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New Zealand Spasby Julie RegisterKia Ora! (Maori greeting meaning Be Well, Be Healthy). Just two short months ago, I was touring New Zealand by way of its spas. What a great way to see that interesting country, from the sub-tropics to the largest geothermal area in the Southern Hemisphere to the Southern Alps to Fjordland! I was traveling with HOME AT FIRST whose "Welcome Home" program for the independent traveler designed an itinerary based on my interests—spas. What a great time to be there! The US dollar was at a very favorable exchange rate of $.42 US=$1 NZ. That buys a lot of spa services! Here's a quick rundown of the spas I visited from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island: Villa Maria Petit Hotel in Kerikeri (Bay of Islands)
Polynesian Spa in Rotorua
The Lodge at Parahito Farms, Upper Moutere, Nelson
Kimi Ora Holiday & Health Resort in Kaiteriteri, Nelson
Kina Colada is a bed and breakfast built in 1997 on eight hectares on the Kina
Peninsula overlooking the Tasman Bay. On-site facilities include fitness equipment, sauna, saltwater infinity swimming pool, walking paths, and beach walks. Nearby there is boating, kayaking, fishing, beaches, swimming, golf, wineries, restaurants, arts and crafts, garden tours, and hiking in two national parks. Rainbow Ski-field is a two-hour drive. Hosts Susanne Brutscher and Elfriede Lindbuechl, who is trained in Germany as a physiotherapist, offer a number of spa services such as body wraps, massage, mud treatments, and oxygen treatments. Kina Colada offers Fit For Life dining options. Millbrook Resort in Arrowtown
Body Sanctum Day Spa in Queenstown
I had a lovely late afternoon massage after a full day of visiting wineries and flying to and from Milford Sound for a cruise. It was just what I needed to end a great day. Watching the sun set on the Remarkables from Body Sanctum was a sight to behold. When it was all done, I had a leisurely walk back to my lodging at Queenstown House. My visit to Body Sanctum was suggested by Queenstown House's owner, Louise Kiely. Great suggestion! I highly recommend it. En Suite Massage at Villa Victoria by The Massage Center in Christchurch
I have since discovered many more spas that I did not have time to try while I was in New Zealand. I look forward to visiting them all some day. If you would like help creating your own tour of New Zealand, HOME AT FIRST can help you plan and arrange all the details. HOME AT FIRST's "Welcome Home" program is perfect for the independent traveler who wants to explore New Zealand on his/her own. HOME AT FIRST can help you design a unique itinerary based on your interests (spas, golf, wine, history, etc.). HOME AT FIRST packages include:
Photos by Julie Register FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
-Updated 06-14-01- |
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Okay, it's not really a spa, but hosts Mieke and Catharina Van Dyck offer en suite massage in their Mediterranean-style villas named after and decorated in themes of their favorite artists: Salvador Dali, Paul Gauguin, and Toulouse-Lautrec. I had an aromatherapy massage on the terrace of the Salvador Dali suite overlooking the Kerikeri Bay. It was my first stop after traveling for 20+ hours and the treatment felt divine. Villa Maria also has a heated saltwater swimming pool and a soon-to-be-upgraded sauna. Only a mile or so down the road is 
The historic Polynesian Spa on the shore of Lake Rotorua has a truly unique location. Not far from this day spa, you can find geysers, bubbling mud pools and other features of the largest geothermal area in the Southern Hemisphere. In Rotorua and at the spa, the odor of sulfur wafts through the air. The spa is centered around two hot springs - one producing acidic water and the other, alkaline. Both are used therapeutically. Many people come to the Polynesian Spa just to soak in the pools. However, the Polynesian Spa offers much more than the pools alone. It has offered Aix (pronounced aches) massage for almost 30 years and on January 19, 2001, the Lake Spa Retreat had its grand opening. This facility has three relaxation lounges and three wet and five dry therapy rooms. Treatments currently offered include massage, facials, body scrubs, body wraps, manicure, and pedicure. There are plans to add a white mud menu, watsu, waterbalancing, Pilates and yoga in the future. The goal of the spa is to provide relaxation and enjoyment. No painful procedures such as waxing can be found here! I tried an Aix Massage. It started with a soak in the beautiful and progressively warmer alkaline pools and ended with a massage given with warm coconut oil under a Vichy shower. Ever so relaxing!
