GP saunas should be a standard service in any respectable city. However, this kind of establishment is extremely rare around the world.
Unique
Unbelievably, GP saunas offer a service that not all cities have replicated. Up to this blogger’s knowledge, you can find something similar only in Barcelona, Spain. However, we have never visited Sauna Thermas, cannot give testimony of it, and doubt that the social experience is actually similar.
If you are looking for information about regular gay saunas to hook up in Brazil, you should stop reading now. I mean, in case you are not willing to pay for sex. The only sex taking place in the establishments we are discussing in this article is transactional.
Fortunately, we are close to Brazil, where practically every respectable city has at least one GP sauna. This blogger has explored the offering in two Brazilian cities: Salvador and Rio de Janeiro.
In Salvador, before COVID, we visited three local venues. One of them closed in 2021. Thermas Club 13. The other two are still up and running. The oldest and most popular one is Club 11, close to the city center. The fanciest one, at least when I visited it back in 2018, is Sauna Fox, in a relatively wealthier area, Pituba, far from Barra.
In Rio, I have been in two of the local GP saunas, and my information is more current, as my last visit was April 2023. My favorite local Sauna is Point 202, in Copacabana near the Hotel Atlantico. I also visit regularly Clube 117, close to the subway station Gloria.
Brazilian GP Saunas vs US Bathouses
The Brazilian sauna experience extends beyond its sexual aspects, a characteristic shared by both regular and GP saunas. In contrast to US bathhouses, where the only focus is on cruising and sexual encounters, the Brazilian sauna offers a comprehensive social experience.
These saunas not only provide food and drinks; sometimes, friends visit GP saunas solely to share a meal or a drink. Moreover, they offer a wide array of entertainment options, including drag queen performances, strippers, stand-up comedy, and live music shows. Occasionally, patrons attend these events solely to enjoy the performances and support their favorite artists.
Unlike US bathhouses, where cruising typically occurs in hallways and porn rooms, the heart of the action in GP saunas is often found at the bar. Clients and escorts engage in lively conversations in between sexual encounters and artistic performances.
This is one of the things that many American friends enjoy, but also many hate. Not everyone can sync with Brazilians’ mindset about sex. For them, it is rarely something to have in the dark, with the liturgic gravity and seriousness of most US cruising venues and sex imagery. Instead, is something to celebrate and party around.
GP Saunas venues
All of these establishments offer similar services and facilities. However, there can be a significant variation in the quality of amenities when comparing different GP saunas.
Drawing from my personal experience (it’s important to note that there are many more GP saunas in Brazil than the ones I’ve personally visited), the standard cabin typically consists of a compact room dominated by a bed, accompanied by a small bathroom equipped with a shower. Usually, these rooms are equipped with air conditioning and a television displaying straight porn.
Beyond this standard setup, my experiences have ranged from significantly better to disappointingly worse. Undoubtedly, the most exceptional cabin I’ve ever enjoyed was at Sauna Fox. You can view a photo from their social media above. During my visit, the only noticeable difference was the absence of floral decorations.
Ironically, the worst cabin I ever encountered was also at Sauna Fox. Due to the suite’s unavailability, we were allocated a cramped space resembling a walk-in closet. This space lacked air conditioning and featured a bed so small it resembled a stretcher.
The architectural designs of these venues vary widely, yet they consistently offer similar features. Typically, there is an entrance area with a check-in desk, locker rooms, communal showers, both wet and dry saunas, massage room, one or more bars complete with a stage and seating tables, porn video rooms, and cabins. Some venues may also include additional amenities such as relaxation rooms, a gym and a jacuzzi.
Navigating the Experience
The experience of navigating GP saunas in Brazil is remarkably consistent across establishments. Your journey typically begins at the check-in desk, where they will greet you and ask for your name. In return, they’ll provide you with an elastic bracelet featuring a numbered key, which corresponds to your locker. Additionally, you’ll receive a towel and a pair of flip-flops, should you decide to undress. There’s no need for an immediate payment, as your locker number serves as your client ID, and all entrance fees and subsequent expenses will be charged to it.
Most often, you’ll proceed from the check-in desk directly to the locker rooms and the bar area. If you choose to undress, the general recommendation is to stow all your belongings in the locker, retaining only a modest amount of cash for tips. Of course, keep your phone with you if you require a translation app or prefer not to disconnect.
When you agree on a contract with a garoto, you can go with him to the desk to get a cabin. Many clients give their numbered key to the garoto and send him to get the room. The desk will record the time you start using the room and the garoto’s name, in case any concerns arise afterwards.
At the bar, any items you consume will be billed to your client ID. Should you decide to book a session in one of the cabins, the rental fee will also be charged to your client ID. Typically, cabin use is allotted for 30 minutes, but on regular days, there’s often flexibility in this regard. On days when cabin demand is exceptionally high, be sure to keep an eye on the clock, as exceeding your time may result in additional charges for overtime.
GP Saunas times
When you decide to conclude your night at the GP sauna, the process involves checking out at the front desk. You’ll return the numbered locker key, along with any borrowed items like towels and flip-flops. The staff will then review their system to calculate your expenses, and you have the choice of settling the bill with either cash or a card.
