Doha, Qatar: MFM Massages?

[TonyRaye]

Will be there on a one-day layover. Any recommendations regarding mfm spas or hamams?

[+ nycman]

Sorry, I can’t help at all.

 

As a rule I don’t mess around in Muslim countries.

 

From Wikipedia:

 

LGBT rights in Qatar

 

“Since 2004, Article 296 of the current Penal Code (Law 11/2004)[2] stipulate imprisonment between 1 and 3 years for sodomy between men. This is a slight revision of the original law that stipulated up to five years imprisonment for male homosexuality.

 

In 1995 an American citizen visiting Qatar was sentenced to six months in shabab markeah and 420 lashes for homosexual activity.[3] In the 1990s, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration informed Philippine workers that gay workers were prohibited in Qatar. This was in response to several mass arrests and deportations of Philippine workers in Qatar, for homosexuality.[4]

 

The Qatari penal code also contains additional criminal sanctions for adultery, fornication and any speech or conduct that is judged to be disorderly, immoral or likely to offend traditional religious mores.

 

These laws give Qatari police considerable leeway to jail or fine LGBT people, in light of the fact that Islam is the official religion and a important source for Qatari law“

 

I wish you luck but be careful.

[TonyRaye]

Thanks for the heads up. I am aware of the horrors of punishment re homosexuality in the Mideast.

 

But my question was more for recommendations of any of the handful of male massage spas, hotels or hamams that openly (and legally) exist in Doha (as they also do in the UAE, Turkey, Oman, Morocco, etc). I'm sure the govt wouldn't like any male-to-male sex there, but massages really are wholly permissible.

 

A few of these establishments have mixed or poor reviews (if reviewed at all) and wondered if anyone here has experienced any of them in Doha.

 

I will be careful.

[dcman]

I have spent a lot of time in the middle east and Doha is a bit less liberal than Dubai. Get a massage only from the licensed masseur who works at your hotel, don't take chances in any outside spas. Most of the international hotels have bars, if you make eye contact have a drink with another patron and get to know him better but in NO CASES ever be aggressive. Your best bet is to meet another Non local, forgot the local muslim guys, they would flip and call the police in a NY minute !!! If you go to Dubai, lots more choices there like the bar in the Le Meridian hotel near the airport which has quite a large gay following but again just be conservative, never do anything out in public you don't want to be held accountable for by the authorities. Everything goes fine until it doesn't. !!!