Hammam treatment at The Dominick via Haute Grandeur
In recent years, hammams have recently been touted as a hot new wellness practice. However, their history dates back to the thermae, or public baths of the Roman Empire with a hot room (caldarium), warm room (tepidarium), and cold room (frigidrium) that visitors moved through to stimulate blood flow and sweat out impurities. After the fall of the Roman Empire, hammams thrived in the Byzantine Empire, where they increased the size of the reception room, removed the cold room, and incorporated cleansing scrubs and massages. Not only did the public baths promote hygiene and health, but they also served as a social hub in village life.
Centuries later, the bathhouses of ancient villages have made their way to New York City neighborhoods. The no-frills, over 100-year-old Russian & Turkish Baths has been an Alphabet City institution before the neighborhood even got its name, and newer establishments like AIRE Ancient Baths, Argana Day Spa, World Spa, and QC NY offer a more luxurious atmosphere inspired by the bathhouses of old. Modern hammams are distinguished by their luxurious materials, center platform, warm surfaces, and heat and humidity that leads to abundant steam. Some hammams leave it as a space to simply sit and relax while enjoying the steam, but others serve as the setting for full-body scrubs, soaks, and massages.
In this article:
However, some New Yorkers don't need to brave the elements to enjoy a hammam, not when it is among their building's amenity package. It remains to be seen whether residential hammams will become the social center of the buildings as in days of old, but there are already a few certainties: These facilities offer a luxurious atmosphere thanks to rich materials and fine design. It would be highly inadvisable to bring electronic devices into one, which forces visitors to disconnect and relax. And at a time of year when New Yorkers' skin is drying out between cold temperatures and harsh central heating, a visit to a hammam will get the blood moving and prime the body for recovery.
Condos
This landmarked building was originally known as 2 Chase Manhattan Plaza, but has been transformed into a luxury condominium with interiors by Armani/Casa. The vaults have been transformed into a suite of amenities that includes a fitness center, pool and spa area, juice bar, saunas, and hammam lounge.
The Collection, #3303 (R New York)
252 South Street
22 available listings from $1.23M
One Manhattan Square (Evan Joseph)
The 100,000-square-foot amenity suite at Lower Manhattan supertall One Manhattan Square caters to seemingly every hobby and lifestyle. Spa lovers are greeted by a sunken tranquility garden at the entrances to a hammam with cold plunge pool, a sauna, a hot tub, and private treatment rooms.
One Manhattan Square, #21D
$2,340,000
Lower East Side | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,123 ft2
One Manhattan Square, #21D (Extell Marketing Group LLC)
All images of 49 Chambers Street via Douglas Elliman
Hammams are still a part of community life in Morocco, and Moroccan developer Chetrit Group made this white Ariel marble hammam a sumptuous, relaxing component of life at its condo conversion at 49 Chambers Street. It is directly connected to the pool, and the adjacent sauna and steam rooms allow for a contemporary interpretation of the ancient bathing rituals.
49 Chambers Street, #11D (Compass)
111 Murray Street (Douglas Elliman)
With its heated, sculpted marble bed and carved sinks, the hammam is the centerpiece of the spa area at this striking new addition to the Tribeca skyline. Additional health and wellness amenities include a 3,000-square-foot fitness center and movement studio, 75-foot lap pool, hot tub, saunas, private Drybar outpost, and spa treatment rooms.
111 Murray Street, #38A (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
67 Franklin Street
1 available listing for $12M
Cast Iron House (Serhant LLC)
More than 100 years after 67 Franklin Street was built as a textile factory, Landmarks unanimously approved a penthouse addition designed by Pritzker Prize laureate Shigeru Ban. The building is close to popular Tribeca spas, but a hydrotherapy spa with hammam, sauna, and steam room is an elevator ride away.
Cast Iron House, #PHA (Serhant LLC)
246 Spring Street
3 available listings from $499K
The Dominick (Compass)
The Dominick's Hammam via Rockwell Group
If this has piqued your curiosity about hammams, The Dominick's spa is open to the public, as are many of the condo hotel's amenities. Here, a cleansing and detoxifying spa treatment takes place on a heated marble slab that allows guests to sweat out toxins while a therapist uses a special mitt for a thorough exfoliation. Visitors have extolled the level of luxury at every step in the process.
The Dominick, #1506 (Leven Real Estate)
730 Fifth Avenue
2 available listings from $20.3M
Aman New York Residences (Douglas Elliman)
Owners at Aman New York Residences enjoy access to the five-star hotel's services and amenities. These include a three-story, 25,000-square-foot spa with a hammam, banya, hot and cold plunge pools, an indoor pool, a spacious double treatment room, and an outdoor terrace.
Aman New York Residences, #16B
$20,300,000
Midtown West | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 3 Baths | 3,646 ft2
Aman New York Residences, #16B (OKO REAL ESTATE LLC)
Rentals
225 East 39th Street
10 available listings from $4,360/month
1 month free rent and 1 month OP
HOUSE39 (Rose Associates)
Living in a luxury condo is not the only way to experience a hammam—rental tower HOUSE39 incorporated one into its extensive amenities package. The building is centrally located with easy access to multiple transportation options. But why would anyone want to leave a building with a fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, library, work stations, game room, bocce court, and roof deck?
HOUSE39, #19A (Rose Associates)
626 First Avenue
8 available listings from $4,196/month
1 month free rent on a 12-month lease
The Copper (GO Partners)
Not only does The Copper make a statement in the skyline with its twin-towered design and skybridge, but the wellness amenities command similar attention. The building's hammam features a marble steam room and cold plunge pool, and residents also enjoy access to a fitness center, yoga studio, Pilates studio, climbing wall, and spa.
The Copper, #E32H (Compass)
From the Listing: With incredible attention to design and detail, this one-bedroom/one-bath at The Copper features northern exposure, floor-to-ceiling glass, custom solar shades, custom wood floors, gracious ceiling heights, lots of closet space, smart home technology including Nest thermostat and key fob entry, and in-unit washer and dryer by Bosch. The custom SHoP kitchen features statuary marble countertops and backsplash, black matte and brass custom lighting, and high-end appliances. See floor plan and full details here.
605 West 42nd Street
5 available listings from $3,450/month
Rent concession on a 14-month lease
Sky (Moinian Group)
Sky was an early entrant in a crop of towering, amenity-rich rentals that put Hell's Kitchen on the map, and remains a standout thanks in part to the Life Time fitness center in the building. Residents enjoy access to the club's fitness center, basketball and pickleball courts, indoor and outdoor pools, and spa with Turkish-style hammam, sauna, steam room, and water feature.
148 East 126th Street
10 available listings from $2,825/month
The Smile (Brown Harris Stevens)
The Smile's gracefully curved facade by Bjarke Ingels has utterly transformed its East Harlem streetscape, and the apartments and amenities brought new standards to the neighborhood. At the center of it is Smile Spa, which offers a hammam, dry sauna, steam room, cold room, color-changing LED Himalayan salt room, and sensory experience showers.
The Smile, #716 (Brown Harris Stevens Development Marketing LLC)
6sqft delivers the latest on real estate, architecture, and design, straight from New York City.
