First Time at a Hotel Spa: What to Expect, Step by Step

Every Beatus Spa location is inside a hotel: six in Istanbul, one in Sapanca and three on the Black Sea coast. We wrote this guide for anyone who has walked through a hotel lobby and wondered, "Am I actually allowed in there?"

What is a hotel spa? How it differs from a day spa, a thermal resort and a traditional hammam

A hotel spa is an area within a hotel that brings together heat facilities, treatment rooms and a place to rest. In Türkiye there is even a formal definition for licensed tourism properties: the Regulation on the Qualifications of Tourism Facilities describes a "SPA" as a section that offers, in addition to a Turkish bath, at least four further facilities such as a steam room, sauna, massage units, an indoor swimming pool or a gym, with separate changing areas, lockers, showers and toilets for women and men. That definition concerns the hotel's licence; for you as a guest, it simply means a hotel spa usually offers several areas that work together rather than a single service.

Here is how it compares with the alternatives:

What sets a hotel spa apart is that it works within the hotel's own routine: reception, security, cleaning and quiet rules all follow the hotel's standards. The ritual you would find in a traditional hammam usually takes place in a smaller, calmer hammam, and by appointment. If you're curious how the heat areas differ, see our guide to sauna vs steam room vs hammam.

Can you use a hotel spa without staying at the hotel?

It's the question we hear most, and the answer is usually yes. Policies do vary from hotel to hotel, though: some reserve the spa for resident guests at certain times, while others open it to outside visitors for booked treatments only. At Beatus, every location welcomes visitors who are not staying at the hotel; send the spa a short message to book.

If you're staying at the hotel

As a resident guest you can often come down to the spa from your room in a robe, though some hotels prefer you to be dressed when crossing the lobby. Just ask reception, "Which floor is the spa on, and can I come down in a robe?" Whether spa access is included in your room rate also varies by hotel; you'll find it in your booking conditions or can ask at the front desk. Treatments such as massages, hammam rituals and facials are usually booked separately.

If you're visiting from outside

As a day visitor, the only difference is the moment you walk through the hotel's front door; everything after that is the same. Book ahead and give your name and appointment time at the lobby reception or directly at the spa desk. No one in the lobby will ask why you're there; going to the spa is as ordinary a reason as going to the restaurant.

How do you find the spa from the hotel lobby?

Hotel spas are rarely on the lobby floor; they're often one level down or on the top floor. Our Ramada Plaza location in Osmanbey, for example, is on the hotel's top floor, while our Euro Park location is one floor below ground (Floor -1). For our other locations, you can ask which floor the spa is on when you book. If you can't spot a sign in the lobby, the hotel reception will gladly point the way.

To compare options in the city, see our Istanbul spa locations; for Trabzon, Uzungöl and Ordu, see our Black Sea spa locations.

Is the hotel spa free for guests?

It depends on the hotel and on which areas you want to use. As a general picture:

• Heat areas and pool: at some hotels they're included for resident guests, at others there's a separate charge. For outside visitors, day-use or membership terms are set by each hotel.
• Treatments: massages, hammam rituals and facials are usually booked and charged as separate services.
• Packages: combinations of several services (a hammam and massage, for example) are offered as a package of their own.

Beatus doesn't publish prices on its website. Prices and conditions are set out clearly in the message the location sends you when you book, including the name of the treatment, its length and the total cost, so you know exactly what you've chosen before you arrive. For pool access, our pool page lists the numbers to contact at each location.

How do you book?

Beatus has no online booking engine; appointments are made by WhatsApp message or phone call to the location. There's an upside to this: a real person is on the other end, ready to answer your questions.

1. Choose a location. Find the one nearest you, or the one in your hotel, on our locations page; each location's WhatsApp and phone number are on its own page.
2. Put the basics in one message. Date, time window, number of people and the treatment you'd like. If you're unsure, "It's my first visit and I have 90 minutes" is enough; the team will suggest suitable options.
3. Mention your preferences. If you'd prefer a female or male therapist, say so when you book. The International SPA Association (ISPA) also recommends sharing this preference when you make the appointment.
4. Read the confirmation. The location will reply with the treatment, duration, price and conditions. This is also the moment to ask about cancellation and changes.
5. Note your time and plan to arrive early.

