The hammam is not a treatment for tourists, it is a habit. In Morocco people go once or twice a week, among neighbours, the way they go to the market. Understanding that changes the whole experience, and the choice of where to go.
Neighbourhood hammam, riad hammam or hotel spa
Three formats, three budgets, three experiences. None is better than the others: they answer different expectations.
| Format | Indicative price | Length | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public neighbourhood hammam | 10 to 20 MAD entry, around 170 MAD with a scrub by an attendant | 1h to 1h30 | Small budget, real immersion, confident travellers |
| Traditional hammam in a riad | from 300 MAD | 30 to 45 min | First time, couples, comfort and linen provided |
| Hammam with treatments | around 480 MAD | 55 min | Black soap, ghassoul mask and argan oil |
| Long ritual | up to around 990 MAD | 2h | An occasion, a honeymoon |
| High-end hotel spa | around 900 MAD and up | varies | Setting, quiet and service |
Prices and opening hours checked in October 2026 against official sites and local guides. They change regularly, so confirm before you travel. The figures above are Marrakech market ranges, not Bab Akoul prices.
The three rooms of a traditional hammam
A traditional hammam is laid out in three spaces, and the route runs in this order.
- A warm room, where the body adjusts to the heat.
- A steam room, the hottest, where the skin softens and the pores open.
- A cooling area, where you rest and drink.
The ritual, step by step
1. Steam
Twenty minutes in a hot, humid room. The skin softens, the pores open. You do nothing, and that is the whole point.
2. Black soap
A dark paste of crushed black olives and olive oil, spread over the body and left for ten minutes. The smell is vegetal, almost green. This is not a lathering soap: it prepares the skin for the scrub.
3. The kessa scrub
The exfoliating glove. This is the part everyone talks about afterwards. The therapist rubs firmly and the dead skin comes away in visible rolls. It is not painful, it is forthright. Say so if it is too hard, the pressure adjusts.
4. Ghassoul clay
A clay from the Middle Atlas, mixed with rose water and applied to the body and hair. It cleans without detergent and leaves the skin supple.
5. Rinse and argan oil
Buckets of warm water, then argan oil massaged into still-warm skin. You come out slow and slightly woolly. Allow 60 to 90 minutes for the whole thing.
What to take to a public hammam
In a neighbourhood hammam, nothing is provided. Bring:
- a towel or fouta, and a second one to sit on
- plastic sandals
- a kessa glove and black soap, buyable on site or in the souk
- powdered ghassoul if you want the mask
- underwear or swimwear for the lower body
- a bottle of water and a plastic bag for wet clothes
Mistakes to avoid
- Waxing or shaving the day before. The scrub would irritate the skin.
- Going on a full stomach. Heat and digestion do not mix.
- Not drinking afterwards. A session dehydrates more than you expect.
- Booking dinner in town straight after. You will not want it.
- Following it with sightseeing. Put it at the end of the day, not the middle.
Where it fits in a three-day stay
The best slot is the second afternoon: the legs have paid for the medina and the hottest hours are better spent indoors. That is exactly where it sits in our three-day Marrakech itinerary.
Treatments at Bab Akoul
All three Houses offer treatments drawn from Moroccan tradition, in spaces designed so that you share them with nobody. The difference between the three is not the ritual, which is the same, but what comes afterwards.
| House | What changes | The page |
|---|---|---|
| Atlas | The estate is fed by the underground springs of El Haouz: water first | treatments at Bab Akoul Atlas |
| Palmeraie | The treatment carries on into the garden and the pool | Palmeraie spa |
| Medina | The quiet of a riad behind a thick door | hammam at the Medina riad |
Our Wellness offer brings together a welcome smoothie, breakfast, a complimentary hour of yoga, a daily herbal tea ceremony and return transfers, from two nights, in all three Houses. The detail is on the exclusive offers page.
If you are still weighing up where to base yourself, our comparison of Marrakech neighbourhoods compares the medina, the Palmeraie, Hivernage and the foot of the Atlas.
Discover the Wellness offer Compose your stay
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hammam cost in Marrakech?
From 10 to 20 MAD entry in a neighbourhood hammam, around 170 MAD if an attendant does the scrub. A traditional hammam in a riad starts around 300 MAD, a full ritual with treatments runs around 480 MAD, and high-end hotel spas go beyond 900 MAD.
How long does a hammam session last?
Allow 60 to 90 minutes for a full ritual: steam, black soap, kessa scrub, ghassoul mask, rinse and argan oil. Short riad formats run 30 minutes.
What do you wear in a Moroccan hammam?
Underwear or swimwear for the lower body is the norm. In a public hammam, also bring a towel, sandals, a kessa glove and black soap; nothing is provided.
Public hammam or riad hammam for a first time?
The riad hammam for a first time: an individual session, controlled temperature, linen provided and a therapist to guide you. The neighbourhood hammam is more authentic, but you need to arrive equipped and know what you are doing.
What is ghassoul?
A clay from the Middle Atlas, mixed with rose water and applied as a mask after the scrub. It cleans without detergent and leaves the skin supple.
