A sneak peak inside tour the new spa with general manager Rania Sears.
A “first of its kind” luxury spa and wellness centre expected to pump millions of dollars into the Rotorua economy will open its doors on Friday.
On Rotorua’s lakefront, Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa’s offerings range from a cold “frigidarium” to mud baths, and bathing in mineral waters from the famous Rachel Spring. All services are founded on the centuries-old legacy of Ngāti Whakaue.
The Pukeroa Oruawhata Group development had been more than five years in the making, and deputy chairman David Tapsell said it had employed 45 staff and expected to double that number during the high season.
“This is the first and only spa and wellness centre owned by Māori, developed by Māori and will be run by employees that are predominantly Māori, Ngāti Whakaue and Te Arawa. So we’re incredibly proud of that.”
Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa will be open from June 16. Photo / Andrew Warner
Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern broke ground on the development in December 2017. It was originally due to be completed by the end of 2019, but Covid-19 and a subsequent construction crisis delayed progress.
It will open its doors to manuhiri [visitors] on Friday but the Rotorua Daily Post was given a sneak peek inside last week.
Wai Ariki is guarded by six statues of tipuna [ancestors] of Ngāti Whakaue, while a blessing stone sourced from Mount Tarawera and a karakia [prayer] sits at the entrance, giving safe passage to visitors.
The facility has two main spa areas: Te Āhuru Mōwai [Sanctuary] and Wai Whakaora [Restorative Journey].
Wai Ariki is guarded by six statues of tipuna [ancestors] of Ngāti Whakaue. Photo / Andrew Warner
Te Āhuru Mōwai offers bathing experiences in geothermal waters and spa treatments such as mirimiri (massage) drawn from Ngāti Whakaue traditional healing practices.
According to its website, a 60-minute signature massage and a 60-minute sanctuary bathing session costs $245.
Wai Whakaora is a multi-sensory journey made up of hot and cold experiences, with an introductory price for 90 minutes of $110.
This includes a cold plunge pool surrounded by a pool of hot, geothermal water, a herbal pool that combines mineral water with the aromatherapy properties of native plants kawakawa and koromiko, a paru [mud] experience, a steam room, three saunas and a cold “frigidarium” where guests can put ice or cold water on themselves.
The facility also has a stargazing pool (Tirotiro Whetū) where, for $160, people can lie back and look at the stars for 90 minutes. The stargazing pool also represents Matariki and how tipuna used the stars for navigation.
Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa general manager Rania Sears. Photo / Andrew Warner
Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa general manager Rania Sears said the facility would “shock the Southern Hemisphere”.
“It’s a place that has to be on the bucket list.
“Every part of this journey has got the heat and the cold aspects, the wellness aspects, it’s all about sensory infused through the healing and the mineral parts of our waters.
“Ngāti Whakaue can be completely proud of what they have produced here.”
Pukeroa Oruawhata Group deputy chairman David Tapsell and Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa guest and cultural manager Miri Hare. Photo / Andrew Warner
Tapsell said its goal was to establish a facility “that was the first of its kind in the world”.
This had been achieved by using the ngāwhā [boiling spring] and geothermal features, which were taonga [treasures], and overlaying them with the Ngāti Whakaue and Te Arawa culture.
“When people come here, they’re not just coming to experience a spa or waters. Everything we have here is embedded with our culture and part of a journey.”
Tapsell said the economic benefit to the Rotorua economy was estimated to be in the millions of dollars a year.
He said Wai Ariki, which means ‘chiefly waters’, was creating a new market.
“We’ve seen a massive resurgence back in tourism so we’re quite confident that within the first few years, we’re going to reach that market.”
Tapsell declined to say how much the total construction cost was, saying it was “commercially confidential”.
“What I can say is overall, this took twice as long as we had planned. Bearing in mind we had started the process, then we had a global pandemic ... and off the back of that we had a construction crisis,” Tapsell said.
He said it was more than the original budget, but the group was a generational investor.
“We’re in this for the long haul.”
Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa has 10 treatment rooms. Photo / Andrew Warner
Tapsell said during the height of the construction period, about 180 people were employed, including Ngāti Whakaue and Te Arawa people and other non-Māori locals.
He said the decision to hire mostly Ngāti Whakaue, Te Arawa or Māori staff going forward was about providing tourists with an authentic cultural offering.
The stargazing pool (Tirotiro Whetū), where people can lie back and at look the stars. Photo / Andrew Warner
Tapsell said its opening hours were from 7am to 11pm, to cater to the locals going before or after work, international tourists and conferences.
“At night-time, there is really a gap of things to do, other than going out and eating and drinking, or going to do things like Skyline or into the Redwoods forest and they’re all great things, but there’s still a gap at that luxury high-end spa market where people want to go.”
The steam room at Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa. Photo / Andrew Warner
Tapsell encouraged Rotorua residents to join Uru Hapori – its new membership pass for locals – via the Wai Ariki website.
“On a real-time register, we can notify you when special discounts are applying from time to time. Then you come in and you can share the experience like everybody else is but at a lower price.
“This really will re-establish Rotorua as the spa and wellness capital of the Southern Hemisphere, if not the world, with our own Ngāti Whakaue culture being a central part of this.”
Rotorua Lakes Council acting mayor Sandra Kai Fong said Wai Ariki was a welcome addition “to our already established brand as a world-class tourism destination”.
“It’s been exciting for Rotorua watching this stunning development be built in the past six months. I was lucky enough to visit a few weeks ago and I can’t wait for the doors to open to locals and visitors.”
Chief executive of tourism agency RotoruaNZ Andrew Wilson said it was a “significant addition” to the Rotorua tourism landscape and would undoubtedly attract visitors from across the world for years to come.
“Developments like these are hugely important for our region and highlight the enormous potential available here in Rotorua.”
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.
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