Kohala Spa

I had a pedicure and manicure. The service was average for sure. I’ve been to a lot of high end spas all over. This ranked a 5 out of 10. Firstly upon arrival I had to wait 20 minutes, no water/​tea or coffee was offered. I even mentioned how it took me forever to find the spa in the hotel. The tech who did my service was very sweet but very slow and not the neatest job. I finally asked for water, which arrived in paper cup!!! This really put me off. Anyway at check out I was waiting for 20 minutes!
Again the staff was sweet but clearly very lacking in providing an «experience» or polished level of service for the price.

Our children gave us a Lomi Lomi couple’s massage for Christmas at the Kohala Spa on December 21, 2015. We have been fortunate to experience some amazing spas in various locations including the Mandara Spa at Hilton Hawaiian Village on Oahu, so our expectations of the Kohala Spa were high. While the actual 50 minute massage was good, the overall spa experience was well below average.
First, my husband and I were separated (as usual) to go to the men’s/women’s facilities. My husband waited for 20 minutes (even though he was the only person waiting in waiting room and approached the person at the front desk several times) before being taken back for the tour and time to get into his robe for the massage. He then had to rush as the massage was supposed to have already started. Meanwhile I was waiting in the couple’s room with my massage therapist for them to arrive. The massage room was typical, but there was no aromatherapy like one usually experiences, even at lower-​end massage therapy franchises like Massage Envy or La Vida. That lack of aroma and the typical «spa» music was disappointing as it would have been nice to have Hawaiian music and more of an overall Hawaiian experience altogether.
I spent 30 – 40 minutes enjoying the spa amenities after the massage — exceptional steam room, sauna, and lava rock whirlpool as well as a nice shower. When I emerged to the lobby, I found my husband waiting — he took a shower, but all of the amenities were broken in the men’s area — it would have been nice to know this in advance so I did not make him wait so long — but since he had no «tour» at the beginning, we had no idea. He was offered the option of going to one of the hotel pools to sit in their whirlpool, but… not really the spa experience he expected. His shower was also plugged up and backed up so that he was standing in ankle deep water.
We were asked if we had our parking ticket to be validated (we were staying down the road at The Bay Club condominiums), but we had left it in the car. The spa receptionist said we could stop at the Valet in the hotel to get a pass, so we went there on our way out. They were «out of passes» and sent us on our way. One of the valets did chase us down in the parking lot to tell us that we could press the assistance button and explain where hopefully they would let us out, but no one answered, so we paid the $ 15 for 1.5 hours of parking and left.
Overall, great massage, poor experience.

The spa is wonderful as ever but I really don’t like the new people. Jaquelin in particular. I see her almost daily when I have a spa membership but everyday is like the first time. Even right after I renewed my membership and she handed me my new card she asked if I wanted to use the facilities. Well duh. I’m not going to come all the way here and pay to walk away. Then she tells me in order to check me in she needs the membership card she just made me and watched me put away. So irritating. Every time. Even after this in order to get validated she asks for my membership card again. Also when checking me in and asking to see my card she just made me, she let’s other people who said this is their first time and wanted to use the facilities in without checking anything of theirs! Everything I check in its a ten minute process just to get a key. Everytime I check in I stress out every time I see her.

This is the worst spa I’ve been to. If it were less expensive I would have given it two stars, but the little you get for the price you pay is outrageous. I came to the resort for the Kona marathon with my husband so we thought it would be nice to get a couples massage the following day. The massage was good– but I was surprised when the lady spent less than a minute on my feet knowing I had just run so far. My husband said his massage was good. The most disappointing part was that there was no coed space for my husband and I to enjoy our spa day together. Each locker room had a small steam room, sauna, and jacuzzi, but there was no enjoyment for me if I couldn’t hang out with hubby. There is a small coed patio on the other side of the spa, but there’s no shade so we didn’t want to sit there. The women’s locker room had some upkeep issues: the shower I was in had a knob that had no function, and a hook on the wall hanging off of its anchor. There was a light fixture flickering. There were very few toiletry amenities. Only water, tea and apples were available. The staff worked loudly (talking, complaining), which disrupted what I prefer to be a peaceful spa atmosphere. My husband’s robe and slippers were small for him. I was booked to have a pedicure with my sister here tomorrow, so I asked to see the pedicure room– but it was just like any nail salon– I’m not paying spa prices for a nail salon experience. Of course they do 18% auto gratuity, so now even with the kama’aina discount it still came to $ 472-​yikes! I feel sick!

