Photo: Mauna Kea Resort Every detail of the spa experience was thoughtfully designed to honour Hawaiian traditions – Spa at Mauna Kea spa director, Psalm Quinn

The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection property in Hawaii, US, has opened its 22,000 sq ft indoor-outdoor Spa at Mauna Kea as the final step in the property’s overall renovation, which has cost more than US$180 million (€166 million, £140 million) in total.

The 252-key property, located on the Kohala Coast, is inviting guests to experience its multi-million dollar spa, which has been designed to provide a deep sense of connection to the location and its culture.

Christi Cano, spa and wellness consultant at Get Spa Info, worked with spa director Psalm Quinn, both of whom were raised in Hawaii. 

The Hawaiian belief that healing begins within and radiates outward, known as Ho‘ōla i Loko, is key to the spa’s philosophy, where wellness experiences are designed to nurture balance between body, mind and spirit.

Restorative therapies feature a traditional Hawaiian oli (chant), and treatments feature plant-based healing rituals and other cultural elements.

Quinn told Spa Business: “Our concept Ho’ola I Loko, healing begins within, can take on different interpretations, but my hope was always to create a genuine connection to a place where our guests can come to reconnect with their inner being, completely relax and receive care.

“Every detail of the spa experience was thoughtfully designed to honour Hawaiian traditions, many of which were practised within my own family growing up and still to this day. From the pa’akai sea salt gathered in Kona at the exact place I spent many of my childhood weekends, to the oli that we send our guests off with, it is deeply personal and given with Aloha.”

The facilities

The spa has 11 al-fresco treatment rooms, including a couples suite. Each one has a private lanai (open-sided porch commonly found in Hawaii), an outdoor shower and a soaking tub.

There is an open-air vitality pool and separate men's and women’s Purification Gardens, which each feature a sauna, steamroom, cold plunge and soaking pools. There is also a mixed wellness deck.

Additional amenities include a full-service salon and a Mind and Body movement pavilion.

The experience

Cano worked with Oakworks, which has provided the custom-designed treatment tables for the spa, to produce a vibroacoustic experience that combines the sacred cultural ritual of the oli chant with a therapeutic full-body treatment.

Cano told Spa Business: “An oli is a Hawaiian chant, and in Hawaiian culture it's not ceremonial for show – it's functional and sacred. Traditionally, you wouldn't enter or leave a space, or begin a significant event, without an oli. It's how you announce your intention, ask for permission – and for lomilomi treatments – create an energetic agreement between the practitioner and the guest. The oli is for everyone involved.

“For lomilomi specifically, the opening oli invites the healing to begin and the closing oli seals the work, offering gratitude and signalling that the session is complete. Without both, the treatment can feel unfinished to a traditional practitioner.

“Lomilomi is known around the world as a Hawaiian massage, and it's by far the most popular treatment booked at spas across Hawaii. But through researching many spas in Hawaii, we discovered that very few spas here actually begin and end their lomilomi traditionally – with an oli. When I spoke with spa directors and massage therapists, two things became clear. There was no consistent operational way to deliver it, and staff were hesitant. They didn't want to be disrespectful by speaking or chanting in a language they didn't personally have a connection to. For us to be able to incorporate the oli into spa treatments, we needed to find solutions to these barriers.

“Integrity and authenticity were important when developing the experience, Cano continued, “In Hawaii, there's a concept called pono, which means to do the right thing, in harmony and alignment. We approached everything from the standpoint of being pono. Incorporating the oli into our treatments, choosing to work with local Hawaiian product companies, and focusing the menu on lomilomi and la'au lapa'au (Hawaiian plant medicine) – these weren't merely business decisions. Psalm and I are both local girls raised in Hawaii — we were doing the right thing.

“Oakworks is the only manufacturer we found that allows for custom vibroacoustics, which means the oli are delivered through the table itself – performed perfectly every time by native Hawaiian speakers. You don't only hear the oli – you feel the vibration of it resonating throughout your body. The table removes operational obstacles and keeps the chants authentic.

“Woven into the opening oli is a cleansing ritual that is just as integral to the experience as the chant itself. In Hawaiian culture, the soul enters through the feet, so we begin there. While the oli plays, guests receive a traditional spiritual cleansing of the feet using Hawaiian salt sourced from the Kona Salt Farm on Hawaii Island, and an oil featuring la'au lapa'au plants, including ti leaf. It's a grounding, sacred beginning – and with the oli, it sets an intention of authenticity for the entire spa experience.”

Skincare partners

The spa’s treatment philosophy focuses on the use of Hawaiian healing botanicals for a restorative approach, but there are also advanced aesthetic therapies on offer too.

Brands involved in the delivery of authentic local experiences include Honua Skincare, Oshan Essentials, Lokelani Essentials, Ola Tropical Apothecary and Ua Hawai’i.

The advanced aesthetics partner is AnteAge, which incorporates exosomes through a hydrodermabrasion exfoliation therapy that uses diamond-tipped wands to remove dead skin while infusing regenerative ingredients for longterm results.

The property

The hotel was first developed by the late American entrepreneur and conservationist Laurance Rockefeller in 1965. It was originally designed to sit in harmony with the natural landscape of the Kohala Coast.

The latest upgrades to the destination include an oceanfront adults-only infinity lap pool, a fitness centre, whirlpool, and a reimagined family pool.

There is also a new Discovery Garden, a chef’s garden and five private cabanas.

The property’s other facilities include the Mauna Kea Golf Course, a racquet club with nine tennis courts and eight pickleball courts.

The hotel shares 1,839 acres of oceanfront land with The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort and Mauna Kea Residences – which complete the Mauna Kea Resort.