by Alexia Brue
Switzerland
Switzerland has many famous spa resorts, such as Bad Ragaz and Interlaken, where the infirm come to take the waters, but very few would qualify as public baths. Therme Vals is a stunning exception.
Therme Vals. 7132 Vals/GR. Tel: 41.81.926.8080. www.therme-vals.ch. If you've ever wondered how Augustus or Claudius felt at the Roman baths, head to Therme Vals in Switzerland's easternmost canton. Therme Vals is more than a bath, it's a protected architectural monument designed by minimalist master Peter Zumthor. Cavernous, labyrinthine chambers carved out of the local silver-gray quartzite contain hot pools, frosty plunges, flower petal pools, echo chamber pools, and an outdoor pool staring into a solid Swiss mountain face.
Syria
Syria, like many Middle Eastern countries, has its own style of hamam that reflects the architecture of the region.
Hamam Yalbougha an-Nasry. Aleppo. Tel: 963.21.362.3154.
Wedged between the busy souk and the touristy citadel, this exquisite ablaq-tiled hamam is surprisingly uncrowded. Communal yet private, with sofas arranged in individual compartments in the resting lounge, the hamam offers a genuine community and wonderful scrubbing treatments.
Turkey.
Turkey is home to thousands of hamams. While hamams were once a cherished weekly ritual where people cleansed themselves and socialized, hamams today are more relics of the past, at least in the cities. This is slowly changing as a new generation of Turks rediscovers the appeal of this ancient tradition.
Most hamams use steam and running water because the Koran prohibits soaking in still water for health reasons. In areas with abundant thermal waters, such as Bursa and Bodrum, pools are allowed because the mineral-rich water is constantly replenishing itself.
Bodrum
Bodrum Hamami. Cevat Sakir Cad., Fabrika Sokak (Garaj Karsisi) Bodrum —Mu?la. Tel: 90.252.313.4129. www.bodrumhamami.com.tr. The Bodrum outpost of Istanbul's Çemberlitas, this hamam boasts Bodrum's thermal waters and separate men's and women's areas.
Bursa
Yeni Kaplica (New Spring), Yeni Kaplica Cad. 6, Çekirge. Tel: 90.0224.236.6968.
Built by Suleyman the Magnificent's Grand Vizier in 1552, the men's side still possesses its original grandeur while the women's side is smaller and more intimate.
Kervansary Hotel's 100-year hamam. Çekirge Meydani, 16080 Çekirge. Tel: 90.0224.233.9300.
Although this hamam is attached to a modern hotel, it is Bursa's oldest hamam, built in 1389 by Sultan Murat I on top of the original Byzantine baths. The old masonry and soaring domes, especially in the central relaxation room, make this the prime place to bathe in Bursa.
Kara Mustafa Pasa Thermal Bath. Mudanya Cad. 10. Tel: 90.0224.236.6956.
This Byzantine bath includes one section with all the expected hamam facilities, as well as a second section where you can ease yourself into a tub of hot mud.
Çelik Palas Hotel thermal pool. Çekirge Cad. 79, 16070 Çekirge/Bursa. Tel: 90.0224.233.3800.
This hotel hamam is clean and modern and has the amenities you'd expect in a Western hotel. This is a good alternative if you're put off by the grittier local hamams.
Istanbul
Çemberlitas. Vezirhan Cad. 8, Çemberlitas-Eminonii. Tel: 90.212.520.1850. www.cemberlitashamami.com.tr.
Owner Rusen Baltaci lovingly maintains his hamam, carrying on the tradition and culture with integrity. Built in 1584, this hamam has both a men's and a women's section and traditional Ottoman architecture. It's easy for tourists because much of the staff speaks English, they accept credit cards, and discounts are available for people with International Student IDs.
Caalolu. Prof. Kazim Ismail Giirkan Cad. 34, Çemberlita?-Eminonu. Tel: 90.212.522.2424. www.Cagalogluhamami.com.tr.
Like Çemberlitas, this is another historic Sultanahmet hamam. Built in 1741, it was the last big bath to be built in Istanbul displaying all the flourishes of bath architecture. It is not maintained as well as Çemberlita?, and the women's facilities are not nearly as nice as the men's.
Öriüciüler Hamam. Kapalicarsi Örücüler Kapisi Sok. 32, Beyazit-Eminönü. Tel: 90.212.527.9263.
This men-only bath was built sometime prior to 1489 and can be found next to the Oruculer or 'Weavers' Gate to the Covered Bazaar. It's popular with tourists because it's clean and well run.
Çinili Hamam. Itfaiye Cad. 46, Zeyrek-Fatih. Tel: 90.212.631.8883.
Çinili means 'tiled' and many hamams bear this name, so take special care in finding the right one, which is located in a traditional, religious section of Istanbul. Built by Mimar Sinan (Turkey's most famous architect) in 1546, it is a prime example of the accomplishments of hamam architecture.
