Hanalei Day Spa & Ayurveda Center of Hawaii

Hanalei Day Spa is a gem. Darci is gracious, warm and welcoming. A heart as big as the island! We did a couples massage in the hut by the beach and it was heavenly. Love those open air massages. It doesn’t get any better. Our massage therapists Wai Som and Robin were delightful and very good massage therapists.
Be sure to book a massage there if you are down at the north end of the island. Beautiful location.

I received a 50 minute prenatal massage (I’m 34 weeks) at the Hanalei Day Spa and would highly recommend my therapist, Danielle. She used a body cushion (a special cushion that sits on top the table, allowing a pregnant person to comfortably lie face-​down, face-​up and on your side) and was very attentive to my comfort throughout the session. A prenatal massage is definitely not a deep tissue, however Danielle was still able to do some extra work on my aching low back and hips which felt amazing!
Overall wonderful experience and I left feeling completely relaxed! Pricing seems typical for Kauai, on the expensive side but much better than the St. Regis.
Thank you Danielle for making this pregnant lady so happy!

I highly recommend Hanalei Day Spa! I have never experienced such magic. I felt amazing. I get bi weekly massages back home but nothing that compared to the blissful massage I received at Hanalei Day Spa. Must check out if visiting the North Shore.

My wife and I loved this place. We did the beachside Royal Couples lomi lomi package and simply slipped away into relaxation the day after our Na Pali hike. The owner was very courteous, as well as an interesting person to talk with about life, energy, and the island. Hope to be back again!

We enjoyed a beachside massage for our anniversary. A lovely, scenic drive from Hanalei and Darci was so pleasant to work with. We worried a little about noise from the restaurant but that was not an issue at all. I heard kids playing for a bit on the beach and then I only heard waves. My husband had been dealing with some aches and pains and his therapist gave them plenty of attention. The breeze blowing in was so peaceful and I liked that we were not at a mega-​resort. We ate at the Mediterranean restaurant afterwards, and they have great food and splendid views. A wonderful way to spend our 15^th wedding anniversary!

Really 4.5. Massage therapist «Suzen» gives an intuitively customized massage. Ask for her! Darci, owner operator is a smart business person and carefully hires her talented therapists. Although different, my deep tissue massage was one of the best I have had. Lots of time was spent on legs. It makes sense though because everything is connected to the back. Days later, I am still feeling lower back relief. When I checked in, Darci generously treated me to a «pinky» self massage ball for my lower back as she remembered what I had said on the phone! That was so kind and thoughtful.
My reasons for 4 stars include parking lot noises during session, rickety wobbly feel of the massage table, and wordy menu. I signed up for an 80 minute deep tissue massage. The basic massage is $ 165.00 and deep tissue is another 20 but turned out to be $ 22.50 more. The $ 22.50 is not spelled out on the menu. Maybe it was because of a few sprays of lemon grass aroma? Anyway, that comes to $ 187.50 for 80 minutes. At home, it’s 90 minutes and $ 150.00. I thought, oh, maybe tip is included. It’s not. The invoice comes with a tip guide. I did indeed tip, spending over $ 200.00. I would have tipped a higher percentage had initial service not been so expensive. Things are more expensive here so go with the flow. I would absolutely return.
Props to Suzen for finding all my knots and working through them. 5 stars for the therapist.

Before arriving in Kauai, I had done a little research on day spas and the Hanalei Day spa was the one we decided to go with. We were not disappointed.
We had scheduled a couples massage, but unfortunately missed out on the opportunity to have the massage on the beach (which actually worked out fine since it poured rain during our appointment.)
Our appointments were for 1pm and we didn’t gauge our time correctly for traveling from Kapa’a plus there was road work, so needless to say we weren’t going to make the 1pm time. We called and spoke to Darci, the owner, to tell her we’d be late. She was super accommodating and said she could reschedule us for 3:30pm on the same day! That was so nice of her and it allowed us plenty of time to spend a little time in Hanalei window shopping and grab a late lunch.
We arrived for our appointment and were greeted warmly by Darci. The day spa is super cute with some retail. We filled out some brief paperwork and waited for a short while for the couples room to be set up.
The massage was wonderful and relaxing! A good 80 minute Lomi Lomi massage (full body, light touch — I can’t take the deep tissue stuff!)
Anytime I fall asleep during a massage I know it’s an excellent experience and I’m sure I caught myself snoring lightly.
I would highly recommend and would go back the next time we visit Kauai.

