The Story of Luana Inn
A lifetime of healing. A new way of living.
Luana Inn was born from a lifetime of caring for others:
A welcome from Dr. Nicole Baylac.
For decades as a physician and psychotherapist, I helped people recover from chronic physical and emotional illness. In my practice, I witnessed how health is slowly eroded—not in a single moment, but through thousands of small choices repeated day after day: chronic stress, poor nourishment, lack of movement, and lives lived at a pace our bodies were never designed to sustain.
My deepest passion was never simply treating disease.
Long before prevention became widely recognized, I was living it. Even today, at eighty-four years old, I continue to live the principles I have spent a lifetime teaching. Health, to me, is not something we recover after we lose it. It is something we cultivate every day.
When Creation and Loss Walk Hand in Hand
As my work leading medical retreats became established with a wonderful team, my attention was drawn to the sunny side of the Big Island of Hawaii. That is when Luana Inn entered my life.
Six months before the 2018 eruption transformed the eastern side of the island and buried my original healing center beneath fresh lava, I was guided to purchase this property. I had no particular plan for it at the time. I kept hearing only one word: Play.
Only later did I understand that life was already preparing for the next chapter.
Witnessing lava fountaining is an experience beyond words. Standing before such immense power inspires awe, humility, and profound respect. The same force that creates new land also asks us to let go of what no longer serves us. What first felt like a devastating loss became the quiet beginning of Luana Inn.
Looking back, it feels as though I found Luana Inn. Or perhaps... Luana Inn found me.
Cultivating Health Before Illness Begins
My mission slowly evolved from helping people recover from illness to creating a place where you can experience something even more fundamental: how to live in harmony with your natural rhythm.
The Big Island became my greatest teacher—the rhythm of the ocean, the quiet wisdom of the rainforest, the healing waters, the warmth of the sun, and the creative energy of renewal.
Here, health and wellness are nourished through:
Nature & Beauty | Awaken your senses to the extraordinary colors of the island sky.
Deep Rest & Mindfulness | Allow your nervous system to settle and restore.
Nourishing Food & Joyful Movement | Reconnect with what truly sustains your body.
Meaningful Connection | Share in peaceful companionship and presence.
A Different Experience of Time | Transition from managing time to truly experiencing it.
What is Luana?
The Hawaiian word Luana describes more than relaxation. It speaks of living with ease, joy, lightness, peaceful companionship, and presence.
That is the intention behind this space. Not simply a beautiful place to stay, but a place where you can slow down enough to hear yourself again—and remember who you were before life became so busy.
Luana is not a destination. It is a way of living.
An Invitation to Return to Your Natural Rhythm
Whether you are seeking deep rest, space to heal, or simply a pause from the noise of daily life, Luana Inn warmly welcomes you.