Europe: Houses of Boys, Saunas with Boys

[Guest cmp]

I have asked a question in the thread on Rome and I have received a couple of responses. I'm afraid I have steered that thread away from its original topic. That's why I am opening a new thread.

 

As I am a newbie, I don't know the first thing about saunas. How does it work? Are the boys employed there, or are they just young guests hoping to earn a buck from other guests? How do you hook up? Are there any clean rooms set up for the purpose, or do you have to bring the boy up to your hotel room? Where exactly is the sauna mentioned by Trilingual and MrB?

 

Has anyone tried one of the houses of boys in Spain? Any other venues in Europe with good establishments with boys?

 

Thanks!

[adriano46]

CMP

 

TriLingual and MrB are better acquainted with the saunas in Rio/Spain, but I know the ones in Germany and Holland quite well.

 

In Holland and Germany both, you pay an entrance fee and get a locker key, towel and sometimes sandals, basket to store your valuables 9at the front desk) and in some upscale plpaces you can also rent a small room and get a sheet for it (Germany mostly).

 

Once you strip down and shower, you take your towel and cruise to see what's available, and this varies with the place. I have never met hystlers in these places - these are men of every age out for some sex period. It all depends on what you like, and whether they like you, and believe me, looks are not everything.

 

As for the houses with boys, they too vary. In Germany the few I have visited have been from an up-scale private home on a nice residential street, with a nice group of boys available, to smaller bar-like establishments where the boys sit around waiting for you to offer a drink or whatever. Some places they are pushy, in others they are laid back or downright indifferent.

 

I find that in Holland they mostly attract twink or feminine types, so I avoit them there. In Germany they have some places with very masculine butch types who can do just about anything. Again, shop around, ask questions, and know that in most places, aside from the price for drinks, you never have to pay for going with a guy unless YOU want him.

[Guest dk]

Is there a list of all of the Houses with Boys, with addresses?

 

Everytime I go to Europe I scan the Net, Spartacus, other guide books and each one only has some of them.

 

Has anyone found a complete list or made one?

 

David

[Guest MrB]

>Is there a list of all

>of the Houses with Boys,

>with addresses?

 

Well, as they are neither legal nor illegal, they tend to come and go in most cities. I am unaware of any list anywhere. It would be nice if we made one here, but I won't be much help myself--I like Villa gianni in Earl's Court (London) but that's about it. The Why Not Bar in Amsterdam would not be on my list of recommendations--fems and twinks mostly as Adriano says. The Drake in Prague had better-looking guys among the clients than the boys who work there, so I had some fun with them in the backroom when I was there. I know there are places in Berlin but I've never visited them. Andreas says they are not worth your time.

 

The Thermas Sauna in Barcelona is on the corner of Entenza and Diputacion. The boys work independently from management. There are private rooms you can rent by the hour but there is often a waiting list for them, especially when I'm visiting :-) If you want to take a guy back to your hotel, understand that he will want to finish his shift at Thermas--most of them decide how much money they want to make BEFORE they exit. They will want pts 10,000 for a visit to your hotel--it's only pts 5,000 on premises. There is not usually any time limit but I tip if a guy I really like spends more than an hour with me. Very few boys speak any English and I don't speak Spanish, so after an hour they've earned their tip the hard way. Do not overpay and ruin the market for others... Pts 5000 ($27) may be nothing to you but it's what our Boys from Brazil want, and what the locals can afford to spend.

 

 

MrB

[trilingual]

Amen to what Mr. B said. My additions:

 

My recollection of the Thermas is that there are some free cabins where you can go with the guy of your choice, but on a busy night you may have to wait to get one. Your new friend will watch for an empty room.

 

At the Thermas, you pay the basic admission price upon entrance. You're given your locker key, towel and sandals. There is a bar/restaurant where you can get drinks, snacks or simple meals. All of these get charged to your locker key, and you pay the extra charges on your way out. The guys who are plying their wares are independent agents (although I suspect a casting couch system is used before the owner lets them work there) and you pay them directly. Pts 5000 is the going rate, as Mr. B said; sometimes you can get someone for less if it's a slow night or getting late and the guys are getting a bit desperate. If you go after the changeover to Euros, you should be paying about €30/€35. The last time I was there, most of the guys were Moroccan or Brazilian, with one spectacular blond muscle hunk from Moscow named Dima. If he's around, and you find him attractive, he's well worth it! Of course, you should also get the benefit of the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi! You've paid for it!

