Polynesian Spa

Bathing has happened on this spot since the 1870s, when a priest is said to have found relief from arthritis in a spring here and the Priest Spa was named for it; a bathhouse followed and the current complex dates from 1972. What makes it more than a hot pool is that two chemically different springs feed it. The Priest Spring is acidic, sulphurous and hotter, traditionally used for aches; the Rachel Spring is alkaline and silica-rich, softer on the skin. Pools are graded by temperature from around 36 to 42 degrees and terraced down to the edge of Lake Rotorua, so the outer pools look straight over the water - which on a cold morning with steam coming off the lake is the reason to come. There are adults-only areas, a family pool and private pools. The usual caution about untreated geothermal water applies: keep your head above the surface.

What you actually see

• The two springs - acidic Priest and alkaline Rachel, kept separate.
• The lake-edge pools - terraced down to the water.
• The temperature grading - pools from about 36 to 42 degrees.
• The 1870s history - bathing on this spot for a century and a half.

When to go

Any season, and best when it is cold - early morning with steam over the lake is the local recommendation. Evenings are busy. Ticketed by area.

Honest expectations

Keep your head out of the water - untreated geothermal water carries a rare but serious amoeba risk. It is a commercial spa in the middle of town, not a wild pool. Silver jewellery tarnishes in the sulphur; leave it off.

Nearby

The Government Gardens are next door; Te Puia and Whakarewarewa are south.