Before I went to Morocco, I had no idea what a hammam was, let alone whether I should try a hammam for men in Marrakech. On my first trip, I tried the authentic, local hammam, which this article details. Although women can partake in a hammam, they were actually designed for men. As I arrived in Marrakech, I quickly got the impression that they were all for women. All over the city were luxury spas offering top-notch pampering.
Apparently, there are two very different types of hammams. Simply put, one is for tourists and the other is for locals. The tourist ones are more like a spa where you have someone else washing you, scrubbing you and perhaps giving you a massage.
The local version is almost the opposite. An authentic hammam is just a bathhouse for the locals to clean off the dirt and grime invariably accumulated after traveling through the desert. Usually, the locals bring their own soap, but the hammam can provide it too. The biggest difference is the price. As a trained massage therapist, I love to experience different massages and spas around the world.
So I set out to find an authentic hammam for men in Marrakech. I was actually given a recommendation from my tour guide on my Marrakech walking tour. When I followed up on it, I found the location to be an acceptable suggestion. A couple days before it was time to leave Morocco, I made my way to Hammam Mouassine , no small task when you have to navigate through the rat warren of streets that comprise the Marrakech Medina.
Hammam Mouassine was established in and is a hammam just for men. In fact, a casual glance at the exterior might even put you off from wanting to visit at all. I went in, still not really having any idea of what to expect. Inside was a small reception area with some towels and cubbies for storing your stuff. The manager showed me the menu. I pulled out what I had and asked if I could get a special deal. The manager barely hesitated before he accepted my money and directed me to the changing room.
