Polynesian Spa

sumptuous spa and massage therapies, retail therapy and delicious food from the on-site cafe. We invite you to experience this World Top Ten Spa , as voted by readers of the prestigious Conde Nast Traveller magazine many times over. HISTORY OF POLYNESIAN SPA

Polynesian Spa is a mineral spring spa that has been privately owned and operated by the Lobb family for fifty years. Prior to that time, the New Zealand Government, through its Tourist Department, operated three mineral bathing facilities starting with the Pavillion Bathhouse in the 1880s, with the last being the Ward Baths, opened in 1931 and eventually closed in 1971. Polynesian Spa (Polynesian Pools back then) along with their investment partners Rangatira Investments Ltd, began a series of re-developments transforming the old, government-owned bath-houses into a modern commercial spa, with developments continuing today. Today, Polynesian Spa offers hot mineral bathing in 28 bathing pools including both public and private pools, family pools and a luxury day spa retreat. There is also a contemporary cafe on site - 88Ra, and a Spa Essentials Gift shop which sells high quality spa and signature geothermal mud products. The day spa has been voted a World Top 10 Spa by the Conde Nast Traveller many times over. The complex retains a significant remindersof it’s past history with several of the pools and buildings being survivors of the 1931 Ward Baths and declared protected heritage sites. WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THE HOT SPRINGS ON SITE? Polynesian Spa has access to two types of mineral water; one alkaline and one acidic which is a unique point of difference. Local Māori acclaimed the therapeutic benefits of the water and bathed for centuries in the acidic pool 'Te Pupunitanga', now called the Priest’s Bath. European thermal bathing history at Polynesian Spa began in 1878 when a Catholic Priest named Father Mahoney bathed regularly in the thermal spring water of hand dug pools on the shores of Lake Rotorua. Over several months his arthritis was greatly alleviated, initiating an international reputation for the therapeutic properties of the hot mineral springs. Many thousands of visitors to the spa have attested to the remedial effect the hot mineral waters have on muscular complaints, arthritis and rheumatism. The natural hot spring of alkaline water originally known by the Arawa people as Whangapipiro or Whangapapiro was later re-named Rachel Spring and is the source of our alkaline spring water. This goethermal source can be viewed and is found 100m down the road from us in the Government Gardens. These alkaline waters rich in sodium silicates have a soothing and antiseptic effect on the skin. Bathing areas feature both of these waters for total rejuvenation. Polynesian Spa hosts clients from all around the world.