Update on rio de janeiro saunas

[6832white]

I just returned from a week's visit to the Rio de Janeiro baths and saunas. The article before this was very helpful but I thought I have a few things to add so here goes.

 

First of all, I agree with everyone that things definitely cost more these days in Brazil. The reales used to be 3.5 per 1 US dollar about 5 yrs ago. Now, it's about 1.69 reales to the dollar. So, everything (!!!) is expensive now in Rio from hotels to unfortunately carioca boys in bath houses. An average encounter with an escort boy in a sauna now is about 100 reales. But it is important to factor in the average cost of the entrance fee to the sauna and use of the "cabine" for the encounter -- for one encounter, this would average about 50-70 reales.

 

There are still only TWO bath houses/saunas in Rio which have boys for hire -- Club 117 in the Gloria section (rua Candido Mendes) and Point 202 (rua Siquiera Campos) in Copacabana. Since my last visit to these saunas 6 years ago, very little has been done to renovate. Although reasonably clean, don't expect any glamour. The cabines have also seen better days.

 

During my stay, I went on several days. On some days, I was the only one there; on others, especially at Club 117, there was a general buzz with the number of clients and boys. Club 117 was closed Mon, very busy Tue but then empty on Wed. As far as the boys as concerned, I remember going many times in a span of 5 to 10 years ago. Back then, an encounter would be about 50-60 reales and there were so many really hot guys that a client wouldn't really know what to do with himself. Nowadays, there were still some hot guys but they are clearly fewer. On the several nights that I went, I could count maybe 1-3 really hot guys that would look good in porn.

 

Finally, I used to just take the boy with me to my hotel the same night if the encounter was really good and it cost me about 200-400 reales. These deals do NOT exist any more. When I asked around, the boys wanted USD800 for an overnight! I told them that this amount was already quite similar to NYC prices so I did not go for this option.

 

There were things that remained the same in Rio -- 1) the guys still don't speak English so it's helpful to know a few basic Portuguese, like how much?, 2) the guys are still very friendly, laid back, and hassle-free during the encounter, 3) it was no problem at all setting up an encounter.

 

Overall, gone are the "glory days" of long ago in Rio. I agree with the previous thread that the Brazilian economy has gotten much better, there's a stronger middle class, and probably less boys are into this business altogether. Count on USD300-600 for an ocean front view hotel room in Copacabana or Ipanema even in low season (outside Carnaval and New Year's). Factoring in the cost of the flight from the US, I'm not sure a trip to Rio these days to have fun, surf, and the boys is of good value anymore.

 

:-)

[imrthr]

Thank you for your honest and objective report that is not filled with denial.

 

Your report confirms what many of us have been saying recently about the saunas in Brazil - that is - the quality and quantity of available garotos in the saunas have declined in the last couple of years. You also confirmed that prices in Brazil are higher than they were but only a couple of posters disputed this fact.

 

I want to make a correction to your report where you wrote “There are still only TWO bath houses/saunas in Rio which have boys for hire -- Club 117 in the Gloria section (rua Candido Mendes) and Point 202 (rua Siquiera Campos) in Copacabana”

 

Actually, there is also Meio Mundo sauna that is often very good. It sometimes has its bad days (few garotos) like Clube 117 but it is generally a good sauna with rent boys.

 

You also wrote that the garotos wanted eight hundred U.S. dollars for an overnight. I think that you might have misunderstood what was asked or you encountered some jokers who were not serious. I have never heard of any garotos asking for that price and I am in Brazil often.

 

I agree that the garotos “are still very friendly, laid back, and hassle-free during the encounter.”

 

I further agree that the "glory days" of visiting Brazil are gone or at least they are gone for the present time and for the immediate future.

 

On the other hand, if someone had never been to Brazil and did not know the way Brazil was only a couple of years ago, it is still possible to have a wonderful time despite the negative changes.

