Insider’s Guide to Spas is pleased to share the news that Kristi Dickinson, one of the most respected spa professionals in the industry, has been named Spa Director at Anara Spa at Grand Hyatt Kauai. Dickinson brings over two decades of luxury hospitality experience with an emphasis in Spa and Wellness. Her extensive background includes roles as General Manager at Canyon Ranch Wellness Retreat in Woodside, California, Director of Spa & Wellness at the Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa in San Diego’s North County, and Spa Director roles at The Mayflower Inn & Spa in Connecticut, Montage Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, and the Golden Door Spa at The Peaks Resort in Telluride, Colorado.
An open-air treatment room at Anara Spa.
With an education as rich as her roles, Dickinson holds a Master’s degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a B.A. in Marketing and Management from the University of Iowa. She is trained as a massage therapist, manual lymph drainage therapist, and is also a Spin and yoga instructor. “Kristi brings such a wealth of knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm, we are fortunate to have her leading our experienced Spa team,” stated Dan King, General Manager.
“Kristi brings such a wealth of knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm, we are fortunate to have her leading our Spa team.”—Dan King, General Manager
Dickinson was raised on a farm and is passionate about the healing power of nature. After living on a sailboat in The Bahamas through much of the Covid travel shutdowns, she finally followed her heart to Kauai, joining the Anara Spa team earlier this year as Assistant Spa Director. The largest spa on Kauai, Anara draws on the soothing and healing properties of nature and features open-air treatment rooms that open to Kauai’s lush gardens.
One of Dickinson’s first launches at Anara Spa will include expanding touchless therapies beyond the existing Floatpod® with the spa’s new LightStim® bed which provides rejuvenating wavelengths of light to treat inflammation, speed muscle recovery, alleviate pain, and improve skin tone. When she’s not overseeing the spa, Dickinson fills her free time with hiking, camping, fishing, snorkeling, learning to surf, and sailing with her partner Mark.