60 by 60 — Adventure 9: An Ancestral Hammam Experience at Moncton’s SAFIR
I wasn’t expecting to be transported to Morocco last week, but that’s exactly how it felt stepping into Moncton’s SAFIR Hammam & Spa, an experience inspired by centuries-old bathing practices.
Located at 49 Foundry St., SAFIR is on the ground floor of Tower One, part of a trio of newer downtown apartment buildings known locally as ‘The Three Sisters’. Ben Champoux and his partner, Hiba Benjelloun—who share a business and personal partnership—were intentional about rooting their hammam in authentic Moroccan traditions when they opened SAFIR in April 2025.
What is a hammam?
A hammam is a traditional communal bathhouse, common throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Key features include heat, steam, exfoliation and rest.
“The hammam is about more than cleansing,” Champoux explained during my recent visit with two friends. “It’s about slowing people down and creating space for rest, connection and care—something we don’t get much of anymore.”
Benjelloun, an independent entrepreneur originally from Marrakech, Morocco, immigrated to Canada in 2022. Champoux is well known in economic development circles across southeastern New Brunswick and has been working as an independent consultant for the past 10 years.
Upon entering the couple’s hammam facility, guests are welcomed to a beautiful, jewel-toned lounge with deep sapphire walls, blue accents and gold detailing, complemented by soft, ambient lighting. Plush seating, copper tables and a striking mosaic fountain form the heart of the space.
My friends and I chose a treatment called “The Ancestral Hammam”. The guided communal ritual is designed to cleanse the body, calm the nervous system and invite deep rest. It sounded like the perfect adventure for a mid-winter day.
Entering another world
An attendant brought us to the change room to don the two-piece bathing suits we’d brought, the recommended style for women visiting the hammam. I’d brought my own robe, too, while my friends rented SAFIR-branded versions. Water bottles and towels are also important to tote. Slippers are provided.
Two female attendants then directed us down a hallway to the hammam, a large, warm space (about 35 °C) with stone bench seating lining three walls. The fourth wall held a bank of showers, with a steam room at one end.
We were the only guests in the hammam at the time, which made it possible for me to take photos.
When our treatment began, we were directed to sit on the stone bench, each of us positioned beside a ceramic basin. Our skilled attendants—traditionally called kessala—poured bowlfuls of warm water from the basin over our heads and backs. They then used caring hands to apply Moroccan black soap made from olive and essential oils to our backs to begin the cleansing process. (We lathered our own tummies, legs and arms.)
Soaped up, we then moved into the steam room, where the high humidity and hot temperature (about 58 °C) helped to open our pores and absorb the essential oils of the soap, stimulating detoxification. This part is also said to promote physical relaxation and stress relief as muscles loosen and breathing deepens.
We could stay in the steam space for five to 15 minutes, listening carefully to our bodies. I lasted about seven before exiting to cool off and sip some water.
A shower rinse followed to remove residual black soap. Curtains could be drawn to allow for swimsuit removal and a fuller rinse.
Next, our two hammam angels invited us to climb atop large, warm stone tables in the centre of the room where they scrubbed our bodies with our exfoliation gloves. (Guests purchase an exfoliation glove upon arrival for $10. It can be used reused at SAFIR or home.)
After a few minutes of scrubbing, my attendant gave me a peek at the layers of dead skin she removed from my frame. Not exactly pretty, but undeniably effective!
With the initial exfoliation complete, the attendant asked me to rinse in the shower while she cleaned my table. I soon returned there for a coating of Ghassoul clay, a mineral-rich Moroccan clay that purifies and nourishes the skin.
Then came the Turkish soaping, a dramatic ritual that cocoons the body in enormous layers of lavender-scented foam before a thorough, sensory rinse. I’m a sucker for bubbles so this felt amazing!
My friends and I didn’t talk much during the treatments, each of us simply enjoying our own experience. It felt surreal to be so pampered.
After a relaxation period, our attendants rinsed us with warm water in preparation for our exit from the treatment area. I hated to leave.
Tea, stillness and glow
After we returned to the change room, ditched our swimsuits and dressed in street clothes again, another SAFIR staff member directed us to a relaxation area, a dimly lit room with a multitude of luxurious chaise lounges separated by billowy curtains. My friends and I got cozy on the loungers and chatted about the unique ritual and how soft our skin felt.
A small tray soon arrived for each of us with warm mint tea and a sweet bite, all of which was joyfully consumed.
Good to Know
In addition to hammam services, SAFIR also offers an on-site hair salon and a wide range of massage therapy offerings. Visitors can choose from several ritual and treatment options, depending on time, comfort level and desired intensity. Full details, including service descriptions and pricing, are available on SAFIR’s website: https://SAFIRhammam.com/
Visiting hours at the hammam are structured to respect comfort and privacy: Mondays and Wednesdays as well as Sunday afternoons are reserved for women and their daughters (aged 4+); Tuesdays are reserved for men and their sons (aged 4+). SAFIR is open to all guests 15+ on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays as well as Sunday mornings.
An invitation to be
In a season of life where many of us are navigating change—hormonal, emotional, physical—experiences like those offered at SAFIR feel especially meaningful. As I move through my 60 by 60 storytelling journey, I’m learning that not every adventure requires movement or momentum. Some invite stillness. Some offer permission to honour ourselves exactly as we are.
I’ll always be an advocate for movement and doing, but SAFIR Hammam & Spa reminded me that simply being has its place, too.
60 by 60 is a series chronicling 60 adventures in the lead-up to my 60th birthday in September. I’m doing this to nudge myself (and maybe you!) to try new things and stay curious in midlife.
Have an idea for a 60 by 60 adventure I should consider, in Canada or beyond? I’d love to hear it! Email me at cathykdonaldson@outlook.com.
Read Adventure 1 from the series here: 👉 https://www.cathydonaldson.ca/midlife-report/60-by-60-lets-go