How is a hotel spa hammam different from a traditional bathhouse?
The first question when you prepare for a hammam is where you are going. In Turkey two kinds of hammam experience sit side by side, and the packing list is slightly different for each.
The traditional neighbourhood hammam is a standalone building that has been part of city life for centuries. According to the Türkiye Tourism Encyclopedia, Ottoman neighbourhoods often planned the hammam together with the mosque and the mansion, and the building had four main parts: the changing hall (camekân), the warm room (ılıklık), the hot room (sıcaklık or hararet) and the furnace room (külhan) where the heat came from. In "double" hammams such as the Bayezid II Hammam in Istanbul, there are two identical sections for women and men, with entrances on different streets. At these historic bathhouses you can often walk in at any time of day, and some items are sold or rented on site.
A hammam in a hotel spa is a smaller, quieter interpretation of the same tradition, by appointment. The navel stone (göbek taşı), the marble basins and the marble itself are still there; the difference is that the experience is planned as a session. You arrive at a set time, an attendant is assigned to you, and the ritual lasts as long as the menu says. The changing room, lockers, showers and relaxation area are all inside the spa, so your bag is usually lighter.
Every Beatus Spa location is inside a hotel, and each one has a Turkish bath. To see which location suits you, take a look at our spas in Istanbul and our spas on the Black Sea coast. The rituals and their lengths are on our Turkish bath page.
| Traditional bathhouse | Hotel spa hammam | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Often walk-in, throughout the day | By appointment, at a set time |
| Length | Open-ended; stay as long as you like | The session length on the menu |
| Women and men | Separate sections or separate hours | Varies by location; ask when you book |
| Supplies | Some are sold or rented | Basics are usually provided (ask the spa) |
| Atmosphere | Busy and social | Fewer people, quieter |
What should you pack for a hammam?
The point of preparing is to be able to relax inside without thinking about anything. The list falls into three parts.
What the spa usually provides
Hotel spas generally have a peshtemal, towels, slippers, a kese mitt and soap ready for you. Some also provide disposable underwear. Every spa does things a little differently; at Beatus locations a robe, slippers, towels and disposable underwear are provided, so you can leave your swimsuit at home if you prefer. If you would like to use your own kese, mention it when you book.
What to bring yourself
- A spare set of underwear or a swimsuit. Whatever you wear in the hammam will get wet, and a dry set to change into is half of feeling good on the way out. If you come in a swimsuit, bring dry underwear for afterwards too.
- A hair tie, headband or shower cap. If long hair is tied up during the kese scrub, your attendant can work more easily and you will be more comfortable.
- A comb and a small wash bag. If you plan to have your hair washed, your own shampoo and conditioner. If your skin is sensitive, the soap or moisturiser you are used to.
- Loose, comfortable clothes. Your body stays warm for a while after the hammam, so something soft and roomy is more comfortable than tight jeans or a fitted shirt.
- A layer for the season. In winter especially, a scarf or hat helps you avoid stepping into cold air with wet hair and a warm body.
- A water bottle. Even if the spa offers water and tea, it is good to have one with you on the way.
What to leave behind
- Jewellery and watches. Heat and humidity can warm metal, and chains can catch during the scrub. It is best to leave them at home; if you cannot, lock them in your locker.
- Contact lenses. Steam and soapy water can irritate your eyes. If you wear glasses, expect them to mist up.
- Make-up. Your face is washed during the ritual too, so removing make-up beforehand makes things easier for you and your attendant.
- Your phone and camera. A hammam is not a place for photos; your phone stays in the locker to protect other guests' privacy.
- Valuables. Spa lockers lock, but not carrying much cash or anything precious is the easiest solution.
What do you wear in a Turkish bath?
This is what first-time guests worry about most. The short answer: you are not expected to be fully naked. The peshtemal is the true garment of Turkish bath culture. The Bayezid II Turkish Bath Culture Museum in Istanbul displays silk peshtemals, cotton bath towels and wooden clogs, so the peshtemal handed to you at the spa today continues a piece of clothing used for centuries.
What do women wear in a hammam?
