Hammam Turkish Spa at Dupon Washington Sports Club

Last night while the Kleiner was intently watching his Jets pull through to beat the Chargers in their playoff game (this is a large outpouring of football knowledge on my part, work with me) I decided that I would try out the Washington Sports Club at Dupont Circle.  Discovering that a passport membership was only $5 more than a membership to the Columbia Heights gym, I purchased one but mostly use it between C-Heights and the gym near my office.  Recently I noted that the Dupont Circle Washington Sports Club had recently installed a Hammam in their basement and decided that a good long gym session would be the perfect Sunday night football activity.  Hammam, Sauna, Steam -- around the world from Russia, to Korea, to Finland, to Sweden to Latvia and beyond are some of the most popular ways for men and women to get together, relax, talk socially and for business.  In Belgium, where I once lived, almost every woman went for the sauna after their work out, it was a ritual -- and I'm glad to see it becoming one in the U.S. too!!


I was pleasantly surprised to find the co-ed Hammam in sparkling condition.  It has two cold showers with 'light therapy', a large co-ed sauna (three heaters), an enormous hammam (that no one really appeared to use), and a large steam room.  I find that the hot, cold, hot, cold spa rotation is a great anti-dote to sore muscles, cold weather, rainy days and pretty much anything that gets you down, so I was elated to discover a good one included in my gym membership. Its co-ed, so everyone is wearing a bathing suit and at 7pm on Sunday the people enjoying the sauna were reading books and doing the rounds between hot and cold rather than going in like they do in Columbia Heights, sometimes in their gym clothes!  Overall, its a great addition, and I will probably start working out significantly more at Dupont Circle (except no pool....) just to take advantage of the Hammam. 


My history with the spa is long, I absolutely love European/Turkish style spas.  A massage or something else is nice, but, the heat baths (sauna, steam) have a really natural, really positive effect on us. Benefits include strengthening immune systems, alleviating joint pain and stress ;)  My favorite spa is the Scandinave Spa in Mont Tremblant.  Its rotation of hot and cold includes suanas, outdoor hot tubs, outdoor cold waterfalls, and  a cold plunge into the river!! I did this spa in December, in near 0 F freezing weather and was warm enough to make it through.  I also really liked the Hotel Jurmala spa in the old Latvian spa town of the same name, Jurmala.  My favorite one of recent times was located within the Standard Hotel in Miami.  It was simple, but very high quality, cedar sauna that smelled of cedar and got about 50% hotter than the Washington Sports Club sauna, aromatherapy steam room, very warm hammam, and gorgeous outdoor pool looking over Biscayne Bay.


What are your favorite ways to relax?? Any better hammam spas in DC?  I have read a write up in the Washington Post about the Korean Spa World in Centreville --- have any of you been there?  It looks interesting: Spa World.