Kāʻanapali is on the northwestern coast of Maui and has (according to many) the best beach on the island. White sand, coral just off the shore and crystal clear water. It really is Paradise. The area has some beautiful resorts, including the Westin Kāʻanapali, a lovely all-villa resort, which is home to the Spa Helani.
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After a relaxing morning on the beach (and a bit of snorkelling), I headed to the Spa for the Ocean Ritual Treatment. I was welcomed into the reception (complete with lava rock water feature) and given some information on the Spa.
The treatments at Spa Helani are inspired by the Hawaiian and Polynesian Islands and focus on locally sourced products. Treatments are split into two categories; Ocean (treatments inspired by the minerals found in the ocean), and Land (treatments influenced by tropical fruits and flora in Maui).
The Spa had recommended I arrive at least 30 minutes early to use the facilities, and I’m glad I did. I was shown into the changing room and given a robe and slippers and then taken on a tour of the spa. Then I was left to relax. There was a steam room, some amazing ‘rain’ showers with water coming from every angle (which I needed – seeing as I was pretty sandy from the beach!), then there were two relaxation areas, one inside and one out. I chose the outside ‘Lanai’ area and sat with my pineapple water enjoying the sunshine before I was called for my treatment.
My therapist was very friendly and welcomed me to the treatment room. By this point, I was already very relaxed, and very much in the ‘Aloha’ spirit of the Spa.
The first part of the Ocean Ritual is a full body scrub, using a sea salt mineral product. This is a really good thing to have at the start of a holiday, as it removes all the dead skin – so you’re ready for a holiday tan. (Just make sure you wear lots of sun cream afterwards!).
The scrub took around 20 minutes and smelled great. Then my therapist left me to shower off in another amazing shower. Once I was clean, I was back on the table for a full-body massage.
We discussed what sort of pressure I would like, and as I had a few aches, I went for firm, and I got exactly that. It was a great massage and around 50 minutes later I was so relaxed I was almost asleep.
The final part of the Ocean Ritual Treatment uses a Sea Salt Stamp, which was pressed over my head and back. (The stamp was given to me at the end to use in the bath when I got home.)
After the treatment, I was taken back outside to relax in the Lanai with a glass of champagne. It was the perfect way to spend an afternoon in Maui, and I would definitely recommend the Spa Helani to anyone visiting the island. I can’t wait to go back – but for now, I have my bath stamp!
