Would you strip off and be scrubbed by a stranger to help you overcome your body confidence struggles? That’s exactly what our rather nervous writer did at Regnum The Crown, where a traditional Turkish bath experience was as good for her mind as it was for the body.
Walking through Regnum The Crown’s breathtakingly palatial lobby in Antalya, Turkey, I knew that high on my bucket list for this trip was experiencing a traditional Turkish bath. But, in order for that to happen, I’d have to face my fears, strip nude, and have a complete stranger scrub every inch of me, from top to err…bottom.
For most of my adult life I have dealt with body insecurities. Like many women, I’ve always felt ‘too big’, ‘too curvy’, ‘too wobbly’ but my self-esteem reached rock bottom in 2023 when a man I’d arranged to meet from a dating app took one look at me and said I “looked nothing like my photos” and “much larger in real life,” before turning on his heel and leaving me humiliated, alone in the street.
Not allowing this man to dictate how I view myself hasn’t been easy but, in the years that followed, I’ve realised that the golden ticket to confidence is stepping outside of your comfort zone; allowing a Turkish lady to cleanse all of my nooks and crannies was just what I needed. So, armed with resolve, I scheduled my traditional Turkish bath for the next day.
THE HAMMAM
Encouraged to enjoy the resort’s spa facilities before my appointment, I felt suitably relaxed when meeting my natir, the female bath attendant who’d be carrying out my treatment. Like most Turkish bath houses or hammams, men and women are separated here and massages are carried out by the same sex.
Guiding me to the most beautifully tiled, domed-roof treatment room, she asked me to lie on my back on the heated marble plinth, or gobektasi, occupying the centre of the space. Then came the daunting part. My natir asked me to lie nude with just a small cloth covering my bikini area. As a self-conscious Brit with a neurotic sense of modesty, I felt incredibly exposed as she began pouring warm water over me and scrubbing my skin with a traditional exfoliating mitt known as a Kessa glove. The exfoliation was uncomfortable, even painful at times, but seeing the dead skin cells slough off was immensely satisfying.
But it wasn’t just the rolls of grey dead skin that caught my attention. I also clocked how unperturbed by my nudity my natir was, and how quickly that indifference transferred to me. At first, I felt brittle with tension, holding myself in, cowering and covering bits of me with strategically placed hands. But there was no escaping the fact I was starkers.
As she lifted my arms and legs and scrubbed and cleansed every one of my folds and crevices without hesitation, I began to loosen up physically and emotionally.
And in that moment, it dawned on me just how empowering this treatment is for someone so riddled with insecurities. My natir does this everyday, seeing all types of bodies up close and personal. Her nonchalance was palpable and for the first time since my disastrous date, I felt unjudged for my body.
The experience was far from over though. My skin thoroughly scrubbed, she began to wash my hair, face and body with a foamy, soapy cloth. Once the bubbles were rinsed away and my muscles and inhibitions were truly relaxed, my natir finished the experience with an incredible full body massage using nourishing, aromatic rose oils.
It’s hard to convey how intimate this treatment really is. She saw and scoured every inch of me. But as my natir vigorously kneaded my inner thighs, she said something that struck a chord with me: being naked is natural. We come in all shapes and sizes and each one of us is beautiful. Being worried about what others think is a waste of time.
I couldn’t help but smile. She’d clearly noticed my initial discomfort, which was momentarily awkward but, not only had she said exactly what I needed to hear, it had reconfigured how I thought about myself. My body is nobody’s business and one man’s opinion could not and would not define me going forward. I felt empowered, physically and emotionally.
THE RESORT
Booking my treatment for the beginning of my stay proved a savvy move; I spent the following days exploring the hotel’s immaculate grounds and culinary delights, with suitably soft skin and a renewed sense of confidence.
At Regnum The Crown, although it’s a large complex consisting of 343 suites and 15 private villas, this Mediterranean playground feels extraordinarily spacious. Where some all-inclusive resorts can feel like a squeeze, its sprawling facilities, spread between lush tree-lined walkways, mean plenty of options for guests without feeling on top of one another.
Each room is a suite here and mine was heavenly. The standalone bathtub, double vanity, separate dressing room and large lounge area were luxury touches you forget about in standard hotel rooms, where all four walls are within arm’s reach. This, along with panoramic views of the Turquoise Coast from the balcony, meant the feeling of being caged in never arose. I woke every morning feeling rested, relaxed and eager to sip my hot, freshly brewed coffee and tuck into some traditional Turkish eggs.
THE DINING
Choosing which of the hotel’s 22 restaurants and 30 bars to frequent was the most laborious part of my stay. Daphne, the buffet-style food hall, serves up a veritable feast of international cuisine from dawn till dusk while Yàn Jí, one of the five ‘fine dining’ restaurants, offers sophisticated pan-Asian dishes like freshly filled dim sum and sticky beef teriyaki. Nikos, a Greek-style beachside gem (complete with plate throwing) gives guests the chance to enjoy tender souvlaki and creamy moussaka. Room for something sweet? Head to Paola, Regnum The Crown’s French-style patisserie – think moreish pistachio baklava, chocolate-dipped strawberries and macarons every colour of the rainbow.
THE TO-DO LIST
When I wasn’t filling my belly with mouth-watering morsels, I spent most of my time at the resort’s crowning glory, the rooftop infinity pool and Solstice sky bar. An adult-only space, I spent most days laying in the shade in a plush private cabana, sipping an ice-cold Cosmopolitan and watching each evening’s crimson sunset unfold.
Located in Belek, a town within the Antalya province, the hotel is perfectly positioned for exploring the area’s standout attractions. Just beyond the grounds lies the popular Land of Legends theme park, where spectacular shows, towering water slides and colourful costumed performers promise hours of entertainment. For a more cultural escape, day trips to Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis await, the latter loved for its otherworldly turquoise thermal springs and remarkably preserved ruins.
THE FINAL WORD
An unapologetically lazy traveller, I didn’t leave the resort’s walls, spending most of my time horizontal, reaping the benefits of my Turkish bath and indulging in a few days of stillness and sunshine before making my way back to bustling London.
But, despite my reluctance to budge from the sunlounger, my Turkish experience proved unexpectedly transformative. The traditional bath and my wonderful natir had fed my soul like a hearty soup on a cold day and taught me to treat my body with love, rather than disdain (and to disregard the opinions of silly men from dating apps). It was a quiet moment of self-reflection – proof that some of the most meaningful shifts can happen without ever stepping beyond the hotel gates.
Lead image credit: Regnum The Crown
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