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Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa has been carving out it’s space in the global luxury wellness scene within tourism since 2023. Firmly embodying Te Ao Māori.
General manager, Debbie Robertson has had a long standing vision for its authenticity with the vision for Wai Ariki never about trend-chasing, but about being unapologetically Māori in a way that is both authentic and globally appealing.
Debbie says “By lending on our true practices within our culture and within Ngāti Whakaue,, we make sure that we are delivering on that, including our pūrākau, our storytelling, our mirimiri through our form of massage and healing, we have to make sure that we are upholding that. “And there is a desire for sharing our culture, and international travellers want that authentic, want that rich history and culture, and we’re lucky enough to be able to infuse that in what we have. Offering a luxury spa bathing experience with cultural infusion is quite unique. You can’t get much better than that.”
Wai Ariki is an immersive journey for visitors through the living narratives of Ngāti Whakaue. From the guided elements led by kaimahi to the carved panels and the presence of the mauri stone, every part of the experience is intentionally grounded in culture.
“You don’t find that anywhere around the world. So, internationally, spa bathing culture, they bathe in the water, there’s mass numbers, but you come here and there’s our rich Māori culture infused, our kaimahi, it’s partly guided, it’s in the tapestry, it’s everywhere through the building.” says Debbie
It’s clear that demand hasn’t shaped Wai Ariki’s identity—it has only confirmed its value.
“I guess it hasn’t shaped what we have,” says Debbie. “What we have is, we are authentic in what we deliver and what we provide, and the experience that we give to our manuhiri,” she says. “We’ve been true to ourselves, been true to our values, and as Ngāti Whakaue we are unapologetically Māori in what we have to offer, and we know that [visitors] will gravitate and that they want that experience, they want that authenticity. So we haven’t had to tweak anything.”
As wellness tourism grows globally—and with it, pressure to commercialise cultural experiences— Debbie remains grounded in the accountability she and her team hold.
“We are held accountable by our own people, and we are held accountable by our koeke, by our kuia and our koroua. So we don’t deviate too far off any pathway, because we can’t, because it goes against what we are here to provide.”
“We uphold the integrity, we ensure that our storytelling is true to Ngāti Whakaue, we have wānanga with our staff… our carvers from Te Puia will come down and go through and tell us about the carvings again, and the tukutuku panels that we have inside.”
It’s not just the stories or symbols that matter—it’s the people. Wai Ariki invests heavily in staff development and hiring from within Ngāti Whakaue to ensure those stories are alive and carried forward.
“Anybody can sit in a pool. What is the difference is what we offer is the cultural aspect, but it’s our people… our kaimahi engaging, partly guided, our mauri stone providing beautiful karakia before you go through, so it is absolutely our people, and that’s why we are also here to provide employment moving forward.”
This people-first philosophy also looks to the future, offering young Māori pathways into wellness careers.
“For our rangatahi coming through, they can aspire to work through the spa, and maybe work through the wellness and massage, or mirimiri,” Debbie says. “It’s so amazing to be a part of something new, but we understand the value of it for Ngāti Whakaue, we understand the value for Rotorua, understanding the value for New Zealand, and lifting the profile by having this beautiful world-class spa. That is unique around the world.”