You don't need to put health details in a message; you can share them in person with your therapist before the session. For more detail, see our booking page.

What to wear to a hotel spa, and what to bring

Everyday clothes you're comfortable in, and can take off and put on easily, are all you need. There's no special spa outfit; robes and slippers are commonly provided at hotel spas, and at Beatus locations you'll be given a robe, slippers, towels and disposable underwear.

What we suggest bringing:

• Swimwear: if you'll use the pool, sauna or steam room. Some hotels ask for a swim cap in the pool.
• Spare underwear: for after the hammam or an oil massage.
• Hair products and a comb: if you prefer your own.
• A water bottle: many spas offer water, but do make a point of drinking before and after the heat areas.
• ID and your booking details: in case they're needed at the hotel entrance.

We'd suggest leaving jewellery at home or in your room; metal can heat up in the heat areas, and jewellery can get in the way during a massage. Our guides on what to wear for a massage and what to bring to a Turkish bath cover these points in more detail.

How much do you undress for a massage?

According to ISPA's guide for first-time spa-goers, what you wear under your robe is entirely your choice. During a massage you're covered with a sheet or towel, and the therapist uncovers only the area they're working on. Plenty of guests keep disposable underwear on, and that's completely normal. Thai massage is different: it's done without oil, on a floor mat, in loose comfortable clothing, so ask when you book whether the location provides clothes for it.

What's inside? A walk through a hotel spa

Every hotel spa is different, but the areas you meet on a first visit usually follow the same order. This walk-through shows how a visit tends to flow.

Arrival and changing

Give your name at the spa reception. You'll be handed a locker key or wristband, a robe and slippers, and you may be asked to fill in a short form. Then you head to the changing room. At licensed hotel spas in Türkiye, changing areas for women and men are separate. Leave valuables and your phone in the locker.

The hammam

The hammam is the heart of a hotel spa. The göbek taşı, the heated marble platform, is described by the Istanbul Encyclopaedia as the raised marble seat at the very centre of the bathing hall, beneath the dome. You first warm up in the heat of the stone and the air, then you're scrubbed with a kese mitt and washed with foam. Beatus offers three hammam rituals: the Pasha Hammam (40 min), the Scheherazade Hammam (55 min) and, for special occasions, the Sultan Hammam (80 min). You'll find the details on our Turkish bath page.

Sauna and steam room

A sauna uses dry heat; a steam room uses moist heat. Harvard Health suggests staying in a sauna for no more than 15–20 minutes, cooling down gradually afterwards and drinking water, and avoiding alcohol, and medicines that can affect sweating, before and after. If you feel unwell, step out straight away. On a first visit, a short 8–10 minute session is a calm way to see how you respond to the heat.

The pool

Seven of our locations have a pool (Harbiye and Euro Park do not; for Burgu Arjaan, ask the location): in Osmanbey a rooftop pool with an opening roof, in Ordu an indoor pool with sea views. Ask the location about its terms of use when you book.

Massage and treatment rooms

Massage rooms are kept dim, quiet and warm. Your therapist will take you to the room and have a brief chat: your preferred pressure, any areas of discomfort, anywhere you'd rather not be touched. They then leave the room to give you time to get ready. You don't have to talk during the session; ISPA also stresses that you shouldn't feel any pressure to. If the pressure is too firm or too light, the room too cool or the music too loud, just say so. If you're not sure which massage to choose, our guide to types of massage and our massage menu will help.

The relaxation lounge

When your treatment ends, don't rush off. Sitting for a few minutes in the relaxation lounge with a cup of tea or a glass of water is a gentle way to end the visit. Some rituals end here with sherbet or fresh fruit; the Sultan Hammam, for instance, finishes with sherbet, and the Romantic Couples Massage with fresh fruit in the relaxation room.