Süleymaniye Hamam. Mimar Sinan Cad. 20, Beyazit-Eminönü. Tel: 90.212.520.3410. www.suleymaniyehamami.com.
Built in 1557 by Mimar Sinan, this bath is renowned for its grandeur and beauty. Available for men or mixed tourist groups if they call ahead and book, the hamam has many historic relics from Sinan's time.
A?a Hamam. Turnacibasi Sok. 60, Beyo?lu. Tel: 90.212.249.5027.
In the newly chic neighborhood of Cucurcuma, the A?a Hamam has been in operation since 1562. Open twenty-four hours a day for alternating single-gender sessions, this hamam epitomizes the warm neighborhood vibe of the best hamams. After two visits the tellaks will recognize you and give you 'the usual' - a kese, soaping, and massage.
United States
Many immigrants, in particular Russians, have set up versions of their native baths in America. This is a sampling of some historic and well-known bathhouses, as well as some therapeutic spas known for their bathhouse vibe.
New York
The Russian Turkish Baths. 268 East Tenth Street, New York, NY 10009.
Tel: 212.473.8806.
Known by admirers as East Tenth Street, this old shvitz has been in business since 1896. The basement steam complex, especially the Russian Room (a.k.a. The Oven), certainly exudes soul that people with a fondness for hard-core heat and Lower East Side history will appreciate, but everyone wishes the owners would make a bit more of an effort to keep the place up. New towels please!
Spa 88. 88 Fulton Street, New York, NY 10038. Tel: 212.766.8600.
www.spa88.com.
A cleaner alternative to East Tenth Street, Spa 88 is popular with young expat Russians because the upstairs restaurant serves Manhattan's best pelmeni and the banya master has a way with the veynik. There's also a pool and Jacuzzi on the second floor, but most bathers divide their time between the hot rooms and cold plunge downstairs.
Mermaid Club. 3701 Mermaid Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Tel: 718.265.5188.
This Brighton Beach banya was recently remodeled. You won't hear much English, and it's a good approximation of the real Russian banyas except that men and women, in bathing suits, are shvitzing together.
Bania. 602 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11218. Tel: 718.853.2525.
A traditional banya favored by Russians living in Brooklyn.
Juvenex. 25 West Thirty-second Street, 5th Floor. Tel: 646—733—1330.
www.juvenexspa.com.
The intricately tiled 5,000-square-foot bath has curved showers, three soaking tubs (hot, cold, and different infusions), a diamond-shaped steam room, and two saunas constructed out of eighteen tons of jade blocks. The effect is beautiful in a jewel-box sort of way, but it's overpriced.
California
Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa. 25000 Glen Ivy Road, Glen Ivy, CA 92883. Tel:
1.888.CLUB.MUD. www.glenivy.com.
The daily admission includes all aspects of the Club Mud experience —seventeen pools, steam rooms, Roman baths, a covered saltwater spa, the red clay mud bath, towels, etc. A resort since the 1890s and revered by the Native Americans for thousands of years, today Glen Ivy Hot Springs is a rollicking, all-day retreat for bath and spa lovers.
Two Bunch Palms. 67—425 Two Bunch Palms Trail, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240. Tel: 760.329.8791. www.twobunchpalms.com.
Made famous as the
place Tim Robbins went on the lam in The Player, Two Bunch Palms has long been a favorite hangout and hideout for Hollywood's big names. The green clay mud treatments and therapeutic crystalline waters make it more than just a legendary lair.
The Kabuki Springs & Spa. 1750 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94115, in the Kinokuniya Building directly behind the AMC Kabuki Theater.
Tel: 405.922.6000. www.kabukisprings.com.
The Kabuki Springs & Spa offers traditional Japanese bathing facilities as well as a variety of spa services. The communal baths, with a full-time attendant, have a hot pool, cold plunge, dry sauna, and steam room. There are also a variety of complimentary bath products, sea salts, chilled cucumber face cloths, and teas.
Osento. 955 Valencia Street (between 20th and 21st Streets), San Francisco, CA 94110. Tel. 415.282.6333. www.osento.com.
This women-only bath was opened by two friends who were inspired by bathing traditions in Japan, Finland, and other bath-friendly countries. The facilities include three showers (outdoor, Japanese stool style, and Western style), a hot tub, a cold tub, a dry sauna, a wet sauna, and a deck for sunning, socializing, and reading. Massage is also available.
City Spa (formerly Pico-Burnside Baths). 5325 West Pico Boulevard (between Fairfax and La Brea Ave.), Los Angeles, CA. Tel:
323.938.4800 or 877.CITYSPA.
This Russian bathhouse opened in 1954, which means it's 'old school' by L.A. standards. Regulars love that the bath has lots of opportunities for cooling off, including a cold plunge and a cold swimming pool.
Beverly Hot Springs. 308 N. Oxford Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90004. Tel:
323.734.7000. www.beverlyhotsprings.com.