My partner had a hair appointment with the stylist name Gerry. She showed up on time for her 1130 appointment and was notified that Gerry was still with another client. Not an issue for her, she quickly went out to her vehicle to get her glasses and used the bathroom on the way back. Gerry was waiting at the front desk when she returned and barely greeted her before stating rudely that she was «late» and even after explaining that she was there on time while he was with another client he wouldn’t concede that she wasn’t in the wrong and was being outright nasty about it. This guy has a ridiculous ego if he thinks talking to a guest like that is acceptable. On their own website it states in their policy that late shows have their appointments shortened to accommodate other clients. Which is pretty standard in the industry, that could have been conveyed in a respectful manner but absolutely wasn’t. Gerry then proceeded to nit pick about my partners hair in a very vindictive negative way, compounding the uncomfortable feeling she was already growing. Completely unprofessional. At this point she didn’t want this man touching her hair with the attitude he had displayed and asked whether they had enough time left to complete the appointment which he responded «you have 90 minutes and the clocks ticking» she promptly asked to speak with a manager. He then RIPPED OFF HER APPRON YANKING HAIR OUT IN THE PROCESS!!! He should absolutely be fired. The desk attendant told my partner to walk to ocean tower (other side of hotel) to speak to a manager. Owana the manger got mad at my partner for trying to speak to her while she was getting ready to start some kind of event for a guest whom had not arrived. She was very rude and pretty much turned her back on my partner without hearing her out or specifying a time they could talk just saying she’d call later. She ended up having to go to hotel management who didn’t do anything for her but let her know somebody would be getting back to her. Later that day she received a call from the «manager» Owana who had been rude to her at ocean tower, and instead of finding out what happened, proceeded to scold her about approaching her earlier and going over her head to hotel management. My partner indicated she wanted to record the conversation and was promptly hung up on… Later Owana texted her a non apologetic message claiming ignorance to what had happened and accusing my partner was being disrespectful of the other guests time, even though she was alone when they first met and could have quickly apologized and set a meet time to resolve the issue. I have never seen this level of disrespect in the service industry. I highly recommend you get your hair done somewhere else. We’ve been long time spa members and will be taking our business to mauna lani. Completely unbelievable how this was handled.

I had a massage here in April, 2015. It was mediocre, at best. Certainly not worth $ 180.
1. I asked the masseuse (whose name I won’t post here) not to touch one part of my body that was very sensitive. It was my only request, and she forgot and hurt me when she rubbed it.
2. My masseuse scratched me with her long nails.
3. The oil she used wasn’t warm.
4. She used uneven pressure in both her hands, so different parts of me were massaged differently. She did some things on one half of my body that she forgot to do on the other half.
5. After my massage, I took a shower. The shower head in the first stall was broken. There was a broken shampoo bottle in the second stall.
6. There was a woman in the whirlpool and shower area speaking loudly on her phone. It was rude and inconsiderate and clearly against the spa policy which was that no electronics were to be used in this area. A spa attendant was in the room, but she didn’t ask the offender to step outside for her call. So much for peace and quiet in paradise…
Spend your money elsewhere.

