Hawaii's Top Spa Resorts - International Traveller Magazine

Sit back and relax as we reveal the five best spas across the Hawaiian Islands.

1. Anara Spa at Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa

Kaua‘i is considered the nurturing motherly island as it is the oldest of the archipelago.

It rains a lot here so you feel cocooned in humidity and the ancient Hawaiian mana (energy) really is palpable. Anara Spa in the south of the island has huge wooden outdoor hales and lava rock shower gardens, so you can pretend, just for a few hours, this is your new home.

The menu is decadent and makes the most of local ingredients and the Hawaiian tradition. The Kaua‘i clay package uses local ‘awa root (kava) to ease insomnia, which is polished over your body with coconut oil and warm stones. This is followed by a volcanic clay body mask and massage. Or what I call a body pavlova, the Organic Liliko‘i, which uses organic locally grown liliko‘i (passionfruit) mixed with citrus, mango and coconut to hydrate your skin and make you smell delicious!

Before you leave treat yourself with a Coco Mango product – the tangy and delicious scent will help you remember this experience and have people ask “mmm, what’s that smell?" (in a good way of course).

Address: Grand Hyatt Kaua’i Resort & Spa, 1571 Poipu Road, Koloa, Kaua’i

Contact: +1 808 742 1234

2. Moana Lani Spa at Moana Surfrider

Waikiki’s first hotel, the Moana Surfrider, was built in 1901 and is affectionately called the First Lady of Waikiki. It is a stunning plantation-style building and has just launched the Moana Lani Spa as the only beachfront spa along famous Waikiki Beach. To start, you will be given a bowl of sea salt to place your worries, which is symbolically released into the ocean at the end of the day – a great way to start your Hawaiian holiday.

Then wind down to Hawaii time with the quintessential Lomi Lomi Ola massage, which is performed by traditionally trained therapists – meaning they were trained by native Hawaiian masters of Lomi Lomi. Follow this up with the delicious Kona coffee and vanilla scrubs for the feet or the body and you won’t just feel fantastic, but smell like paradise as well.

Moana Lani Spa top spa resorts hawaii — Moana Lani Spa, Oahu.

Address: Moana Surfrider, 2365 Kalākaua Avenue, Honolulu

Contact: +1 808 237 2535

3. Spa Grande at Grand Wailea Resort

Hundreds of couples get maui’d (get it?) on Maui, but this island is also home to the biggest spa in Hawaii – Spa Grande at the Grand Wailea Resort right on Wailea Beach.

With more of a European feel, you can start with a circuit of medicinal thermal baths or self-massage under the three waterfalls in the Hawaiian corner, which includes five seal salt baths – all included prior to any Spa Grande service.

Unique treatments to try include volcanic ash facial; seaweed body mask; clay mask of crushed flowers; or a honey mask for your hair, straight from the busy bees on the Grand Wailea rooftop.

This is also the only place where you can try a six-hands lava stone massage, or a pala’au (to heal with plants) journey which uses lunar and stone-infused products such as the olivine crystal herbal elixir. Spa Grande also caters to teens and kids.

Address: Grand Wailea Resort, 3850 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea, Maui

Contact: +1 808 875 1234

4. The Spa Without Walls at The Fairmont Orchid

Right on Pauoa Bay, the Fairmont Orchid’s The Spa Without Walls has people grinning before the treatment begins.

You can stay inside, but why waste the chance to be indulged in an outdoor oceanfront hale or waterfall hale, both so close to the ocean the salty spray will tickle your skin. So inspired by the island’s nickname ‘the land of fire and ice’ – which came from its active volcano Kilauea and the snow found in places during winter – this spa is the place to try the pōhaku wela (warm lava stone therapy).

Spa Without Walls Fairmont top spa resorts hawaii — Spa Without Walls, Island of Hawai’i.

The Kāne treatment offers the same but cools you down with ‘awa (ginger) cream afterwards. Or for a complete temperature reversal which is great for lymphatic drainage, iced marble stones are applied to the body to reduce inflammation for an extra $28.

And if you’re peckish after a busy spa day, Fairmont caters to guests who prefer gluten-free, macrobiotic, raw or vegan diets.

Address: The Fairmont Orchid, 1 North Kaniku Drive, Kohala Coast, Island of Hawaii

Contact: +1 808 885 2000

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5. SpaHalekulani at Halekulani

SpaHalekulani Halekulani top spa resorts hawaii — SpaHalekulani, Oahu.

SpaHalekulani is a pretty special place and the type of indulgence every woman deserves at least once in her life. The design is elegant – the brand new spa has the classic seven-shades-of-white used throughout the décor, which is part of Halekulani’s signature style.

Some of the ‘Pacific’ options on the menu include a Polynesian Nonu (a Samoan massage using stones and noni fruit) or a Polynesian steam therapy to detox the body. But, to make a day of it, the Heavenly Journey (four hours of bliss) option allows you to choose a body treatment, a massage, plus a pre-treatment foot pounding and a facial.

Address: Halekulani, 2199 Kalia Road, Honolulu

Contact: +1 808 931 5322

Looking to head to any of the Hawai’ian islands? Head to our ultimate travel guide to learn everything you need to know.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

Hawaii’s Top Spa Resorts