WELL-BEING: Shrug off your cares with spa bliss

Lake Spa at the Polynesian Spa Rotorua. Photo/supplied

Dylan Thorne and Carmen Hall take time out to relax in a Rotorua spa.

Nestled on the Rotorua lakefront, the luxury pools at the Polynesian Spa offer sweeping views of the water and landscape beyond. The indulgent spa treatments are a major tourist attraction, but Kiwis are also drawn to its therapeutic charm.

So, with a sense of anticipation, we left our child with her grandparents and cut a track using the new eastern arterial route to our neighbouring city. We arrived within 50 minutes and were escorted into the spa retreat to de-stress, unwind and enjoy two of its renowned treatments.

She'll have: The Signature Polynesian Spa Mud Wrap Every visitor to the retreat is advised to arrive an hour early to soak in its mineral pools, guaranteed to relax both body and mind. It took a major effort to haul myself out of the soothing water but it was definitely the perfect prequel to the mud wrap.

Described as a therapy that combines a full body exfoliation with a full body wrap, using Rotorua thermal mud followed by a dreamy scalp massage, the treatment almost put me to sleep it was so relaxing. My therapist, Katie, explained the treatment beforehand but I was surprised all the ingredients used were warm to the touch and had a beautiful honey fragrance. You are wrapped in towels and a sheet during the scalp massage before showering it off and being covered in a divine moisturiser. It was bliss and while I was tempted to head back to the mineral pools I smelled so delicious I just couldn't do it.

He'll have: The De-Stress Muscle Massage I made the most of the mineral pools before my therapy. The warm, soothing waters offer the perfect start to the day.

A selection of pools (38C to 39C) feature alkaline water, renowned for its natural antiseptic properties due to the high sodium silica content. I spent the most time in the Priest spa.

A sign by the pool informs you that the waters offer special thermal bathing in acidic water from the radium hot spring, long renowned for its therapeutic properties.

Adult Pools at the Polynesian Spa Rotorua. Photo/supplied

You can feel the aches and pains dissipate as you soak in the pool and I found it to be the perfect preparation for the massage to follow.

The massage therapist soon established that I was an office worker and focused on relieving the tightness around my shoulders. I was soon drifting off, thanks to soothing music and the relaxing effects of the blend in the oils applied during the massage.

I left the massage room feeling totally relaxed and free of any aches and pains and was then ushered into a room with sweeping view over the lake to enjoy a sweet ginger tea.

The de-stress massage therapy is the perfect weekend wind down. I left the Polynesian Spa feeling refreshed and, most importantly, entirely relaxed.

Polynesian Spa
Rotorua's Polynesian Spa specialises in a wide range of health and wellness treatments designed to relax, rejuvenate and heal through both ancient and modern techniques.

These include Aix spa therapies, body wraps, mud therapy, massages and facials.

Therapies use natural products such as geothermal mud, honey and aromatherapy oils, also available from the Spa Essentials Store.

On arrival, you will be given a soft robe to wear. Therapies always start with bathing in therapeutic mineral waters fed into 27 hot pools from two natural springs, a combination not found anywhere else in New Zealand.

Here's why the waters work wonders:
* Priest Spring waters (Te Pupunitanga)
The soothing Priest Spring water is slightly acidic and relieves tired muscles, aches and pains, as well as easing effects of arthritis and rheumatism. This spring is named after Father Mahoney, a Catholic priest 'cured' of crippling arthritis after bathing in the waters in 1878.
* Rachel Spring waters (Te Whangapipiro)
Once said to bless bathers with an ageless beauty, the alkaline waters from the Rachel Spring deeply nourish the skin, while also reducing any swelling.
After soaking for an hour to warm up muscles, soften the skin and relax the mind, treatment therapies begin.