Truly relaxing experience. Clean, friendly, comfortable environment. Can't say enough goodread more

I had already written a similar review on my blog but when I had noticed that this place had close…read moreto no reviews on here I felt that it deserved one. The Hamam is the oldest in the city, being built in 1475 by the Ottoman architect Gedik Ahmet Pasha. When we entered we saw several stories of cubicles where one can change. The actual baths are divided into two parts: the men's section and the women's section. Before entering, we were given a Pestemal, which is a is a large cotton towel that is fringed at both ends and is meant to be wrapped around the torso when you are in between steams. Once we undressed, we made our way into the main bath; it has a large domed ceiling (the largest out of all the Hamams in Istanbul) and is completely covered in marble. In the middle stands a solid marble block where visitors can lie down and receive massages and scrubs. From the main room we could enter a series of smaller humid rooms that served a similar purpose. Lined along the walls were sinks, taps and tases, which are ornamented brass bowls that you can fill with water and rinse off any dirt from your body. The Hamam also includes a small pool where you can refresh after a steam. In addition to these rooms, there was also a small Finnish sauna. What surprised me was how different the Turkish Hamam was to a westernized Turkish steam room. In Canada most 'Hamams' have a device that creates steam artificially and a lot of it. Authentic Turkish Hamams aren't very steamy or hot, and all the steam is created naturally from warmth and water. Hamams in Turkey seem to serve as a social place where you come to simply relax and get clean as opposed to get hot and sweat out toxins. If you ever go to Gedikpasa Hamam, I strongly recommend getting the scrub and massage. It's a bit pricey costing 50 dollars per person, but it's worth the money. After I spent some time in the Finnish Sauna, I lied down on the marble for the scrub. The half naked employee used a traditional Turkish mitt called a kese on every part of my body. The staff were all women since it was the women's section, and they were all very pleasant and friendly, despite their limited English. During the scrub I could literally see rolls of dirt coming off of my skin! After the scrub I rinsed off and got the massage. This involved getting lathered with a mound of foam created by squeezing soap through a large bag, and having all the tension rubbed out of my muscles. After the process my skin felt soft and clean, and all I wanted to do was sleep. In short, if you want to experience something truly authentic to Turkish culture, visiting the Gedikpasa Bath is a great way to do it. It was a truly unique and pleasurable experience. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in Istanbul!

I wanted to check out the true Turkish Bath experience while in Turkey. Çatma Mescit Hamamı is part…read moreof my Istanbul hotel and the traffic seemed heavy enough. Add to that a group of sophisticated and well dressed woman emerged from a Mercedes SUV one day and directly proceeded just there. The facilities are outstanding and very posh, and the marketing very tight and well done/ That's were it ended for me. The experience was not equal to a Marriott spa. It was lifeless. The many layers of the extremely overpriced VIP treatment were routine and boring and not top quality. I may be spoiled by past experiences, but I don't think so. The staff was friendly. I thought of giving a 4 star review, but it just didn't cut it. It may be excellent for those who wish the corporate approach. I sought authenticity and Çatma Mescit Hamamı was the equivalent of experiencing the Swiss/Italian border of the Alps at the Disneyland Matterhorn ride.

This spa is not safe. My close friend Leah V booked a massage here, and was sexually assaulted by…read moreher masseur. The spa, instead of doing what was right, did everything they could to cover up her assault. As far as I can tell, the attacker Cuneyt Tunc has not been fired - but even if he has by now, it's too little too late. Stay safe and avoid this spa.

Conrad health club consist of gym, indoor pool with jacuzzi & outdoor pool. Locker room is provided…read morethat has a sauna & steam room. After the pool you can shower in the locker rooms! Gym is usually never busy & is located on level "R" next to the hair salon!