Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Opens World-Class Spa

“Spa” and “Hawaii” are two of our favorite words, so when we were invited to Maui to experience the spanking-new spa at the just-remodeled Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua (from $395 per night), we couldn’t resist. The 17,500-square-foot space is called Waihua, a Hawaiian word that refers to the rainwater caught by the large heart-shaped leaves of the taro, an edible plant that has a revered place in Hawaiian life and lore.

There is a sense of wonder when you enter Waihua, which smells faintly of the rainforest, with a light citrus and eucalyptus scent. Everything is curved here, including the gorgeous undulating walls made of thousands of Indonesian pebbles, the groves of giant bamboo stalks and the water walls. “It was designed to be intentionally disorienting,” says Jonathan Staub, the spa’s interior designer. “It’s all about movement, water and surrender.” We felt reassured hearing that because we always wander around spas, lost and disoriented even when they feature perfect right angles.

The final piece of magic, before moving on to the sensational 50-minute pineapple-papaya exfoliation ($155), was a blessing performed by Kahu Kapi’ioho’okalani Lyons Naone, a celebrated healer and spiritual teacher. We didn’t know what the words meant as he chanted in Hawaiian, but we can tell you we experienced a sense of joy and well-being, and emerged from our treatment feeling incredibly relaxed. When was the last time you felt that way?

Tags: Hawaii, Hawaiian language, healer and spiritual teacher, interior designer, Jonathan Staub, Kapalua Hawaii, Maui, Polynesia, USD