The Oriental Hamman in Dubai was truly a treat. After a 14 hour flight, days full of meetings and events it was nice to finally take 2 hours off too relax & detox at the Oriental Hammam at the One & Only Royal Mirage.

At first I was a bit skeptical in having the Hammam anywhere but Turkey but all my concerns were put to rest when I saw the Hammam facilities as they were authentic and very well presented.

The Hamman or bath has been a tradition in the Middle East and Asia for centuries. Places to bath, relax, detox and gather. In many countries there is a local Hammam in each neighborhood. Most are decorated with intricate tile work and have separate hours for men and woman so that there is privacy.

The Hammam I had in Dubai started with the Hammam attendant cleansing my body with fresh water. Then I was placed in a tiled steam room to relax. After 10 minutes I was brought out and black Moroccan soap was placed all over my body and I was them asked to sleep face down on a marble slap where with a Loofah my body was exfoliated of it’s dead skin. After the exfoliation my body was rinsed and then I received a massage once again on the marble slap. Once the body massage was over the attendant applied honey to my face and let me relax. Once the relaxation was over I had natural oils placed on my body to seal in the hydration process. At this time four other ladies were getting treatments in the same room. Once My Hammam ritual was over I was escorted to a quiet room to sip fresh mint tea with dates.

My Hammam experience was truly one of the best spa experiences I have had recently because it allowed me to experience local traditions at the same time helping me fight jet lag, allowing my body to wind down and heal. We all are running nonstop so it is essential to wind down when we can and recharge our senses.