I’m sat in a Turkish hammam, where warm water is being thrown over me as I watch a belly dancer in the centre of the room. Seven of us are spaced out along benches while the floor fills up with hot water. Sweat is dripping from my face.
We are encouraged to wash before enjoying a traditional scrub and foam treatment in the connecting rooms. After 15 minutes, I’m called in for my £54 massage – a similar experience in a hammam at a five-star London hotel costs more than double the price. I lay on my back while a therapist prepares the foam.
She puts on a “kese” (an exfoliating glove). After the scrub step is complete, I lay coated in bubbles for a few minutes. Read Next The seven best seaside hotels in Hastings, with rooms from £74 This is one of many treatments available in the spa at Liberty Signa , a new five-star hotel in Fethiye, Turkey .
Thoroughly relaxed, it’s time for me to explore the rest of the resort. I’m in my early 20s, but I’m already a long-time fan of all-inclusive holidays – I’ve been on at least 12. Judging by the average age of people staying at this hotel, I seem to be one of the younger advocates of the all-inclusive break.
But this type of holiday is increasingly popular among UK travellers. Research released in May by Advantage Travel Partnership , the UK’s largest network of independent travel agents, found that all-inclusive options had dominated the market in 2024, taking 40 per cent of all bookings with its members. Among the.