I Tried the Latest Cutting-Edge Wellness Treatments at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach's Pacific Waters Spa—Here's What You Need to Know
Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach is an oceanfront hotel in Huntington Beach, CA that features Spanish-inspired architecture and views of the Pacific Ocean.
More spas are enhancing their menus with the addition of new treatments and wellness experiences that feature innovative technology. From red light therapy to Therabody devices and more, there are a wide range of offerings that are designed to complement existing spa services while catering to guests’ physical and mental well-being.
Pacific Waters Spa at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa is among the wellness destinations that are integrating new tech therapies to provide a holistic range of treatments that help guests feel more relaxed and restored.
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Earlier last month, I visited the 20,000-square-foot wellness oasis to experience several of their cutting-edge services myself—and let me tell you, it was worth the drive to Orange County because afterwards I felt like an entirely new person.
The entrance to Pacific Waters Spa, the resort’s 20,000-square-foot wellness sanctuary.
Here’s what you’ll love about Pacific Waters Spa at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach:
It’s located at an oceanfront resort in Huntington Beach located just steps away from the Pacific Ocean and a few minutes from the Pier.
The 20,000-square-foot spa is reminiscent of a Spanish-style estate with its elegant architecture and design details, fusing elements of Mediterranean culture with inspiration from Southern California.
In addition to separate men’s and women’s facilities—which include their own relaxation lounges, steam rooms, and heated salt water hot tubs—there is a spacious outdoor co-ed area where couples (and groups) can relax together in-between their spa treatments.
The spa’s treatment menu offers a variety of relaxing massages and body treatments, nourishing facials in addition to a recovery lounge with cutting-edge therapies and high-tech enhancements including red light therapy, a HaloTherapy Infrared Sauna, Therabody devices, and more.
Pacific Waters Spa also has a membership program with two different tiers (Premier and Platinum) that provide members with access to various amenities at the spa as well as the fitness center and both resort swimming pools. It also includes monthly spa credits and exclusive member pricing.
At the spa’s entrance, guests are greeted by a tranquil koi pond.
It was the day before Fourth of July when I visited the resort, and when I pulled into the valet the property was already busy with many families and guests checking in to enjoy the long weekend.
The weather was sunny and beautiful, and the resort had patriotic decor up, as well as an array of fun activities and activations for guests to enjoy. It was very festive and I instantly felt welcome from the moment I arrived.
As I walked across the resort to get to the spa, I passed by one of the resort pools and a stunning oversized water feature of two dolphins. At the entrance to the spa there is a koi pond with a bridge that leads to the reception area which makes for a very tranquil arrival experience.
Spa amenities include a spacious locker room with showers and private changing areas.
The expansive vanity area in the women’s locker room is stocked with is and offers plenty of room for larger spa groups.
Once I had checked in, I was given a tour of the women’s facilities, which were impressively large. First there’s the spacious locker room with showers, changing rooms, and multiple vanity areas stocked with various products, toiletries, and hair tools so you have everything you need during and after your spa appointment.
Amenities at the spa include a steam room and dry sauna, which are located just steps away from the heated salt water hot tub. After changing into my swimsuit and robe, I headed straight to the hot tub where I stayed for about 15 minutes.
It’s a great way to get into relaxation mode and it also helps to loosen up tight muscles before a massage so that the practitioner can really target those knots and do a more thorough job.
In addition to a steam room, the women’s facilities include a heated salt water hot tub.
After I had enjoyed a nice session in the hot tub, I made my way over to the women’s indoor relaxation lounge, which has several sofas and armchairs accompanied by a cozy fireplace.
In a corner of the room there was a refreshment table that had glass jars containing various nuts and dried fruits, as well as a tray of freshly baked raspberry granola bars, which tasted delicious.
For guests that want a little more, there is also a stack of small menu forms on a clipboard that include additional food and beverage items like charcuterie, cocktails, wine, beer, and mocktails—all are available for an extra charge.
All you have to do is mark on the form next to the items you want, give it to one of the spa attendants, and then your snacks and drinks will be served to you shortly!
The women’s indoor relaxation lounge has a cozy fireplace and plenty of comfortable seating.