Spa etiquette: 12 tips for your first visit

Spa etiquette is about protecting your own calm and everyone else's. Most of it is common sense:

1. Be on time, or better still, early. ISPA recommends arriving 30 minutes before your appointment to check in and get ready. If you're only having a massage, 15 minutes may be enough; if you want to use the heat areas, come earlier.
2. Let the spa know if you're running late. Treatments are scheduled back to back, so arriving late may shorten your session.
3. Leave your phone in the locker. ISPA notes that mobile phones and loud conversations don't belong in a spa.
4. Keep your voice low. The relaxation lounge and heat areas are there for quiet.
5. Shower before the heat areas and the pool. For hygiene, and so products work better on your skin.
6. Follow the pool rules. Rules on swim caps, slippers and children may vary by location.
7. Mention any health conditions. If you have an injury, recent surgery, a pregnancy or a long-term condition, tell your therapist at the start of the session.
8. Give comfort feedback. Pressure, heat and music are your call.
9. Take off your jewellery. It's simply more comfortable for heat and massage.
10. Robes and slippers belong to the spa. Leave them where you're shown after use.
11. Ask about children in advance. Check the age rules for massage, the pool and the heat areas with the location before you book.
12. Cancel early if you need to. That way the slot can go to another guest.

On tipping, ISPA suggests asking about the spa's policy when you arrive. In Türkiye there's no established rule; it's entirely up to you.

Sample plans for a first visit

If you know how much time you have, the location can put a plan together for you easily. The examples below use treatment names and durations from the Beatus menu; ask when you book which treatments that location offers.

A 90-minute break: hammam and a short massage

• 15 minutes: welcome, changing, shower.
• 40 minutes: Pasha Hammam (kese scrub, or foam only).
• 30 minutes: Targeted Massage (back, neck or legs).
• A few minutes: tea in the relaxation lounge.

This plan suits an after-work visit or a pause in a day of sightseeing. Moving from the hammam to a massage, while your body is already warm, is a popular order.

Half a day: heat areas, hammam, massage and rest

• 30 minutes: arrival, shower, a short sauna or steam session.
• 55 minutes: Scheherazade Hammam.
• 15 minutes: cool down, water, rest.
• 55 or 90 minutes: Beatus Signature Massage.
• To finish: a long pause in the relaxation lounge.

The menu also has an option that combines this order in one package: the Jet Lag Package (120 min), made up of 40 minutes of hammam, a 40-minute classic massage and a short facial. It's designed for guests arriving at the hotel after a long journey.

For couples

If you're coming together, locations with a couples' room offer the Beatus Couples Massage (55 min), the Romantic Couples Massage (90 min) or the Infinity Duet (120 min), which combines steam, sauna, hammam and a couples' massage. We cover the details in our couples massage guide.

Which plan suits you? A quick comparison

If you have a health condition

A spa is not a health service; it's a place to rest and take time for yourself. Even so, in some situations you should check with your doctor first:

• Pregnancy: care is advised in environments that raise body temperature, such as saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs. A GP practice page within England's National Health Service (NHS) notes that a marked rise in body temperature can be harmful, particularly in the first 12 weeks, and that avoiding these environments may be worth considering because of the risks of overheating, dehydration and fainting. If you're thinking of a massage or hammam, check with your doctor first and mention your pregnancy when you book.
• High blood pressure and heart conditions: Harvard Health advises people with uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease to talk to their doctor before using a sauna. The same caution applies to the steam room and the hot hammam.
• Recent surgery, injury or a skin condition: check with your doctor before your session, and be sure to tell your therapist.
• A long-term condition or regular medication: the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) recommends talking to your healthcare provider if you're unsure whether massage is right for you; it notes that serious side effects, though rare, have been reported, and that extra care is needed for older adults and with vigorous deep tissue massage.
• If you feel unwell: don't use the heat areas when you have a fever or feel run-down; postponing your appointment is the sensible choice.

Research on massage and relaxation is ongoing. A meta-analysis of 37 randomised studies (Moyer et al., Psychological Bulletin, 2004) associated a single massage session with a short-term reduction in feelings of tension. NCCIH, for its part, points out that the evidence in this field is limited and of low quality on many questions. We, too, suggest a spa visit not as a treatment but as a calm pause.

After your session: the rest of the day

• Drink some water and rest for a few minutes; don't stand up suddenly after the heat areas.
• You don't have to shower straight after an oil massage; you may prefer to let the oil stay on your skin for a while.
• Leave a heavy meal for a few hours later.
• If you're driving, wait until you feel fully alert.
• Share your feedback with the location; your pressure and oil preferences may then be remembered on your next visit.