Had hair and make up done at the Kohalo spa the day of my sister’s wedding. They did an excellent job. Michelle was my stylist. Friendly and professionL :)

Received a gift certificate for a massage at the Kohala Spa at Hilton Waikoloa Village. The massage was «okay» but nothing to write home about. The facilities on the men’s side was pathetic.
No snacks or fruits like most spas have, only four or five towels by the shower stalls and that’s it. The employee on the men’s side wears a flower in his hair and although friendly, he needs to learn how to be discreet and give privacy to guests. He was constantly around the jacuzzi and steam room/​sauna and even walked into the steam room to spray something in it (which didn’t have any scent) with it full of guests. He ruined my experience so I just left because he was always around.
I wish I got the front desk lady’s name — she has blond hair and is of medium built. She was awesome.

I was gifted a Honey and Sugar scrub treatment. The description of it sounded lovely and relaxing. Hot Honey drizzled on you, sugar scrub, facial and scalp massage all sounded nice.
Let’s just say I came home feeling worse then when I left. First of all, when she started my massage she applied a good amount of pressure directly on my spinal bones in my neck. Right away I got a headache and knew she had done something wrong. Next she did the sugar scrub, which was nice and good. The face and scalp massage was something my husband could’ve done at home. Nothing special. While they work on your face and scalp they wrap you up all warm except that I wasn’t very warm and was actually shivering the whole time. Very relaxing. Anyway, there was no honey insight!!!, which was the main reason why I chose this specific treatment. No one else does a honey treatment, that I could find.
After she wrapped up with me, she neglected to tell me that the board on the table moves so when I was getting off I almost fell off and because of that, thru out my back.
I did enjoy the complimentary jacuzzi but not for long because my back was bothering me. I barely made it to my car and was extremely happy that I had driven there with a friend.
Overall, a HUGE disappointment. I have gotten many massages over the years due to a bad back. So I know when a massage is being done right or wrong. I expected something special with knowledgable staff who know their stuff. I was extremely disappointed.
One star for a clean facility and the complimentary jacuzzi, sauna, and steam room.

Scheduled a signature couple Hawaiian flower massage for 90 minutes. $ 460 total without tip. We arrived and were told we had to spa separately. Then while waiting the staff walked through numerous times yelling and joking w one another (really relaxing) then massage was 80 min. 10 min short of what we were paying for?! Additionally, they tried giving us a male when we specifically asked for two females. Not worth it.

Wonderful relaxing environment. Steam room was super hot and steamy — really opened up those pores!
Natural lava rock whirlpool. Facilities are great, although several shower stalls were out of order as was the dry sauna.
Massage was phenomial however a bit pricey compared to other spas.

Raaar! The whirlpool is huge and nice as it has rocks to sit on and use as underwater ottomans. It is in the patio area of the ladies locker room and has a serene surrounding as the sun shines on the garden setting. 5 stars!
Friendly, helpful staff that checks you in and accommodates all your needs. Truly 5 stars!
All the accessories spa experiences offer: towels, robes, footwear, locker, toiletries, personal care items, blow dryers, flat irons, lemon water, teas and fruit.
Lounge chairs in the sun were relaxing and awesome to work on the tan with no tan lines.
The services were great. 5 star massage and pedicure. New furnishings. Staff had a great, professional demeanor.
Always enjoy a day of relaxation. This spa is the 1^st in the world where I felt as if I had reached bliss. Better than Italy, China, Mexico, Greece and Honolulu spas. True bliss as the staff let me relax.

I want to start by saying the service staff was great. However… The front reservations desk were very rude. They messed up 2 of our appointments. 1^st we wanted mani pedis, they only booked the pedis and didn’t have time for the mani. Then 2 days later we had booked couples deep tissue massages, which the front desk said they don’t offer and booked us for a much more expensive massage. When we got to our room, the massage therapists said they did offer it and gave us the deep massages. The front desk would not change the price and charged us for the more expensive service. The front desk lady was rude and kept rolling her eyes at us. And on the men’s side the hot tub wasn’t working and neither was the sauna. All in all, not worth it. I recommend you take your business everywhere!

If you must have a massage while you’re on vacation, then sure, go for this. My masseuse was personable but had no empathy and little talent. Also, beware that the time starts from check in… so if you’re walking to the seaside cabana, that comes out of the time.