A low-key place where bathers can congregate in a paparazzi-free environment to soak in the alkaline waters that gurgle forth from 2,000 feet beneath the bathhouse. The facilities, which include hot and cold pools and steam and dry herbal saunas, are spotless. After a long soak there's a spa area for a variety of Eastern treatments including acupressure, shiatsu, and various body wraps.
Florida
The Russian and Turkish Baths. Castillo Del Mar at The Castle, 5445 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140. Tel: 305.867.8316.
www.florida.com/russianandturkishbath.
The slightly more spic-and-span cousin of the New York original is essential bathing for the shvitzing aficionado. Regulars rave about the intensity of the heat and the hard-core platza.
Nirvana Spa. 8701 Collins Avenue (in the Dezerland Hotel), Miami Beach, FL 33154. Tel: 305.867.4850. www.nirvanaspamiamibeach.com.
This Russian bathhouse has four different steam rooms, including an all-cedar Russian steam room, a Turkish-style steam room, plus an aromatherapy steam room and Finnish sauna.
The Hotel Victor Spa. 1126-1144 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139.
Paris-based decorator Jacques Garcia unveils his first American hotel, which includes a Turkish hamam as the spa concept. The bath-friendly spa, which along with the hotel opens in May 2004, has an ornate mixed-gender steam room with curved ceilings and intricate pillars as its focal point. Turkish-style massages take place on marble slabs and cold showers and chilled towels keep patrons cool.
The Standard Spa. 40 Island Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139. Tel:
305.673.1717. www.standardhotel.com.
Health meets hedonism at the Standard Spa, where innovative hotelier Andre Balazs has applied his quirky, stylish take to the bath and spa experience. The whimsical baths on Biscayne Bay are full of surprises, as are the similarly inventive spa treatments.
Colorado
Izba Spa. 1441 York Street, Denver, Colorado 80206. Tel: 303.321.1239.
17908 B Cottonwood Drive, Parker, Colorado 80134. Tel:
303.400.1001. www.izbaspa.com.
Both Izba Spa locations serve up the intense heat of a Russian banya as well as accompanying spa services and food. Although the owners pair the bath component with spa treatments, in many ways the experience is faithful to a true Russian banya.
The Lake Street Baths. 3540 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80204. Tel:
303.825.2995. www.lakesteambaths.com.
Opened in 1927 by the Hyman family, the Lake Street Baths have been family operated ever since. With alternating single-gender days, this bathhouse has the friendly atmosphere and easy camaraderie of the best bathhouses. It offers a dry steam room, hot rock sauna (with ice water buckets), and Jacuzzi.
Illinois
Division Street Russian Bath. 1916 West Division Street (between Damen and Ashland Ave.), Chicago. Tel: 773.384.9643 (men's side), . 773.394.0500 (women's side).
Opened in 1906 and immortalized in Saul Bellow's Humboldt's Gift. Famous for its icy cold plunge and Augie the platza-master.
New Mexico
Ten Thousand Waves. 3451 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501. Tel:
505.992.5025. www.tenthousandwaves.com.
A sign on the property reads 'TOKYO 10,070 KM.' Think Japanese hot spring resort meets Southwestern adobe and you've got Ten Thousand Waves, 'the closest thing to an onsen outside of Japan.' With a choice of communal tubs and private tubs on the serene grounds, as well a variety of Eastern massage techniques, Santa Fe locals and further-flung furo-holics flock here. Limited lodging is available.
acknowledgments
This book would not have happened without the inspiration and encouragement of Karina Duebner. I thank her for teaching me how to dream, and I can't imagine a better friend or partner in crime. Books always take longer to come together than anyone would imagine, and my family was there with kind words, great advice, and delicious meals every step of the way. To Nord, Suzanne, Erik, and Marget, my deepest thanks.
Friends to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude for their encouraging words and insightful comments include Jennifer Humphries, Liz Weiner, Natalia Williams, Bird Goldstein, Julia Cumes, Brett Fadem, Paola Fantini, Nicole LaPorte, Ayesha Pande, Tom Cheung, Brian Donovan, Zeynep Guven, Josh Levine, Joseph Bowman, and bath studies goddess Judy Mabro.
I am enormously grateful to both my agent and publisher for believing in this book. Sterling Lord, my agent, helped me to shape the book and always had the perfect inspiring story for any quandary. The entire team at Bloomsbury made every step of the publishing process a joy. Special thanks to Karen Rinaldi, whom I admire for so many reasons. From proposal to finished book, she was a brilliant, insightful, funny, and unfai Hngly energetic editor. And to Panagiotis Gianopoulos, whose Herculean patience and instructive editing were an enormous gift for thisfirst book. Thanks also to Alan Wherry, Greg Villepique, Lara Carrigan, Andrea Lynch, Alona Fryman, Sandee Yuen, Sara Mercurio, and, in England, fellow bathophile Rosemary Davidson. And thanks to Lynda Mclntyre for her lyrical drawings that enhanced the pages of this book.
Finally, thank you to all the anonymous people who opened their homes and hearts to me while I was traveling. I hope to repay the favor.