There is a particular kind of Auckland day that only happens out east: flat water, the ferry going past, Rangitoto sitting there being Rangitoto, and absolutely nothing that needs doing. St Heliers is built for it, and our spa at 417A Tamaki Drive is thirty seconds from the beach.
If you are going to make a day of it — and this is the branch to do that at — here is the order that works.
The shape of the day
- Arrive early and walk first. Twenty minutes along the waterfront before your treatment does more than any amount of sitting in the waiting area. Towards Kohimarama and Mission Bay is flat and easy; towards Achilles Point and Ladies Bay is a short climb with the best view in the eastern bays at the top.
- Sauna, if you are having one. The infrared sauna is a St Heliers exclusive — 45 minutes with a shower, $60 for one person or $90 for two. Always before the massage, never after.
- Then the treatment. Warm, softened muscle means your therapist gets deeper without more pressure.
- Then do nothing at all. Sit on the beach, or on the grass. This is the part people skip and then regret.
The three ways to book it
- Package B — 2.5 hours, $280 — 20 minutes of infrared sauna, then a full body scrub, then an aromatherapy massage. The complete version, and the one we would choose.
- Package C — 2.5 hours, $280 — body scrub, aromatherapy massage and a mini facial. Same length, different emphasis: this one is for your skin.
- Package A — 2 hours, $225 — body scrub and aromatherapy massage. The straightforward, excellent option.
Or build your own: sauna at $60, then a 90-minute hot stone massage at $160. Not a package, but a very good three hours.
"The guests who walk the waterfront first are already halfway relaxed when they get on the table. It is the cheapest upgrade there is."
Siri therapist team
What makes this branch different
The spa is on Tamaki Drive in the middle of a village main street, not in a building you take a lift into. The pace outside the door is different, and that carries in. It is also slightly cheaper than the Viaduct across the whole menu — $105 versus $115 for an hour, $145 versus $165 for 90 minutes.
The trade-off: one couple room rather than two, so weekend couples bookings need more notice. And no candle therapy — that is a Viaduct exclusive.
When to come
- Weekday mornings — the quietest time at this branch, and the easiest to book at short notice.
- Saturday and Sunday — the classic. Book at least a week ahead, more if you want the sauna or the couple room.
- Summer evenings — we are open until 8.00pm, and the light out here in January until well past eight is the argument for a late booking.
- Wet winter weekends — the sauna books out first. Reserve early.
The walks worth knowing
You are on Tamaki Drive, which is the best flat walking in Auckland, and the direction you pick changes the day.
- West, towards Kohimarama and Mission Bay — flat, wide footpath, water the whole way. Twenty minutes to Kohimarama, forty to Mission Bay. The easy option before a treatment.
- East, up to Achilles Point — a short climb from the far end of the bay to the lookout above Ladies Bay, with the best view in the eastern bays waiting at the top. Fifteen minutes up. Better after a treatment than before.
- Just the bay itself — the beach in front of the village, the length of it and back, ten minutes. Do this one barefoot after the sauna.
- Further west to Bastion Point — thirty-five minutes each way and worth a whole morning if the weather is doing its job.
All of it is flat except the Achilles Point climb, and all of it is thirty seconds from the spa door.
Practical notes
- Address — 417A Tamaki Drive, St Heliers, Auckland 1071 · phone 027 654 6642
- Hours — 7 days, 10.00am to 8.00pm
- Bring — swimwear if you like for the sauna, a hair tie if you are having a scrub or facial, and something warm for afterwards
- Do not — book a scrub the day before a beach day; freshly exfoliated skin burns more easily
- Public holidays — closed Good Friday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, and until 1.00pm on ANZAC Day; 15% surcharge applies
The full menu is on the St Heliers treatments page, prices on the pricing page. If you are choosing between our two spas, the comparison guide covers what is only available where.
Common questions
417A Tamaki Drive, St Heliers, Auckland 1071, thirty seconds from the beach. Open seven days, 10.00am to 8.00pm. Phone 027 654 6642.
Package B at $280 — 20 minutes of infrared sauna, a full body scrub and an aromatherapy massage across two and a half hours. The sauna first is what makes it.
Before. Warm, softened muscle lets the therapist work deeper without more pressure, which is exactly why our Package B is ordered that way.
A week for a weekend slot, and further for the couple room or the sauna — there is one of each, and both fill first on weekends and wet winter days.
