Treatment of the week: Get a Turkish hammam without leaving the country

By Tracey Blake

Anyone who’s holidayed in Turkey will know that a hammam — a large steam room used in the Middle East for communal cleansing and scrubbing of the skin — is a sure-fire way to give your body a boost.

And, thankfully, I didn’t have to board a stressful easyJet flight to indulge myself.

The elegant Bentley Hotel in London’s Chelsea is home to the Le Kalon Spa, with an authentic hammam constructed of grey marble imported from Istanbul.

I have booked it for a full, private skin MoT. I’m going to steam my skin, have an all-over exfoliation, a body mask and, finally, a massage — all in a balmy 38c temperature.

Marble benches flank the walls and deep basins of cold water are on hand. These benches conduct heat and lying on one feels gloriously warming. My pores open up and my skin starts to breathe. My muscles are warmed up and are ready to be pummelled.

Just as I’m getting comfortable, a therapist emerges through the steam and gets to work exfoliating my body using La Sultane De Saba’s black olive soap and a Turkish Delight body scrub.

If I get too warm, I give my therapist the nod and am soaked with bowls of cold water . . . It’s a perfect quick fix.

Once I’m sufficiently clean, there’s a honey-and-rose moisturising mask followed by a 30-minute relaxing massage. Again, I am drenched in cold water if I get too warm.

An hour later, I leave the spa feeling super soft, squeaky clean and totally relaxed. I will return.

The Combination Hammam lasts 60 minutes and costs £115. The Bentley London hotel, thebentley-hotel.com

via Treatment of the week: Get a Turkisk hammam without leaving the country | Mail Online.