Courtesy of Marajah Spa
Every year, my college girlfriends and I plan a trip to a different location to catch up, explore somewhere new, and recharge. While the trips range from domestic locations to international hideaways, one thing that never changes is penciling in a day to rest. This year, our vacation took us to Marrakesh, Morocco, where we visited the sites, shopped in the medina, and even tried our hand at a cooking class to fully immerse ourselves in the culture.
But, by the time our rest day arrived halfway through our time in Marrakesh, we were more than ready to step away from the bustling city and barter culture. So, we went to Marajah Spa.
The spa only accepts women and couples, which made our experience feel even more sacred. When we arrived, we were led to the locker room to store our belongings and change into a robe, pair of slippers, and disposable thong. From there, we were guided to a private hammam to accommodate our group of 5. Think: steamroom, except it’s adorned with the elaborate tiles and the intricate mosaics Morocco is known for.
While the spa offers a range of hammam experiences, we opted for the highest tier: The 3-hour Marajah Signature, which started with each of us being paired with an attendant who instructed us to disrobe down to our disposable underwear.
First, we were rinsed off with warm water from basins drawn from the fountain, then we were bathed meticulously with black soap before being left to steam for ten to fifteen minutes. As our brains caught up with the initial shock of being bathed together by strangers, we sat, caught our breath, and took it all in. When our attendants returned, they rinsed us off, filling bucket after bucket before beginning the exfoliation process. Each woman reached for a coarse mitt, which we later learned is called a “kessa”, and began to scrub methodically in every direction, visibly removing dead skin better than any washcloth or glove I’ve tried.
After rinsing again, a rose ghassoul mask was applied to our now supple skin and we were left to steam a second time. While we sat discussing upgrading our everything showers to include a kessa, one of my friends asked the group, “Did she exfoliate your lips?” Which made me instinctively touch my face and reply, “No, she hasn’t started my face yet.” “Not those lips,” she shot back, causing the group to erupt in laughter at how thorough this process was.
With our final hammam rinses behind us, our smooth bodies were wrapped in our robes and escorted to the lounge for a break, where we received foot massages while selecting our full body massage oils and enjoying traditional Moroccan tea and biscuits.
Before we could debrief, we were introduced to the next group of attendants who would be conducting our rose and argan facials. Over the course of the next two hours, we laid side by side on our respective massage tables as our faces were cleansed, steamed, and treated to a vibrant floral mask, before receiving gentle extractions, and a cooling mask that eased us into our massages. By the time we were directed to disrobe and turn over for the traditional full body massage, I was so relaxed my friends claimed they could hear me snoring.
When it was all over, we emerged glowing, refreshed, and grateful for yet another memorable experience. Our time in Morocco taught us how purification is both an art and a tradition; it prepares the body and soul for prayer and can serve as a ritual and social hub.
