411 on the new Rio Sauna Caracalla

[sf traveler]

Just noticed on http://www.netgay.com.br that there's a new sauna in Lapa called Caracalla that's claiming to have the best boys best facilities etc. For a long time I've heard that some foreigners, Italians I believe, were putting a lot of money into building a Rio sauna that would put Lagoa in the shade and look like some of the fancier places in Europe and the US. Is this it? It's Av. Mem de Sa 329/331 in Lapa but I'd ask a reliable Brazilain friend first. And while I'm not exactly sure where this is, it doesn't strike me as a neighborhood where I would walk by myself. Now let's get answers posted people!! SF Traveler

[+ Axiom2001]

A lot has been mentioned about this sauna at http://www.gaytravelbrazil.com from a few guys who have been to this sauna. But I give thumbs up to SF Traveler for his apprising the readers here. :-)

[Guest ihpguy]

It is located not far from the Praca da Republica, Cruz Vermelha and Sambodromo. Actually always thought that this far west on Mem de Sa was considered part of Bairro de Fatima.

[jackhammer91406]

Looking forward to checking this place out next month (if it's still open by then).

 

When I was in RIO last November, Eduardo (then DJ at 202) told me a new fancy place was opening in which the owner of the closed Estacao was going to be involved with Junior also a participant. Not sure if it's the same place and not sure who ended up being involved.

[+ Lucky]

Estacao was open under a different name when I was there in August. I did not go to the new place as a local told me it was not worth the bother. But perhaps it will get better, so would be worth checking it out.

I found Club 117 to be more than enough for me.

[Guest msclonly]

Perfectly laid out space with state of the art facilities.

The sauna and Steam rooms are at the correct temperatures for results without getting scalded like at the competition. The Lounge/Bar area are comfortable and cool for relaxing withou cold airconditioning drafts. All on one level except for the private rooms.

The sound system is state of the art without distortion. Speakers are finely tuned and not warped by excessive heat and steam from over heated air from the sauna/steam rooms as at the competition. But since the DJ´s are not sound engineers, they have little concept of GQQD sound/listening other then ear drum blasing volume with the bass and treble turned up to maximum excessive levels without mid-range melody audible. It is enough to drive customers to leave when the show starts, since the ´noise´becomes intolerable. I guess the blasting noise is suppose to get your feet tapping withou any effort from the body!

 

With special events and High Season or Carnaval, the place could be a wonderful place to spend the evening.:+ :+ :+

[Guest ihpguy]

And if you find someone that catches your fancy, right around the corner on Gomes Freire, there are a number of nice, inexpensive motels where you can spend a few hours in more comfortable surroundings with the garoto of your choice.

[Guest EuropTravl]

Caracalla is the best sauna I have been to in Brazil. As far as facilities. But the night I visited boy was there slim pickings - but it's best not to show up 45 minutes before closing after it's been open 9 hours already. But I'm going tonight (Friday) and they have a big show planned and I'm excited things will be dramatically different from a late Tuesday night. My Brazilian travel buddy has brought me to 4 or 5 saunas, unfortunately we visit late - at Point 202 last night I actually exited the room to find they had turned out all the lights and locked the doors! Fortunately there was still an attendant roaming around to let us out. Another sauna in the business center of town (something "Mundo") had a fantastic Halloween show (yep, they're doing it until Dec) with great costumes but it was so small it was like being packed in someones closet. At 117 you had to wait over an hour and a half for a room to open up - my recommendation is for sure check out Caracalla, nice and roomy (and I mean they have over 30 clean nice rooms) with a large stage and seating area (ceiling 2 or 3 stories up and you're not banging your head when standing up)-, and big video screen, very nightclubbish and should be the primero sauna in Rio for sure with time.

[Guest ihpguy]

I cannot wait until January to check this place out. Maybe there will be a few bombeiros-in-training or sailors from the naval base needing to add to their funds.

