Hammam is a ritual of total relaxation. It appeared many centuries ago, but in the main it has not changed much. Modern luxury and amenities have only made it better. We present an overview of the most luxurious hammams in the Emirates.
The ancient Greeks and Romans regularly visited the baths two thousand years ago. They moved from room to room, trying to sweat thoroughly, then the bath attendants exfoliated dead skin from them with special brushes, massaged and rubbed with oils.
But if the Roman Empire invented the bath, then the Ottoman brought it to perfection: hammams first appeared here. Porta allocated huge sums of money to luxurious, magnificent inside and outside the house - baths still work in some of these houses in Istanbul. Hammams were open to visitors from sunrise to sunset.
The guests put on wooden shoes so as not to slip, took a soft cotton towel and went into a warm room - to relax. Then in a hot room - sweat well. In the next room, the masseuse laid the guest on a marble bed and rubbed with a hard washcloth with copious soap suds to remove dead cells.
After washing off the foam, the guests went into a cool room, which served as a place for communication. In the men's room they exchanged news, held business meetings and arranged philosophical debates. And in the female - they listened to music, talked and enjoyed sweets.
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, hammams ceased to be the center of public life. But otherwise, this ritual has not changed in the 21st century. Today you can go through the chain of hot rooms, lie on the marble table and "wash off all the negativity", thus getting rid of stress.
Across the Middle East, from Dubai to Muscat, lush hammams with ultra-modern amenities await their sybarites. Today in hammams conduct even more thorough and useful procedures. You will be offered massage oils with gold or diamonds, scrubs and clay from distant lands and steam rooms with exotic aromas. Among other things, rooms for hammams are specially designed and decorated to delight the eye.
Talise OTTOMAN SPA
The Turkish hammam at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray maintains the centuries-old tradition of an oriental public bath. The local rooms are spacious enough to come here in four together (although there is a semi-private zone and a private hammam for couples).
This is the largest hammam in the Middle East. The halls are decorated with colorful columns, decorated with dark wood and mosaics; the ceilings are painted by hand, as in ancient palaces. The Royal Ottoman SPA procedure begins with the massage therapist rubbing the whole body of the guest with a traditional kesa washcloth. This helps remove dead skin cells and stimulates blood circulation. Then the guest is wrapped in a cloud of soap foam, and the therapist begins the massage - from head to toe, with the power to rub the soap deep into the skin and relieve the guest from tension throughout the body.
Then the soap is washed off with shallow water from shallow copper plates, and the guest is given a light scalp massage with shampoo and conditioner. The royal procedure is completed by a nourishing face and body mask made of honey and sesame. After the last bath, the skin will shine and fragrance. Guests will be given Khams bracelets, and then invited to relax in the private area, drink refreshing yogurt and eat dates and dried fruits.
Hotel Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, +971 (4) 453 0456, www.jumeirah.com
Procedure Royal Ottoman Hammam - 650 Dirhams
EMIRATES PALACE SPA
In the heart of the most luxurious hotel in Abu Dhabi - Emirates Palace, inspired by the culture of the Persian Gulf, you will find a traditional hammam in the Moroccan style. Here they are sure that the hammam is the best procedure for healing the body. It offers two whirlpools, two steam rooms, a marble table and even an ice cave. The hotel is incredibly luxurious - and the hammam, located under a blue dome imitating the evening starry sky, looks no less impressive.
In the East, they love exquisite natural aromas and rare precious ingredients. The Palace Rose procedure is dedicated to them: here the skin of guests is healed with clay gassul and rose (cosmetic mineral gassul is extracted exclusively in the region of the Atlas mountains) and shea butter with rose. After the procedure, the skin literally sparkles.
Emirates Palace, Abu-Dhabi; +971 (2) 690 7978, www.emiratespalace.ae
Procedure Palace Rose Hammam, 90 minutes - 1145 dirhams
SARAY SPA
The huge Saray Spa salon (4300 square meters) is located in the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai hotel-skyscraper: a large hotel has a large SPA salon! Its interior is inspired by caravanserais - places of rest that were located on ancient trade routes. Here and today they are waiting for travelers who need to regain strength. There are two separate, spacious hammams at Saray Spa: male and female.
Smooth gray marble and calm blue mosaics look more like modern minimalism than a traditional hammam. In addition, a huge menu of various procedures awaits you here. For example, you can feel the power of nature in the Dead Sea procedure - during it soap from olive oil and handmade salt from the Jordanian Dead Sea are used, and then a mask is made on the body from the nutritious mud of this sea.
And if you prefer something more luxurious, choose the Golden Shed procedure. It includes a wrap of gold clay and myrtle, a face mask made of golden Arab honey and an oil massage infused with 24 carat gold and jasmine, stimulating cell recovery. Middle Eastern luxury continues with aromatic treatments, tea lotions and even a Dead Sea water pool.
Hotel Marriott Marquis Dubai; +971 (4) 414 6754; www.jwmarriottmarquisdubai.com
Procedure The Saray Golden Hammam, 120 minutes - 1270 dirhams
ONE &ONLY Royal Mirage SPA
If you are looking for a hammam that combines the authenticity of antiquity and the modernity of an elite resort, then you should visit the Oriental Hammam at the One & Only Royal Mirage Hotel. Inside you will find softly lit domes, high arches, elegant wall mosaics, fountains - in general, everything to take a break from the skyscrapers that have grown around. Here you will find warm marble massage tables, steam rooms, private massage rooms, high pressure showers and a relaxation area.
When guests are imbued with the atmosphere, and the air becomes hot and humid, then, according to Eastern traditions, massage therapists will begin to rub your body with washcloths.
