Mom Wants: Hawaiian-Style Healing
Get It At: Hale Ho‘omana Spa Retreat, Makawao; 573-8256, lomimassage.com, halehoomana.com
Hawaiian owned and operated, the bucolic country estate of Hale Ho‘omana Island Sanctuary is a full-sensory treat. Nestled high along Pi‘iholo Road’s winding climb, Hale Ho‘omana boasts a 1,000 square-foot retreat center and island-style cottages that accommodate up to 16 guests. Skylights in the spacious treatment room cast everything in a cool, natural glow while melodic Hawaiian classics play softly. Specializing in the Big Island style of Hawaiian Lomi Lomi—plus a unique back-walking technique called Kua Lua—the spa’s twelve therapists are “committed to perpetuating this unique lineage incorporating Hawaiian Healing values into not only their work, but into their lives as well.” All of the spa’s products are all-natural and of their own concoction (their body butters blend raw, organic coconut oil and beeswax from their own Makawao bees) and each is created “with spiritual intention.”
Quote: “I believe that people are seeking out authentic Hawaiian therapies when they come to the islands.”
– Jeana Naluai, Owner
Mom Wants: Relaxation Rock Out
Get It At: The Spa at Black Rock; Lahaina, 667-9577; blackrockspa.com
Hightail it to The Spa at Black Rock when it’s time to give Mom the power of relaxation via the mana of rocks. The spa itself is tucked into the rock, a location that’s been endowed with healing properties since ancient times. The smooth stones are heated in cabinets with careful temperature controls and are then placed on pressure points to literally melt away stress, muscle knots and tension and increase circulation. Outdoor, open-air massage rooms add to the ambiance, and the light, warm air and gentle background noise enhance the relaxation.
Quote: “Hot stones have been used in massage since Biblical times. Native Hawaiians, Native Americans, as well as of cultures of Asia and India use hot stones in healing massage. The heat from the stones helps loosen muscles and relieve tension and allows for deeper and more specific work on troubled areas. Today, there are many forms of hot stones massage, ranging from the placement of stones on certain chakra points to a full body Swedish massage with stones in the hands of the therapist. The opposite, massage with cold stones, can help relieve inflammation.”
– Guylyn Lum Lung, Spa Manager
Mom Wants: A Dream Getaway
Get It At: Spa Grande, Wailea; 875-1234; grandwailea.com
Mom wants a vacation, right? But tickets to Paris are expensive. Here’s the perfect compromise: a trip to Spa Grande. This 50,000 square-foot spa is one of the largest in the US. and hands-down the most luxurious in the state. Enjoy cascading waterfall showers without trekking to Hana, luxuriate in the aromatic baths themed for each Hawaiian island, plus eucalyptus steam rooms, a redwood sauna, Japanese furo, Roman baths, cold plunges and more. The ultimate treatment to complete her Mother’s Day vacay is the Pala‘au Journey, featuring a magnificent Lomi Lomi massage, a chance to steep in locally made, indigenous healing plants and herbs, plus scalp, hand and feet massages. Mom might not want a return ticket.
Quote: “Our goal is for each guest to receive a real benefit, whether it is physical, mental or even spiritual. Whatever it is, our spa-goer will leave the spa more enlightened, informed and relaxed than when they arrived.”
– Cecilia Hercik, Director
Mom Wants: Local Luxury
Get It At: Maui Zen Day Spa, Lahaina; 661-7200; mauizen.com
With its serene, Shangri La-esque ambiance and high standards of personalized care, Mom will feel like Maui Zen Day Spa is a halcyon secret all her own. Just off bustling Lahainaluna Road—but seemingly a world away—even the locale’s private parking lot is a vortex of tranquility. While perfect for the person who craves peace and privacy, the spa’s four treatment rooms can also accommodate couples and parties. At reception, guests’ needs are thoroughly assessed and processes are patiently explained. Among their transformative offerings is the signature Personal Zen Massage, which melds a variety of individually tailored techniques. The result is equal parts bliss and physical well-being.
Quote: “Our niche is affordable luxury—great quality without the five-star resort prices. You know you are patronizing a locally-owned small business and not a corporate entity. Maui Zen services are more personalized from the moment you walk through the door.”
