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Posted (edited)

Effective the first of this year, the sauna in Rio de Janeiro known as Clube 117 is charging garotos an entrance fee of fifty reais.

Although that amount is not great for most foreign visitors to Brazil, that R$50 entrance fee is quite a shock and hardship to most garotos.  

Most garotos live a fair distance from the sauna.  Most pay a bus fee to get to the sauna.  Effective now, they pay fifty reais (plus travel costs) just to enter the sauna to try to earn some hustling money.

Some garotos do not meet any clients even though they go to the sauna and pay their fifty reais entrance fee.  This means that the garoto wastes his time and bus money plus the fifty reais to enter the sauna without any guarantee that they will make any money by meeting a client in the sauna. 

The new entrance price that started for garotos the first of the year is a bad decision by Monik who raised the fee to that absurd amount.  Like I said, maybe Monik is tired after all these years and just wants out of running the sauna.  Who knows?  

I have been to Brazil countless times over many years and have seen numerous saunas go out of business for various reasons.  Never have I seen an entrance fee for garotos to be fifty reais which is bound to prevent many garotos from entering (because they cannot afford the fee).  Without garotos, clients are not going to go to a sauna that no longer has many garotos.  Client only go to the sauna to meet garotos.  

A dozen years ago there were seven saunas in Rio.  Now there are only two (Clube 117 and Pointe 202) plus a small sauna downtown that is rarely discussed in the forums.   

For some greedy reason, the owner of the sauna Clube 117 fails to realize that if there are no garotos in the sauna, clients have no incentive to spend their money to use the sauna.   

I can understand raising entrance fees for clients but raising the fee for garotos to R$50 is nothing but short-sighted and a reason to keep many garotos away because they lack money to gamble on whether they will make any money (if they contract with a client) after they enter the sauna.

Obviously, with the increased garoto entrance fee, the saunas will have fewer garotos.  This means that there will also be fewer clients (lost sauna revenue) because the clients only go to the sauna to meet garotos. 

Maybe Monik is tired of the sauna and an unreasonable fee to garotos is her way to close the sauna.  I do not know her rational or reason.

Maybe, in the future, the internet will be the only way to meet garotos. 

Junior, at Pointe 202 has not changed his fees to the garotos (yet).  He might copy Clube 117 and raise his fee also.  However, maybe he is smarter than I thought.  Or, maybe after he sees the effect on Clube 117, he might raise the garoto entrance fee as did Monik.  

So, we now have two garoto saunas in Rio and only one garoto sauna (Lagoa) in Sao Paulo (out of twelve saunas we had twelve years ago).  

Of course, nothing lasts forever.  However the high entrance fee to the garotos is almost death rattle for Clube 117.  

How sad it will be if Clube 117 sauna does go out of business.       

Edited by coriolis888
spelling
Posted
3 hours ago, coriolis888 said:

Effective the first of this year, the sauna in Rio de Janeiro known as Clube 117 is charging garotos an entrance fee of fifty reais.

Although that amount is not great for most foreign visitors to Brazil, that R$50 entrance fee is quite a shock and hardship to most garotos.  

Most garotos live a fair distance from the sauna.  Most pay a bus fee to get to the sauna.  Effective now, they pay fifty reais (plus travel costs) just to enter the sauna to try to earn some hustling money.

Some garotos do not meet any clients even though they go to the sauna and pay their fifty reais entrance fee.  This means that the garoto wastes his time and bus money plus the fifty reais to enter the sauna without any guarantee that they will make any money by meeting a client in the sauna. 

The new entrance price that started for garotos the first of the year is a bad decision by Monik who raised the fee to that absurd amount.  Like I said, maybe Monik is tired after all these years and just wants out of running the sauna.  Who knows?  

I have been to Brazil countless times over many years and have seen numerous saunas go out of business for various reasons.  Never have I seen an entrance fee for garotos to be fifty reais which is bound to prevent many garotos from entering (because they cannot afford the fee).  Without garotos, clients are not going to go to a sauna that no longer has many garotos.  Client only go to the sauna to meet garotos.  

