Relaxation Abounds In Rotorua
Stacey Morrison finds moments of bliss at Rotorua’s Polynesian Spa
Relaxing shouldn’t be hard work, but for many of us setting aside time to have a luxurious spa session can require some organising.
Even a er this precious ‘me-time’ has been carved out, it may still take a moment to ease into relaxation mode.
I was invited to Rotorua’s Polynesian Spa to experience the steam, warmth and inviting aromas of its mineral waters, which set the mood immediately. I changed into my cosy bathrobe, and let the unwinding begin in the deluxe natural spring water pools, each one set among the natural rock formations and greenery overlooking Lake Rotorua. The temperature of the pools is marked so I could choose to soak in 39 degree pools, push it up to 41 degrees, or even opt to plunge myself into cold water in between soaks.
These therapeutic waters derive from the Priest Spring (Te Pupunitanga) and Rachel Springs (Whangapipiro) which have long been famous for their healing qualities.
The Priest Spring was named so after a priest was guided to the spring by Māori in 1878, where he discovered the acidic waters relieved his arthritis, while the alkaline water of the Rachel Spring offers natural antiseptic qualities which became known to
soften and beautify skin.
These two types of mineral waters are only brought together at Polynesian Spa, and I realised the hour set aside to enjoy the pools before my spa treatments primed me perfectly for the two hours of pampering that lay ahead.
The warmth of the mineral pools stayed with me as I changed and reunited with my fluffy bathrobe to move through to the spa treatment area. After sipping lemoninfused water in the lounge area, I was really hitting my stride on this relaxation assignment, and the massage room beckoned. I apologised in advance to the massage therapist, saying I might fall asleep.
She assured me that falling asleep would be a compliment, and I gave her that compliment at a couple of points in my treatment – drifting off to sleep during my head massage, and at another moment that I was too relaxed to really remember. The hour-long massage was exactly the right pace and pressure for my liking, and I realised the beauty of massage is that you are truly in the moment, thinking only about different muscles relaxing.
When my massage finished, I was grateful I didn’t have to rush off. By this point I’d fully succumbed to the spa experience and now was my time to relish the next in my line-up of treatments – the signature mud wrap. This treatment starts with a mud scrub to exfoliate skin, which feels zingy and energising after a massage.
I had to peek from under my eye mask to see what it looked like – a light grey, grainy scrub – which the therapist expertly brushes on on each part of the body, then wipes off and applies a warm, thicker layer of mud mask that cleanses and detoxes the skin. This could seem messy, but it’s not when a professional is in charge, who quickly wrapped me in warm towels with perfect weighting so deeming me ready for the sleep-inducing head massage.
My final moments of bliss at Polynesian Spa involved showering off the mud and indulging in a full body moisturising treatment.
When my treatment ended, I floated back to the lounge area to enjoy herbal tea and snacks, as I marvelled at how a couple of hours can feel like a full weekend of relaxing when it’s done this well.