Guests can order an assortment of beverages and charcuterie for an additional charge.
Off to one side of the women’s indoor relaxation lounge is a small, private outdoor patio that has two side-by-side loungers under an umbrella and a pretty water feature.
It’s a great spot for catching up with a friend (if you’re having a girls’ day at the spa) or reading a book solo while enjoying some sun and fresh air.
A private outdoor patio with loungers and an umbrella is located off one side of the relaxation lounge.
A hallway leads to the private treatment rooms and the co-ed outdoor relaxation garden.
Back inside the relaxation lounge, there’s another door that takes you to a hallway where the spa’s treatment rooms are located, and before you turn down that hallway there is a glass door that opens out directly onto the outdoor co-ed relaxation garden.
If you’re enjoying a spa day with your significant other or if you’re in a larger party, the outdoor garden area has plenty of seating, umbrellas for shade, lush plants and palm trees, fire pits, and more tranquil water features. There’s also a water station so you don’t have to go all the way back inside for a refill.
The outdoor relaxation garden has walkways, lush plants, and plenty of seating.
Throughout the garden there are also various fire pits and tranquil water features.
I made my way back inside where a spa attendant greeted me and asked me to follow her to the recovery lounge, where I would be experiencing two of their newer tech therapies.
The recovery lounge is a separate space located off to one side of the spa’s reception area and it offers an impressive selection of holistic wellness devices and services.
In addition to a Therabody lounge area with zero-gravity chairs (which are great for alleviating pressure on the spine and joints), there’s a Halotherapy Infrared Sauna, and several private rooms for certain services such as the LumaNova Red Light Pod (full-body red light experience), LumaNova Vitamin D Therapy, and others. To view their entire list of offerings, click here.
I started off with a 20-minute Avacen Therapy session in a Therabody Zero Gravity Lounger.
For my first service I was going to try AVACEN Therapy, which I had never heard of before. It’s a small machine that you put your left hand into, where it rests in a disposable, sanitary mitt inside of a vacuum chamber.
While AVACEN can be used on either hand, it is recommended to use it on the left hand during the day to promote a sense of well-being and vitality, and on the right hand before bed, which helps prepare one for rest and relaxation.
For the next 20 minutes, I sat in one of the Therabody zero-gravity chairs while the AVACEN device applied negative pressure and heat on my hand. By creating a slight vacuum around the hand, it helps to gently expand blood vessels in the palm while simultaneously applying dry heat therapy.
As a result, blood flow is increased and the warmed blood is distributed throughout the body. It offers many benefits such as reduced inflammation and paint, improved joint mobility, enhanced delivery of oxygen and nutrients to tissues, increased waste removal, and more.
It’s supposed to be great for arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome, among other issues. The spa attendant event told me that with long-term daily use, one client was even able to successfully transition out of memory care!
During AVACEN Therapy, my hand was placed in a special mitt inside a vacuum chamber that uses negative pressure and heat to improve blood circulation and reduce inflammation.
A variety of other treatments are offered in the Recovery Lounge including Therabody RecoveryAir JetBoots, which reduce muscle stiffness, soreness, and fatigue.
After the treatment was over, I felt very relaxed and slightly sleepy—I could have easily drifted off for a short nap if I didn’t have other services lined up afterwards.
Next, I walked across the room to the HaloTherapy Infrared Sauna for the second part of my wellness experience. Also known as the HaloSauna, this innovative all-in-one solution combines the benefits of an infrared sauna with dry salt therapy (aka halotherapy).
Integrating warm, dry air during the heated halotherapy session allows for deeper penetration of salt particles, resulting in enhanced muscle relaxation and open airways.
It offers a long list of benefits including promoting detoxification, improved respiratory health and immunity, relieved muscle tension and pain, and it’s also great for various skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, to name a few.
I also enjoyed a 25-minute session in the Halotherapy Infrared Sauna, which combines infrared heat with salt inhalation therapy to detox, soothe muscles, and support the respiratory system.
I was given a remote control that allowed me to change the color of the lighting inside the sauna. There were endless options ranging from red and yellow to a Tiffany blue color—I ended up going with ocean blue for a calming and tranquil vibe.
