Moroccan hammams are part of many Moroccans’ daily life. Similar to a Turkish bath, a public hammam is a steam room where people go to clean themselves. This is usually a weekly ritual, and people in villages and towns consider it a social activity, with men, women, and children all participating. Bathhouses separate baths by gender, and many people spend hours here chatting with friends. While in Islamic culture, women typically cover themselves from head to toe in public, they are fully naked at hammams.
Marrakech Spa & Hammam, Morocco
A Moroccan hamam is pretty much a traditional public bath. Historically before internal plumbing was made available in the country, Moroccans used to bath in the Hamams. Today Hamams in Morocco are more a place to interact socially with friends. Hamams in Marrakech tend to have three rooms: one cool, one hot and one very hot. The idea is to start with the hot room first and then start going to the cooler rooms. Marrakech hamams are mainly in the Medina although many hotels in Marrakech have luxurious style hamams or Spas. Spas in Marrakech offer massages, traditional Berber massages and scrubs. Moroccan Hammam and SPA
Upon entering the hammam spa you’ll get a bucket, a mat to lie on, some black soap, and exfoliating gloves (or you can hire someone to exfoliate you) and you essentially clean and exfoliate yourself in large steam rooms among everyone else, using your bucket and water from a tap. Moroccan Hammam and SPA
A Moroccan hammam spa at a hotel would be much different. Treatments vary by hotel, but the general process is that you first soak in a pool or sit in a steam room, then you’re rinsed, exfoliated, and massaged. Here are all the dirty details of my experience.
What to Bring to a Moroccan Hammam and Spa ?
Depending on what kind of spa you’re going to, bring a change of underwear and clothes, hairbrush, toiletries, makeup, and flip flops. Each spa is different, but it’s better to be over-prepared than under. Moroccan Hammam and SPA
If you’re uncomfortable going totally naked, bring a bathing suit. Some hotel spas will provide paper underwear. Ask when you’re making your reservation what is provided so you can decide beforehand what you’re most comfortable with.