How to choose the right hammam in Marrakech

The Moroccan hammam, a tradition unlike any other

Unlike Turkish baths, the Moroccan hammam uses dry heat that rises from the floor and walls rather than steam. It involves scrubs, massages and wraps using natural products. There are two main types: the traditional neighbourhood hammam, where men and women are separated and the experience is above all social and local, and the modern hammam or spa, often mixed-gender, which offers a more intimate and private introduction to oriental treatments.

The black soap ritual, simply explained

You can't talk about the hammam without talking about black soap. It's an entirely natural product, made from olive residue and often scented with eucalyptus in Morocco — it's THE essential ingredient of the ritual. It's applied to damp skin, left to absorb for a few minutes, then vigorously rubbed off with an exfoliating mitt to remove dead skin cells. It's this gesture, more than the heat itself, that leaves your skin feeling so incredibly soft when you step out.

Traditional hammam or palace spa: how to choose

• The neighbourhood hammam, more popular and affordable, offers an authentic, social experience — it's the hammam the way the Marrakchis experience it.
• The modern or palace spa offers more privacy, comfort and often a more luxurious setting, with a full massage and ritual in a private cocoon.

For a moment of pure relaxation or a hen party group, I generally recommend the modern spa, which is more comfortable for a group. For a more authentic cultural immersion, the traditional hammam remains unmatched.

My two tried-and-tested addresses in Marrakech

My address for a quality traditional hammam experience: Hammam & Massage à Guéliz.

And for a touch of luxury inside a 17th-century riad, my address when I really want to treat my travellers: Le Spa La Sultana.

What a session looks like

Allow generally one to two hours: a black soap scrub, rinsing, then a complementary treatment depending on the package you choose — a ghassoul clay mask, a relaxing or invigorating argan oil massage. You come out with incredibly soft skin, and often completely unwound.