Different Kind of Turkish Delight ~ Gaia Spa, Istanbul
Located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Istanbul is a fascinating city to explore. It reflects a cheerful collision of history, different cultures and boasts a myriad of exciting sights to experience.
No visit to Turkey is complete without experiencing a traditional Turkish bath known as a ‘hamam’ - a combination of social gathering and cleansing ritual that has existed in this culture for centuries.
After several days wandering through the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia and the famous Grand Bazaar, I was eager to indulge myself at The Grand Hyatt Istanbul’s spa where I had reserved a traditional Turkish hamam treatment followed by their signature Gaia massage.
Greeted by friendly staff, I am escorted to the locker room and invited to use the steam and sauna while I await my therapist. Lockers are stocked with a soft terrycloth robe, slippers, towel and disposable underwear for those who don’t wish to bare all. After slipping into my robe and lounging for a few moments in the heat of the sauna and steam rooms, my swimsuit-clad therapist arrives with a ‘pestemal’ – a traditional cotton cloth (much like a pareo) for me to wrap myself. She recommends I spend a few moments in the steam room before leading me into the hamam.
Walking through that door was like entering a different world. Natural light shines in from above and every surface is sheathed in shimmering white marble with ribbons of grey flowing through. Beautiful wash basins and elegant pillars adorn the carved niches along the walls. The focal point of the steamy room is the monolithic marble slab in the centre, known as the Navel Stone.
I’m presented with a gorgeous fruit platter, bursting with sliced nectarine, apple, orange, fig and strawberries. I nibble briefly before I’m ready to embark on my hamam journey.
Using a copper bowl, the therapist gently rinses me as I sit perched on the Navel Stone. Lying naked on it a few moments later, I feel the warmth of the heated marble relaxing me as the ritual began.
The therapist begins by scrubbing my body with a crepe ‘kese’, a cloth made of 100% silk which is quite soft but becomes slightly rough after getting wet, making it ideal to gently slough the skin. While initially it feels odd being bathed by a stranger, her rhythmic movements, the soothing scent of the locally made rose-scented soap and the heat from the stone beneath lulls me into a relaxed state. The soap feels soft on my skin as it’s gently massaged on, then I’m buffed with the kese and rinsed off.
I love the warmth that envelopes the room, yet I can’t resist when the therapist inquires if I would like to finish with an ice massage. Ice chips are rubbed all over my body and as I lay on my stomach, some ice is left tucked into the curl of my toes. It’s oddly soothing, yet simultaneously invigorating.
I feel like a child as the therapist takes my hand and leads me to a wash basin along the wall where she pours water over my head and body, rinsing off any remaining soap.
Exiting the hamam, I recline on the lounger and feast on my fruit platter that has magically reappeared at my side. I finally drag myself away to the relaxation area where I curl up in a lounge chair and watch the light above slowly morph through the colour spectrum – green, teal, blue, purple, magenta, orange, yellow. Each change softly shifts the soothing ambiance of the room.
The Gaia Massage is the perfect finish to my spa visit. The room is well-appointed and the scent of rosemary, orange and lemongrass wafts in the air. The treatment combines Swedish, deep tissue massage and lymphatic drainage. In tandem with the hamam, it’s a perfect antidote for jet lag. In fact the combination is offered on the spa menu as “Jetlag Recovery” which promises to relax, replenish and energize. A cup of the spa’s signature tea of cinnamon, ginger and local herbs is the final touch, helping balance blood pressure and boost the immune system.
Located in the popular Taksim area, the Grand Hyatt & Gaia Spa provides the ideal spot to experience the Turkish bath tradition, particularly for first-timers. I was the only guest in the hamam during my visit, which set me at ease as a solo traveler. I later discovered this is by design; the hamam here is private for each guest. If you wish, couples and friends can book together, or groups of friends and family can reserve the space to enjoy traditional music, food and beverages - and generally be treated like sultans!
Gaia Spa, Grand Hyatt Istanbul
~ Wanda Love, Spas of America