During my 25-minute session, the heat in the sauna slowly went up, which allowed my body to adjust to the increasing temperature—but it was never too hot. On one of the sauna walls there is a control panel where you can adjust the temperature if you want to increase or decrease the temperature.
I spent most of the session lying on my back, using a towel as a pillow for support under my neck. The warmth of the sauna felt very soothing and with my eyes closed as I slowly breathed in the salt air, I envisioned myself lying out at the beach on a warm, sunny day.
I was also given a remote control that allowed me to change the color of the infrared sauna lighting as well as brightness level.
The recovery lounge has plenty of other services on its menu and one could easily make a day of it if. Aside from the Infrared Sauna and Therabody lounge, the other treatments are offered in private rooms.
Among the holistic services on offer are Sedona PEMF Therapy, where you lie on a warm PEMF mat for 30 minutes to improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the body’s cells to speed up healing using Pulse Electromagnetic Field therapy. Benefits include relief from sore muscles, improved sleep quality, and better overall vitality.
Other available therapies include a Sedona PEMF Mat, which accelerates healing and improves circulation.
Another service to try is LumaNova Vitamin D Therapy, where you spend 10 minutes in a device that looks similar to a tanning bed or red light bed. For the first two minutes you lie on your stomach, then flip over onto your back.
This treatment helps aid the body in producing vitamin D3 levels (something many of us are lacking) to support the immune system, muscle recovery, and overall well-being.
The best part about all of these services is they are all non-invasive and the typical treatment duration ranges anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. They are all designed to complement the spa’s other offerings and they are also great standalone services as well.
Another offering the the LumaNova Red Light Therapy Bed, which targets inflammation, speeds up healing, and relieves pain.
For my final service of the day, I was going to experience the Coconut Island Massage, one of the spa’s signature treatments. I met my massage therapist back in the relaxation lounge and she led me to one of the treatment rooms.
I spent the next 50 minutes in a state of tropical bliss, starting with a full-body dry brushing to help stimulate lymphatic flow and detox the body while removing dead skin. She performed a Lomi-Lomi massage, which is a traditional healing massage from Hawaii (and one of my personal favorites).
It combines flowing, rhythmic strokes that aim to release tension throughout the body in order to restore balance and harmony, in addition to promoting energy flow. There’s also a deeper spiritual intension behind it and afterwards I felt renewed and calm.
To conclude the treatment, she also performed a scalp massage with coconut oil, which felt incredibly hydrating. (Note: If you’ve just gotten a fresh blow-out and you have someplace to be afterwards, you can ask them to skip the oil and perform a dry scalp massage instead, but if you plan to shower after, it’s a great way to nourish the hair and scalp!)
I concluded my visit with a 50-minute Coconut Island Massage, which incorporates full-body dry brushing followed by a nourishing coconut oil massage.
After my three wellness services, I was on an entirely different level of relaxation. While I certainly would have felt great after just the massage, combining it with the other two therapies really seemed to enhance my overall state of rejuvenation and well-being.
With so many different treatment options available at Pacific Waters Spa, you can curate your experience with each visit depending on what your goals are, whether it’s faster recovery, improved relaxation, increased energy, pain relief—and the list goes on.
And if you’re looking to extend your experience, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach is also a great destination for staycations and longer getaways. The family-friendly property has coastal-chic rooms and suites, pools and cabanas, award-winning restaurants, and direct beach access so you have everything you need to enjoy the ultimate Southern California getaway.
The resort has a large outdoor water feature the overlooks the Pacific Ocean.
Cost: AVACEN Therapy ($40/20 min); HaloTherapy Infrared Sauna ($60/25 min); Coconut Island Massage ($286/50 min)
Insider Tips: The hotel offers valet parking. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early to give yourself time to enjoy the spa amenities including the whirlpool and steam room. Bring swimwear for the hydrotherapy facilities.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Daily)
Address: 21500 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Phone: (714) 698-1234
For more information about Pacific Waters Spa at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa, visit their website. Follow on Instagram: @hyattregencyhuntingtonbeach
[Photos by Kamala Kirk]