When I think of Rotorua, the very first thing I think of is hot pools and a visit is not complete without heading to the pools. Polynesian Spa is one of New Zealand’s oldest international spas and people have visited the springs here since the 1800s. It also happens to be an amazing spot to visit.
I’m liking
The family pools are a great place for the whole fam and my kiddos spent a good couple of hours frolicking about. There are three different pools, all at different temperatures and there are plenty of tables for when you need a break from the pools. The main pool had different depths so it worked for all of my children – even the younger ones.
But oh the Lake pools! Right on the edge of the lake, these pools are both beautiful and relaxing. The pools are tastefully created using rocks and planting and the pool temperatures vary from around 38 degrees celsius to around 42 degrees celsius (for the bold!). There’s even a cold plunge pool. This is an adults only area so my husband and I took turns to relax in the beautiful pools while the kids hung in the family pool. To be honest, it was hard to go back to the family pool 🙂
I was incredibly impressed with the changing rooms. If you take the Lake pool option, you can access changing rooms with towels supplied and lovely shampoo, conditioner and soap available for after your soak.
If you want to make a day of it, you can also get a range of spa therapies – they’re not cheap but would be a lovely way to pamper yourself.
Two types of mineral waters feed into the 26 pools at Polynesian Spa. The Priest Spring relieves tired muscles, aches and pains due to the acidity levels of the mineral water. The alkaline water from the Rachael Spring features the antiseptic action of sodium silicate which nourishes the skin. The combination of these two types of mineral waters is only found at Polynesian Spa. I’m always a bit skeptical about claims of healing properties but I definitely noticed that my eczema improved after our visit to Polynesian Spa and all of us commented how soft our skin felt.
The conclusion
Take the kids if you must, but do sneak away and enjoy the Lake Spa without them. Next time, I’ll be going at night, having a massage and leaving the kids behind!
