Hamam: The Turkish Bath Experience
from Istanbul Holiday Apartments

Hamams continue the great tradition of Roman baths
and played an important role in social life of the Ottoman period
at a time when houses lacked hot water and bathing facilities.
Today, of course, Turks bathe at home but many remain
devoted to getting a "hamam" scrub from time to time.
Affluent Turks tend to patronize the private, luxury hamams
at the Swissotel, Ritz-Carlton, and Les Ottomanes.
The public baths open to tourists at  historic hamams do not offer privacy,
so may be off-putting for the modest,but they do provide a genuine Turkish bath experience
in magnificent surroundings.
Often guests ask for a "non-touristy" hamam; there are neighborhood hamams
throughout Istanbul but they tend to be shabby, smelly and not very hygienic,
so better to stay clear of these.
Many hamams, including the well-known Galatasaray Hamam, are gay hangouts,
so if this isn't your thing, again best to stay away.

We do recommend:

CEMBERLITAS HAMAM
Located near the Nuruosmaniye entrance of the Grand Bazaar,
just off  Divanyolu across from the Cemberlitas Column,
the hamam was built by the famed Renaissance architect Sinan
for Sultan Murat III's mother,  Nurbanu Sultan in 1584.

http://www.cemberlitashamami.com.tr/
Tel: 522 79 74  Price: 30 YTL  Massage : 20 TL

CAGALOGLU HAMAM
Located on the right side of the Yerebatan Street that runs from
Sirkeci Train Station to Divan Yolu,these baths were built by Sultan Mahmut I
in 1741 by an unknown architect.  
A double hamam with section for both men and women, it is unique
in its employment of Baroque and Classic Ottoman architectural motifs
and was the last of the great hamams to be built before their construction was forbidden by
Sultan Mustafa III in 1768, owing to the increasing needs for water and wood in Istanbul.
http://www.cagalogluhamami.com.tr/
Open everyday including Sundays, 8:00-22:00 for men and 8:00-20.00 for women.
Tel: 522 24 24   Price: 40 TL  Massage : 20 TL

SULEYMANIYE HAMAM
A recently restored historic Turkish bath situated on a hill facing the Golden Horn,
it was built in 1550 by the famed Turkish architect Sina.n
This hamam is among the rare ones where men and women have bath together.
http://www.suleymaniyehamami.com/
Tel : 519 55 69 Price: 70 TL (including massage & return transfers)

What to expect?
The main entrance of a Turkish bath opens up to a camekan,
a central courtyard lined with changing cubicles surrounding an ornamental marble fountain.
Visitors are presented with the traditional pestamal,
a checkered cloth worn like a sarong (up higher for women).
Valuables are secured in a private locker, provided for each customer.

The experience begins past the cooling section,
into the steam room, or hararet.
For centuries architects worked to perfect the design of the hararet: a domed,
octagonal (or square) room, often with marvelous oculi to provide entry for sunlight,
and with intricate basins at various intervals and a heated marble platform,
known as the naval stone, in the center.
Often the hamam is covered with elaborately crafted and ornately designed tiles.

Hamam protocol
You will be asked to lie on the naval stone by an attendant.
In segregated hamams it's customary and acceptable to strip (this is a bath, after all).
Step one is the scrubbing using an abrasive mitt (kese)
aimed at removing the outer layer of dead skin and other organic detritus.
The actual bath is next; the substantial and slippery soap bubbles
create the perfect canvas for the accompanying massage.
This is primarily where you will notice the difference
between a private hamam and one of the more commercial ones.
In the commercial ones, don't be surprised if your massage feels more like a cursory pummeling.
The private hotel hamans have more of a long-term stake and
therefore provide high quality service. The difference is like night and day.

The final act of the ritual is the rinsing, followed by a definitive tap on the shoulder
followed by "You like?" -- an indication that your session is over.

At this point you are most likely dehydrated and sleepy,
which is when the purpose of that cold room with the lounge chairs becomes evident.
Refreshments are available and the price list is usually displayed nearby.

In the commercial hamams you can go back into the hararet as often as you like,
whereas in a hotel hamam a session lasts 45 minutes to an hour.
Whether you opt for the affordable version or the expensive hotel service,
definitely sign up for "the works" at least once in your life
and you'll forever comprehend why it was indeed good to be the sultan.
(from Frommer’s.com)