Resort Spa venues

A resort spa is a spa area inside a holiday village or resort hotel, designed to be used together with the accommodation, the pool, the beach or outdoor activities. What distinguishes it from a city hotel spa is its scale and rhythm of use: guests stay at the resort for several days, and the spa is spread over those days as part of the holiday programme. Resort spas are usually by the sea, in forests and mountains, or next to golf courses or thermal springs.

What you find at resort spas

Almost all the resort spas in the listing have a Turkish bath and most have a sauna; a steam room, a jacuzzi and an indoor pool are also among the common facilities. The indoor pool is an important part of resort spas in the cooler months, when the outdoor pool cannot be used, and in the evenings. Gyms are more common in this type than in city spas; some places also have yoga sessions, a salt room and treatments given outdoors in the garden. Some resorts in Kızılcahamam, Afyonkarahisar, Kuşadası and Edremit also offer a thermal pool because they are fed by a thermal spring. On the massage and treatment side, body treatments, facials, hammam rituals and spa packages combining several treatments stand out. As resort spa menus can change with the season, it is best to ask for the current list when booking.

Who a resort spa suits

A resort spa suits those who want to use the spa several times during their holiday: a pattern such as the pool and hammam in the morning and a massage in the late afternoon can be spread over a few days. This type is often chosen by those who want to rest after golf, skiing, nature walks or long days on the beach, by couples staying for special occasions such as a honeymoon or an anniversary, and by those who want to combine the spa and accommodation in a single booking. For those who want to come in from outside for a short massage, however, resort spas are not always practical; for city residents, day spas are a more accessible option.

Types of resort spa: beach, golf, mountain and ski

Resort spas are divided into four sub-types according to their setting:

Coastal resorts dominate the listing: the Serik, Manavgat, Kemer and Aksu coasts in Antalya and the bays of Bodrum, Milas and Fethiye in Muğla are where this type is most concentrated. The golf resorts are in Antalya's Serik district, around Belek. Away from the coast, the Lake Abant area in Bolu, the pine forests of Burdur's Ağlasun district and the bungalow resort in Artvin combine a stay in nature with a spa; Kuşadası and Didim in Aydın and the Menderes district of İzmir are also in the listing.

The difference between a resort spa, a hotel spa and a thermal spa

All resort spas are also listed as hotel spas; the distinction comes from the purpose of the place. A spa in a city hotel offers a compact service for business trips or short stays, whereas a resort spa is part of the holiday itself and usually spreads over a larger area. Resorts that feed their pools with spring water also count as thermal spas; at these places, use of the thermal pool, alongside the hammam and sauna, is at the heart of the stay.

What to look for when choosing a resort spa

When choosing a resort spa, look at the spa section itself rather than the hotel's overall rating. Asking about these points before booking makes your expectations clearer:

• When the indoor pool and wet area are open, and whether they also operate out of season
• Whether there is an attendant in the hammam for kese (exfoliating scrub) and foam wash, and whether the hammam can be reserved for private use
• Whether the spa area has hours set aside for children or an adults-only section
• The current massage and treatment menu, and whether there is a separate room for couples' massage
• Which parts of spa use are included in the accommodation package and which are charged separately

Resort spa entry, prices and age limits

Whether guests who are not staying at the resort can use its spa depends on the venue; some places accept massage appointments or day entry from outside, while others open the spa only to hotel guests. Even on all-inclusive stays, massages and treatments are usually charged separately; it is worth asking in advance whether use of the hammam, sauna and indoor pool is included in your stay. As late-afternoon slots fill up quickly in high season, making your massage appointment on the day you arrive makes planning easier. Robes, towels and slippers are usually provided by the hotel; swimwear is required in mixed wet areas. Many resort spas set an age limit for the wet areas and massages; if you are travelling with children, check the limit with the hotel. If you are pregnant or have a cardiovascular condition or blood pressure problems, consult your doctor in advance about using the sauna, hammam and hot pool.