A Turkish bath, a floor below the lobby.
Petra is twenty kilometres of walking on stone. Come back to a traditional hammam: hot marble, steam, a scrub and a massage, with a sauna and a steam room next door. The oldest cure for tired legs in the Middle East.
The Turkish bath
Heat first, on the warm marble, then steam, then the traditional scrub and foam wash. It leaves the skin new and the legs light.
Dry heat, wet heat
A sauna and a steam room beside the hammam. Ten minutes in each between the bath and the massage.
The massage room
A full-body massage to relax, or a focused one for shoulders, back and feet after the Monastery steps.
Couples and families
Private sessions can be arranged for couples, families or women. Ask reception when you book.
An hour in the hammam.
You start in the warm room, lying on the heated marble until the heat reaches the muscles. The steam room follows. Then the attendant scrubs you down with a coarse glove and washes you in soap foam, rinsing with warm water from the basins.
Most guests finish with a massage and a glass of tea in the resting room. Allow about an hour for the hammam, longer with a massage. Most people wear swimwear; towels are provided.
The best time is the late afternoon, back from Petra and before dinner in the cave. Book at reception in the morning, or send a message before you arrive.
Before you go down.
Is there a Turkish bath near Petra?
Yes. Edom Hotel, 200 metres from the Petra entrance, has a traditional Turkish hammam with a sauna, a steam room and a massage room a floor below the lobby.
What happens in a hammam?
You warm up on heated marble, sit in the steam, then an attendant scrubs you with a coarse glove and washes you with soap foam. It takes about an hour and ends with tea.
Can I use the hammam if I am not staying at the hotel?
Ask reception or send a message with the day you want. They will tell you what is free.
Is a massage good after walking in Petra?
That is what most guests book it for, often the evening they come back from the Monastery, the climb of about 800 steps at the far end of Petra.
Are there private or women-only sessions?
Private sessions for women, couples and families can be arranged. Tell reception when you book.