“Nurtured” best describes the way I felt after indulging in treatments at Turtle Bay Resort’s Spa Luana. Although the spa itself is not the most elegant I’ve visited — the entrance is more salon than spa — the spa staff works its own brand of magic, effectively transcending the somewhat spartan atmosphere. Another plus — treatment rooms feature expansive windows that open to fragrant tropical gardens without compromising privacy.

Located at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore, Spa Luana is in a wing of the hotel that sits on a promontory overlooking the ocean. (Guests assigned to rooms in the “spa wing” are privy to an elevator that offers direct access to the beach-level spa.) Spa guests are encouraged to take full advantage of the setting by relaxing on an outdoor patio before and after their treatments. There’s an outdoor treatment pavilion for guests who prefer their treatments al fresco.

“Spa Luana enjoys a setting that is simply unmatched in Hawaii,” said assistant spa director Becky Farrell. “There is nothing like finishing a massage session by relaxing outside the spa just steps from where the famous North Shore waves are rolling in.”

Spa Luana embraces a philosophy of pono, “the true condition of nature,” by offering a spa experience designed to bring the entire person — body, mind and spirit — into harmonic balance. Though the spa menu includes plenty of traditional treatments, it’s the indigenous treatments on the roster — in addition to its breathtaking location — that set Spa Luana apart from other hotel spas.

Hawaiian legend refers to the ancient practice of healing and relaxation in which na ho’olas (healers) used Hawaiian plants, fruits, flowers, and the natural healing properties from the honua (earth) and moana (ocean) to soothe and care for islanders. Spa Luana continues that tradition with such indigenous treatments as its Hawaii Coffee Bean and Macadamia Nut Scrub, a natural exfoliation using freshly ground Kona coffee beans, crushed macadamia nuts and local honey. The Coconut Hawaiian Sea Salt Body Polish involves a gentle exfoliating scrub using a blend of warm coconut milk, sea salt, fine macadamia nuts, kukui nut oil and honey. Guests who indulge in the Hawaiian Ti-Leave Body Wrap begin with a relaxing steam bath to prepare skin to absorb the healing benefits of the freshly picked Hawaiian ti-leaves. Pure kukui nut oil combined with fresh coconut pulp is then smoothed over the body before the guest is wrapped in a cocoon of ti-leaves.

Even the more traditional massage treatments have interesting names. The spa’s namesake Luana massage is all about relaxation while the Kaomi massage involves deep-tissue manipulation.

The 880-acre Turtle Bay Resort is located on Oahu’s North Shore about an hour’s drive from Honolulu. In addition to Spa Luana, the resort features 5 miles of pristine beach, an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, a golf academy, a surfing school, horse stables and 12 miles of hiking and walking trails. There’s also a fully equipped fitness center and salon adjacent to the 7,000-square-foot spa.

For more information, call 808 293 8811 or visit http://www.turtlebayresort.com