Hamman - the Essential Spa & Body Treatments in Marakesh

If you're in Marakesh, never miss a hamman or Turkish bath experience-- the traditional bathing and cleansing ritual rooted in Islamic cleansing ablutions. Thanks to this, in Morocco the experience of a massage or facial treatment is elevated to an immaculate full-body bliss, which I absolutely cannot get enough of!

As per our commitment to pamper ourselves, we went all in spoiling ourselves in the famed hammans of Marakesh. 😋

Already on the first day after getting lost in the Medina, we went hunting for Spa Isis (what an unfortunate name, but as per my friend's recommendation for an affordable treat.)

Isis Spa

Located in the heart of the medina, down a hidden winding little street that could be tricky to find, like so many pleasant surprises behind the little doors on the Medina, it's a place to relax and unwind. The menu of body treatments is extensive. But for a truly relaxing experience, we book the typical Couple package of a 45' hamman & body scrub followed by a one-hour massage, for the total of 840dh or ~€80 for two. Indeed affordable, not a plain public bathhouse but still in no way a luxurious spa location. The hamman experience was only ok, at times awkward since we're essentially have a young Moroccan woman scrubbing us like babies. I felt exposed, and at time humiliating on behalf of her. But boy, the massage was good, and a welcome rolling-back-the-eyes after the bewichting but noisy & dusty medina!

And since there's nothing better to indulge in than sweating away the troubles and getting the srubbing of a lifetime, we came back for more on the last day of our trip! This time in the legendary Les Bains de Marrakech!

📸 : We tumbled across Les Bains des Marrakesh...

Recommended by roughguides as one of FIVE OF THE BEST SPA HAMMAMS IN MARRAKESH, we actually just tumbled across this gorgeous spa while wandering around in the Kasbah quarter (my favourite in Marakesh).

It is one of the city's first private hammams and still one of the best. They even make their own beauty products for use in the spa.

Still, as per recommendations by roughguides, "by all means go local if you fancy it (the Hammam es Salam near the Menara gardens is recommended), but be warned that some of them are a bit rough and ready."

And the remaining 4 luxury hammams on roughguides' list:

Heritage Spa: very luxurious, with a bewildering range of treatments including three hammam variations and six types of massage. Also specialises in face care.

Spa MK: a highly regarded private hammam in one of Marrakesh’s most exclusive boutique riads. The "Evening Pampering Package" includes hammam, massage and a five-course tasting menu at Gastro MK.

Les Deux Tours: treatments at this Palmeraie hotel include deep tissue and Ayurvedic massage, plus time before and after in the pool.

Hammam de la Rose: a stylish spa hidden away in the medina, offering a "four hand" massage, in case your stress knots are too much for one masseur alone.

After the totally over-the-top pampering, we already say to ourselves that we would be coming back to Marrakesh for weekends as a spa trip. And we can't wait! xoxo