The most common choice for women is a peshtemal over bikini bottoms or a swimsuit. Some guests prefer just disposable underwear; others feel more at ease in a one-piece. All of these are perfectly normal; the right choice is whichever makes you comfortable.
The peshtemal can be wrapped at chest height and tucked in at the side, or tied at the waist. During the scrub and foam, your attendant adjusts the peshtemal, with your agreement, depending on the area being washed; if you feel uncomfortable at any moment, simply say so. A bun or a plait makes things easier.
If a women-only area or a female attendant matters to you, mention it when you book.
What do men wear in a hammam?
For men, the usual arrangement is a peshtemal over swim shorts or underwear. The peshtemal is tied at the waist and stays there for the whole session. Shorts-style swimwear is more comfortable than brief trunks, both when you lie on the navel stone and during the scrub. In the men's area, too, your attendant is the same sex as you.
What do you wear on your feet?
Marble floors can be slippery when wet and soapy. Traditional hammams used wooden clogs called nalın for this; the ones on display in the museum are a reminder of that custom. Today spas usually provide non-slip slippers. If you bring your own, make sure the soles are non-slip. You may be asked to leave your slippers at the door of the hot room; take your time climbing on and off the navel stone.
Step by step: what happens inside a hammam?
We cover the cultural background of the ritual in detail in our Turkish bath and hammam guide. Here we simply outline how a session flows and what you need to know to prepare.
- Welcome and changing. When you arrive, you are shown your locker, peshtemal and slippers. You change and leave your jewellery in the locker.
- Shower and warm-up. After a quick shower, you move into the hot room and lie down on the navel stone. As GoTürkiye describes it, this stage is simply resting and sweating on the heated marble. How long the warm-up lasts depends on the ritual and the location.
- Kese. Your attendant scrubs your whole body with the kese, a coarse-textured mitt. It is normal to see thin grey rolls on your skin afterwards; this is dead skin and dirt from the surface. The pressure can be adjusted; if you want it lighter, just say so.
- Foam. A generous cloud of soap foam is spread over your body and you are washed with light movements. In the Pasha Hammam you can skip the kese and choose foam only if you prefer.
- Rinsing. You are rinsed with warm and cool water from a hammam bowl. If you are having your hair washed, it happens at this point.
- Rest. You wrap yourself in a dry towel or peshtemal and move to the relaxation area. A glass of tea or water, or sherbet as in the Sultan Hammam, closes the ritual.
The rituals at Beatus follow this flow in different depths:
| Ritual | Length | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Pasha Hammam | 40 min | 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 | A scrub with grape seed or coffee bean, brown sugar or honey crystals; foam, oil massage and sherbet |
If it is your first time, the Pasha Hammam is a good place to start; for a special day, the Sultan Hammam is a longer, more ceremonial experience.
How long does a hammam take, and how early should you arrive?
At Beatus, the hammam rituals last 40, 55 or 80 minutes, depending on the menu. That is the ritual itself; you need extra time for changing, showering and resting. A practical timeline might look like this:
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| 15–20 min before your appointment | Arrive at the spa, welcome, locker, change |
| Appointment time | Shower and move into the hot room |
| Ritual (40 / 55 / 80 min) | Warm-up, kese, foam, rinse |
| 20–30 min after the ritual | Rest, water or tea, dry your hair, dress |
In other words, setting aside about an hour and a half for the Pasha Hammam, and a little over two hours for the Sultan Hammam, means you will not feel rushed. Bookings are made by calling the spa or messaging it on WhatsApp; all our locations are open daily from 09:00 to 22:00.
If you are thinking of combining the hammam with a massage, plan the order from the start. On the Beatus menu, the Jet Lag Package brings together 40 minutes of hammam and 40 minutes of classic massage, while the Infinity Duet combines steam and sauna, kese and foam in the hammam, and then a massage in the couples' room. You can see the options on our massage page.
Should you eat before a hammam?
Stepping into a hot room straight after a heavy meal is uncomfortable for most people. A light meal an hour or two before the ritual is the easiest way to arrive neither hungry nor full. There is no need to bring food to a hotel spa; you can ask the spa whether water and tea are offered in the relaxation area. If you have been drinking alcohol, save the hammam for another day: Harvard Health advises avoiding alcohol before and after time in hot rooms such as the sauna.