A dozen years ago there were seven saunas in Rio.  Now there are only two (Clube 117 and Pointe 202) plus a small sauna downtown that is rarely discussed in the forums.   

For some greedy reason, the owner of the sauna Clube 117 fails to realize that if there are no garotos in the sauna, clients have no incentive to spend their money to use the sauna.   

I can understand raising entrance fees for clients but raising the fee for garotos to R$50 is nothing but short-sighted and a reason to keep many garotos away because they lack money to gamble on whether they will make any money (if they contract with a client) after they enter the sauna.

Obviously, with the increased garoto entrance fee, the saunas will have fewer garotos.  This means that there will also be fewer clients (lost sauna revenue) because the clients only go to the sauna to meet garotos. 

Maybe Monik is tired of the sauna and an unreasonable fee to garotos is her way to close the sauna.  I do not know her rational or reason.

Maybe, in the future, the internet will be the only way to meet garotos. 

Junior, at Pointe 202 has not changed his fees to the garotos (yet).  He might copy Clube 117 and raise his fee also.  However, maybe he is smarter than I thought.  Or, maybe after he sees the effect on Clube 117, he might raise the garoto entrance fee as did Monik.  

So, we now have two garoto saunas in Rio and only one garoto sauna (Lagoa) in Sao Paulo (out of twelve saunas we had twelve years ago).  

Of course, nothing lasts forever.  However the high entrance fee to the garotos is almost death rattle for Clube 117.  

How sad it will be if Clube 117 sauna does go out of business.       

There’s a huge discussion about this very topic at that *other board* (I don’t know the rules about naming it or linking it, so I will refrain).

My opinion on what should / should have been done at 117 (full disclosure: Im also a small business owner in Rio, a brick-and-mortar shop that’s been feeling the squeeze of inflation):

1. Keep the entrance prices for working boys / garotos the same. If an increase is absolutely necessary for club survival, then make it incremental, like 5 reais. That would’ve raised it from 35 to 40. And that would’ve been less than a $1 USD increase. But IMHO, 50 R entrance fees is just too much for working garotos.

BTW, how much is the current entrance fees for garotos at São Paulo’s Lagoa? Anyone know?

2. For clients, make a two-tier entrance fee: those with Brazilian ID, keep the previous price. For those without or those with non-Brazilian ID, give them the elevated entrance rate. I don’t think locals who get paid in BRL and have always been the steady flow of clients (especially during low season) will be able to enjoy too many nights out at the saunas with these inflationary rates (especially if everything else, like suites, drinks and garotos’ prices, are also increased). However, the difference for tourists is only a few dollars — and if you’re traveling to another country with an emerging, developing economy for fun and squabbling over a couple of bucks, then sorry, but maybe you should just stay home.

I can also understand charging a bit more for card purchases because the vendor most often gets charged for processing cards (it can be as high as 8%, but it’s usually about 3-4%). And then there’s the customers who could later challenge the charge with their banks — causing bank payment chargebacks, delays or even refusals. Imagine trying to do this with an international bank. (Every customer is NOT a good, honest broker!) 

3. Regarding suite pricing increases, I think it may have gone from 70R to 77R. Not a large increase on paper, but the building amenities have not been improved in ages (unlike some of her competitors, like Lagoa or Point 202, which are also not perfect but have made some renovations). I would not mind a slight increase on room rates if the building owner and management used it to actually improve / beautify the rooms.

It’s a tough business to maintain in a changing, internet / app world and an inflationary economy. Like many of us, I just want these saunas to stick around and thrive. 

My opinions. 

Posted
2 hours ago, hornyfrog said:

There’s a huge discussion about this very topic at that *other board* (I don’t know the rules about naming it or linking it, so I will refrain).

