The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel stands on the same stretch of Kohala Coast shoreline where Laurance S. Rockefeller developed the resort in 1965 around his vision of harmonizing with the island’s natural beauty. Six decades later, the resort undertook its largest transformation yet. The nearly $240 million renovation includes a new 22,000-square-foot destination spa built on the grounds of the former Main Tower garden.
For Psalm Quinn, who grew up on the Kohala Coast and now directs the new spa, the project carried personal weight from the start.
"This is especially meaningful to me because I grew up here, and there are not many spas or practitioners who authentically incorporate Hawaiian culture into lomilomi," Quinn said. "I wanted to thoughtfully include some of the traditions and practices my family and I grew up with and share them with our guests. Having the opportunity to pass along something so personal is incredibly meaningful and special to me."
Quinn shaped a program rooted in traditional healing rather than the generalized menu most luxury spas offer. That philosophy runs through the new facility's 11 al-fresco treatment rooms, including couples’ suites with private lanais, outdoor showers and soaking tubs that open to the lush garden landscape.
Treatments Rooted in Native Hawaiian Healing
The spa's menu draws on lāʻau lapaʻau, a Hawaiian tradition of plant-based healing, alongside lomilomi massage passed down through generations of Hawaiian practitioners. Treatments incorporate locally sourced Hawaiian ingredients and open with ʻoli, the chants that historically accompanied healing ceremonies.
Among the more unusual offerings, a lomilomi facial adapts the bodywork technique for the face and neck, using the same rhythmic, flowing strokes Quinn's practitioners apply elsewhere.
The approach puts Hawaiian cultural traditions at the center of the spa experience rather than treating them as a visual backdrop. At Mauna Kea, Quinn built the menu around practitioners with experience in these traditions, using ingredients harvested from the islands rather than imported substitutes. That commitment to local sourcing, she noted, connects to a value the property has held for decades.
"Supporting local businesses has always been part of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel's ethos, so it was only natural for the Spa at Mauna Kea to embrace this as a key sustainability pillar when sourcing ingredients and products in addition to making sure our practices reflect authenticity," Quinn said.
Beyond the Treatment Room
The spa's indoor-outdoor design puts the surrounding landscape front and center. A coed wellness deck draws guests together around a vitality pool, hot tub and food and beverage service. Locker rooms open onto what the resort calls purification gardens, where cold and hot plunge pools sit alongside steam and sauna options.
The renovation also moved the fitness center into a new 2,500-square-foot oceanfront space. A 25-meter adults-only infinity lap pool adds another place for guests to swim and relax.
For a property with a long history of seclusion, the renovation preserves Rockefeller's original emphasis on place while adding a new focus on wellness. The Spa at Mauna Kea carries that idea into its Hawaiian healing traditions, open-air treatment rooms and garden setting, giving guests another reason to slow down and stay awhile.