Şengül Turkish Bath – Ankara

Name of Hamam: Şengül Turkish Bath

Date Built: Late 1400’s

Traditional style: Yes

Date of Visit: Oct 9 2018

Location: Anafartalar neighborhood of Ankara

Price (in Lira): 32/7.50/7.50 (hamam entry/scrub/massage)

Tip Expected: Yes

Drinks: Yes     Free:  No

There is a section for both Men and Women.

Reviewed for: Men

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Final Score: 46/50 (92%)

Şengül Turkish Bath is a great hamam. There’s only one hitch and that may be a big one depending on what you’re looking for. If you’re only looking to enjoy the hamam and not get the scrub/massage part of the experience, then this place is definitely a great option for you. If, however, the massage is a big part of why you want to visit a Turkish Bath then this may not be the one for you. Of course we can’t say that the massage will be bad every time so hopefully if you do get the massage here it will be great.

 

Score Breakdown

Length of stay: 5

Note: No one rushed us at all. In fact, according to a sign in the hamam you are allowed 3 hours with the standard entry fee which is much longer than normal and a lot longer than my body would be able to handle.

 

Change room: 5

Note:  Clean, tidy, good locks, and large enough to fit people over six feet tall.

 

Common room: 4.5

Note: The comon room centres on a large fountain, the rim of which serves as a table for post bath refreshments. The room is mostly of wood which is quite attractive though the new fake wood panelling for the changerooms looks a little out of place.

 

Hamam Features: 5

Note: The dry sauna was fantastic, very large and clean, with great heat. The steam room was also good except it was brutally hot. Everything that should be in a Turkish Bath was present and good quality.

 

Hamam esthetics: 5

Note: While certainly not ornate, restorations have stayed true to classical forms. The star-shaped holes in the dome are quite pretty. Everything was well lit.

 

Cleanliness: 5

Note: No traces of mildew to be seen. All in all a very clean Turkish Bath.

 

Heat: 4.5

Note: Everything was properly hot or cold as it should be except the steam room which was honestly unbearably hot. No one was able to stay in for more than a minute or two. This is the first time a place has ever lost points for being too hot (except for the one where boiling water was leaking through the broken floor burning our feet).

 

Smell: 5

Note: No smell anywhere. Even the Bathrooms were fine.

 

Quality of Scrub/Massage: 3

Note: The scrub was ok, but the massage portion was brief and weak.

 

Staff: 4

Note: Staff were good though not overly friendly.

 

For up to date information regarding hours and pricing as well as pictures from the hamam check out their official website.

 

Never been to a Turkish Bath? Check out the History of Turkish Bath or check out our article explaining just what goes on at a Turkish Bath !

 

Have any tips or info to add? Spot any mistakes? We’d love to hear about it.