Turkish Steam Room (Hamam)
Turkish Steam Room (Hamam) Open
The new Turkish steam bath is available for use in the Bath House facility during opening hours from 7:30am to 10pm daily.
Educational workshops are now available with our trained spa therapists who can teach you the procedures and techniques to make the most of this very special practice. We recommend bringing a friend. For bookings send enquiries to groups@peninsulahotsprings.com or call 03 5950 8712 Costs: For a group of min 4 and max 12 people the cost is $100 per person ($75 if on a package that includes Bath House bathing) including entry to the Bath House bathing area, a robe, towel and locker as well as a gift of a peshemal wrap, a mitt and a water bottle. The one hour workshops will be available twice daily at 10am and 4pm. During the one hour workshop the Hamam will not be open for general use.
Download a PDF of the Hamam Workshop flyer.
One of the intentions of Peninsula Hot Springs has been to combine the best of global hot spring and spa cultures with the unique natural environment of our region on the Mornington Peninsula. The Turkish bath is a symbol of the East and a very long and rich culture of bathing of the Romans, Ottomans, Persians and Arabs. Turkey and particularly Istanbul, with feet in both the West (Europe) and the East, is a symbol of crossing over a cultural divide. The Turkish bath provides a spa and bathing experience that wraps relaxation, peace and harmony up within a cultural journey.
Peninsula Hot Springs' research into the hamam bathing experience included trips to Turkey in 1984, Yemen and Egypt in 1998 and Turkey again in 2010. These trips provided valuable knowledge and understanding of the ways of the bath which has helped weave this experience into the broader global cultural hot springs and spa bathing offerings available at Peninsula Hot Springs.
The hamam or Turkish steam bath at Peninsula Hot Springs offers the warmth, atmosphere and cultural experience of the traditional Turkish experience with some specialised local touches.
The procedure of the Turkish bath is one that follows established sequences. Firstly it is important to heat the body, then to cleanse with vigorous scrubbing, followed by massage and manipulation of the muscles, a soap lathering, cleansing and rinsing. Download an A4 document outlining "How to use the Turkish Steam Bath (Hamam)"
The Peninsula Hot Springs hamam is an underground domed room located in the side of a hill in the centre of the bathing area. Surrounding it are a variety of bathing options that can help warm the body in preparation for the hamam. A sauna, many hot springs pools, a steamy cave pool and the massaging thermal showers all provide a means of raising the body temperature. The hamam itself is also a hot room that further encourages sweating. Elevation of the body temperature begins the process of removing toxins and opens up the pores in readiness for cleansing.
In addition to the central heated octagonal marble block, which was traditionally the primary source of heating the room, steam vents fill the room with steam. This secondary source of heating and added steam generation increases the ability of the hot springs hamam to detoxify and further aids in the cleansing process.
The hamam method of heating, physical scrubbing with a loofah or mit, and relaxing is a thorough and active way to receive a spa treatment. It is as much about the cleansing of the physical body as the relaxation of the mind and muscles. This combination of cleaning, relaxing and massaging makes this one of the ultimate spa treatments.
There are several options for the treatment, starting with the choice of a self (or friend) administered scrubbing; a simple cleansing scrubbing treatment by a hamam assistant; or a scrub followed by a massage. The scrub and massage can be performed either lying down on the centre stone or sitting up on the marble benches that surround the inside of the room. The focus of the treatment is not to inflict pain, which is often associated with the traditional Turkish bath, but to offer relaxation, cleansing, detoxification and enjoyment.
The Peninsula Hot Springs hamam, like several in Turkey, is a mixed gender environment where bathers are required to be worn under the traditional wrap.
Following tradition, the hot springs hamam is usually not a private room for a particular client or clients. Rather, it is a public space shared with other patrons. The scrub and massage happens in the room where others may be receiving the same experience. It is very much a ‘social spa-ing’ experience. The sound of the running water and the occasional banter of conversation adds to the atmosphere and sense of the cleansing of body and spirit.
In conversation some people have described the process as a "body facial”.
What to bring to a hamam*:
- soap
- scrub glove or mitt (kese)
- bathing wrap (peshemal)
- water container for rinsing (tas)
- swimsuit & towel
*Everything except for the swimsuit is provided when a therapist-assisted treatment is booked.
A research trip to Turkey in May 2010 included a visit to the town of Bursa and a Turkish bathing experience. A rare video of the inside of the men's bath at the the Eski Kaplica hamam shows various traditional scrubbing and massaging techniques and can be seen on You Tube by searching Global Spa or going directly to Eski Kaplica Turkish Bath
Other cultural influences and experiences from the globe available at Peninsula Hot Springs include Swedish saunas, Russian cold plunge pools, a Japanese cave pool and reflexology walk, USA watsu pool, Nepalese massaging thermal shower, and Li’Tya massage and spa treatments using Aboriginal massage and healing techniques.
The Hamam at Peninsula Hot Springs will primarily be available for public use inclusive with entry to the Hot Springs Bath House facility. On occasion it will also be used for private treatments.
A one minute video showing the creation of the Hamam ending with some girls enjoying a treatment can be seen on You Tube. This one minute video takes you through the building process. Click here: Hamam creation
The video below shows a sneak preview of treatments in the Hamam at Peninsula Hot Springs.