 

As for connecting, believe me that it won't be the slightest problem. The guys will come up to you. In fact, the best thing to do is to be reticent upon entrance. Wander around first, check out the layout of the place (the Thermas is on three levels) and see what the guys look like, and then make eye contact and/or strike up a conversation with whomever interests you. They won't be shy!

 

The saunas with boys in Madrid (Plaza and Adán) work similarly, but the facilities are not as nice.

 

Haven't tried the houses with boys in either Madrid or Barcelona, but the Black and White bar in Madrid's Chueca district (the gay ghetto) is where the guys go, starting around 11:30 p.m. Taking somebody home for an hour or so was Pts 10,000 - 15,000 (or around €60 - 90). However, the advantage of the baths over the bars and "houses" is that you can see exactly what you're going to be getting, which is why I prefer them. And they're less expensive!

[Guest cmp]

Thanks MrB, your reply is both useful and funny. I had a good laugh at the thought of going to Prague to have fun with some of the other clients instead of the working boys. Maybe the boys should be paying in that case.

 

About that sauna in Spain: are some of the boys cute, sweet and affectionate?

 

As to the list of addresses, I think we should indeed do it here. If several posters could contribute an address or two and their comments, we would get a useful list - it does not need to be complete. As you mentioned, the first one should be Villa Gianni - details at http://www.villagianni.com and in two threads that were active a couple of months ago on this board. Tastes vary and Why Not is not bad, so I think it should be on the list even if it is not for every taste - details at http://www.whynot.nl . I would love to see this list grow - all travelers, linguals, trackers, lvrs, etc., please contribute your input. Thanks!

 

Maybe HooBoy could post the list later in a new section on this site.

[gerefan]

Hi there!

I can only account for experience in Amsterdam, my second home!

The Whynot and the Club 21 both advertise strip shows and the Whynot also advertises GoGo dancing. Certainly none of these activities have taken place in the last few months, at either place.The management of these houses are only interested in the number of rooms that the boys make! Customers keep turning up for the shows to no avail.

As someone recently pointed out there are a lot of dissatisfied customers around!

I dont like to post negative reviews but I do feel that they are of more value than the "best yet", "hire again" type of review.

Whilst the party is still be going on in Amsterdam the host is beginning to wonder about the washing up.......!

[trilingual]

One other thing: If you go to the sauna (this is true both for Spain and Brazil) the busiest times seem are between around 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. 5:00 is when the guys themselves really start showing up. Earlier, the place can be very quiet (or not even open) and after 9:00 the guys have to be home, or at another job, or getting ready to go out with their friends/girlfriends. (Some of these adorable children are using your hard-spent money to to be able to take their girlfriends out later that evening. . .)

[trilingual]

There are all types at the sauna (this is true of all of them, from Barcelona to São Paulo). Everything from macho trade muscle hunks to "young men in search of protection" as the expression used to go in Spain. Many are very affectionate. If he's still doing his Moscow-Barcelona commute, Dima the Russian bodybuilder is certainly affectionate, and he speaks good English. One of the good things about the Thermas is that the price of an adventure is so low you can always try another guy if the first one doesn't turn out to be that exciting. Just bring enough cash. Pts 15000 - 20000 (€90 - 120) should provide you quite a night!!!

[Guest cmp]

Thanks everyone for the crash course in saunology, I needed it.

 

About the list: we have Thermas with excellent information in this thread. We have Villa Gianni. We have Why Not with several caveats (I still think it's not bad for certain tastes). But is that all? Could we get further recommendations from members of this board? Or aren't there any more fun places in Europe? Thailand is too far away...

[Traveller]

>The Drake in Prague had

>better-looking guys among the clients

>than the boys who work

>there,

 

Absolutely. Generally very young, skinny straight boys working at Drakes. And not very many.

 

>I know there are places

>in Berlin but I've never

>visited them.

 

The saunas in former East Berlin were pretty bad; however, the gym a few blocks down the street from the Adlon (on the street parallel to Unter den Linden, going away from the Brandenberg Gate and on the second floor) was full of tall, built, hung gay boys and had lots of action.

