{"id":19080,"date":"2011-11-21T15:00:50","date_gmt":"2011-11-21T21:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=19080"},"modified":"2018-03-12T10:40:54","modified_gmt":"2018-03-12T15:40:54","slug":"hawaii-hotels-heaven-in-hawaii-the-laniwai-spa-at-disneys-aulani","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2011\/11\/hawaii-hotels-heaven-in-hawaii-the-laniwai-spa-at-disneys-aulani\/","title":{"rendered":"Heaven in Hawaii: the Laniwai Spa at Disney’s Aulani"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Outdoors in: Guests enjoy open-air massages at Aulani – a Disney Resort & Spa. Credit: David Roark\/Disney Destinations.<\/p><\/div>\n

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By Jill E. Cooper<\/em><\/p>\n

Nestled inconspicuously on the first floor of the Wai\u2019anae tower of Disney\u2019s Aulani Resort & Spa<\/a>, you\u2019ll find one of Oahu\u2019s newest hidden treasures \u2013 the Laniwai Spa.\u00a0 “Laniwai” is a Hawaiian word that translates to “freshwater heaven” for English speakers.\u00a0 “Heavenly” is an apt description for an afternoon spent at Laniwai.\u00a0 As you amble about the grounds of Aulani, you won\u2019t find this enchanting 18,000 square foot tropical retreat by accident.\u00a0 You must look for it, but the search is well worth the rewards that await you there.<\/p>\n

Leave it to Disney to design a spa that can be both a secluded, indulgent retreat for adults and a destination for the whole family to enjoy.\u00a0 I arrived at Aulani for the grand opening celebration earlier this fall as a solo traveler.\u00a0 To say I was eager to sample the extensive menu of offerings at Laniwai would be an understatement.\u00a0 After looking through a lengthy, multi-page menu of possible options, I settled on Kilikili — an 80-minuteexperience that incorporated gentle running water with a deep tissue massage. The treatment was imaginative and refreshing.\u00a0 It was the fastest 80 minutes of my life as I lay there on the treatment table designed exclusively for Laniwai guests.<\/p>\n

Gentle rain at the perfect pressure and temperature showered down upon me as the healing hands of the Laniwai spa technician worked their magic.\u00a0 Following my Kilikili experience, I swaddled myself in one of the spa\u2019s signature robes and curled up under the world\u2019s softest cashmere blanket in the Relaxation Room.\u00a0 If I didn\u2019t have another obligation that afternoon, I think you\u2019d still find me there, with a refreshing glass of spa water and a magazine in hand, basking in the beauty of this gorgeous facility.<\/p>\n

If you have the good fortune to travel to Aulani with your spouse and children, you\u2019ll definitely want to look into the family treatment options at Laniwai.\u00a0 While adults enjoy a Lomilomi massage or some other treatment of their choosing, the older children in the family can slip next door to Painted Sky, the portion of the spa reserved exclusively for teens.\u00a0 They will love the yogurt bar, exercise classes and mixology stations designed with them in mind. There\u2019s even something for the little ones in your travel party here.\u00a0 Following the phenomenal popularity of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience at Downtown Disney and the Magic Kingdom<\/a> in Walt Disney World<\/a>, Laniwai offers children 12 and under the chance to book a \u201cMinnie Me\u201d experience, during which they will be transformed into beautiful young Hawaiian “kaikamahine” or “keiki kane,” complete with adorable Hawaiian garb, hair, makeup (for the girls), temporary tattoos (for the boys) and a subtle dusting of pixie dust, if desired.\u00a0 What little boy or girl wouldn\u2019t want to arrive at Aulani\u2019s enchanting performance of the Starlight Hui dressed appropriately for the event?\u00a0 Or, if you want to make Laniwai a true family bonding experience, reserve a family treatment room where you can all indulge simultaneously in the magical de-stressing treatments of this magnificent spa. No matter your age, I guarantee that a trip to Laniwai will be a beautiful memory from your Aulani vacation.<\/p>\n

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