Awards show Wai Ora Spa is among world's best

Rotorua's Wai Ora Spa has won three top awards in the New Zealand section of the 2012 World Luxury Spa Awards.

The Wai Ora Day Spa at Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort, on the shores of Lake Rotorua at Holden's Bay, won three categories and was finalist in the remaining two.

The spa won Best Luxury Spa Destination, Best Luxury Spa Group and Best Luxury Mineral Springs Spa and was runner-up in Best Luxury Day Spa and Best Luxury Spa Resort for spas operating in New Zealand.

Wai Ora Day Spa is owned by Bryan and Lisa Hughes who have been involved in the spa industry for more than 20 years.

The spa was opened in 2008 and marketed as the centre of the New Zealand cultural spa experience.

Mr Hughes said their vision emphasised using local ingredients and incorporated the region's traditional cultural elements into a contemporary spa experience.

It is the second year running the spa has won World Luxury Spa Awards.

The only other Rotorua spa nominated was The Polynesian Spa.

Mr Hughes said his team were thrilled with the result.

"These awards acknowledge all of the hard work that has been done in the past and certainly provides further motivation for us to continue to expand on our spa offerings here in Rotorua and internationally.

The awards recognise a high level of service and clearly show the standard of our spa facilities and services are internationally competitive."

Mr Hughes said he believed Rotorua could be the spa centre of the South Pacific.

The World Luxury Spa awards are run by the same organisation that run the World Luxury Hotel Awards, both are seen as the highest accolades available in the world of luxury hotels and spas.

World Luxury Spa Awards executive manager Marinique de Wet said nominations received this year were of an exceptionally high standard and the winners represented the "absolute best" in spas that are delivering a true luxury spa experience and developing with global trends.

Voting for the awards is based on service excellence and voting is done by guests.

Judging criteria is based purely on service excellence. The size of a spa is not taken into consideration during the nomination or voting phases.