What is a hotel hammam, and how does it differ from a traditional public bath?
A hotel hammam is a Turkish bath set up inside a hotel and used by appointment, while a traditional public bath (çarşı hamamı) is a building in a neighbourhood or market where anyone can walk in. They are two different settings for the same ritual: warming up, scrub, foam and rest.
The hammam itself is a deeply rooted institution. The TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam says the word comes from an Arabic root meaning "to heat", so it means "a heated place". The same entry records that the oldest inscribed hammam in Istanbul is the Mahmud Pasha Hammam, built in 1466–67, and that the Turks built double hammams made up of two sections side by side for men and women. It also notes that Evliya Çelebi counted 151 hammams in Istanbul in his time. The city's relationship with the hammam is, in other words, much older than the scrub and foam you see on a spa menu today.
A study of hammam tradition published by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism sums up the classic Ottoman hammam plan as a changing room, a warm room, a hot room and private rooms (halvet). The marble basin set against the wall in the hot room is called a kurna; this is where a person sweats and is scrubbed. The Culture Portal's page on Ankara's hammam culture is a reminder that the hammam was more than a place to get clean: it was a social space where women could leave the house and chat with friends.
A hotel hammam adapts this tradition to today's needs. There are appointment times, it isn't crowded, and bathrobes and towels are ready. Beatus Spa's Euro Park Otel location is an example of this kind (for general information, see our Turkish bath page and massage services; we've explained the difference between a hotel hammam and a historic one in a separate article): the marble, the heat, the göbek taşı (heated central slab) and the foam of the Turkish bath are experienced in a calm space inside the hotel.
How does the hammam work at Euro Park Otel?
A hammam visit at Euro Park Otel can be summed up in six or seven stops, from booking to the rest room. The order below is a general flow; it can vary with the ritual, and the location will give you the current details.
- Booking: Phone the location or write on WhatsApp with your preferred day, time and ritual. The number on the call card belongs to the location.
- Arrival: Arrive 10 to 15 minutes before your session; you can also ask at reception for directions to the spa entrance inside the hotel.
- Getting ready: A bathrobe, slippers, a towel and disposable underwear are provided at the location. If there's anything about your health you'd like to tell your specialist, mention it at this stage.
- Warming up: You go into the hot section of the hammam and warm up for a while on the göbek taşı or beside the kurna. There's no need to hurry; if you like, you can also spend time in the sauna or steam room.
- Scrub and foam: The hammam attendant applies the scrub and soap foam according to the ritual you chose. More on this in the next section.
- Rinsing: Once the foam is done, you rinse with warm water and wrap yourself in a towel.
- Resting: At the end of the session, rest in the rest room without hurrying. Don't stand up straight away; take your time getting ready.
A hammam isn't a race. The session length is written on the service menu, and the attendant paces it to you. Don't hesitate to tell your specialist how you feel about the heat, the pressure or the firmness of the scrub; the International SPA Association (ISPA) also advises spa guests to say so as soon as they feel uncomfortable, and to speak up if the touch is too firm or too light.
What is the difference between the mixed section and the women-only section?
At the Euro Park Otel location, the facility has two sections: a mixed section and a section reserved for women only. The hammam itself, however, operates separately for women and men.
The two statements can be confused, so it's worth being clear. "The hammam is separate for women and men" means that female and male guests do not use the same hammam area together. "A section reserved for women" describes the existence of an area in the facility as a whole that only women may enter. The mixed section is the shared part of the facility.
This article doesn't give details such as what the women-only section covers or on which days and at what hours it is used, because that can't be written without confirmation from the location. The best approach is to state your preference when you book and ask the location how it works. That way you know what to expect before your appointment.
The Turkish hammam tradition is no stranger to women and men bathing in separate sections. According to the TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam, double hammams were buildings that solved exactly this separation through architecture. The arrangement at Euro Park can be read as a present-day echo of that old principle.
How are the scrub and foam done, and how long do they take?
The scrub and foam is a two-step treatment after the warm-up stage of the hammam: first the surface of the skin is gently rubbed with a scrub mitt, then you are washed with soap foam. For a detailed account, see our guide to the scrub and foam massage.
The kese is a mitt or cloth with a rough texture. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism's study of hammam tradition records that the person sweats and is scrubbed at the kurna. Skin sensitivity varies from person to person, so you decide the pressure.
The foam is a light cloud of soap made with aromatic soap and spread over the whole body. The foam combines the feeling of being washed with that of resting; you can ask the location about scent preferences.
The hammam rituals on the Beatus menu come in three steps, by duration:
| Ritual | Duration | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Pasha Hammam | 40 min | A full-body kese scrub, or aromatic soap foam only |
| Scheherazade Hammam | 55 min | The Pasha ritual, plus an aromatic oil massage for the head, hands and feet |
| Sultan Hammam | 80 min | Scrub, foam, oil massage and sherbet |
If you've never been to a hammam, the Pasha Hammam is a short and easy-to-follow start; for a special occasion, a longer ritual might suit. Which rituals are offered at what times at Euro Park is settled when you book.