My opinion on what should / should have been done at 117 (full disclosure: Im also a small business owner in Rio, a brick-and-mortar shop that’s been feeling the squeeze of inflation):

1. Keep the entrance prices for working boys / garotos the same. If an increase is absolutely necessary for club survival, then make it incremental, like 5 reais. That would’ve raised it from 35 to 40. And that would’ve been less than a $1 USD increase. But IMHO, 50 R entrance fees is just too much for working garotos.

BTW, how much is the current entrance fees for garotos at São Paulo’s Lagoa? Anyone know?

2. For clients, make a two-tier entrance fee: those with Brazilian ID, keep the previous price. For those without or those with non-Brazilian ID, give them the elevated entrance rate. I don’t think locals who get paid in BRL and have always been the steady flow of clients (especially during low season) will be able to enjoy too many nights out at the saunas with these inflationary rates (especially if everything else, like suites, drinks and garotos’ prices, are also increased). However, the difference for tourists is only a few dollars — and if you’re traveling to another country with an emerging, developing economy for fun and squabbling over a couple of bucks, then sorry, but maybe you should just stay home.

I can also understand charging a bit more for card purchases because the vendor most often gets charged for processing cards (it can be as high as 8%, but it’s usually about 3-4%). And then there’s the customers who could later challenge the charge with their banks — causing bank payment chargebacks, delays or even refusals. Imagine trying to do this with an international bank. (Every customer is NOT a good, honest broker!) 

3. Regarding suite pricing increases, I think it may have gone from 70R to 77R. Not a large increase on paper, but the building amenities have not been improved in ages (unlike some of her competitors, like Lagoa or Point 202, which are also not perfect but have made some renovations). I would not mind a slight increase on room rates if the building owner and management used it to actually improve / beautify the rooms.

It’s a tough business to maintain in a changing, internet / app world and an inflationary economy. Like many of us, I just want these saunas to stick around and thrive. 

My opinions. 

As a small business owner, do you think it would be easy to implement differential prices for foreigners? Not only for the entrance, but also for all consumptions.

Posted (edited)
25 minutes ago, José Soplanucas said:

As a small business owner, do you think it would be easy to implement differential prices for foreigners? Not only for the entrance, but also for all consumptions.

It is far easier to do it just for the entrance than for consumables or even for room rentals. But I only suggest that the club entrance prices for clients become two-tier. I wouldn’t suggest trying to make any other prices like menu items or room rentals two-tier. 

Edited by hornyfrog
Posted

Do you get naked at club 117 or wear a bathing suit? 

Posted
6 hours ago, Coolwave35 said:

Do you get naked at club 117 or wear a bathing suit? 

As I do not like the sauna, I keep wearing my street clothing and hang out in the bars areas. I have not seen anyone fully naked, you can wear a towel or anything you prefer.

  • 2 months later...
Posted
On 1/7/2025 at 3:42 AM, José Soplanucas said:

As I do not like the sauna, I keep wearing my street clothing and hang out in the bars areas. I have not seen anyone fully naked, you can wear a towel or anything you prefer.

"Back in the day," *2002-2012) the front desk would hand out robes for guys to wear if they so desired.  Few wore the robes, most in towels, and others in street garb.

Posted
3 hours ago, Axiom2001 said:

"Back in the day," *2002-2012) the front desk would hand out robes for guys to wear if they so desired.  Few wore the robes, most in towels, and others in street garb.

Wow. That was 13 to 23 years ago! That policy, if it is ever was one, is no longer in practice. There might be one robe still available at each club but if it is, it’s for rent and placed on the bill. I have recently seen a male client with breasts (presumably transitioned) wearing a white bath robe. I didn’t ask if it was sauna-owned or client-brought.

The upscale hetero equivalents to the gay garoto saunas in Ipanema and Copacabana make it a practice to adorn each client in a house robe upon arrival. The working girls do the honors. That would be a nice touch at the gay saunas for men — but I think it’s a stretch to get them to add the robes, much less get the boys to be cooperative and attentive like that. 

My suggestion would be to bring one to the sauna if you’re hoping to wear one, because it’s not likely that one will be around for you in 2025. 

