Sweet Bliss

Indulge in Hawai’ian healing arts to truly relax at Spa Without Walls.

- SUSAN B. BARNES

Walking across the lush grounds of Fairmont Orchid on the Island of Hawai’i, I could hear the ocean before I could see its deep blues sparkling in the sunlight. Listening to that natural soundtrack blended with the scents of plumeria, watching the palm trees sway overhead, and feeling the warmth of the sun and the ocean breeze on my skin, I found myself ho‘omaha — relaxing, in Hawai’ian — as I followed my therapist to a private, oceanfront hale, or hut, at Spa Without Walls.

Inside, I melted into a deeper level of relaxation as my therapist started the detoxifying ‘Awa Earth & Fire treatment with warm coconut oil to nourish and hydrate my skin, followed by a blend of Hawai’ian botanicals used with warm lava rocks to ease away any tension my body was holding. Soothed by the sounds of the Pacific Ocean lapping onto the lava and white coral coastline just outside the hale and birds chirping to each other, it was easy to ho‘omaha.

Akin to the ‘Awa Earth & Fire, the spa menu features island-inspired treatments highlighting local ingredients and techniques used for generations, like the lomilomi massage, a royal tradition originating in the Hawai’ian Islands designed to restore one‘s mana, or spiritual energy of power and strength.