If you have sensitive skin, tell your specialist before the scrub; the pressure can be lightened or you can choose foam only. If you have a skin condition or a wound, ask your doctor before deciding. This article does not give health advice.
Can you use the sauna and steam room before and after the hammam?
Yes. The Euro Park Otel location has a sauna and a steam room, and you can use them together with the hammam. The order is a preference, not a fixed rule.
A sauna is an enclosed room with dry heat, and a steam room one with humid heat. The hammam is a different ritual from both: washing with hot marble, water and soap. For people who want to combine all three on the same day, the Infinity Duet on the Beatus menu starts with steam and sauna, continues with the scrub and foam in the hammam and ends with a massage in the couples' room. That is a ready-made sequence on the menu; when you plan your own, you can follow a similar flow: a light warm-up first, then the hammam, and a massage or rest at the end.
Know your own limit with heat. If you're pregnant, have a health condition or are sensitive to heat, ask your doctor first and tell your specialist at the start of the session. Leave the hot section as soon as you don't feel well.
A practical tip: the time you spend in the sauna or steam room is not a measure of performance. Many guests find it more comfortable to go in for short rounds and rest in between.
How do you combine a hammam with a couples massage?
The Euro Park Otel location has a separate massage room for couples. On the Beatus menu, the ritual that combines the hammam with a massage in the couples' room is called the Infinity Duet; ask when you book whether it is offered at Euro Park.
The Infinity Duet is a 120-minute ritual: steam and sauna, the scrub and foam in the hammam, then a massage in the couples' room. If two people want to share the same flow and, because the hammam is separate for women and men, have to be in separate sections at that stage, ask the location when you book how this is arranged; it wouldn't be right to guess at this detail in an article.
A couples massage itself is a session in which two people receive a massage at the same time, side by side on two tables in the same room; for details, see our couples massage guide and our couples massage page.
The hammam's link with special occasions is old, too. The Culture Portal's e-book "Customs, Traditions and Beliefs" describes how, in the bridal hammam tradition, fresh and dried rose petals were scattered over the göbek taşı and the hammam was decorated with candles and roses. Today this tradition is rarely kept up in the city, but it shows that the link between the hammam and special days has a cultural history. We have no information that a group or bridal service of this kind is offered at Euro Park; if you have such a request, ask the location.
What do you wear in the hammam, what's provided, and what should you leave behind?
You don't need to bring anything for the hammam; a bathrobe, slippers, a towel and disposable underwear are provided at the location. You can bring your own personal care products if you like.
The questions that remain are usually these:
- Jewellery and valuables: The heat and water of the hammam don't suit jewellery. ISPA also recommends taking off or leaving jewellery and hats at home for spa visits.
- Phone: Put it on silent and leave it in the locker. In a quiet setting, a phone ringing disturbs everyone's rest; ISPA also considers mobile phones and loud conversation inappropriate.
- Water: Drink water before and after your session; drinking plenty after a massage is a habit ISPA also mentions.
- Food: Not going into a session straight after a heavy meal is a good habit for comfort; Beatus also suggests avoiding a heavy meal before a session.
- What to wear inside: What you wear inside the hammam can vary with the ritual and the section, so it is settled when you book.
For a detailed list, see what to bring to a Turkish bath.
How do you plan the journey in Beylikdüzü and Esenyurt?
Euro Park Otel is in the Esenyurt district, around Beylikdüzü; check the address on the location page and the route on your map app. This article gives no distance or walking time from the hotel to a particular stop, because that detail has not been confirmed by the company.
One of the major public transport lines serving the area is the Metrobus. The page for İETT's route 34G names the line Beylikdüzü–Söğütlüçeşme and shows a journey time of 122 minutes in one direction. That time varies with traffic and the hour, so for your own plan, get current information from İETT's route page. Ask the location how long it takes to get from the hotel to the Metrobus.
Before you book, check the location's current opening hours on the Euro Park Otel location page.
How does the Euro Park hammam differ from Wanda Vista and The G Hotels?
Among Beatus locations in Istanbul, Euro Park is the one with no pool but with a hammam separate for women and men. The table below lines up the confirmed facilities of the three locations:
| Euro Park Otel | Wanda Vista Istanbul | The G Hotels Istanbul | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammam | Separate for women and men | Separate for women and men | Single hammam |
| Sauna and steam room | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pool | No | Outdoor and indoor | Indoor and outdoor |
| Fitness | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| Couples' massage room | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
"Not listed" means the facility doesn't appear in the location's details; it doesn't mean it isn't there. For current information, ask the relevant location. If the hammam is your priority, you aren't looking for a pool and you want a separate room for couples, Euro Park could be a good fit; if a pool and fitness room are part of your plan too, you'll want to look at the other two locations. For the other Istanbul locations, see the Istanbul spa page.
Make your choice according to which facility matters most to you.
