-to-$250 range; and alternative healthcare treatments can be as high as $200 to $300. But you may think it’s worth the expense to banish your tension and stress.

Hawaii’s Best Resorts & Spas

• SpaHalekulani, Halekulani hotel (Oahu; tel. 808/923-2311 This is Waikiki’s first spa to explore the healing traditions of the Pacific islands, as well as Hawaii. Like everything else at the top-rated Halekulani hotel, the spa is truly a heavenly experience, from the time you step into the elegantly appointed, intimate spa and experience the foot massage to the last whiff of fragrant maile, their signature scent. Spa connoisseurs should try something unique, like the Polynesian Nonu, a Samoan-inspired massage using stones.
• Spa Suites at the Kahala (Oahu; tel. 808/739-8938): The Kahala has taken the concept of spa as a journey into relaxation to a new level, with former garden rooms converted to individual spas, each with a glass-enclosed shower, private changing area, infinity-edge deep soaking Jacuzzi tub, and personal relaxation area. No detail is overlooked, from the warm foot bath when you arrive to the refreshing hot tea served on your personal enclosed garden lanai after your relaxation treatment.
• Turtle Bay Resort (Oahu; tel. 800/203-3650; This Zen-like spa positioned on the ground floor facing the ocean has six treatment rooms, a meditation waiting area, an outdoor workout area, plus a complete fitness center and a private elevator to the rooms on the second floor, reserved for guests getting spa treatments.
• Ihilani Spa at the J. W. Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa Oahu; tel. 800/626-4446; An oasis by the sea, this free-standing 35,000-square-foot facility is dedicated to the traditional spa definition of “health by water.” This modern, multistoried spa, filled with floor-to-ceiling glass looking out on green tropical plants, combines Hawaiian products with traditional therapies to produce some of the best water treatments in the state. You’ll also find a fitness center, tennis courts, and a bevy of aerobic and stretching classes.
• Hualalai Sports Club and Spa at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Kaupulehu (Big Island; tel. 888/340-5662; It’s easy to see why some 6,000 Condé Nast readers voted this 13,000-square-foot facility their favorite resort spa. Five of its 16 treatment rooms are thatched huts (with bamboo privacy screens) nestled into a tropical garden. This is the place to come to be pampered. The fitness facilities, classes, and adventure activities are all excellent, but the attentive service and dreamy spa facilities are what you will remember long after your vacation.
• Kohala Spa at the Hilton Waikoloa Village (Big Island; tel. 800/HILTONS;  The Big Island’s oldest (since 1989) spa has something for everyone, including 33 treatment rooms, 50 classes, and a variety of sports ranging from racquetball to indoor rock climbing. Treatments are on the cutting edge and include such unique therapies as acupuncture facials and astrological readings. Spend the day luxuriating in the lava whirlpool, steam room, and sauna before or after your treatment.
• Spa Grande at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa Maui; tel. 800/888-6100; This is Hawaii’s biggest spa, at 50,000 square feet, with 40 treatment rooms. The spa incorporates the best of the Old World (romantic ceiling murals, larger-than-life Roman-style sculptures, mammoth Greek columns, huge European tubs), the finest Eastern traditions (a full Japanese-style traditional bath and various exotic treatments from India), and the lure of the islands (tropical foliage, ancient Hawaiian treatments, and island products). This spa has everything from a top fitness center to a menu of classes and is constantly on the cutting edge of the latest trends.
• The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (Maui; tel. 800/334-MAUI; This relaxing oasis in the luxurious Four Seasons offers a menu of pampering — traditional Hawaii massage to Ayurvedic, plus Vichy shower treatments, body wraps, body scrubs, facials, even ocean aquacranial massage for the ultimate in relaxation. You don’t just get a massage here; you can choose from a list of therapies: hot stone, reiki, jin shin do, Swedish, aromatherapy, shiatsu, reflexology, and Thai.
• Spa Moana at the Hyatt Regency Maui tel. 800/233-1234 You cannot match the location — this is Hawaii’s only oceanfront spa. The 20,000-square-foot spa houses 15 relaxing treatment rooms and features one of the island’s best full-service fitness centers, plus a relaxation lounge, a romantic couples’ treatment room, a salon/retail shop, and new treatments for kids and teenagers.
• Spa Kea Lani at The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui  tel. 800/659-4100;  Come to this intimate Art Deco boutique spa (just a little over 5,000 sq. ft., with nine treatment rooms) for personal and private attention. The fitness center is just next door.
• ANARA Spa at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa (Kauai; tel. 808/240-6440;

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