Arrayed before me on a polished dark-wood table are rows of glass bottles and jars, softly gleaming beneath the overhead lights. Around the table, where I sit on a stool in a plush white spa robe, wooden drawers climb the walls from floor to ceiling.
The calm, contemporary room brings to mind an apothecary in an old Dubrovnik monastery, with stoppered jars, bottles and drawers of dried herbs. But here I am, oceans away, preparing for a unique spa ritual at Andaz Maui’s ’āwili spa and salon in Hawai‘i.
Before my spa appointment, I explored the newest Hyatt property on Maui. Lush landscaping, framed by tall palms and mature tropical fruit trees, belies that the resort is a recent build. A long, elevated walkway edged with reflecting pools of water lilies leads to a soaring, light-filled lobby centered on a sunken “living room” with a sandy floor. Beyond, facing the blue Pacific, seating areas line floor-to-ceiling windows that fold open to welcome cooling ocean breezes.
Maui offers many attractions and activities, yet the resort itself is a compelling reason to stay. Three infinity pools cascade down the hillside toward the ocean, ending at a large lagoon pool at beach level. Dining ranges from farm-to-table at Ka‘ana Kitchen to fine dining at Morimoto Maui, and numerous bars and lounges serve cool, fruity beverages to enjoy throughout the day.
The resort fee covers access to the 24-hour fitness center and a range of classes, including stand-up paddleboard sessions and sunrise and sunset yoga. Guests can try outrigger canoe basics, join a guided kayak tour or simply relax on a chaise longue with an umbrella on the lawn or Mokapu Beach. For more active pursuits, the Andaz Beach Crew rents kayaks, paddleboards, surfboards and snorkel gear and offers lessons.
To soothe sore muscles and revive skin exposed to sun and saltwater, the ’āwili spa provides a tranquil sanctuary and restorative treatments. Outdoors, an adults-only tranquility pool features lounge chairs set just above the water. Inside, separate men’s and women’s facilities include relaxation rooms and locker rooms with spacious vanities stocked with essentials and a few luxuries. Adjoining each locker room are a heated, jetted plunge pool, a sauna and an aromatically scented steam room. Couple’s suites offer private changing rooms, a rain shower and ocean views, while the full-service hair salon includes manicure and pedicure stations that face the water.
Treatment room © Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort
Every massage, scrub and wrap promises renewal, but the spa’s apothecary omakase experience particularly appealed to me. The chance to custom-blend products for a facial—using rare herbs, vitamins, minerals, natural food supplements and essential oils to purify, balance and restore skin—felt like the perfect antidote for fair, aging skin about to spend two weeks in Hawai‘i.
After a leisurely half hour in the sauna, steam room and plunge pool on a quiet weekday morning, I returned to the apothecary workspace. Faced with many options, I appreciated Teresa, my apothecary consultant, who guided me through the choices.
We began by discussing my skin type, concerns and desired outcomes. Teresa’s deep knowledge of natural ingredients and their properties helped her translate my scent and texture preferences into a tailored treatment: a facial mask, a delicate eye treatment and a soothing massage oil.
The mask’s base combines kaolin and sea clays to soften skin, stimulate circulation, improve elasticity and draw out impurities, with rice flour powder for texture. Mango and banana purées add antioxidants plus vitamins A and C and potassium to reduce puffiness and support cell regeneration. Rosehips contribute vitamins C, D and E and other antioxidants. Oils from marigold, borage and evening primrose help restore and balance dry or damaged skin. Vitamin E minimizes moisture loss, while glycerin hydrates. A drop each of mango and tangerine essential oils lends a light, tropical scent and gentle aromatherapy benefits.
Those mango and tangerine notes also appear in my massage oil, which blends chamomile and white willow bark–infused oil for calming, plus kava kava and plantain-infused oils to ease muscle tension and joint soreness. Anticipating an active vacation, Teresa suggested tinctures of basil and fennel for mild anesthetic relief and a helichrysum and maitake mushroom tincture to support muscle recovery. For the eye treatment, she created an antioxidant mix of green tea, rosehips and thyme, then handed me to Yuki for my facial.
Settled on a heated table in my treatment room, I experienced one of the best facials I’ve had. Yuki directed warm steam across my face while preparing SkinCeuticals products to use alongside my custom blends. As the mask worked, she applied the massage oil with perfectly measured pressure across my neck, shoulders, hands, lower legs and feet. My skin absorbed the moisture and felt plumped, while the faint floral-fruity aroma lingered. Yuki removed the mask with warm, moist cloths, gently applied the eye treatment and left me to return to the world slowly, my skin visibly refreshed.
Not quite ready to leave the spa’s calm, I lingered in the relaxation room with herb-infused water, marveling at how dewy my skin felt. I thought again of that ancient Croatian apothecary and smiled at how many of the same natural ingredients, used centuries ago, delivered a timelessly restorative experience in this modern Hawaiian setting.
’āwili spa and salon
Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort
3550 Wailea Alanui Drive
Wailea, Hawaii 96753
tel 808 573 1234
maui.andaz.hyatt.com