SPA REVIEWS

Set on the Bosphorus, Çiragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, offers a peak into Ottoman luxury

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Iam enveloped in a mass of soapy bubbles…am I in a dream? But then I remember that I am trying the hammam or traditional Turkish bath at the Çiragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, a former Ottoman Palace turned luxury hotel that boasts lavish suites, outstanding cuisine and an inviting atmosphere. The hammam is a culturally significant tradition and ritual in Turkey. It also served as a meeting place and socialising spot, where marriages were fixed and meetings conducted.

I’m experiencing the exclusive and upmarket ‘Pasha Treatment’. It starts with my feet being washed tenderly by a spa attendant. I am then asked to strip down and wear only a small hand-woven cloth wrap called a pestemal around my waist. I sit in the sauna first to make my skin soft and then am led into the hammam.

The octagonal room is minimalistic with marble slabs on the floor, ornate taps, domed ceiling and decorative windows. I lie face down on a hot towel on the slab as cauldrons of warm water are poured over me. The masseuse scrubs me down with a textured exfoliating goatskin mitt leaving my skin baby soft. Then comes the most enjoyable, sybaritic experience. She waves something that looks like a giant pillowcase over my body covering me with soapy bubbles in several layers. She massages my body with the soapy foam and then washes my hair gently. I feel vulnerable and remember being bathed by my mother as a child. She then pours buckets of warm water over me till I am squeaky clean and baby soft. I have never felt this clean in my life!

The indulgent massage ends with drying me and then I sit on a velvet divan, sipping a cup of hot Turkish tea in a tulip-shaped glass. I could almost levitate – who could imagine that some soapy suds and a pair of hands could create such magic? I marvel at a culture that can elevate the simple act of getting clean to such a decadent and luxurious ritual, an indulgent ritual fit for a queen! As Neslihan Sen of the Ciragan Palace said, “It’s more than just a spa experience – it feels like a cleansing of the soul.”