Honu Sauna Spa

One of the things I’ve most missed about living in LA is the great selection of Korean spas, and one of the things I’ve been most disappointed in Hawaii about is the lack of quality at the other establishments I visited. Finally I have found one I really like that is clean, friendly and all the right temperatures.
One of my biggest gripes about spas is that the cold dip is often too cold to stay in it for more than a few seconds, making it tough to ever cool down completely before going to the next level of heat. The one at Honu spa was absolutely perfect, cold but bearable to sit and relax fully for minutes at a time. The steam room also is a room that is tough to get the temperature right, and this one is perfect with thick clouds of steam that aren’t so hot where they scorch the skin. The dry sauna is hot, as it should be, and the Jade room is mild enough where another woman fell asleep while I was in there. Just a perfect range of environments…
Honu spa is the traditional, all nude, spa experience, I was the only person there not Korean or Japanese. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming, it is though a K-​spa experience, so don’t expect a silent, meditative environment. Something I don’t mind, but I am always amazed when my favorite Korean spas get gentrified and suddenly there are silence rules imposed. This is supposed to be a place where women can catch up with one another and share their secrets, and even when I go alone I appreciate that aspect.
I had a scrub and it was fabulous, much longer and more thorough treatment than at other spas in Hawaii. The owner was so sweet too, she asked me how my experience was on my way out the door, and then gave me a cute little turtle magnet clip. All in all, this has been my best Hawaii spa day, and looking forward to going back soon.

Three of my classmates and I went to the honu spa for some relaxing time. I love Korean spas, and this is all three of my friends first experience with one. Its pretty small but has all the basics — a hot and cold bath, steam and dry sauna, and a «jade room» which is a hot room with herbal medicine in the air. Overall pretty decent.
The woman who works there was very stingy to only us with towels — perhaps because we are young or because we don’t speak Korean (we are all Asian, and I am half Korean). One of my friends wasn’t given a towel in the beginning and later on when she asked, the woman yelled at her saying we had too many towels. It was very uncomfortable for all of us, especially my friend. She also refused to give us gowns, which all of the other women in the spa had been given. I suppose four customers that would have possibly been returning had we had a better experience weren’t worth the cost of laundry to her.
Not to mention, the majority of the time we were there, she was talking about us in Korean, without knowing that I understand.
Overall not impressed. Would have been happy with my experience if we were treated better.

Today was the first time I have visited this location. Two 5 star reviews is good enough for me. My bf is off island and told me he would treat me to a spa day since I was feeling lonely without him.
This location is located behind a strip mall so it’s kind of tricky to find. I believe it’s behind 1522 makaloa.
I checked in and chose the aroma scrub and massage. The combos start at $ 100 and it’s about an hour and a half, but you can hang around the spa and use the facilities til they close.
I paid cash and the greeter wrote my name on their clipboard. I was given a locker key and two towels.
You have to completely undress here. After putting my things away, I went into the spa area. You need to take a full shower including scrubbing your body with the scrubbing towel and soap before you can go I’m the Jacuzzis and saunas. This place is not huge but it has the standard amenities. The steam sauna has to be activated by the staff so you have to ask them to turn it on if it shuts off.
My ajumah was Kong. She was excellent! She scrubbed off the dirtiest and her massage was very good. She is tinier than I am but she has very strong hands. She spent a lot of time on my neck and shoulders which were very tense. I highly recommend her.
After the scrub and massage I sat in the steam sauna and the Himalayan salt sauna before leaving.
On the way out I dropped off my locker key and said bye. The lady stopped me and said I didn’t pay yet. Excuse me? I paid when I checked in. She had the nerve to say «I don’t think so». after arguing with her for a few minutes, in front of a few people, she counted her register and realized that she was wrong.
How dare does a business accuse a customer of not paying? That was the most unprofessional treatment I have ever received. I never had this problem with the other Korean spas.
If you can’t keep your bookkeeping straight, you need to fix yourself before accusing customers like that.
This dropped what would have been a 5 star review to a 1 star.
If you come here, make sure they give you some kind of receipt that you paid so you don’t get falsely accused like I did. I’m not coming back here.

I have found my K-​Spa home in HNL. I have tried all of the Korean spas I know of here (and I go regularly back home in LA, where there are many). This is the one I will be returning to regularly. It is women only, very traditional, very culturally Korean, and all the clientele but me when I went were Korean or Japanese. These are all positives to me: tends to mean that the place is run like a K-​spa is supposed to be run, and the clientele know the etiquette and hygiene customs.
Got a totally A+ scrub here, oil massage, and facial. The ahjummas here know their craft. Affordable, thorough, relaxing. I left feeling clean and serene, like a million bucks. Used the steam room, hot bath, and cold bath before my treatment and went in the sauna after.
This is not a huge Costco-​warehouse sized facility like some of the K-​spas in LA Koreatown, it is a modest sized spa – but it is clean and cozy and has everything I need. There’s a chill jimjilbang and snack bar/​tea bar, too. I hear the kimbap and the rice tea are really good, but didn’t try it myself this time. I guess that’s yet another reason to come back.
If you are not familiar with Korean spas and are not comfortable getting blissed out without your clothing or your cellphone on, don’t come here. If you are looking for a very Korean and very good K-​spa, go. I absolutely loved it and will recommend to all my lady friends on the island, and to those who are visiting.

I was born and raised in korea.
Obviously, I am very used with korean spa. Never experience great body scrub massage in the state… As a first generation of korea, I highly recommend honu spa. TRULY KOREAN STYLE.