 

The sauna in the historic district of Munich was also filled with hot guys. Several floors and a lot of fun.

 

Later.

[Traveller]

I forgot one great sauna filled with numerous escorts - Paragon in Zurich. Generally the escorts aren't Swiss, but Black, Arab or Eastern European. Not a problem for me.

 

Later.

 

PS. Of course no European sauna holds a candle to Roger's Termas in Rio.

[Guest cmp]

Traveller,

 

Thanks for your posts. Can you tell us more about that sauna in Brazil? Even if it's off-topic in this thread, it's certainly interesting. It's probably the boys who make that place so good, so it would be nice to hear some details...

[Guest cmp]

To take this thread further East: what's the scoop about Budapest? (Either saunas or houses.)

[fedssocr1]

About a year ago I reviewed a boy from Valentino's house of boys in Cologne. The place is literally around the corner from the main train station. I was a little put off by the way the place works. It's basically a "gentleman's club" where the boys get you to buy them exhorbitantly priced drinks before going upstairs. I'm sure that's how the club owner makes all of his money and the boys must be under pretty strict orders to sell those drinks. After spending time in the places in Amsterdam though it was a bit of a shock. Since I don't speak a lot of German I was also at a bit of a disadvantage but I got by. I ended up going upstairs with a really pretty boy, about 19 but looked much younger, smooth, thin, blond. I think his name was Alex. He was also excellent in bed. I had a good time and the expense was comparable to what I pay here in Washington, but the whole setup just rubbed me the wrong way. Many cute boys there though, lots of Arabic looking guys most likely Turks I suppose.

 

In Amsterdam I like the place up the street from Why Not/Blue Boy a bit better. I think it's called Boys Club 21 or something like that. I met a really sweet kid there named Peter. Lots of different types there. The guys at Blue Boy was a bit too cliquish and didn't seem interested in talking to the customers. Maybe that has changed since last year. I guess I'm also used to places like Remington's in Toronto where the dancers are so "friendly" .

[Guest WetDream]

RE: Budapest Baths

 

Budapest has a long history as a spa and the city has many baths, some dating back to the Ottoman Empire days. Most are visited regularly by the locals -- both gay and straight. Gays seem to congregate at certain baths on certain days or between certain hours. Try the Gellert (very grand) between 4 & 6:30 p.m. The Kiraly late afternoons on Monday, Wednesday or Friday. The Rac on Saturday from 3 p.m. Bars open and close so check a current gay travelguide. There is always street cruising along the Danube just north of the Erzabet Bridge. Most of the hustlers are Rumanians who can't get working papers. A lot of them are cute; some are quite sweet. Happy hunting! (You might check the Prague/Budapest thread for more information.)

[trilingual]

RE: Brazilian Baths

 

As for the bath houses in Brazil, see my semi-world-famous review of Brazilian Saunas in the Escorts Outside USA section of this site, plus additional reviews of individual saunas in the same section. The sauna mentioned in this thread is Roger's, which is the oldest such establishment in Rio (although the place is up-to-date and so are the guys!). There are now competing establishments in Rio, mentioned in the review, and similar places in just about every major Brazilian city. You can also get a preview of the places by going to http://www.netgay.com.br and clicking on "thermas/saunas". Many have pages and you can see what they look like. Clicking on "escort boys" will give you an idea of what's available in Rio. A similar site (but you have to "join" for the nude pix) is http://www.olimpos.com.br. Click on "acompanhantes" for thumbnails of the guys. Happy drooling!

[Guest hockeyluvr]

Amigo sauna in Copenhagen is the best bath I have visited in europe or north america.

There are saunas in Frankfurt, but they are comparatively unfriendly, except for the strange little "neighborhood" sauna which is out beyond the University on Amsterdamstrasse (what else). The house of boys "Playground" is a better bet on Rapp street in Frankfurt. There are many nice boys.

[+ Lucky]

Amigo sauna in Copenhagen was the filthiest sauna I have ever been in, so I trust that it has been cleaned since 1998.

[Guest cmp]

RE: Brazilian Baths

 

Thanks everyone, I enjoyed your replies. O brigado Trilingual, I was not aware of your half-world-famous review. I am now, which makes it fully world-famous.

