If you are about to use the pool at a hotel spa in Turkey for the first time, your questions are probably the same as everyone's: do I really have to shower, what happens if I have no swim cap, what can I wear, can children swim? This guide covers the five minutes before you get into the water. We separate what the regulation actually says from the rules each hotel sets for itself, and add the small habits that make the pool pleasant for everyone. You will find our spas with a pool and their conditions of use on our pool page.
What do Turkish pool rules say about guests?
Commercially operated pools in Turkey fall under the Ministry of Health's Regulation on the Health Principles for Swimming Pools (Official Gazette, 6 March 2011; some articles amended on 15 December 2011). Its purpose is to set hygiene requirements for indoor and outdoor pools and their water, and to regulate how water quality is monitored. Thermal spring and mineral water pools used for health purposes fall outside its scope.
The articles that concern guests directly are short:
- Swimwear and showers (Art. 8/1-c): "Users shall enter the swimming pool in swimwear. Facilities shall be arranged so that all users can shower and disinfect their feet before entering the swimming pool."
- Lifeguards (Art. 8/1-a): the operator must employ a responsible manager, a pool water operator and a certified lifeguard.
- Signs (Art. 8/1-d): the rules to follow and possible hazards must be posted on signs that are easy to see and read.
- Heating in winter (Art. 8/1-ğ): an indoor pool, together with its changing areas, must be heated in the winter months.
- Children's pool (Art. 9): a children's pool may be no deeper than 50 centimetres and must be separate from the adult pool.
- Changing rooms and showers (Art. 10): showers, toilets and changing areas are separate for women and men; shower water temperature must be adjustable, and there must be at least one shower for every twenty users.
The pool water page of the Ministry of Health's General Directorate of Public Health states that pool water is inspected monthly by provincial health directorates, and that chlorine, pH and temperature are measured at least three times a day. In short, keeping the water safe is the operator's job; what is asked of you is to get in clean.
Telling the law apart from house rules
Swimwear and showering come from the regulation. Swim caps, pool slippers, opening hours, minimum ages for children and whether non-resident guests can use the pool are the facility's own rules, and they vary from hotel to hotel. So the honest answer to "is a swim cap compulsory?" is "not by law, but yes if the hotel asks for one". The rules are usually posted at the pool entrance; if you cannot see a sign, the lifeguard or reception can tell you.
Before you get in: six steps
This sequence covers the few minutes between the changing room and the edge of the pool.
- Shower. A short shower with soap is enough. Wet your hair too; damp hair makes a swim cap easier to put on.
- Walk through the footbath. If there is a footbath or foot shower between the changing room and the pool, walk through it. The World Health Organization (WHO) says there should always be a barrier between outdoor dirt and the pool.
- Put on your swim cap. Compulsory if the facility requires it; recommended for long hair even if it does not.
- Remove make-up and rich creams. WHO's pool guidelines note that a pre-swim shower also removes cosmetics and suntan oil residue.
- Take off jewellery and your watch. Apart from the risk of losing them, sharp-edged pieces can scratch other swimmers. Leave valuables in your locker.
- Use the toilet. The CDC recommends a toilet break before swimming and every hour while swimming. This matters especially for families with young children.
Why do you have to shower before swimming?
Chlorine (or bromine), which keeps pool water clean, reacts with everything that enters the water. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that when sweat, dirt, oils, deodorant and make-up combine with chlorine they form compounds called chloramines, which can irritate the eyes and airways. In indoor pools these compounds can also pass into the air, because indoor spaces are not ventilated as easily as outdoor pools.
The CDC's advice is simple: a one-minute shower removes most of the dirt and oil on your body, so the chlorine stays available to deal with germs. WHO starts from the same point: where pre-swim showering is common, the water is cleaner, needs less chemical disinfection and is more pleasant to swim in.
The sharp smell and stinging eyes some people notice in indoor pools are linked to the products of these reactions. The minute you spend in the shower is a small favour to everyone else's eyes and nose.
Do you need a swim cap in a hotel pool?
Swim caps are not mentioned in Turkey's pool regulation; the facility sets the rule. Many hotels and gyms make caps compulsory, some ask only guests with long hair, and some do not ask at all. Ask about the rule at the spa you are visiting when you book.
