Text by Kathy Collins | Becky Speere | Alma Tassi | Diane Haynes Woodburn | Photography by Ben Ferrari & Mieko Horikoshi
Hands-on Pampering
THE TREATMENT: Journey through the Ocean | Spa Montage, Kapalua Bay | MontageHotels.com/spamontage/kapaluabay
WHAT IT INCLUDES: The moment I stepped into the hale (thatched house), I knew I was in for a treat. Orchids carefully arranged on ti leaves adorned the massage table. Adjacent to the table stood a stone shower with a roof of slatted wood. Folding doors opened to lush gardens. My two therapists greeted me warmly, their hushed tones reminding me to settle in and let them take care of me. And boy, did they ever. In perfect synchronicity, they employed dry brushing to wake my circulation. I couldn’t help but murmur, “Oh. My. Goodness.” They then applied a body scrub made with mineral-rich sea salts and eucalyptus. Still tingling, I stepped into the shower and rinsed away the scrub, ready to continue my ocean journey: a massage that incorporated cleansing milk with algae extract, and a seaweed-infused oil to rehydrate my skin. Before I could finish the thought, “Is this really happening to me?” one therapist applied pressure to release any remaining stress in my face and neck, while the other tenderly rubbed each of my toes. Heaven!
THE FIX: For anyone who needs to let go of stress and embrace deep relaxation.
THE PERKS: With its heated plunge pool backed by bamboo trees, and a plumeria tree growing right in the middle of the facility, this open-air setting envelops you in the natural beauty of Kapalua. After a swim in the infinity pool and a sip from an umbrella-adorned smoothie, you can relax in the cedar sauna and sweat away pesky toxins, then head to the eucalyptus steam room to kiss your concerns goodbye.
MEMORABLE MOMENT: While in my dazed state of bliss, I sensed multiple streams of heat running down my body, precise as lasers. I asked Bo, one of the therapists, what was happening, and he whispered in my ear, “Magic.” I later discovered they were using heated lava stones, but Bo’s response felt so right in that moment.
THE COST: $610 for 90 minutes
—Alma Tassi