This high-end lodge situated on a 2000 acre working farm offers only six suites. Hosts Robert and Sally Hunt wanted to create an atmosphere where visitors felt they were guests in the Hunt's home by providing the best of everything and offering a warmly personal experience. Included in this luxurious setting is a heated infinity pool and exercise pavilion equipped with a treadmill, ROM (Range Of Motion) machine, Pilates tables, Nordic Track, bicycle, free weights, and
Sanitarium. A personal trainer is available. There is also a small but well-equipped spa offering hand and foot treatments, facials, massage therapy, body treatments, hydrotherapy, and hair services. I can honesty say that the facials at Paratiho's spa are fabulous! My facial, as all Paratiho facials, started off with a back massage. I was won over right there. But it got better - much better. After the back massage, I turned over, and a pad was placed under my back. While my facial was administered, this pad started to bubble, fizz and heat up. It was a therapeutic mud treatment made by Phytomer and is used to detoxify deep tissues, help relieve any area that is swollen, congested or sore, and aids relaxation. It felt wonderful! The facial also used Phytomer products, and left my face feeling soft and clean. A relaxing foot massage topped it all off. I definitely felt pampered and rejuvenated.
Kimi Ora means 'seek health' in Maori and that is the foundation upon which Kimi Ora Holiday & Health Resort was built. This casual resort is located on a 12-hectare hillside above Kaiteriteri beach and 15 minutes from Abel Tasman National Park on the north end of New Zealand's South Island. Kimi Ora's Health Spa is based on European style therapies. Dr. Hans Brutscher and Fiona Thornton have managed the spa since September 2000. Dr. Brutscher is a German-trained medical doctor (GP) and physiotherapist who has worked in Germany and New Zealand as a Spa Doctor specializing in natural spa treatments. He brings with him some unusual treatments and equipment. The Hydro-electrical (or Stanger) Bath has plate electrodes built in the side that allows a low voltage electric current to flow from one electrode, through the water and then your body, to the other electrode. Dr. Brutscher says it is good for increasing blood and lymphatic flow, very beneficial for those suffering from high blood pressure and exhaustion and helps in reducing high blood sugar levels. The Vibration Swing Extension Bench was imported from Germany. It has a central plate giving a horizontal & vertical vibration massage to your back and a self-tilting mechanism that creates a spinal extension. Other treatments include hot moor/mud packs, fango, Kneipp hydrotherapy, underwater massage, oxygen therapy, body wraps, scrubs and massages. The spa facility is located in two buildings. The first houses a dry treatment area, the hydrotherapy bath, sauna, and steam room. The second spa building is located behind the pool and contains a small gym, whirlpool bath, the spa office and additional treatment rooms.
I'm certainly not the only American to visit Millbrook Resort. Former President Clinton stayed at this resort. John Travolta did, too. He had a facial in the spa and en suite massages. Millbrook Resort is located in an area of New Zealand that is a hubbub of activity. Nearby Queenstown offers bungee jumping, river surfing, the shotover jet, skydiving, rafting, and skiing in the winter. It is in the heart of the Central Otago wine-growing region. It's a short plane ride to Fjordland, Milford Sound, and the Hollyford Track. If that's not enough, it's only a few hours from Fox Glacier or Mt. Cook where you can hike till you drop. When you're all worn out from the extreme sports, the Spa at Millbrook is an ideal place to recover. The Spa offers separate men's and women's saunas, two outdoor co-ed whirlpools, a hot pool, and an indoor pool to soothe sore muscles. There are a number of treatments suited for someone trying to fit a month's worth of experiences into a day or two. A therapeutic massage can relieve the effects of a fatigued body from head to toe. A deep tissue massage can stimulate the body's meridians, relieving and expelling tension from the calves, thighs, lower back and shoulders. An aromatherapy massage can stimulate the lymphatic system to eliminate toxins built up in the body. The Body Resting and Relaxing Wrap is ideal after strenuous exercise a combination of aromatherapy oils in conjunction with a detoxifying massage draws the toxins and aches from tired, tense muscles. The Tired Legs massage is a lymphatic massage used in conjunction with concentrated leg wrap of aromatherapy oils to eliminate water retention in the feet and legs (also great after a long flight!). Of course, you don't have to leave the resort to get your exercise. The Spa's gym offers fitness assessments, exercise programs, classes, and personal training. There is golf and tennis. If exercise isn't your thing, the spa also offers a large menu of pampering and beauty services.
Body Sanctum Day Spa opened in 1999 with the goal of meeting the need for holistic and pampering treatments in Queenstown. It has been running at full speed ever since. The spa is located in a two-story building not far from the busy center of downtown Queenstown. It looks ordinary from the front, but offers a spectacular view of the Remarkables from the back. Body Sanctum specializes in massage techniques and offers beauty therapy treatments, makeup and hair services. Facilities include four treatment rooms, a salon, steam room, outdoor sauna, and outdoor whirlpool. There are plans to add a wet treatment room and they are waiting for the arrival of a steam canopy.
I ended my trip as I began—in a cozy B&B that arranged for an en suite massage. Kate McNeill, owner of