"Hammams trace back to 641AD and the Arabian conquest of Alexandria, Egypt, and then spread across Europe with the Ottoman Empire" says Richard Bishop, UK director of NOLA 7.

Authentic hammams have three main areas, the sicaklik, a hot room; the tepidarium: a warm room and the sogukluk, the cooler relax room. Some leading operators, such as Swissôtel (pictured), are recreating hammams with a modern twist to give them a selling point. With space considerations prime in spas, NOLA 7 replicates traditional hammams with L-shape steamrooms which incorporate massage tables.