Wow. A year later, I didn’t think they could top themselves. Had a massage with Victor (I believe that was his name) and it was a religious experience. Absolutely perfect. I chose beachside again because of how much I loved it last time and I was not disappointed. The most welcoming place in all of Kauai – which is hard to be. This place is absolutely wonderful, I wish I could come every month. Thank you again. With one week left of vacation, maybe I’ll even try to steal away once more.

An absolutely wonderful experience. Easy to make an appointment and perfectly located in beautiful Hanalei. Very friendly staff and best of all an amazing massage. I went twice during my stay and had the Swedish/​Lomi Lomi combo. Ask for it of you like relaxation with a bit of deep tissue. Mila was excellent.

I just had the best massage of my whole life! I highly recommend Sun and his deep tissue massage. Very professional, but laid back environment. Lovely spa!

This was our third time going to the Spa and my least favorite. While I did receive a good massage I felt that: beyond the front desk staff there is not that much spiritual or deep vibes from the therapists — just kind of feels like their job. Also, I feel like the massages are overpriced and my practitioner spent more than ½ the time on my legs — which although nice was not needed as deeply as my lower back.
While certainly a good option I am not sure I will return.

My husband and I had a beachside couples massage here in early January. That staff was great and the location was peaceful and relaxing. We would highly recommend their services!

I had a beachside massage with Sara. It isn’t in the sand but you can hear the waves crashing from the hut. She did an awesome job and made sure to ask about pressure and make sure I was relaxed and doing well. I felt like jello when she was done and wouldn’t hesitate to go back next time I visit!

5 stars for a very theraputic massage from Christopher. Not a fancy spa but very accomodating, peaceful and relaxing. Every massage I have had here has been a wonderful experience. Definitely make an appointment, as they book up fast.

Had an amazing massage with Chris today! I’ve had a lot of massages and his massage was one of the best!
I scheduled the 2 hour Royal Hawaiian Treatment, nothing short of fabulous. 2 hours of bliss and relaxation, while listening to the waves crash on the beach.
The hot coconut oil hair treatment was heaven! My hair is so soft tonight.
It’s not fancy, but a cute little cottage feel and very welcoming. I prefer that over the sterile hotel/​resort stuff.
Next time I’m in Kauai, I will most definitely return. Mahalo!

The spa is cozy. We enjoyed the beachside couples massage and highly recommend adding hot stones if you want a truely memorable experience! The massage was one of most relaxing massages I’ve ever recieved so although prices seemed high, I feel it was definitely worth what we paid and will be going again!

2^nd update: after my 1^st update we received our refund in the mail within 3 days.
Update: after my initial review the owner, «Darci,» called me to discuss our horrible experience. She acknowledged that certain things were not done correctly (i.e. the outdoor massage tables were uncovered and dirty, the receptionist was making an inappropriate phone call, etc) and she offered to refund us our money. It has now been nearly three months since I spoke to her and we have NOT received a refund.
(One month ago she sent me a message saying that she didn’t have our address but when I spoke to her on the phone it was quite apparent to me that she had the client questionnaire that we filled out because she knew our address and our PROFESSIONS. Then one week ago she sent me a message saying that she didn’t receive a reply from me which is a lie. I replied with an address and i sent her a follow up message a few weeks later).
Original post:
According to Unilocal one star is equal to «Eek! Methinks not,» and this is exactly how I feel about this place. While on our honeymoon in Kauai the Hubby planned what was supposed to be a romantic 2 hour couples massage; however, this was not the case! And quite frankly, this was a complete waste of 400+ dollars.
When we arrived my first impression of the building was that it was a little small but the décor was very cute and had a nice balance of «relaxation» and the island life. Too bad the receptionist ruined it for us. Before we could enter the building, a rude voice came at us saying «can I help you?» I now feel like i should have said uhhh yes i have an appointment… I feel like she should have waited until we entered and then at least say Aloha or welcome. Jeez. This was the first place after 3 days in Kauai where we were not greeted with a warm and friendly smile. Once we told her, the older lady who sits at the desk, we had an appointment all she said to us was «do you want water?» And «fill out these forms.» She reminded us that we were 30 minutes early, (uh yes we’re not locals and we wanted to make sure we were on time for our massage. If you don’t want customers to arrive 30 minutes early let us know so we don’t waste our vacation time either!) and in what seemed like an attempt to get rid of us she sent us to check out the outdoor massage area for couples. I honestly expected a romantic area on the beach, but to my surprise I found an old, dirty, area BEHIND A RESTAURANT! What in the world… I can’t imagine the noise from the restaurant and parking lot being romantic. can you?
Any how, we told her no thanks and sat on the comfy couch while we waited. The entire time she did not smile at us or even attempt to start a conversation. Every where we go on the island people have asked us «what brings you here? Where are you from? Are you enjoying yourself?» But not this lady! Instead she called two people on the phone and said «Do you remember my friend who has the pre-​mature baby? Well they’ll be dropping off their laundry» … wow… we paid 400+ to hear about this lady doing laundry for someone else! Nice.
Then came the massage. I got a relaxation massage and the hubby got a deep tissue. I forgot my therapists name but she was friendly and her attempt to do a good job stood out. The massage was not even close to good but I give her credit for trying. Being someone who gets massages frequently in San Francisco, Berkeley, and San Diego — I know what to expect. Like I said, she tried and I appreciated that. Can’t speak for the hubby, although his therapist was not friendly and the hubby said that he’s never had a deep tissue like that in the sense that it wasn’t good and it was unusual. Also, during our massage their iPhone stopped and it felt like I was getting a massage in the middle of a bustling city. I could hear a truck backing up «beep, beep, beep, beep… ughh» and people talking. It was quite frustrating to say the least.
When our massage was over and it came time to pay up and tip, the receptionist was smiling. I don’t know what made her change, maybe she got «lei’d» hah during the 2 hours we were gone…
I will for sure tell my Kauai going friends and family to avoid this place.