Facilities ask for swim caps for a few reasons:
- Hygiene and filtration: loose hair and hair-product residue end up in the water and the filter system. A cap reduces this.
- Safety: WHO's pool guidelines list wearing a swim cap among the measures that stop hair from being caught in suction outlets at the bottom of the pool.
- Hair care: a cap does not keep chlorinated water off your hair completely, but it reduces contact.
How to put on a swim cap
Silicone caps are the easiest to put on. Put both hands inside the cap and stretch it, pull it on from your forehead towards the nape of your neck, then adjust it around your ears. Tying long hair into a low bun first, wetting your hair and removing hair clips beforehand all make it easier. Fabric (Lycra) caps are more comfortable but protect your hair less; silicone caps are tighter but keep more water out.
What can you use instead of a swim cap?
Where a facility requires a cap, the alternative is usually another cap: Lycra, silicone or a roomier model for long hair. Some facilities sell or hand out disposable caps; ask in advance. Whether a swimwear hood that covers the hair completely (such as the hood of a burkini) is accepted is the facility's decision.
What to wear in a hotel pool: can you swim in underwear?
The regulation is clear: you enter the pool in swimwear. A swimsuit, bikini or swim shorts are designed for swimming and made of fabric suited to pool water. Underwear, everyday shorts, T-shirts or leggings do not count as swimwear; hygiene, and fibres and dye washing into the water, are the reasons for the rule.
Whether modest swimwear such as full-coverage swimsuits, long-sleeved swimsuits and burkinis (known in Turkey as haşema) is accepted depends on the facility. If you plan to wear a burkini or are looking for women-only pool hours, ask the spa when you book.
What to pack:
| What | Why | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Swimsuit, bikini or swim shorts | Swimwear is required in the pool | For a burkini, ask the spa |
| Swim cap | Compulsory where it is a house rule | Recommended for long hair |
| Pool slippers | For walking on wet floors | Ask whether the spa provides them |
| Towel and robe | To stay warm after swimming | Provided at Beatus locations |
| Swimming goggles | Keep water and chloramines out of your eyes | Optional |
| Spare underwear and a bag | For your wet swimwear | For after drying off |
| Shampoo, moisturiser | For your post-swim shower | Travel sizes are enough |
If you are adding the hammam and a massage to the same visit, our article on what to bring to a Turkish bath has a detailed packing list.
Should you put on lotion or sunscreen before swimming?
You do not need sunscreen in an indoor pool, and body lotion and rich creams should be showered off before you get in. WHO's pool guidelines specifically mention that a pre-swim shower removes cosmetic and suntan oil residue.
At an outdoor pool, sun protection is a decision about your own skin. Applying it well before you get into the water and rinsing off the excess at the poolside shower is better for you and for the water. If the facility has a rule on this, you will find it on the sign or can ask the lifeguard.
Can you swim right after eating?
Most of us grew up hearing "wait half an hour after eating". A review published in 2011 by the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council found no evidence that swimming after a meal increases the risk of drowning, and treated the warning as a myth.
That does not mean jumping in straight after a heavy meal is the most comfortable choice. Swimming on a full stomach is uncomfortable for some people. The practical rule is simple: after a heavy meal, wait until you feel comfortable; after a light snack, there is no need to wait. Alcohol is a separate matter: WHO lists restricting alcohol among the measures that help prevent drowning in pools and similar environments.
Pool etiquette: the unwritten rules
At a hotel spa, the pool is often used more for resting than for swimming laps, so it has a different rhythm from a busy public pool.
- Quiet: keep your voice low; think of a spa pool as a library reading room.
- Lanes and direction: in a pool with lanes, choose the one that matches your pace and follow its direction; if the direction is not posted, ask the lifeguard. Without lanes, avoid cutting across people resting by the wall.
- Phones and photos: filming or photographing other people in the pool area is an invasion of their privacy. Leaving your phone in the locker is both the most respectful and the most restful choice.
- No glass: do not bring glasses or bottles to the poolside; broken glass is hard to see on a wet floor.
