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BIG ISLAND, HAWAII

MAUNA LANI SPA

2001

What do you do when every visitor coming to Hawai'i wants to be outdoors? You give them open air hales so they can feel the breezes, hear the rustling of the leaves, and smell flowers on the trees.

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What do you do when everyone is at the beach mid day and you want them to be in the spa? You build an open air outdoor "Lava Sauna" experience made with boulders from the surrounding lava field. The prime time for this experience is from noon to 2:00 pm when the sun is at it's hottest. It's a memorable experience for the barren beauty, self lathering of volcanic mud, and the refreshing open-air shower that follows.

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The "Lava Pool", built within an existing lava tube,  fortified and powered by solar energy has embraced hundreds of guests for near out-of-body aquatic body sessions. Of course, Hawaiian blessings were given before and after construction.

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So passionate about the building of this spa and making the hales in the traditional style, a local  Hawaiian contractor left his job to guide the construction team through the entire process. And, we've never had another experience where therapists and spa receptionists alike, voluntarily went outside, on their own time to tie the lauhala roofs and participate in the building of the hales and garden in which they would work. Mauna Lani Spa was a once in a lifetime development.

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