Venues offering Salt Room

A salt room is an unheated, quiet relaxation room whose walls, and often the floor, are lined with blocks of rock salt or Himalayan salt. It is also known as salt therapy or halotherapy. In some rooms a device called a halogenerator disperses very finely ground dry salt into the air; others simply have salt-lined surfaces and dim lighting.

A salt room is not a heat treatment: it is kept at room temperature, the air is dry and you are not expected to sweat. In this respect it is a calm stop along the way that can also be used by those who find the intense heat of the hammam and sauna uncomfortable. In Turkey, salt rooms are mostly found in hotel spas, in the area with the hammam and sauna.

What happens in a salt room session?

You usually go into the salt room in a robe, spa wear or comfortable everyday clothes; if the floor is covered in salt, the venue may ask you to wear socks or shoe covers. In the room you lie on loungers or sit on cushions and breathe normally and calmly. The lighting is dim, and some rooms play soft music. You should not talk or use your phone in the room, and should not touch your eyes after touching the salty surfaces.

Within a spa programme, the salt room can be used for resting between or after the hot areas. A general framework for how to order it with the Turkish bath, sauna and pool can be found in the guide explaining the order in which to use the hammam, sauna, steam room and pool.

Duration and frequency

Salt room sessions usually last 30-45 minutes. When used as part of a spa package the time is often unrestricted; when offered as a separate session it is limited to a set time. On your first visit, a short stay is enough to see how you react to the dry air in the room. There is no generally accepted number of sessions or course of treatment; the multi-session packages offered by venues are a commercial arrangement.

Who is it suitable for, and who should not go in?

A salt room suits those who want to rest in a cool, quiet, dimly lit setting. Users may describe a feeling of freshness in the nose and throat; however, it is not accepted knowledge that a salt room treats asthma, bronchitis, allergies or skin conditions. Do not change the treatment and medication your doctor has recommended because of a salt room.

Do not go in, or consult your doctor first, in the following cases:

• Chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD: dry salt particles can trigger coughing or wheezing in some people
• Feverish illness and an active respiratory infection
• Open wounds, cracked or irritated skin: salt can cause a burning sensation
• Claustrophobia
• Pregnancy and chronic conditions that need regular treatment

How a salt room differs from similar treatments

Some venues also have heated salt saunas with walls lined with salt blocks. A salt sauna is a type of sauna, and the heat warnings that apply to saunas apply to it too; it is not the same thing as an unheated salt room.

What to ask before booking

• Whether the room has a halogenerator or is simply lined with salt
• The length of the session, and whether the salt room is included in the spa package or charged separately
• What to wear; whether socks or shoe covers are needed
• How many people are admitted to the room at once
• At hotel spas, whether non-resident guests are admitted; this varies by venue