- Jumping and diving: the regulation bans all diving where the water is not deep enough for it (Art. 11). Most hotel pools are not designed for diving.
- Loungers: take only the space you are using rather than reserving a lounger with your towel for hours.
- The rules are on the sign: the regulation makes a rules sign compulsory. Reading it once at a new pool answers most of your questions.
Can children use a hotel pool?
Which hours children can use a hotel pool, and from what age, is the hotel's decision. Pools inside the spa area are often adults-only or accept children only at certain hours. Ask the spa you are visiting before you book.
A few fixed points are worth knowing:
- The massage rule: Turkey's licensing regulation for massage salons prohibits massage services for under-18s. This rule applies to massage; the pool rule varies by location.
- Children's pools are separate: the regulation requires a children's pool to be separate from the adult pool and no deeper than 50 centimetres.
- Supervision: the CDC asks that children are watched at all times in the water, as children can drown quickly and silently. A lifeguard on duty does not replace a parent's supervision.
- Toilet breaks: take young children to the toilet every hour; use swim nappies for children in nappies and change them well away from the pool.
Practical notes for eyes, ears and skin in an indoor pool
Red or stinging eyes after an indoor pool are common. The CDC attributes this not to chlorine itself but to chloramines, formed when chlorine combines with sweat, urine and cosmetics. Two things are in your hands: shower before you get in, and wear swimming goggles. If you notice a strong chemical smell or visible dirt in the pool, report it to staff, as the CDC recommends.
For ears, the CDC's advice is short: dry your ears well after swimming. Whether to use earplugs is a personal choice. For skin, a lukewarm shower after the pool and your usual moisturiser are enough.
If you have an open wound, the CDC recommends covering it with a waterproof dressing or staying out of the pool until it heals. Do not swim if you have diarrhoea. If an ear, eye or skin complaint continues after swimming, do not try to interpret it yourself; see a doctor.
Can you swim on your period?
Swimming on your period is a personal decision. Doctor-reviewed content from Nemours KidsHealth notes that many people find tampons more practical than pads, especially for sport and swimming; a menstrual cup is another option. Inserting a tampon or cup before getting into the water and changing it after the pool is a practical habit. If you have period pain or any other concern, talk to your doctor.
After the pool: shower, sauna and hammam in order
A short shower after you leave the pool rinses chlorinated water off your skin and hair. If your spa day continues, the usual order is pool, shower, then the heat areas. We explain the differences between the sauna, steam room and hammam, and the order to use them in, in sauna vs steam room vs hammam.
If a massage is part of your plan, our guide to what to wear for a massage covers that side of the visit. To see a whole spa visit step by step, from the door to the relaxation room, start with our guide to visiting a hotel spa for the first time. If you will use the gym on the same day, our fitness page lists what our locations offer.
Is the indoor pool open in winter?
The regulation requires indoor pools, with their changing areas, to be heated in the winter months, so an indoor pool is designed to be used whatever the season. Maintenance days, the annual clean (under the regulation, pool water is emptied at least once a year) and the hotel's own calendar can still mean closures. If you are planning a winter visit, ask the spa whether the pool is open and what the hours are.
Pools at Beatus locations
Seven of our locations have a pool. On the Black Sea coast:
- Ordu: our spa at the Radisson Blu Hotel Ordu has an indoor pool with a sea view.
- Trabzon: our Radisson Blu Trabzon spa has outdoor and indoor swimming pools, a sauna and a hammam.
- Uzungöl: our Flora Uzungöl spa at the Flora Uzungöl Resort Hotel has an indoor swimming pool. This location is seasonal; our other locations are open all year.
All three are on the page for our spas on the Black Sea coast. In Istanbul, Ramada Plaza in Osmanbey has a pool under an opening roof, and Wanda Vista and The G Hotels in Bağcılar have outdoor and indoor pools; Wellwood Sapanca has an outdoor pool. For conditions of use, choose a location on the page for our spas in Istanbul and ask the spa directly.
The questions to ask are the same everywhere: Is the pool open today? Is a swim cap required? Are burkinis accepted? Can guests who are not staying at the hotel use the pool, and on what terms? At what hours are children welcome? Add these to your booking message, and when you arrive, all that is left is the swim.