Hammam etiquette: 10 simple rules
A hammam is a shared space of quiet. These rules protect your experience and everyone else's.
- Keep your voice low. The dome amplifies sound; even a whisper travels.
- No photos or videos. Your phone stays in the locker; other guests' privacy comes first.
- Keep your peshtemal on. It stays on for the whole session; your attendant will tell you if it needs adjusting.
- Say what you prefer about heat and pressure. "A little lighter, please" or "could the water be a bit cooler?" is part of the ritual. Your attendant works to your comfort.
- Drink water. You sweat in the heat; drinking water before and after the session is a good habit.
- Do not push yourself. If you feel dizzy, nauseous or uneasy, say so straight away and move somewhere cooler.
- Take your time on wet floors. Soapy, wet marble is slippery; move slowly getting on and off the navel stone and between rooms.
- Be on time. In an appointment-based session, arriving late shortens your time and affects the next guest.
- Share the navel stone. Leave room for the guest beside you and do not spread your things across the stone.
- Mention personal preferences in advance. Requests such as a female attendant, a separate area, unscented soap or a ritual without the kese are easiest to arrange when you book.
What is the person who gives the kese scrub called?
In traditional hammam language, the woman who washes and scrubs guests in the women's section is called a natır, and the man who does the same work in the men's section is a tellak. The hammam culture page of Cağaloğlu Hamamı, one of Istanbul's historic bathhouses, notes that old hammams also had other roles, such as the furnace keeper, the peshtemal keeper and the coffee maker: the hammam was the work of a whole team, not one person. In hotel spas today, the role is also commonly described simply as the "hammam attendant".
Who should check with a doctor before a hammam?
A hammam is a hot, humid space. Harvard Health advises people with uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease to talk to their doctor before using hot rooms such as the sauna; the same article recommends leaving the hot room if you feel unwell and not going in at all when you are ill. These general cautions apply to the hot room of a hammam too.
If any of the following applies to you, speak to your doctor before your appointment and let the spa know as well:
- Pregnancy.
- High or low blood pressure, or heart and circulation conditions.
- Regular medication (some medicines can affect sweating and blood pressure in the heat).
- A new tattoo, recent surgery, an open wound or irritated skin.
- Sensitive skin, eczema or another skin condition for which the kese may not be suitable.
- A fever or feeling unwell.
This list is not a diagnosis; it is simply a reminder of when it is sensible to ask first.
Can you go to a hammam on your period?
This is entirely a personal choice. Some guests prefer to postpone the hammam during their period; others come wearing a tampon or menstrual cup with a swimsuit and peshtemal. You know best what will feel comfortable; if you are unsure, ask the spa when you plan your appointment.
What should you do after a hammam?
When the ritual ends, do not rush. Sitting in the relaxation area for a while with water or tea gives your body time to return to its usual temperature. Dry your hair thoroughly, and avoid going out with wet hair, especially in winter. Your skin may feel sensitive after the kese, so it is a good idea not to plan waxing, sunbathing or a strong exfoliating treatment on the same day. This is a good moment for the moisturiser you brought with you.
If you would like to end the day with a short massage, order matters: hammam first, then massage, which is also the flow followed in the Beatus package rituals. If you plan to use the sauna and steam room as well, we explain the differences and sensible time limits in sauna vs steam room vs hammam. If hotel spas are new to you altogether, our first-time hotel spa guide will help too.
Should you tip at a hammam?
Visitor guides written for historic bathhouses, such as Walks in Istanbul, say that leaving a tip for your attendant is common. In hotel spas, the practice varies from place to place. For clear information on tipping at Beatus locations, we suggest asking the spa directly.
Can couples go to a hammam together?
In traditional bathhouses, the women's and men's sections are separate. Hotel spas may offer rituals designed for couples. On the Beatus menu, the Infinity Duet is a 120-minute ritual that combines steam and sauna, kese and foam in the hammam, and a massage in the couples' room. A couples' room is currently listed for our Euro Park and Radisson Blu Trabzon locations; you will find the options for two in our couples massage guide. When you book, ask whether the hammam itself is open to couples together.