 

Thanks Wet for the info on Budapest. I have revisited the Prague & Budapest thread, it's very informative. I am going to be there later this month. I've got a couple of questions. Are there rentboys working in the bathhouses? There is an exclusively gay sauna called Magnum, mentioned on a Hungarian site, on Cseprehegy St., 8th District. It has small rooms to rent, so I assume it must also have boys. Has anyone tried it? The same site (it's in Hungarian) also mentions the escorts at the No Limit bar. Does anyone know what types of escots are working there - ages, nationalities, degrees of twinkyness, etc? Thanks for any input.

[Guest WetDream]

RE: Budapest Baths #2

 

I was in Budapest a year ago last May, so things might have changed. The No Limits was opened while I was there, but I didn't go. Some of the guys that I did drag home told me that rentboys were available there. Again, I would guess that most are Rumanian. I also suspect that a good percentage of the men in the bathhouse you mentioned might be locals; there is never any reason to turn down a freebee. Lots of cute guys in the area. Let us know the results of your trip.

[Guest cmp]

RE: Budapest Baths #2

 

Thank you Wet for your posts. About how old are the cruising guys? Are they cute? Is the cruising area safe? Did you find it safe to hook up with 'paperless' Romanian dudes? Thanks!

[Guest WetDream]

RE: Budapest Cruising

 

There are a lot of very cute guys out on the street; some of them are straight or bi. Since they don't have work papers, this is often the only opportunity for them to make cash. It is a hard life; they have to go back to Romania and get entry papers each month.

 

After years of picking up people on the streets (boy do I miss the old days in NYC!), I have developed pretty accurate "street smarts." I would recommend that you chat with the lads first (may have at least some English or have a friend that can help with translation). Maybe I was lucky, but I met -- and took back to my sublet apartment -- three very nice young men.

 

The first was a real twink, sweet natured, mostly gay young man. Very friendly, told me about his family (father an out-of-work miner). Saw him twice.

 

Second was an incredibly handsome man -- looked like a young Leslie Howard. Blond, really big dick -- mainly straight so there wasn't much kissing.

 

Third was a Ukranian friend of #2; they had been together when we first met. His English was extremely limited, so his friend helped with the arrangements -- and even brought the guy over to my apartment since he wasn't yet familiar with the city. (As an extra added service, these two helped me figure out how to work the washer/dryer in my apartment!) Sexually, the Ukranian guy was somewhere in the middle of the other two -- not as forthcoming (pardon the pun) as #1 but much more so that #2.

 

Completely unsolicited on my part, #1 came by the apartment on the morning I was leaving and brought me coffee and a pastry; he helped me get my luggage down to the taxi and went with me to the train station and put me on the right train to Vienna.

 

My advice is to treat these young men well and to give them a bit more $$$ than they ask for (still dirt cheap). Hope you have as much fun as I did.

 

Let me know what happens.

[Guest cmp]

RE: Budapest Cruising

 

Wet,

 

Thanks again (and again). Language is no problem at all, as I can speak quite a lot of languages (Trilingual is not the only one on this board who can). Actually I could speak both Hungarian and Romanian long before I learned to speak English which is now one of my favourite laguages. I also know my way around Budapest (at least in the central areas), but I don't know the first thing about the scene, as I am very new to it. That accounts for my numerous questions here.

 

I don't know if I am going to pick up street hustlers during my upcumming trip. I'm worrying about the health risks, I don't think these poor kids have got any medical supervision or the power to refuse to engage in unsafe sex. Any opinions?

 

If I decide to go for the fun, I will be unable to entertain young friends at my place in Budapest. Is there any safe place to rent a room close to the cruising spot?

 

Thanks!

[Guest WetDream]

RE: Budapest Cruising

 

As far as safe sex goes, the situation here is like the situation in other large, complex cities: BE CAREFUL. The men I was with all asked about using rubbers, so that is a good sign. Since I was renting an apartment while I was there I didn't have to find out about short-term lodging. But if you ask the boys, I am sure they will be able to ster you to an appropriate place.

 

P.S. Be sure to visit Szobor park while you are there. It is on the outskirts of the city and is where all of the "comunist hero" sculpture has been installed. Very wierd and wonderful.