Welcome to the third iteration of Vogue’s global spa guide, a compendium of the 100 best spas in the world, compiled based on first-person reviews and careful editing. This year, we’ve renewed our focus on establishments that have established a reputation for exceptional care of body and mind, though there is a great variety in the list. Whatever you are seeking when it comes to wellness, there is something here for you.
You could do worse than end up in Waikiki. It’s been the preferred escape for a whole host of international holidaygoers since the 1920s, and before that, it was a preferred retreat for Hawaiian royalty. Elvis found onscreen love and adventure on Waikiki Beach (1961’s Blue Hawaii), and everyone from Don Ho to the Kinks has name-checked it in song. But while it may have been known for its gentle surf and natural splendor, these days it’s more of a Miami Beach or Rio de Janeiro of the Pacific, with near-constant squalls of tourists, a plethora of busy beach resorts, and five-star shopping options. And look, sometimes you need a break from all of that (a break and a really good spa treatment).
Photo: Brandon Barré/Courtesy of Halekulani
A serene, if-you-know-you-know petite powerhouse of an oasis tucked away in the Halekulani Hotel—itself an elegant reprieve from the kitschy overwhelm of Waikiki Beach. The spa’s interiors are done up in light wood and cream tones, with windows that open directly onto the hotel’s central lawn, which leads to the pool and beach.
Halekulani is owned and operated by a Japanese brand, Mitsui Fudosan (as of 2019, there is also a Halekulani in Okinawa, Japan), which means it comes by its chic remove and expert hospitality honestly. But before its acquisition in 1981, Halekulani was one of Waikiki’s original hotels. Built in 1883 as a private home, it became a residential hotel in 1907 with five rentable bungalows. Gray’s Beach, which fronts the hotel, was historically known for its healing waters, or kawehewehe (which translates to “the opening up”), which early Hawaiians sought out for relief from their aches and pains.
Photo: Brandon Barré/Courtesy of Halekulani
You might expect a jewel box like this to be focused on aesthetics only—and I did get one of the best pedicures of my life there, in a zero-gravity chair. But the thing to get is the vibroacoustic massage, in which a tension-melting custom rubdown is followed by a brain-wave-tingling audio session (delivered via headphones) on a gently vibrating waterbed-style massage bed. You leave feeling like you got 9 hours of sleep in 20 minutes. There is also a Korean-style, high-tech head spa with scalp-specific treatments for optimal hair health (and ultimately your best hair day ever).
The thing to get outside of the spa (besides the hotel’s famed coconut cake, which I would argue is a different but no less important kind of wellness) is a surf lesson with SpaHalekulani’s team of experienced local watermen, who make even the most inexperienced of surfers feel safe and comfortable and downright Kelly Slater–like on a board. (“Our success rate with getting first-timers to stand up is around 100%,” the spa director told me.) Waikiki is where the modern conception of surfing began; getting out in the waves is thoroughly healing to body and soul.
Photo: Brandon Barré/Courtesy of Halekulani
SpaHalekulani has recently launched a visiting-masters program featuring wellness experts from around the world. Spring 2026 spotlights Ray Carbullido, a martial artist, teacher, and multidisciplinary artist whose work bridges Baguazhang, tengu swordsmanship, meditation, and contemporary art—and for whom the property is installing a temporary dojo.
The spa is open to hotel guests and outside visitors with appointments.
Booking details for Spa Halekulani
Address: 2199 Kālia Rd, Honolulu, HI 96815
Read more from Vogue’s Global Spa Guide.
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