Abeer Al Yaseen Beauty Spa

I was invited by Abeer Al Yaseen beauty Spa to review their most luxurious hammam called The Queen of Marrakesh hammam.

The hammam is more commonly known in the West as a Turkish bath as its initial conception dates back to the Ottoman Empire where it served as place for social gathering, ritual cleansing connected to the Islamic faith (which necessitates spiritual and physical cleanliness) and an architectural witness to the sultan’s greatness, power and wealth. However, several Arabic countries have adopted their own variants of it and thus the Moroccan variant differs to that of the Turkish (i.e. the addition of a black soap scrub with a hessa glove).

Upon arrival, I was seated on a comfortable white sofa in a highly sophisticated lounge and offered Moroccan tea. As I had arrived late so I decided to go ahead with my treatment straight away. I was then given two questionnaires to fill which had health related questions. These little details at Spas matter the most.

Then I was escorted upstairs where they had the hammams. My sweet therapist Grace who was from Philippines, showed me a changing room with a bench, and lockers containing fresh dressing robe, sandals,a disposable underwear & also a disposable bra.

Next to the changing room was the hammam. This was a single room tiled with beautiful marble, two large inset basins full of hot water fed by ornate taps and rose petals floating in it, a dousing bowl and small bowls containing black soap, mask plus candles. It looked very royal and set the mood right.

The room was warm but not steamy or suffocating. Since I had informed my therapist that I was claustrophobic, she didn’t leave me alone in the room at any time. She even decided to reduce the intensity of steam and the time from 15 minutes to 7 minutes, as long as I was comfortable. This made me enjoy the whole experience. Otherwise my previous Moroccan bath experiences were quite unpleasant, because I was left alone in a room full of steam, which further triggered my claustrophobia.

In the beginning of the treatment, she washed my body with warm water to remove any creams or lotions. Then she walked me to the marble bench which she covered with a cloth so that I don’t slip. Then she applied a thick black soap on my entire body. The soap was made up of olive seeds and rose water so it was exfoliating. Then she let me relax and filled the room with steam, while she was standing there talking to me from time to time, to make me feel comfortable. She even poured cold water on my head and all over my face to calm me down as I don’t enjoy the steam.

Then she let me relax and filled the room with steam, while she was standing there talking to me from time to time, to make me feel comfortable. She even poured cold water on my head and all over my face to calm me down as I don’t enjoy the steam.

She then scrubbed me nicely with a loofah glove (the amount of dead skin that comes off will surprise you!). Then she walked me to the basin again and doused me using a bowl and warm water from the basin.

Then she applied a clay mask made of mango & peach on my body and left it on for about 5 minutes and repeated the washing process.

Then she gave me a proper bath, shampooed my hair and washed my body with another mango based shower gel. Then she took the bubbles from the bubble bath in a muslin pillow case like cloth and poured all the bubbles on me. It felt very royal yet child-like exciting.

Then she left the hammam so that I could wash myself nicely. I put on a robe and followed her to the room next door with a massage bed and she massaged a Moisturising body lotion on my body for 10 minutes which was very relaxing. Then she served me Morrocan tea and left me to change into my clothes.

Important Pointers

1. Hair Removal(waxing, epilator, or laser hair removal) before Queen of Marrakesh hammam is not advisable. Ironically it is easier to remove dirt off your skin if you have hair so no need to feel embarrassed if you have hair on your body. You can get the hair removal treatment 2 days after the hammam.

2. Don’t go for hammam treatment if you are pregnant.

3. Don’t go for hammam treatment if you are on your monthly cycle.

4. Better to take a shower before you go, so you smell good. But don’t apply body lotion. Your skin should be clean of any creams or lotions for the exfoliant to work.

5. Better not to wear makeup or contact lenses to save time removing them.

6. Wear loose casual clothes because after the hammam, you should let your skin breathe.

7. Don’t wash your body the same day when you reach home. Let the treatment work.

*. Drink a lot of water after hammam to detoxify so that your body gets rid of all the toxins.

On the whole, Queen of Marrakesh hammam is a luxurious Moroccan bath experience that removes all of your dead skin/dirt from your body and leaves your skin visibly clean and velvety soft. I even feel that your complexion looks a tone lighter. I would highly recommend it to all the brides-to-be and all women regardless of their age. At least try it once in your lifetime to feel like a Queen for a day. You won’t regret it.

The Queen of Marrakesh hammam for 75 minutes costs AED 495 and is available at Abeer Al Yaseen Beauty Spa. Also check out their Instagram as they have some very attractive offers going on from time to time.