The closing time has generally shown consistency in the blogger’s experiences. Around 9 pm, many boys start to get dressed to watch the show, which typically begins at 9 and concludes before 10, and then leave. While this blogger has never stayed past 10, it’s worth noting that on weekends, the festivities can extend a bit closer to midnight.
In contrast, the opening times can vary significantly. In Rio saunas, some individuals arrive before 4 pm, but the majority come in after 5 pm. In contrast, Club 11 tends to be busy right from the opening because it caters to a clientele with fewer openly gay customers and more DL, married men who enjoy a special happy hour before returning to their spouses. On workdays, there are always available boys from the opening, but on weekends, it’s preferable to arrive after 5 pm.
Days with free cabins are particularly enticing for early birds. On these occasions, when you don’t have to pay for the 30 minutes in private rooms, GP saunas can become crowded, resulting in potentially long waiting times. This blogger has, at times, had to wait for almost an hour on such days.
If you happen to be undressed after a ‘programa’ , you’ll head to the locker room with the ‘garoto’. There, you can retrieve your belongings and fulfill any contractual agreements you may have made.
My way
That is a general overview of how to navigate the GP saunas experience. Of course, we all are different and can sail through these establishments in our own ways.
I have been many times in the saunas, but ironically I have never been in the sauna itself. This blogger undressed only in his first experience in Salvador. Once I learned the ropes, I mostly take it like going to a lounge bar to drink, chat, and eventually fuck.
I get my locker key, never take the towel and flip-flops, and go straight to the bar to order my first drink and set up camp on a corner or a table with a good view of the circulating working boys. I may not go with any, or I may end exhausted after four programas. However, I never have high expectations about the sex.
This blogger does not find times sex very appealing, specially if the cabin is not like Sauna Fox’s suite. Rather than attempting to have a full experience, I take it like a drive test.
GP Saunas as Car Dealer Shops
When you go to the car dealer, you do not buy the first car you like. Instead, you check several vehicles. How the wheel feels, how the engine sounds, how the interior smells, all are details that may make a difference for good or for bad. We are never to buy a car until we tested a few prospect we find appealing.
Similarly, GP saunas allow me to try different companions. I can even have them for half an hour in the privacy of a cabin. When the experience is really good and promising, we exchange numbers and make arrangements to meet some other day in my place.
You can find in our Gay Escorts Reviews some of the excellent experiences delivered by young men this blogger met in a sauna.
A few tips
- You should never go with the first boy approaching you. Some of them can be adorable and insisting, however you should take your time. Your cash and stamina is limited, first check the entire offer before making a decision.
- Be respectful and take care of your hygiene. These boys do not care about your physical appearance. Treating them with human empathy and making sure you are clean and smell well will get you much further than good looks.
- Be generous if you can. These boys are working hard. Sure, you have limited cash, want to try several of them, and should not over pay. Yet, there are ways for you to be generous and improve your rapport with them. Invite them with a drink and a snack, or offer them to pay for their entrance fee. You can add these expenses to your bill, and your cash remains untouched.
- Be respectful of the working space. If you want to have non transactional sex, go to a regular sauna. GP saunas is where these young men work, and you should respect that. You may be tempted to hook up with a hot client. Do not do it, out of respect in the first place. But you may also go through an uncomfortable situation if you attempt to violate the working space.
- Tip. If the bartender fix you a drink, or the waiter brings your order to your table, or the cleaning lady gets you an extra towel, tip them. If you become a regular and a known tipper, you will notice the jump in customer service quality. They are always nice, but the extra nice makes a difference in crowded days.
Be curious. The boys are beautiful and most times will deliver a high standard service. But if you are able to make a human connection, they maybe generous gates to experience the local culture in ways you would have never imagined.
- Check yourself and your own emotional health. Some of these boys may be adorable, but never forget that we are talking about transactional relationships. When you depart, there is a good chance you will receive requests for support. The stories are always the same. They were robbed when they were going to pay the rent, their mom was diagnosed cancer, etc. Responding positively to their requests is up to you, but be aware of the manipulation.
- If you do not speak Portuguese, download and install an app in your phone. I like Google Translate. It allows you to download to your device the dictionaries for all the languages you need. Then, the app works even if you are not online.
- Before going into the cabin, close the deal on the transaction and agree explicitly on what each part is bringing.
- In free cabin days, be respectful of others and do not overstay in the cabins. These are days with a very high demand. The administration may or may not charge you for overstaying, but you should not do it out of respect for other clients in the waiting list.
Are GP saunas dying?
There is a lot of chatting in some Internet discussion forums about how OnlyFans is allegedly killing GP saunas. According to these clients, the saunas are dying because all the young men who want to make money from their looks open an OnlyFans instead of working the saunas.
Since I have memory, someone is predicting the end of the GP Brazilian Saunas Age. The hookup apps used to be the killers before OnlyFans. However, the business still seems to be thriving after the pandemic crisis, that affected every single industry and every single nation.
While it is accurate to note that there has been a decline in the number of young men embracing the traditional ‘Instagram-perfect’ appearance, it appears that this shift primarily affects individuals who prefer that particular aesthetic. This blogger appreciates slimmer, smaller, and shorter types. I doubt the dire predictions regarding this trend have any factual basis.
Hopefully, this article was useful if you were researching on this topic. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to drop it in the comments section, or in an email. Muito Obrigado.
Stay tuned.
Hasta la próxima pinga, amig@s!