[EZEtoGRU]

Overall, gone are the "glory days" of long ago in Rio. I agree with the previous thread that the Brazilian economy has gotten much better, there's a stronger middle class, and probably less boys are into this business altogether. Count on USD300-600 for an ocean front view hotel room in Copacabana or Ipanema even in low season (outside Carnaval and New Year's). Factoring in the cost of the flight from the US, I'm not sure a trip to Rio these days to have fun, surf, and the boys is of good value anymore.:-)

 

Thanks for your post. Your comments reflect the same experience many of us (including imrthr and myself) have had on recent trips to Brazil. Rio and Sao Paulo are certainly not good value any more......indeed they are downright expensive!! Prices for almost everything (hotels/meals/taxi/entertainment) are much lower once you get out of Rio and SP.

 

We all agree that one can have decent fun in Brazil still, but it now can be hit or miss. Certainly not in the quantity nor with the quality of days gone past.

[6832white]

Thanks, imrthr! Ooh, I missed Meio Mundo. USD800 sounded crazy as well. In that instance, the garoto was 21 and his brother was helping to negotiate. I guess I could have negotiated further but I thought the whole thing got out of hand so I backed out altogether. Rio is still a beautiful place - where else do you get a huge Christ statue on top of a rock -- but it has definitely changed.

[imrthr]

 

Rio is still a beautiful place - where else do you get a huge Christ statue on top of a rock --

 

 

Where? In Lisbon, Portugal, of course - see this site - http://www.golisbon.com/sight-seeing/christ.html

 

The statue in Lisbon is a replica of the statue in Rio -

-

[jimboivyo]

rio's changed for cheap sex, that's all. The city is still amazing. The food is still unique. if you can afford to go down and enjoy that city, I'd say do it. some of my most unique experiences have been in rio during carnaval.

 

want it cheap? i've heard that thailand is still a bargain.

[imrthr]

 

rio's changed for cheap sex, that's all. The city is still amazing. The food is still unique.

 

 

You are joking, I presume.

 

Take a look at major changes in hotel prices for hotels in Rio. One example is the current cost to stay at the Atlantico Hotel (a shabby two star hotel). By the time you add in the cost of the internet and the safe key rental, it costs about two hundred U.S. dollars per day to stay there. Only five years ago, that same room cost sixty U.S. dollars.

 

Similar examples can be found throughout most of Rio, i.e., shabby rooms and high prices for the shabby rooms. Of course, there are exceptions to shabby. One can find a decent hotel but that decent hotel is priced far higher than comparable hotels in Europe and large cities in the U.S.

 

There are some restaurants in Rio that are acceptable but I have not found the quality/quantity of restaurants in Rio to be anywhere near the quantity or quality of restaurants found in Sao Paulo. The quality restaurants in Rio are priced far higher than one finds in most major cities in the U.S.

 

Rio has its special charm, however, I would not call the city “amazing” by any means considering the high crime rate prevalent at all times.

 

I still continue to visit Brazil and I encourage others to do the same. However, I know that most things in Rio have changed, it is not merely "cheap sex" that changed as was indicated in the above post.

 

Rio has become Number 23 as the most expensive city in the world. See this article:

 

http://images.businessweek.com/slideshows/20110608/world-s-most-expensive-cities-2011/slides/9

[+ Hoover42]

From that business week article, it looks like this would also not be a good time to visit Australia. It seems like every major city in that country is on that list of expensive cities.

[jimboivyo]

You are joking, I presume.

 

Take a look at major changes in hotel prices for hotels in Rio. One example is the current cost to stay at the Atlantico Hotel (a shabby two star hotel). By the time you add in the cost of the internet and the safe key rental, it costs about two hundred U.S. dollars per day to stay there. Only five years ago, that same room cost sixty U.S. dollars.

 

Similar examples can be found throughout most of Rio, i.e., shabby rooms and high prices for the shabby rooms. Of course, there are exceptions to shabby. One can find a decent hotel but that decent hotel is priced far higher than comparable hotels in Europe and large cities in the U.S.