This was my 4^th visit to this spa, and I have loved ever massage received! The spa has an old Hawaii charm, and is impressively quiet for being next to a restaurant and parking lot. This time I had Christopher who gave an amazing Lomi Lomi massage, but honestly I’d never had a bad experience at this spa. Will definitely be coming back before this trip is over — it’s worth every penny!
A few notes for massage newbies: when something isn’t right, you have to let the masseuse know. They’re not mind-​readers, although it often feels that way. Also, this particular spa is in a small building next to a resort. There’s going to be some background noise, and there’s not much the staff can do about that. The sound of the ocean is one such noise, and in my opinion it more than makes up for any occasional car or restaurant sounds.
Darci is meticulous about employing only the best masseuses, and it certainly shows!

Small quaint spa with amazing masseuses. My husband and I got a 1.5 hour deep tissue couples massage. I am super picky about my massages and love a strong masseuse. Christopher totally delivered! It was relaxing and therapeutic at the same time. I didn’t want my massage to end! When the 90 minutes was up, I wished I could have the whole massage again.
My husband had Cidney who he thought was also good.
There is no question that we will be back the next time we are in Kauai

First of all let me start by saying if you’re going to Kauai and looking for artificial stimulation on Kauai, you are on the wrong island. This spa is not one of those fancy, smancy types of experiences. First of all it’s located almost at the end of the road on the North Shore and that’s what makes this place so awesome! It’s a very unassuming, very relaxing environment.
On my last day on Kauai I wake up to see that it’s definitely NOT looking like a beach day so I ask my bff what she would like to do in the morning as we knew we were going to be in Hanalei to try this mexican truck at the Hanalei pier that I read about here on Unilocal (a review on that will follow soon). So she suggested I call the spa in Princeville since we were wanting to get a massage.
I opted to log onto Unilocal as it hasn’t led me wrong yet. I read a couple of reviews and thought «yep; this is the one». So when I called I hoped they would be able to accommodate two appointments. Lucky us! Darci squeezed both of us in straight away. Now, we were staying in Kapaa and knowing the island very well I knew we would need to get on the road ASAP, especially because of the road work being done in Hanalei and the distance from where we were and where they are located.
We arrived almost 45 minutes ahead of schedule so I just walked in and told them «Joyce and Karen are here early»! I was greeted by a woman (whose name escapes me now) and I asked if she was Darci. The other woman said, «No, I’m Darci» with a big smile on her face.
Here’s the main reason I highly recommend this place… the energy is amazing here! The people working there add to the experience as well. If you want to experience true aloha spirit in a down to earth, very casual environment, this is your place! Shoshana (sp?) was the therapist for both of our massages. I needed and received a deep tissue massage and my friend got more of a relaxing massage and we were both very satisfied with our service. At one point the therapist had her entire body on my glutes and back and I swore she couldn’t have weighed more than 90 lbs so when it was all said and done I asked her if she did in fact weight 90 lbs but she said no. I won’t tell you her weight as that’s nobody’s business but I couldn’t believe she weighed a pound over 100!
Since I went first I had to kill time waiting for my friend to get her massage so I went to the beach that fronts the property. Almost vacant… LOVE THAT! It was awesome to be able to get right into the ocean after a fabulous massage. Definitely will go back with my boyfriend and get the couples beach massage.
Thanks Darci for fitting us in and making my last day a very memorable one. You’re the bomb!