Mauna Kea Spa by Mandara — Attraction in Hawaii

On our second day at the resort, I called the spa to book a couple's massage to surprise my husband with a nice treat during our stay. They offered me a reservation for two days, Wednesday at 345 PM. They requested we arrive at 330 PM. I have received deep tissue massages for 10+ years, and I don't have had such a poor experience. Had I realized they booked us for the last appointment of the day and the therapists would rush out the door and through the massage, I would've gladly saved the $600. We arrived early as requested and were ready to start at 345 PM, if not earlier. I asked my therapist to focus on my back, shoulder, and traps. When it comes to massages, I genuinely see them as professionals and expect them to develop a plan to strategize time and determine the most effective treatment based on my concerns. It may have been a fluke, but my massage therapist did not strategize time week, nor did I think through the most effective massage techniques for my concerns. A majority of the 60 minutes was spent on other areas. I did not specify it must be a full-body massage because I knew of the time limitations. The time spent on my areas of concern was rushed and very rough at the end of the massage. I've had a massage therapist who prefers to use their elbows on my shoulders, traps, and back to apply pressure before, but I've never had someone do so without regard to the apparent fact that I'm 5'2'', 125 lbs. I have a high pain tolerance, but after a few minutes, I couldn't help vocalizing some pain. Instead of reducing the pressure, the massage therapist moved back to my lower body and encouraged acupuncture.

In summary, one side of my upper body was massaged extremely roughly and the other very little. This left the muscles in my shoulders, neck, and traps feeling completely unbalanced compared to left to right. Within minutes, our therapists had vocalized it was the end of our service, and they left the room. My husband and I quickly got our robes back on and went into the locker rooms to change our clothing. We also had dinner reservations that evening, so we felt no need to linger in the locker rooms. When I came out of the locker room, I was surprised that neither massage therapist returned and asked us how we felt. I decided to walk up to the front desk to pay and, to my surprise, watched both therapists walk out of the spa with their things to go home for the day. It was 4:45–4:50 PM. I hope that for a spa charging approximately $600 for a 60-minute couple's massage, the least you could expect is for your therapist to check in with you after, regardless of the end of the day. My husband also wasn't impressed with his massage.

This post is already too long, but I think it's essential to add that I felt so sore and in so much pain afterward and the next day that I ended up seeking out care from a local Nurse Practioner, and paid $275 out of pocket for intravenous magnesium, Vitamin C, and B vitamins in hopes of salvaging the final day of our trip. When we returned from the medical appointment, I requested to speak to hotel management about the issue. The manager was kind and empathetic but reiterated multiple times that the Mauna Kea could do nothing as Mandara Spa is a vendor-owned and operated spa. I found management's desire to dissociate from the spa disingenuous. A poor experience at the spa will affect the guest's perception of the resort and their whole visit. Our experience at the Spa resulting in my body hurting so bad was an incredibly disappointing way to wrap up...

Limited appointment availability. High price point for minimal service. Recommend looking elsewhere.

I booked a 30 mins body scrub. It was all they had available. I got maybe 15 mins worth of actual service.

Understood that wait time is to be factored in, but 50% wait time for a $120 service is absurd.

I raised my concern with the front desk and they offered a “do-over” on a day that didn’t work for me. They then offered a 10% discount.

While I appreciate the offer, I still paid a whole lot of money for a 15 min scrub. Doesn’t leave you with the...

In September I scheduled a treatment for my wife as a birthday gift. I provided the person answering the phone with my payment method which included a discount associated with a membership. Upon receiving the treatment my wife was required to pay with a credit card, ruining the notion of a "gift". She was also overcharged. I then called the spa, was connected to a manager, and believed I would receive a refund on the overcharge. There has been no refund. Calls to the spa have not...