Kese: the mitt, and the scrub named after it

The mitt

A kese is a small mitt made of a coarse, textured fabric that the attendant slips over one hand. It has one job: to scrub the whole body firmly and evenly. The same word names both the mitt and the scrub, so "a kese" in a hamam means the treatment as much as the tool.

After the heat, before the foam

In our Basic Hamam the kese comes after the warm-up, not before it: first the sauna, the steam room and a while on the heated marble, then the scrub. After that comes the foam, which washes everything away. The exact order and timing can vary a little with the hamam and how busy it is.

You can see the whole sequence, from the hotel pickup to the ride back, in what happens in a Turkish bath.

What it is like

You lie on the warm marble while the attendant works over your back, arms and legs. It is firm rather than gentle — that is the point of a kese. If anything feels uncomfortable, say so.

You keep your swimwear on throughout. If you would prefer a female attendant, you can request one in the booking form.

Who should ask first

If you are under a doctor's care, or have high or low blood pressure, a skin condition, a recent operation or an injury, speak to your doctor before your visit and tell the hamam before the session. The hamam as a whole is not recommended during pregnancy, with heart or circulatory conditions, or if you do not cope well with heat or humidity.

Kese in Side

Our Basic Hamam includes the kese, with the sauna and the steam room before it, the foam wash and foam massage after it, and about 20 minutes of basic aromatic oil massage at the end. With the hotel transfer both ways, the price is €20 per adult — see what the price covers.