[Guest EuropTravl]

Caracalla Warning:

It sort of pissed me off last night (Friday) that the "Sauna" closes on weekends at 11pm and at midnight turns into a dance club - it really is a nice place (marble, glass, and granite and everything) but I did have a problem with all the dressed people strolling in ....

It's amusing when I went to a suite with a boy who has been working there since it opened, it's so big and has so many rooms even he got lost. We walked up three different flights. Someone did load alot of money into this place, unfortunately it's trying to be too many things I fear.

And if you find your love amongst the red lined toweled boys, I learned last night you're supposed to purchase a little printed "invitation" that will be delivered to him (I'm talking when it turns into a dance club) that states "You have been invited to spend the evening in the VIP section tonight with an admirerer". Me and my buddy wanted to bring my and his boy to LeBoy but my guy couldn't and showed me his invite from an anonymous fan. I suppose they're yours for the evening, and might be headed home otherwise.

[CT Dick]

ET, how are the rates there? Does a fancier sauna mean fancier rates for the boys?

 

Dick

[Guest EuropTravl]

>>ET, how are the rates there? Does a fancier sauna mean fancier rates for the boys?

 

As to the sauna itself, it's so far from Ipanema or Copacabana and was so sparsely attended

by tourists that their rates are the same as the others. Probably goes as well for the boys. I spent my vacation with my favorite beautiful guy I had bought a plane ticket months ago for from Sao Paulo (who amusingly had never been in a sauna before but boy did he like going with someone else doing the paying) he set the prices for the boys for me and him which varied from 100 to 300 reals - if he liked the guy alot -and if he was gay and not gay-for pay which was crucial to my companion - he'd say "give him 300", if nothing memorable "give him 100". There was one guy that neither one of us was attracted to but he was so damn friendly and nice (and gay), we had to give him 200 "pity money" for just spending a couple hours at the table with us. (if you walk in speaking english he'll home to your table.....) So the answer to your question is a big no. The dollar is trading as low as 1.6 (how I miss the days when it was over 3 to 1) and I doubt the locals are even getting much from the boys for 50 R anymore. But Trilingual will probably say I am dead wrong and an idiot easily parted with his money. From my vantage point the ratio of boys "earning" to those "standing" was probably 1:10 so he'd probably be extremely correct about the "idiot" part, and 50R would have gladly been accepted.

http://img4.orkut.com/images/milieu/12/340/21402340.jpg

My guy from SP. Isn't he beautiful? Needless to say his towel got many tugs from sauna visitors hoping and I just gave him a "not on your life" stare. He sure loved playing the buyer role for a change. When the credit card statements start coming in I'll probably wish I had pimped him out and pocketed the money and probably would have even broken even on this trip if not come out ahead....

 

:+

[CT Dick]

Wow, 100-300 reals! I only pay 100 for something special, like having the guy cum.

 

When why quote 100, I thank them and move on. It is rare to get a 'program' for 50 these days but I manage to stay at 70 most of the time.

 

Dick

[sf traveler]

I heartily concur with CT Dick. Our EuroTraveler friend dramatically overpaid. He may not care but the rest of you should not be under the misapprehension that this is normal or expected. His admittedly beautiful friend was playing a classic Brazilian role, helping to extract additional cash from a willing gringo. Like CT Dick I just move on when they quote a high price and 9 times out of ten they voluntarily reduce the price within 30 seconds. I also have a rule that I never promise more than R$50 the first time since you never really know what service they will actually provide. If I'm happy, then I tip whatever I want, but I speak Portuguese fairly well now and I don't hesitate to remind them if what they promised is not delivered. But let's be clear, in the vast majority of my experience the services have been delivered with gusto and I was more than satisfied. SF Traveler

[Guest EuropTravl]

"Wow, 100-300 reals!"

 

Well, I guess what customers actually DO at the saunas varies from person to person. I usually latch to one guy and after spending 2 or 3 hours with him I think 300 is a reasonable expense for basically monopolizing his time (and with like 15 hunks just standing around, they're happy to be monopolized). But I'm sure there are those who visit the sauna "suites" 4 or 5 times a visit with different boys each time, and probably their total spent is about that (300 R).

