I had the idea that hammam spas in Morocco were overrated tourist attractions. I was so wrong. My Heritage Hammam Spa in Marrakech was one of my best experiences ever. I would certainly say you should put it on your itinerary when visiting Morocco. But how does it compare to the authentic, local hammam experience? On my first trip to Marrakech, I visited Hammam Mouassine, the oldest hammam in Marrakech and a truly authentic activity.
I learned how hammams were the bathhouses of Morocco, where locals and travelers could wash regularly or irregularly β usually times a week. In Morocco, there are two types of hammams β those for locals and those for tourists. As such, I avoided the touristy hammam spa on my first visit to Morocco. This time, I brought Vanesa to one, and I can say with absolute conviction that they are anything but overrated. Your traditional hammam normally has three rooms β cold, warm, and hot.
Bathers would strip to their bathing suits or underclothes in a preparation area. Some bathers could start in the cold room, and work their way up to the warm and hot rooms. The more traditional way is to start in the hot room, where they exfoliate with a black soap made with argon and olive oils. They then move to the warm room to properly wash, before moving back to the hot room to relax in the steam.
Whichever room the bathers start in, each room contains barrels or sinks of hot and cold water. Visitors could wash solo or, more commonly, pair up and wash each other. The bathing normally includes a deep, vigorous scrub using sponges. Hammams were usually communal areas, where locals would also share gossip. Some hammams could provide someone to wash you for a small fee, but that might be more of a tourist twist in the authentic hammams, such as at Hammam Mouassine. While not always part of the traditional hammams, tourist hammam spas often include a massage at the end of the experience.
For my first hammam spa experience in Marrakech, I did a ton of research to find the best in town. I also avoided the ones in the center of the medina for the same reason, even though Hammam Spa El Byadin looked really nice. Instead, I found the Heritage Spa, just outside of the main medina.
