Spa infuses Morocco’s traditions
From left: Oum Keltoum Berrada, Ibtissam Nasroullah and Ihsane Benhalima, owners of So Morocco, have integrated Moroccan spa traditions into Ottawa’s Nordic spa scene.
Photo: Sadeen Mohsen
Spa infuses Morocco’s traditions with Nordic experiences
By Sadeen Mohsen
The story behind So Morocco at 20 Pretoria Avenue is one filled with culture and friendship, highlighting immigrant women in Ottawa. Ottawa’s first women-only hammam, So Morocco, is relatively new, opening its doors in the Glebe neighbourhood in mid-October 2024.
The three founders, Ihsane Benhalima, Oum Keltoum Berrada and Ibtissam Nasroullah, are from Morocco and play a notable role in their first shared business. All three women have a background in marketing and work together on the “big picture stuff.”
Benhalima’s role is arranging what services they offer and the internal processes. Keltoum Berrada focuses on social media marketing and the communication aspects of the business. Nasroullah’s role is on the creative side, where she focuses on bringing the brand together, including beauty products, labelling and logo designs.
The women said the shift from the marketing and corporate world came from wanting to create something meaningful and to prioritize self-care. That’s where the idea of a spa came from. “The stress of life made us realize we needed to stop, we needed to breathe and to value the time we have to create something for us,” Benhalima said. “We wanted to share this experience with women…creating a space where people can just disconnect and reconnect with one’s self.”
Despite having three heads in a leadership role, they say they get along pretty well, having known each other for years. As immigrant women from Morocco, they said they don’t feel any different in a diverse city like Ottawa.
“Our business [was started by] women who wanted to create and to integrate a piece of our culture here [and] to participate in the involvement of the spa area in Ottawa,” Benhalima said. “We want people to discover a new way of self-care.”
Entering So Morocco, the first thing that hits the senses is the smell of essential oils permeating the space. Benhalima says this is an integral part of the experience of a Moroccan hammam, which means “bath” in Arabic.
The Moroccan hammam is a traditional steam bath that engages all the senses through exfoliation and steaming body treatments. Benhalima explains that they also incorporated soothing music for hearing, essential oils for smell and, to end the experience, the final touch: Moroccan tea and treats that feature traditional flavours such as mint, almonds and orange blossom water.
“This is our way of welcoming people,” Benhalima said. “It’s the hospitality of Morocco.”
Another way of strengthening Moroccan identity within their spa was ensuring they could authentically reconstruct a hammam setting that would be seen in Morocco. Keltoum Berrada said they imported marble sinks and a heated marble table from Morocco because “it’s part of the experience.”
This includes organic source materials such as black soap, Moroccan clay and dragon oils. “This attention to small details is important in providing an authentic experience,” Keltoum Berrada said. “We try to include all authentic ingredients of the hammam in our experience.” They also include locally made products to support other small Canadian businesses.
For those who are not familiar with the hammam experience, Nasroullah said they have created a fusion experience, where they combine both Nordic and Moroccan hammam methods to create something clients can experiment with. While Nordic experiences are all about cold circuits, the traditional Moroccan way focuses on heat and steam. This starts with a steam room, followed by a body scrub and massage.
“Here, it’s a closer relationship with your body,” Nasroullah said, adding that the hammam experience offers a deeper relaxation for their clients.
The theme of Nordic and Moroccan infusion is notable throughout the spa, with classic Nordic lounge chairs and Moroccan arches. Benhalima says this is intentional and is a way to introduce a different style of lounge while keeping things familiar.
“This is why we call [it] So Morocco, because Moroccans are attached to their roots and traditions but open to modernity and to the world,” Benhalima said.
The three founders agreed that the most important element of this journey together was being able to create “special moments” with their clients, especially for those experiencing a Moroccan hammam for the first time. “It’s the real reward of all the efforts we have put in,” Benhalima said.
Sadeen Mohsen is a journalism student at Carleton University.