[Guest EuropTravl]

>>His admittedly beautiful friend was playing a classic Brazilian role, helping to extract additional cash from a willing gringo.

 

OMG, you should see his performance in a "Diesel" store. What's the Brazilian version of our Academy Awards?

[catnip]

ET, you overpaid by any standards. But if that makes you happy, go for it. Just know that they will ALL know you as the gringo who pays 3-5X the normal rate, and they will expect it in the future. Also, spending a lot of time with a garoto is NOT taking him away from other clients. If he's in a hurry to get things to a cabine, he'll certainly let you know! Otherwise, he's just doing the typical Brazilian thing of cultivating a comfortable and friendly rapport that will make his work more enjoyable for him and the experience nicer for you. When a garoto does not push to get upstairs right away, it's a good sign of a nice guy and a good programma ahead.

[Guest EuropTravl]

>>But if that makes you happy, go for it.

 

I saw 2 young guys being monopolized by some guy (a local) for at least 2 hours, walking one and then the other back and forth from the sauna and then found out later he quickly skated out without as much as a dollar for either one. "Fair" is what comes to mind. I didn't run into any jerks on this trip, and I guess it does make me happy to help some guy who is struggling with english he is learning from a book (can't afford school) so he can get his "dream job" in a "good hotel" (I know they're great sob-storytellers, but I believed him). Now, how to declare these charitable deductions on my tax form....?

[sf traveler]

I want to make clear that I don't have any problem with generosity, disinterested or for services rendered. If you want to help somebody out, and can afford it, fine with me. I'm sure the guys were thrilled. Some might have considered you a sucker but others may well have been touched by your kindness. I just don't want others to think that these are normal prices. And you should realize that it's very difficult once you've given someone R$200 to go back and pay them R$50 the next time. As someone who goes to Brazil several times a year, this has on occasion been an issue for me. SF Traveler

[Guest EuropTravl]

>>Some might have considered you a sucker but others may well have been touched by your kindness.

 

Oh, I think most would both. Beto ("my guy from SP") is officially spoiled rotten but I'm satisfied he's quit porn work and isn't working the streets. This was an especially good trip (found out on arrival at the Copacabana Palace I was upgraded to a fancy suite) and I was in a non-alcoholic stupor from then on.....

 

(PS - if you go to Rio alot be sure to check out the Fasano Hotel that just opened up in Ipanema, if just for a walk through. Designed by Ian Shrager (Gramercy Park Hotel and The Delano) as you can tell from dark wood, mirrors, and drapes drapes drapes everywhere! The restaurant is to die for and you will when the check comes :o )

[+ Axiom2001]

This is November 2007; there have been many threads about pricing in the past. Apparently, ETraveler did not mind paying what he did, but please, guy, do not start something for other travelers as well as locals. The going rate is still R$50 with some room for bargaining.

 

Earlier this month I went to Meio Mundo; the rate that the guys asked was R$50; I gave them R$70 because they had truly pleased me.

At Club 117 I asked Jonathan, a gorgeous hunk of a man in all areas, to see me at my hotel. He did and argued about the agreed upon price.

 

He had stated R$150 while at the sauna, but in my room we debated; he'd cum and wanted more money, but this was Monday, the night of the sauna's closing, so I had not expected to pay more. I think I gave him R$180 or R$200; ...can't remember and at this point do not care, but to end this-- do not spoil the sauna guys; or if there is a dispute while you are at the sauna-- seek someone else of equal status!! :-)

[Mavica]

I'll be in Rio in a couple of weeks and I've come across the name of this place several times but don't know if it's still open or what experiences people have had there. It's been a while since this discussion was started - anything new to report? Thanks!

[Guest msclonly]

It has come and gone, unfortunately.

Everything about it was right, but the location!

It is missed for those special events!

 

 

:-(

[Mavica]

Thanks for the quick reply with the update. Another place in that same neighborhood, Gayligola, a place without the 'pay for play guys', is also on my "may visit" list.