Excellent spa — their facilities are clean, well stocked and super relaxing. The steam room is kept spotless and the 3 times I went there, the jacuzzi was empty.
Make sure to get one of the 2 middle showers, since those 2 have a quad shower spray that will get you from the top & side — woo hoo!
Great workout facilities — everything is new & every cardio machine has it’s own tv. Bring your headphones!
The ice water, fruit & tea are all constantly refreshed and it’s such a nice treat to have ice cold hand towels available after a long workout!

Got the Signature Hawaiian orchid pedicure from Kimmi who has been there for 23 years and a local for her entire life, she was such a delight to talk with and so relacxing for my tired feet. Best pedicure for relaxation
$ 100.00 for a pedicure and oh so worth it!

Kohala Spa offers free aqua-​yoga classes for guests upon request. That was wicked-​cool. The class is not advertised on their website but it is noted on flyers in the rooms. Call the Fitness & Wellness department of the spa to schedule. I don’t know that many people are aware of it because I was the only one there, unless the session was with a personal trainer vs. a class of individuals.
I wanted to get the Hawaiian Renewal Treatment which sounds amazing but pricey. I’m sure it’s worth every penny. This hotel is a rat race but I was glad to have this calm little corner of the Lagoon Tower to escape to each morning for exercise and to break away from the tourist trap madness.

Free cardio and workout room for guest is a WIN. I remember the last time I went it was 25 dollars for ONE day of workouts. I guess times are hard and that is a great ammenity to offer the guest without losing too much.
I just have to say that the SMITH MACHINE ROCKS! I never got to really use to too much but on this trip to the Waikoloa I used it 3 days in a row. Talk about a great vacation. And yes, I am a workout addict, I can’t stand missing a day, it makes me all KITCHIGAI when I don’t workout and I basically I turn into the incredible HULK when I don’t workout.
There are also about 12 cardio machines in another room.
They also offer chilled water, towels, sanitizing wipes and tv to watch your most unfavorite channel while working out. No view from the room which makes it a little mundane but overall a GREAT experience!
There are also lat machines, leg machines, chest press, back machine, dumbell rack, benches, yoga balls, and a ab crunch machine.
Well Kohala Spa gym, I will miss you until I can go and see your goodness again. I bid you a fond farewell…
⁰⁶⁷⁄₃₆₅ catchinguponreviews Unilocal challenge!

If you’re staying at the Hilton, make sure to schedule at least one massage at the Kohala!
During a week-​long stay, we had a couples massage, each had a bath, and my wife had a second massage, so we became pretty familiar with the spa and had no issues with going back each time :)
The massages were all very relaxing and nice, but I’d suggest skipping out on the couples massage and just do them separately… my wife and I got the impression that the therapists kept trying to keep up with one another to stay on time. Other than being able to be in the same room with your partner, there is no benefit to the couples massage (the price is double a singles massage, there are no perks, and there isn’t time to enjoy the experience with your partner). Also, the Lomi Lomi massage is the way to go; the Kohala is nice, but you’re in Hawaii… get the Hawaiian massage.
The facilities were nice (not as nice as the spa at the Hyatt on Maui, which is my favorite) and would be what you’d expect at a resort like the Hilton. In addition to treatment rooms, there are locker rooms with steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools, showers, and bath tubs.
Two potential dings on the place are:
1) the front desk staff, which can be hit or miss. One receptionist is very friendly, while another could care less.
2) the overpriced resort costs. This is expected but still not enjoyed.

The facility is absolutely gorgeous! The renovation has left it in wonderful, pristine condition. The steam room is glorious and the whirlpool is relaxing. Their massages are fabulous! Well worth the money. The body scrub is nice but don’t expect luxury. You lay on a wet table and are scrubbed down by a techinician in a plastic apron. It leaves your skin wonderfully exfoliated but it definitely is not luxurious. The products here are wonderful and leave you smelling great! It is definitely worth it to pick some up for gifts or to indulge yourself at home. Overall a wonderful experience!