Posted

when I first read the OP, it sounded like the entrance fee was going from zero to fifty.....hornyfrog, in a later post, said it was already 35......this is much less drastic than the OP made it out to be......15 reals now equals about $2.61US.......50 reals is $8.71US........perhaps this is an attempt to eliminate the less busy garotos and keep only the more attractive ones who can easily weather the new fee??....I don't know......I certainly think a higher non-citizen entrance fee is appropriate

Posted
7 hours ago, azdr0710 said:

when I first read the OP, it sounded like the entrance fee was going from zero to fifty.....hornyfrog, in a later post, said it was already 35......this is much less drastic than the OP made it out to be......15 reals now equals about $2.61US.......50 reals is $8.71US........perhaps this is an attempt to eliminate the less busy garotos and keep only the more attractive ones who can easily weather the new fee??

15 reais ($2.62 US) might not seem like a big increase from 35 to 50 reais to YOU as a foreigner / US citizen, but an increase from $35 to $50 is a whopping 42.86%! And 15 reais is about the price of a round-trip on Rio’s subway. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the per capita household income in 2023 in Brazil was R$1,893 per month. That’s currently only $329 USD. The average Brazilian household is now 3 people. That means that daily, each Brazilian on average makes only 30.44 reais or $5.30 USD a day. 

More than half of Brazilians make less than the country’s federal minimum wage, which is currently R$1.518 a month ($264 USD). 

That entrance fee increase for garotos is half what the average Brazilian earns in a day.

Posted
3 hours ago, hornyfrog said:

15 reais ($2.62 US) might not seem like a big increase from 35 to 50 reais to YOU as a foreigner / US citizen, but an increase from $35 to $50 is a whopping 42.86%! And 15 reais is about the price of a round-trip on Rio’s subway.

 

The subway is free if you are over 65!

Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, SirBillybob said:

The entrance fee for garotos de programa was not raised to 50 reais.

The entrance fee for garotos at 117 was raised to 50 reais on January 1. It was dropped to 40 during Carnaval. However, during an annual free feijoada party on a Saturday during Carnaval time, it was a raised to a whopping 100 reais for garotos, and 150 reais for clients. So, I guess that feijoada really wasn’t free!

Carnaval recently ended, but it might still be 40 reais for the garotos to enter. Maybe the manager reads the message boards and saw the displeasure from clients? 

Edited by solacesoul
Posted (edited)

I only paid attention from mid-January to mid-February as I was periodically in other locations previous to, and following, that time frame, or it wasn’t worth a focus. The OP’s note was a prompt for curiosity. I casually witnessed working guys receiving 10 back from a 50 note given to Claudio etc when in queue; asked guys what their entry fee was, told 40; and reimbursed a select few as a favour. One fellow … bless his heart … needlessly offered 10 in change back from a 50. Perhaps an increase had been rolled back very shortly after Réveillon. 

Edited by SirBillybob
Posted
30 minutes ago, solacesoul said:

The entrance fee for garotos at 117 was raised to 50 reais on January 1. It was dropped to 40 during Carnaval. However, during an annual free feijoada party on a Saturday during Carnaval time, it was a raised to a whopping 100 reais for garotos, and 150 reais for clients. So, I guess that feijoada really wasn’t free!

Carnaval recently ended, but it might still be 40 reais for the garotos to enter. Maybe the manager reads the message boards and saw the displeasure from clients? 


Two different working boys just told me it’s now 40 reais for them to enter 117. 

Posted (edited)
6 minutes ago, hornyfrog said:


Two different working boys just told me it’s now 40 reais for them to enter 117. 

As it was 2 months ago, and up to a month ago if not more recent than that.

Edited by SirBillybob
Posted
59 minutes ago, SirBillybob said:

Perhaps an increase had been rolled back very shortly after Réveillon. 

I think this is most likely the case. A higher entrance fee for sauna boys for Réveillon (and Carnaval) was to be implemented but by the time Carnaval came, management wisely rolled it back.

Entrance fee and suite rental increases for clients, however, remain. 

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