Various Bathing Forms

Aroma Room

Usually a feature of a thermal suite of steam rooms, saunas and other heat facilities, an aroma room or aroma grotto is a warm tiled, or rock-lined room with seating for a few people. Aromatic steam from essential oils is wafted into the room.

Balinese multi-steam bath

This is a gentle, sensual and very relaxing experience. Steam is infused with subtle aromas of jasmine oil, which is believed to soothe the spirit.

Caldarium

The Caldarium in Roman times was the hottest room in the complex, heated by a hypocaust (underfloor heating system) and contained a bath of hot water sunken into the floor.

Today's Caldarium is not dissimilar - the "hot room" is kept at a temperature around 40C and is very humid. It often contains a hot plunge pool and the air is infused with aromatic oils to stimulate the senses. Music and light effects may also be used.

The steam helps to open the pores and brings toxins to the surface, to be washed away, leaving your skin softer. The heat stimulates circulation which in turn boosts your natural immune system and increases your metabolic rate.

If a plunge pool is not available, a hose may be provided for cooling off and refreshing.

Footbath

In Roman times, known as the pedidarium, a footbath is exactly that, a bath for the feet, where you sit on a gently heated bench, and immerse the feet in effervescent water. The bubbles massage the feet and ankles and stimulate pressure points, as in a reflexology session.

Hammam

A hammam can be either one tiled steam room, or a suite of steam rooms and pools for communal use. In UK spa-terms, "hammam" usually describes a single room, with central water taps, and recessed bench-seats, decorated in blue, silver and gold-tinged tiles in the style of the Turkish Ottoman bath. They are often referred to as "chambers" (serail mud chamber, for example) but don't be alarmed; they are more like exotic luxurious grottos. The Hammam (or Turkish bath) was a Middle Eastern progression of the Roman balnae - a series of interconnecting rooms with different temperatures and humidity. Today we use the term as a blanket term for a number of bathing experiences, including the Tepidarium, Caldarium, Laconium, and the Rasul (or mud treatment).

There are still traditional Hammam baths in Turkey and Morocco where fascinating rituals and treatments still exist. For example, use of buckets instead of power showers, ritual tea drinking afterwards and by-hand exfoliation on a scale you won't have experienced before or since.

Herbal Sauna

The Herbal Sauna is a more relaxing gentle sauna. It is best enjoyed at temperatures of 65-75°C in a relative humidity of 25-40%. The air is infused with heated herbs to give a calming and relaxing experience. Perfect for the whole family.

Herbal Saunas are generally constructed in timbers such as Spruce, Aspen, Cedar and Beech.

Igloo / Ice Grotto

As a perfect contrast to heat treatment crushed ice gently massaged into the skin stimulates the circulation and boosts the lymphatic and immune system.

You will either find an ice fountain outside a sauna, steam room or Hammam or in an self contained ice grotto. The temperature in an ice grotto will be around 7-10C and is a good alternative to a cold plunge pool after you have enjoyed a Sauna, Steam room or Hammam. You would normally only spend about 5-10min in an Ice Grotto.

Infra Red Heat

Infra rooms have little in common with traditional saunas. Infrared rooms work using infrared heaters to convert light directly to heat. This heat has the effect of warming human tissue without raising the air temperature; in others words, a bather in an infrared room absorbs heat but the surrounding air does not.

The heat penetrates deep into body tissues in a way that a traditional sauna cannot. This deep tissue warmth is great for sore muscles, stiffness, and joint pain, especially the kind of chronic pain that comes from arthritis.

Because the air itself does not get hot in infrared rooms, they are suitable for people with respiratory issues who find it uncomfortable or even risky, due to high blood pressure, to go in a traditional sauna. Bathers in infrared room can also enjoy the benefits of the sauna at a much lower temperature than in a traditional sauna.

Japanese salt-steam bath

The steam in this treatment comes from gently-heated mineral water which has been infused with herbs and plants. The gentle heating of this salty water produces a really bracing, salty, aromatic mist.

Multi Saunas

A Multi Sauna is a traditional Sauna room with added Infrared panels which are used to speed up the heating of a sauna room. The radiation works immediately, so you can start to relax on the sauna benches as soon as you wish, without first having to wait for the sauna heater to warm up the air.

This will give the combined benefits of Saunas and Infra red heat in one room.

Plunge Pool

Originally a pool, lake or pond that is deep, yet small in diameter and often formed under the force of natural waterfalls or rapids. Today, a plunge pool is usually a deep, man made pool, where one may cool off following a steam bath or sauna.

Rasul/Serail/Mud chamber

A traditional Arabian body treatment involving steam and mud. Slathered in mineral-rich muds of various colours, you sit in a tiled steam room for around 15 minutes. Afterwards you are either douched by a therapist or else shower yourself down in cool water. This is an unusual, deeply sensual treatment, often followed by an aromatherapy massage with essential oils.

Salt Grotto

A specially constructed room where you can find the same environment as in an underground salt cave. Such air is extremely rich in natural salt microns and negative ions which have been found to be effective in reducing the symptoms of asthma, allergies and soothing irritated skin and restoring ionic balance within the body. The floor of the grotto may also be covered in salt, giving the feet a gentle exfoliating massage at the same time.

Sanarium /Steam Sauna

This gentler form of sauna bathing is enjoyed at a lower temperature, 45-65°C, which many people experience as the ideal bathing temperature. A continuous and automatic supply of steam ensures constant humidity of 40-65%. The result is a more moderate bathing climate that tempts both young and old to linger a little longer. Just like traditional saunas, steam saunas produce the same sensation of clean, fresh skin and give you the same opportunity to unwind and relax both body and soul.

For that touch of ultimate luxury, you can perfume the air with invigorating herbs or fragrant essences. It is a very pleasant alternative to the intense conditions of a sauna or steam room. The Saunarium provides a balanced combination of heat and humidity which offers a 'tropical' atmosphere.

Sweat Lodge

Similar to a steam room, a sweat lodge forms part of an ancient Native American ceremony of purification. The intense heat draws out toxins and also brings a clear head.

Tepidarium

Slip in here to relax. Known as the "warm room" the Tepidarium is kept at a relatively low temperature of 38C and is the ideal place to give a feeling of wellbeing. The dry air can also help to enhance the body's immune defences as well as relieving stress.

Tepidariums are ideal to use before, between or after spa treatment and is designed to restore the body to its normal temperature of 37C. The room is often tiled with mosaic tiles and may include heater lounges, low or natural lighting and soft music.

Traditional Sauna

Scandinavian sauna bathing takes two traditional forms. The classic sauna is best enjoyed at temperatures of 75-90°C in a relative humidity of 20-35%. Now and then you sprinkle a ladle of water over the hot sauna stones and feel the unique, tingling sensation as wave after wave of heat penetrates deep into your skin. Your pores open, you perspire freely and dead skin cells simply disappear in the shower.

Rounding off by pouring water over the stones is part of the ritual. A slightly more extreme variation on this theme is the dry sauna in very high temperatures (95-110°C) and an almost totally dry atmosphere. This form of sauna bathing is popular among those who like to feel the searing sensation of heat on their skin, when perspiration is the only way to cool the body. For devotees of traditional sauna bathing, we recommend a classic Tylo heater or a model from the Mega series.