You’ve probably heard of or read about hammams, rasuls, rhassouls and serails. You may even know they’re associated with mud and steam. But why should that appeal to anyone?
What’s the mud and what’s the steam room?
First things first - hammams, rasuls (also spelled “rhassoul”) and serails are all kinds of steam room. They are tiled, and generally quite dimly lit, and - at a spa anyway - usually seat up to four people. In a spa, they are usually used for mud treatments - you coat yourself in different kinds of mud, and then go into the serail/rasul to steam in it.What are these mud-steam rooms like?
In UK spa-terms, “hammam”, “rasul”, “rhassoul” and “serail” usually describe a single room, with central water taps, and recessed bench-seats, decorated in blue, silver and gold-tinged tiles in the style of the Turkish Ottaman baths. They are sometimes referred to as “chambers” (serail mud chamber, for example) but don’t be alarmed; they are more like exotic luxurious grottos.
What is a hammam?
A hammam can be either one tiled steam room, or a suite of steam rooms and pools for communal use. In a more traditional Turkish hammam, you will find many different rooms and chambers, each offering different water-based benefits, similar to the Roman baths. There is often a proposed order for using the facilities to gain maximum benefit. Your visit may include a luxurious, and rigorous soap-wash, and a short massage with essential oils. Part of community facilities, a trip to the hammam may well not be viewed as a luxury, and men and women may go relatively often to a hammam to bathe with friends and relatives. A hammam is usually single sex. You can spend the whole day in one of these; it’s a great, inexpensive experience if you’re on holiday in the right place. Hammam-style baths can be found not only in Turkey, but also in Arabic, North African and even Eastern countries such as Korea.
What is the rasul or serail spa treatment?
A rasul or serail is the venue for a traditional Arabian body treatment involving steam and mud. After showering you are slathered in mineral-rich muds of various colours, you sit in a tiled steam room for around 15 minutes. Afterwards you are either douched by a therapist or else shower yourself down in cool water. It sounds a bit odd perhaps, and it is an unusual experience for sure, but it’s also a deeply sensual treatment, and it’s also good fun. When was the last time you were “slathered in mineral-rich muds of various colours”?!In addition some spas offer rasul salts to exfoliate and remove excess mud and some infuse the steam chamber with an infused herb mixture. You only stay in the rasul or serail for a short time before you come out and take a cool shower, usually in another section of the steam room so you’re still in private. This wakes you up and brings down your body temperature.