A wide range of treatments - for the most varied tastes, no matter how much time you have: from a 25-minute oriental back massage (recommended after long flights) to a long traditional hammam with alternating warm steam rooms and a thorough strong massage.
One & Only Royal Mirage, +971 (4) 399 9999, www.royalmirage.oneandonlyresorts.com
The Royal Hammam procedure, 80 minutes - 610 dirhams
GUERLAIN SPA
Guerlain and One & Only The Palm have created a number of exclusive treatments available only at One & Only The Palm. One of them is called Desert d'Orient - this is a hammam that uses only the products of this French cosmetic house. A huge private Oriental Suite has been allocated for this, so that the procedure can be performed together (not only with a husband or wife, but also with a friend, girlfriend, sister or daughter).
The ritual begins with the fact that you are immersed in a bath with foam and relax. Silk tenderness milk scrub is applied to your skin. As expected from Eastern traditions, after that you enter the steam room, where you relax even more. Steam cleanses the skin, eliminating toxins and relaxing muscle clamps. Then you will enjoy a massage with one of four aromatic elixirs from Guerlain.
The Desert d'Orient procedure is ideal for co-local relaxation and relaxation with a loved one. It will undoubtedly become a unique sensual experience for you.
Hotel One & Only the Palm, +971 (4) 399 9999, www.royalmirage.oneandonlyresorts.com
Procedure Desert d'Orient, 120 minutes - 1500 dirhams
ANJANA SPA
Anjana Spa at Rixos the Palm pays tribute to the culture of traditional hammams. Authentic Turkish traditions are respected here, adding a touch of modern simplicity to them. Hammam Anjana is a real mysticism, a deep immersion in ancient rituals.
Oriental sounds and aromas add up to a single symphony. Anjana Hammam come to relax and chat with friends, because the traditional Turkish hammams from Rixos set the world quality standards around the world. As soon as you settle down and relax, the therapist will gently rub your skin with a kesa washcloth to remove the top dead layer from it. Warm water will gently pour on the body to wash away all, even the smallest dirt. The ritual will continue the massage with essential oils, and after you will be wrapped in a silk-soft blanket made of the signature soap foam. Then you will find oriental sweets, fragrant tea and leisurely conversations.
Hotel Rixos the Palm, +971 (4) 399 9999, www.royalmirage.oneandonlyresorts.com
Procedure Royal Hammam, 60 minutes - 1500 dirhams
Espa
The building of the Ritz-Carlton Grand Canal Hotel in Abu Dhabi is inspired by Venice architecture. But when guests enter the hotel’s separate SPA complex - ESPA - they plunge into the Bedouin past of the Emirates. The interior is decorated in golden tones, dominated by natural materials - brown onyx and limestone. Such an atmosphere carries away from everyday commotion into a world of peace.
Bedouin chests are placed in the halls, so you will feel as if you are on a journey. Separate women's and men's recreation areas are elegant and graceful. Both outside and inside the hammam are so calm that it seems as if time has stopped: the greenery in the gardens is trimmed with incredible accuracy, and the pool calls for those who want to refresh themselves after a long bath. The hammam will not only help to relax, but will also improve the skin: a cleansing scrub and a nourishing body wrap with sea mud will help to achieve peace of mind, relaxation of the body and silk skin with envy.
Hotel The Ritz-Carlton Grand Canal, Abu-Dhabi +971 (2) 818 8888, www.ritzcarlton.com
Procedure Signature Hamman Ritual - 930 dirhams
TIPS & Toes SPA
You can now escape from boring everyday life in the Tips & Toes salon in Al Barshe. The new Voluptuous Oud Ritual Hammam procedure will take you on a long and calm journey to improve your body and soul.
The procedure begins with the fact that you are soaped with a refreshing black eucalyptus soap - a massage therapist will remove dead skin cells and disperse your blood. Then, a traditional oriental amber bath will finally relax the body, and a refreshing massage with a thick oriental oud wood scrub will bring you back to life. Finally, wrapping in fabric, again with the aroma of an oud tree, will immerse you in sweet dreams. As a result, you will feel younger for 10 years, and your skin will become smooth and receive a powerful dose of nutrients.
Salon Tips & Toes (Al Barsha Luxury Spa branch), +971 (4) 341 2020, www.tipsandtoes.com
Procedure Voluptuous Oud Ritual Hammam, 60 minutes - 420 dirhams
ANANTARA SPA
In the fabulous Qasr Al Sarab by Anantara, in the middle of the Abu Dhabi desert, with its views of the huge sand dunes, you will find one of the best Moroccan hammams. We especially recommend Anantara's signature treatment with its black olive cleansing soap. SPA centers of Anantara hotels have become famous all over the world for their innovations. But in Qasr Al Sarab, in the stylish room of the Turkish bath, where the mosaic walls reflect soft light, you seem to be several centuries ago. Here, as in the Ottoman Empire, the hammam again becomes the center of public life.
You can come to a joint hammam with a company of four or more - prepare for the wedding, celebrate a birthday or just gossip properly, and at the same time study the culture of Turkish baths of the 14th century. First, they will shut you up in a private hammam, indulge in a long traditional bath with steaming, skin cleansing and foam massage, and then you will be able to chat enough.
After the bath, you will be offered a special drink with a high iron content to restore the balance of minerals. Enjoy fruit and Turkish sweets in the company of your closest friends - and you will understand why your ancestors often visited hammams for centuries in a row. But even if you want to relax in solitude - do not worry: many individual procedures can also be performed here - for example, a Turkish coffee ritual that strengthens the skin.
Hotel Qasr Al Sarab by Anantara, Abu-Dhabi, +971 (0) 2 886 2088, //qasralsarab.anantara.com
Procedure Royal Moroccan Hammam, 120 minutes - 2000 dirhams