– Virginia Lacker, Owner
Mom Wants: Ageless Beauty (without going under the knife)
Get It At: Spa Helani, A Heavenly Spa by Westin, Lahaina; 662-2644; westinkaanapali.com/spa
Wisdom’s well and good, but so is looking younger—especially on Maui where the strength of the sun can add years to a lady’s visage. At Spa Helani you can turn back the clock with the Sea C treatment, a powerful antioxidant and anti-aging facial. The GM Collin skin care line works magic, but it’s the expert application by therapists who consult your skin and prescribe the perfect products that truly make it special. The Sea C facial works with vitamin C, algae and organic mud, leaving you feeling illuminated from the inside out. Valet parking is free, and you can stay at the spa all day, 9am-7pm. Settle in and take advantage of the steam room and sauna, read and relax in absolute peace and shop the awesome line of facial products to take that fountain of youth home.
Quote: “We start all treatments with a our basket ritual. The guest is asked to put all of their thoughts, worries and concerns in the basket, which we then place outside of the room. This allows guests to completely relax not only their body but their mind as well.”
– Sarah Hisey, Spa Director
Mom Wants: Skin So Soft
Get It At: Heavenly Spa at Westin Maui, Lahaina; 662-2644; westinmaui.com
It’s no secret that toiling over family and kids creates less “me” time—meaning luxuries like exfoliation go by the wayside. Embrace a unique Vichy shower body therapy at the Heavenly Spa at Westin and your skin will be up to speed in no time. This treatment, not found at any other spa on Maui, combines seasonally created skin care—a stimulating coffee scrub, or a delicious fruit-infused sugar scrub—with warm water and steam, followed by a hydrating moisturizer. The products invigorate you with scents, the water soothes your whole body, and from head to toe you’re refreshed and rejuvenated. Follow your treatment in their amazing ocean-view lounge, where you can indulge guilt-free with the best spa menu on the island.
Quote: “Our signature massage is designed to incorporate all five senses. Smell, our signature tropical scented oil. Sight, our relaxing massage rooms with beautiful orchids. Sound, soothing music helps the mind focus on the treatment. Touch, the feel of the silky sheets that cover the body, the therapist working with pressure to your liking. Taste, post-treatment enjoy a refreshing glass of cucumber lemon water.”
– Leah Strohecker, Director
Mom Wants: Avant-Garde Indulgence
Get It At: Maui Ocean Spa & Weddings, Makawao; 572-7482; mauioceanspa.com
Maui Ocean Spa’s quaint, no-nonsense locale is tucked in a quiet corner of Makawao town. There, the mood is palpably candid and treatment-focused—perfect for the practical mom who loves pampering and amenities, but is nonplussed by superfluous aesthetic frills. But Maui Ocean Spa has an adventurous side, too. With over twenty-five therapists on call, they specialize in alternative therapies that other spas may not offer—treatments like ear candling, color/light therapy, gemstone healing and thalassotherapy. The spa’s most winning quality is director and primary licensed massage therapist Mishel Narvaez, who has a nonpareil style of handling clients. Her master’s touch is intuitive and aloha-filled (try the hot stone massage!), and her conscientious draping technique will put even the most shyly squeamish at utmost ease. And Maui Ocean Spa uses all-organic products made on Maui—including Maui Nani Skincare, Indigenous Rootz Organic Skincare and Flower Essences.
Quote: “We’ve created a place where our community can experience a variety of healing modalities and services that are only influenced by pure, raw goodness and Aloha Nui Loa.”
– Mishel Narvaez, Spa Director
Mom Wants: The Best of Both Worlds
Get It At: Green Ti, Wailuku/Kihei; 242-8788; greentimaui.com
Green Ti is a tiny spa, but what it lacks in locker rooms, whirlpools and steam rooms it makes up for in individual and affordable focused attention. Their Mother’s Day duo—a full 50-minute massage and 50-minute facial for $120—combines the best of both worlds into one. And the spas retail shops feature products like bubble bath and aromatherapy to continue the pampering past the 100-minute mark.
Quote: “We cater to a mainly local clientele, so we keep the prices low and continue to provide a high quality of care. We now offer massage, acupuncture, facials and waxing. I added a third treatment room to our Wailuku spa and opened a second location in Kihei in January of this year. We also use Floralogic Skin Cafe for our facials. This product is made on Maui and completely chemical free, organic and ayurvedic.”
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