 

There are some restaurants in Rio that are acceptable but I have not found the quality/quantity of restaurants in Rio to be anywhere near the quantity or quality of restaurants found in Sao Paulo. The quality restaurants in Rio are priced far higher than one finds in most major cities in the U.S.

 

Rio has its special charm, however, I would not call the city “amazing” by any means considering the high crime rate prevalent at all times.

 

I still continue to visit Brazil and I encourage others to do the same. However, I know that most things in Rio have changed, it is not merely "cheap sex" that changed as was indicated in the above post.

 

Rio has become Number 23 as the most expensive city in the world. See this article:

 

http://images.businessweek.com/slideshows/20110608/world-s-most-expensive-cities-2011/slides/9

 

 

I think this is an apples and oranges discussion. Atlantico isn't my ideal. Ive stayed at fasano and copa palace when I've gone and had perfect stays. Like I alluded to before, if it's just cheap sex youre after, then yes, Rio has changed. If you actually want to have a vacation and explore a great city in south america, Rio is still the ticket.

[EZEtoGRU]

I think this is an apples and oranges discussion. Atlantico isn't my ideal. Ive stayed at fasano and copa palace when I've gone and had perfect stays. Like I alluded to before, if it's just cheap sex youre after, then yes, Rio has changed. If you actually want to have a vacation and explore a great city in south america, Rio is still the ticket.

I don't think there is any disagreement on Rio being a great and unique city to visit for a vacation. That, however, is not what is being discussed in this particular thread. Rio sauna boys is the topic at hand. In that sense, I would respectfully suggest you are the one comparing apples and oranges.

[imrthr]

 

I think this is an apples and oranges discussion. Atlantico isn't my ideal. Ive stayed at fasano and copa palace when I've gone and had perfect stays. Like I alluded to before, if it's just cheap sex youre after, then yes, Rio has changed. If you actually want to have a vacation and explore a great city in south america, Rio is still the ticket.

 

 

With all due respect, how does one seriously respond to your post while you asserted that the only change in Rio is cheap sex?

 

Although I have never stayed at Fasano, I have twice stayed at Copacabana Palace. Both times I was not happy with the room. The room was musty and old and needed to be refurbished. The price was outlandish considering the room I got.

 

I have two friends who stayed at Copacabana Palace and those friends were equally disappointed with their rooms.

 

In the case of Copacabana Palace, the hotel prices have increased more than five-hundred percent over the past several years.

 

My friends and I have concluded that unless a guest at Copacabana Palace is a celebrity or a frequent guest (or just lucky), an older non refurbished section of the hotel will be the area an unknown guest will be assigned upon check in.

 

I have another friend who stayed at Fasano. When he first stayed there a few years ago, the rate was around five hundred dollars per night. The rate is now in excess of one thousand dollars per night.

 

In view of the above facts, are you willing to stand by your claim that in Rio “cheap sex” is the only thing that has changed in price?

 

In addition to the Atlantico Hotel (for their liberal visitor policy), I have tried various hotels while in Rio. About two years ago, I finally found a hotel I like. However, it, too, has gone up in price about two-hundred-fifty-percent over the past couple of years.

 

In my post just preceding this one, I already discussed the restaurant price increases.

 

You ignored the examples I furnished that confirm everything in Rio has increased in price.

 

Therefore, the only apples and oranges I can detect from your post is your misinformation concerning prices in Rio.

[sydneyboy]

I would like to add my disquiet at the price trends in Brazil generally and Rio in particular. The standard of accomodation in Rio is frightful and expensive. I stayed at the Fasano when it was new about 3 and a half years ago and had a beachfront view room overlooking Ipanema. It was nice but nothing special. The room was medium size, the bathroom small with a shower and no bath. I paid $500US a night then but can confirm that very same room is now $1000US a night. For what you get this is a scandal. Restaurants are likewise not great with the best (eg Gero's) nothing like the quality of what you would experience at the top end in Sydney.

 

Imrthr, I am intrigued at the name of the hotel you have settled on. Can you let us into the secret?

[sydneyboy]

Imrthr

 

A reply please on your Rio hotel. It would be appreciated.