Turkish Bath Hamam — Attraction in London

DO NOT GO THERE - This place is a rob. BAD SERVICE - RUDE STAFF - WASTE OF MONEY.

Me and two friends went there to get a scrub and peel on Thursday 21st Feb 2014 at 10.45pm. We were told it was £15 but when we went there we were told we had to pay another £10 because it is £15 to enter the steam and hammam area, which you have to use because that is also the waiting area for the scrub and peel. Not to create a fuss we agreed to pay an extra £10.

Once inside, we were told to go to the steam room which was cold as it was not turned on and was only turned on when we entered. Anyone who has been in a steam room will know it takes time to heat up, so we had to resort to using hot water to heat our skin. Despite being before anyone else, we were made to wait 1 hour and 30 minute to get our turn for the scrub and peel because they let other guys go before us, whom I assumed was their friends. With only 1 staff member doing the scrub who looked tired and wanted to go home, just rushed the scrub with my friend. While the people who jumped the queue got a thorough 20 minute each scrub my friends got a rip-off less than 10 minute touch-up.

After 1 hour and 40 minutes, I could not wait any longer as it was now rushing for 12.30 AFTER midnight!!!!!!! I told the staff doing the scrub who said there would be no charge, as I waited so long for no service. When I went upstairs the man from reception (tall about 6.2", with bushy dark brown hair, wears a burgundy poloneck top, who said it was his sons shop - clearly a lie) said I still had to pay £15 for entering!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THIS DESPITE THE POOR SERVICE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE STEAM ROOM WAS COLD, DESPITE THE FACT THAT I HAD WASTED 1 HOUR AND 30 MINUTE AND DESPITE THE FACT THAT HIS STAFF HAD TOLD ME I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY.

Despite all this I would have respected this place if they acknowledged their mistake but they are arrogant and have no respect for customers. In the end I was commanded to pay £15 and 'never come back'.

I PROMISE YOU ONE THING - I WON'T. THERE ARE OTHER BETTER HAMMAM PLACES CLOSE BY. KEEP THE £15 - YOU HAVE LOST A LOT MORE MONEY GIVING ME SUCH A BAD EXPERIENCE, FROM ME, MY FRIENDS AND ANYONE ELSE THAT READS THIS REVIEW AND ALL THE OTHER ONES I WILL WRITE...

It’s a clean establishment. Went for the Aroma package which I was told is about 2 hours. It’s men for men so no issues with anything haram. First you go to steam room for about half an hour, then you go out when the lights go out, but be careful because it’s pitch dark and you don’t want to be slipping in there. Then you have the scrubbing/peel. I felt this was not that amazing, it only covered my legs, neck, chest and back, arms - things like my feet and face were missed from the scrubbing/peeling which was a shame as didn’t feel complete. By the way you can ask for the mitt so you can scrub your buttocks and genital area. So after the scrub/peel you get some soap with some hard bits which I’m guessing is the exfoliator all over body and a quick hair wash. The scrubbing and peeling bit I felt could have been done more without a rush and more attention to detail. Then you are asked to cover with towel and rest on a sun bed for a bit. You are offered cold water. Then you go for the massage, massage by Mehmet was good with some back cracking and neck cracking. Massage part of this was actually good, can be firm with pressure so just let them know how firm. There does seem to be a language barrier with most of the staff but Mehmet understood enough. Overall 2 stars rating doesn’t reflect on Mehmet, just overall satisfaction, don’t feel 100% scrubbed etc as some reviews have said. It’s a case of now going home to do a scrub myself to feel complete, which is a shame. I spent about 1 hour and a half there. So if 30 mins steam room, 30 mins scrubbing and peel, 30 mins full body massage - all the sitting, relaxing, scrubbing I did myself, changing etc - somewhere, something was cut short right? Oh and you have to bring swimming shorts and a towel. Although if you don’t have a towel they will offer you this very lightweight...

I have been to many hamams in Istanbul and London, some of them traditional, other ones more modern, and this was by far the most impolite and unprofessional service I have experienced so far. I had the feeling that I was not welcome there because I was not part of the local turkish community. Upon arrival we were given the hamam towels and told to get changed and go downstairs to the hamam and then someone would have done the peeling. I felt I wasn't looked after at all and I felt confused on how to get the best benefits from the treatment although it wasn't my first experience in an original Turkish Hamam. After the steaming room I got my peeling done by a very angry guy, the experience was very painful as I could feel he was literally scratching my skin with his exfoliating glove. When I kindly asked him to use less pressure he laughed, didn't change his pressure and 2 minutes after stopped. On the other side, my friend who was with me had a better experience service from another guy and his treatment lasted much longer than mine (I would say 15 mins more) - for this reason I am giving this place 2 stars and not one. Also, I had the feeling that the hygiene standards were quite poor and I really had to close an eye not to leave straight away when I walked in. At the end of my treatment I complained to the guy who was at the door (I suppose he was the owner) and I received a 5 pounds discount off the 30 pounds mainly because he didn't mention they don't accept cards and I only had £25 cash with me (Really? In an era where also market stalls do?) I don't know how this place can receive such amazing reviews if for the same price you can get by far a better service and treatment elsewhere in London. In a few words - don't waste your...