World’s Best Spas: Kurna Spa At Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet

The crown jewel of the newly refurbished Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet is its Kurna Spa. The luxurious boutique spa, which made its debut in mid-November, offers a world-class hammam experience.

The property-wide refurbishment of the historic and iconic Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet took place over the past two years. The refurbishment was complete with each of the hotel’s magnificent 65 guest rooms and suites renovated as well as its restaurants, cocktail lounge and all common areas including its lush landscaped courtyard.

Kurna Spa is a new addition to the hotel. Before the renovation, there was no spa facility at the hotel which previously offered a single treatment room and a massage therapist, who was available upon request.

“We needed a spa because we wanted to provide an elevated hammam experience for our guests,” says Nedret Erbilgiç, Manager of Kurna Spa, who was part of the team that helped design the spa and treatment menu. “It is a unique experience that dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. For the Ottomans, it is an ancient ritual that is still a cultural and social event.”

Kurna Spa’s atmosphere reflects the traditions, beauty and history of the hammam culture in Istanbul, but with a very contemporary design and take. The architecture of the hammam features curved walls and arches, that surrounds the guests like a cocoon, making them feel warm and well. Arabescato marble was used with sophisticated accents of gray Pietra marble. Bespoke wood elements, lighting fixtures, and mirrors were made by local craftsmen. Traditional lanterns are interpreted with contemporary touches and used in lighting while smoked oak and warm bronze tones enhance the wood elements.

Every detail was considered during the spa’s development. Decorative pieces seen throughout the spa, such as traditional slippers, textiles, copper containers and copper pitchers, were personally selected by Erbilgiç, who sourced them at antique shops in Istanbul.

For the spa, Erbilgiç also sourced handcrafted products of the highest quality, all of which are made by women-owned businesses based in Turkey. “We wanted to create a boutique spa where everything is artisanal,” says Erbilgiç. “We also wanted to support women business owners in Turkey and provide them with opportunities.”

For example, the spa’s soaps are made by Atölye Patika, which was founded by the herbalist Emine Boyner. To manufacture her soaps, Boyner uses only all-natural, high-quality sustainable ingredients such as premium quality olive oil from Ayvalik. All of the organic and pure massage oils used in the massage treatments are made by Atelier Eso, a company founded by Esra İzgi. Its oils are made with a cold-press process with high quality ingredients grown in Turkey, such as damask rose and lavender. Even the clothing worn by the hammam staff, which is also sold in the hotel’s retail shop, is made by a women-owned business.

To describe this spa as luxurious is an understatement. The spa is so private and discrete, it is unlikely a client will encounter another guest during their visit. At a public hammam, it is a group experience, typically with strangers who share a large room. “Our hammam experience is an elevated and private experience,” says Erbilgiç. “And the spa is completely customized for our guests.”

There are three treatment rooms at Kurna Spa. Two are specifically used for the spa’s signature treatment—The Hammam Ritual. The larger of the two Hammam Ritual treatment rooms can accommodate two to three clients who book the treatment ensemble, while the smaller Hammam treatment room is for individual use. A third treatment room was designed to be used for traditional massages, body treatments and facials, and is for individual use only.

After checking in, guests are taken to a small changing room complete with lockers and a steam bath to use before treatments. A beautiful lounge made entirely of marble is where clients relax on sofas designed with a contemporary interpretation of traditional palace furniture. Here, the staff serves herbal tea, coffee, nuts and dried fruit to guests before a treatment begins.

The Hammam Ritual Treatment is not to be missed. Here, it is a luxurious version of the traditional hammam experience that has been taken place in Turkey for centuries where to this day, locals visit a public hammam regularly on a weekly or monthly basis.

Hammam is a term used to describe both the place as well as the practice of cleansing the body from head to toe. “It is a treatment where you are connecting with water, which symbolizes purification and is thought to bring health,” says Erbilgiç. “It is called a Hammam Ritual instead of a treatment because we are cleansing your body as well as your soul.”

In the center of the Hammam Ritual Treatment room is a heated stone table on which the client lies down. The treatment room, which is made of marble and beautifully tiled walls, is equipped with marble water basins, similar to the basins that are seen at a traditional hammam. The spa’s name “Kurna” is the Turkish term for these marble water basins.

The Hammam Ritual has many steps and is relaxing, transformative and cleansing. It begins with a session in the steam room to open your pores and release toxins. It also increases the circulation in your body. Next, you will enter the treatment room and lie on the heated stone table. The therapist will rinse your body before using a special glove used to scrub and exfoliate dead skin from your arms, legs, back, and torso.

The therapist will then massage parts of your body, before giving you a foam bath and massage treatment. Next, they will shampoo and condition your hair. For an additional fee, you can also opt to have a mini facial added to your treatment. The ritual concludes with a hot and cold water full body rinse as you stand. Highly trained Balinese massage therapists and Turkish hammam therapists provide service at Kurna Spa. Male and female therapists are available upon request.

After the conclusion of your treatment, you return to the lounge where you cool down as you sip Ayran, the drink traditionally consumed after a Hammam Ritual treatment, that is a creamy and savory healthy beverage consisting of yogurt, water and salt. A probiotic, Ayran replenishes the body with protein and important vitamins and minerals including calcium, potassium, magnesium, and B 6 and B 12 vitamins.

“For our guests, the Hammam Ritual is a unique experience and a memory that they will take back home with them,” says Erbilgiç.

The Kurna Spa is open daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm. Additional information about Kurna Spa and Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet can be seen at this link.