Traditional, modesty evaporating, and treading a very fine line between pleasure and pain, Turkish spa (hammam) and its oft ouchy mix of firm scrubs, rubs, suds and steam will undoubtedly leave you smooth as a baby’s bot – and quite possibly as red raw.
As daunting as the experience can be, hammam has certainly garnered a loyal band of foreign followers, as evidenced by the myriad of Turkish bathhouses popping up all over the globe. No need to schlep to the ‘Bul, these international hammams will have you channelling your inner Sultana from SoBe to Schönberg. Knicks off!
Sultan Hamam, Berlin
There’s no being bashful in buns out Berlin, so whip em’ off and submit to being soaped and scrubbed to perfection at this icy-hued lair of marble and mosaic. Let the heated hub stone soften tight muscles, then prepare to be ‘Oriental Peel’-ed. Hey… no pain, no gain!
Buelowstraße 56-57, Schöneberg. +49 302 1753375. sultanhamamberlin.de
AIRE, Barcelona
This former wine warehouse is one helluva cellar. Bare brick arches, dim-lit Ottoman lanterns and a curtained jaima set the mood for divine liquid refreshment of the bathing kind. There are three thermal baths kept at different temperatures and the all important steam bath, plus when you opt for a ‘Green Hammam Ritual’ you’ll get a lime and green tea scrub with a cleansing juice to boot.
Paseo Picasso 22, Barceloneta. +34 932 95 57 43. airedebarcelona.com
AIRE, New York
The cross-Atlantic sib of the aforementioned Barca flagship is situated in an old 16,000 sq ft textile factory in Tribeca turned into a cavernous, candlelit hydro spa. Treatments pay homage to ancient Greek and Roman bathing rituals with warm, hot and cold plunges, flotarium and steam room. Recline in the heated marble relaxation area with a cup of Spanish tea, and keep peepers peeled for celeb fans like Mr Marc Jacobs.
88 Franklin Street, Tribeca. +1 212 274 3777. ancientbathsny.com
Tierra Santa Spa, Miami
Where else but Miami could Latin flavour meet Middle Eastern pampering? Perched in the Argentinean Faena Hotel, this South American inspired spa offers a selection of ancient healing treatments including a guarana and maca scrub, and a white Amazonian clay and black Peruvian mud mask. But it’s the killer combo of the unique body purifications paired with a private hammam sesh that is the recipe for ultimate skin smoothing. Choose the ‘Hammam Rose Ritual’ and they’ll finish you off with a full body rose oil rub down. Spa-ahhh.
Faena Hotel, 3201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach. +1 844 798 8716. faena.com/miami-beach
Les Cent Ciels, Paris
Like a petite vacances out of Paris without leaving the city, this luminous, lantern-lined terracotta atrium calls with a warm North African accent. Sashay across the tiles of a hammam replete with showers and fountains, pool, sauna and scrub rooms towards your steamy Arabian skin therapy, then when it all gets too much, retreat to the tea salon for a restorative peppermint cuppa.
7 rue de Nemours, 11th. +33 1 55 28 95 75. hammam-lescentciels.com
Plan your next spa-sational break with a LUXE City Guide.
– posted 2nd September 2016
