sao paulo hotel

[gulliver]

am going to rio on april 10th for a week and want to spend one night in SP to see Lagoa. Could someone recommend a hotel which is convenient for a traveler coming from the airport and going to Lagoa sauna for one night before going back to the airport and on to RIO?

 

Since it is short term, i do not care about the cost or other services altho it might be ice to bring a boy back BUT not necessary,

 

thanks

[sf traveler]

There isn't any hotel close to Lagoa. It is, howevr, very convenient to the metro, which is very easy to use and quite safe. I'd just stay somewhere convenient to a metro stop and take a taxi back. Cabs wait outside the sauna and are quite safe and reliable. If you're worried about communicating with the drive, just bring a card from the hotel--and the cabs are fairly inexpensive. You could also just write down the sauna's address and take a cab there. But give up the idea of getting a hotel near Lagoa. SF Traveler

[trilingual]

Really, you can stay pretty much anywhere if you're only going to be there one night. If you're taking the shuttle to SP and flying into Congonhas, the closest hotels are probably the Mercure and that intersting place that was featured in the New York Times; I think it's called the Unique. Both are near Ibirapuera Park, which is fairly close to the airport. From the Mercure it shouldn't be more than a ten-minute cab ride to Lagoa.

 

Next closest would be the hotels in the Av. Paulista area, and there's a metro line under Av. Paulista that will get you to Lagoa (you'll have to change, though, at Ana Rosa or the station after that, to get to Santa Cruz station).

 

Downtown, which will be festive at night, I'd suggest the Bourbon on Av. Vieira de Carvalho. It's the farthest from Congonhas, but not more than about 15 - 20 minutes outside of rush hour. There's a metro station close by in the Praça da República.

 

Enjoy!

[Knabegeil]

Just wait long enough and almost any question is bound to come up. I, too, had been wondering about SP hotels. Glad to see Bourbon recommended by Tri. It's the only one I found with a website, but, despite its location, didn't know if it was gay-friendly. Now I am more willing to give a chance.

[trilingual]

Some of our posters have stayed at the Bourbon and can comment on it. It's definitely the upscale choice on Av. Vieira de Carvalho, which is lined with gay bars so it's very festive at night! I don't know from personal experience how "gay-friendly" the hotel is, although given its location I don't see how it couldn't be! However, the same rule holds true in SP as elsewhere in Brazil: DO NOT TAKE "NEW FRIENDS" TO YOUR HOTEL ROOM! GO TO A SAUNA OR TO A "MOTEL" (Brazilian for hotel-by-the-hour).

[Knabegeil]

Thanks for the additional Bourbon comments, Tri, as well as the timely reminder about saftety. Again, however, some clarificaton might be called for.

 

I have rarely been attracted to street trade anywhere on account of the dangers to which you refer. The possible "new friends" I might be interested in bringing back to my hotel would be sauna boys (for an overnite) or guys from an agency. A lot of attention has been given here recently (because of thier Carnivale cruise) to Apollus. I find several guys at Olimpos much more interesting and, if I can contact them, might be interested in a session.

 

Of course that raises the issue of why bother with escort agencies when the saunas are available? Although I'm not rich, the issue here is not principally one that is economic but rather one of attraction. I would rephrase the above question to state: Why limit yourself to the saunas when hot agency guys are avialable as well?

 

Thanks again for your helpful post.

[trilingual]

There's no need to kimit yourself to the saunas. If you see someone at an agency who interests you, go for it! You'll end up paying more, of course, because the agency has to make money, as well as the escort. On the other hand, an experience with a guy at the saunas usually lasts about half-an-hour. Rates with the agencies would be for at least an hour, and longer appointments can be arranged.

 

It's probably OK to invite someone from the saunas or the agencies to your hotel room, but even then be sure your valuables aren't in open view. There's no point in putting temptation isn a guy's way. At the saunas, try to see if the guy you're interested is well-known there. Those who are should be safe to invite home. Those who are new and unknown may be a greater risk.

 

Of course, you may meet someone during the evening at one of the bars on Vieira, or the nearby ABC disco (mentioned in another thread; it's the former Homo Sapiens). These are not necessarily "street trade," but people have been drugged and robbed by well-dressed, presentable types, so being alert, or taking your new acquaintance to a sauna or "motel" can reduce the risk of problems.

 

Let us know how your trip goes, how you like the Bourbon, and post reviews of any guy you hire through one of the agencies!

[jivau3930]

Has anyone every used the services of an escort from Olimpos?? If so what was the hourly rate. There are some real beauties shown on that site. I have e-mailed a couple be did not receive a response. I e-mailed Olimpos and was told that one needed to contact the escort direct for services. Too bad Olimpos doesn't have more in Rio for those of us who prefer agencies.

Thanks

[+ Axiom2001]

Should not a NEW thread be created addressing the issue of escorts/sauna guys/agencies, and leave this particular thread free to discuss hotels in Sao Paulo? Just thought I'd ask?;-)

[jivau3930]

Thank you for your asbolutely wonderful suggestion!! Now my original question remains - Has anyone used the services of an Olimpos escort? If so, how much and WHAT HOTEL. Now does that fit your Highness criteria??

[Luv2play]

Having read all the replies to date, I would emphasise that you want to make sure your flights are from the municipal airports in both cities and not the international airports, which are much further out of town. This saves time and expense in getting to and fro downtown. Secondly, if you are inclined to having a no-surprise kind of hotel which offers excellent service, I would stay at the downtown Hilton (around $95US), since it is well located for walking around a bit to get the feel of the downtown core (it's near a nice park) and it's a safe neighbourhood. Also the subway is nearby and you can get to Lagao in about a half hour ride with one change, as someone else mentioned. I used the subway nite and day and found it clean and efficient and safe. Also you do NOT want to take a taxi to Lagao from downtown at or near rush hour as the traffic is awful and it really is quite far away.

 

Lagao is just a blast and well worth the effort to visit. It has a large sitting room full of large tables where the clients and boys mix freely; there are often theme nites like bingo, which is more fun than your grandmother ever had, believe me. The showers are adjacent to this room and separated by a glass wall, so you can see the boys taking their showers and judge whether any interest you. I never felt at a disadvantage with my lack of Portugese, the boys were very friendly but not pushy. There is also another room that has a lot of chaise longues where many boys congregate. The two nites I was there, during the week, there were over 50 boys and many clients, a lot of whom were locals, mixed in with the tourists. Enjoy!

[Guest Jake]

I have hired from the Olimpos site a couple of times with great success. As you have discovered, it is NOT an agency but a site for individuals to list with their own phone #s. The going rate is R$100 (about $28 at the moment) which is for about an hour. This can actually be cheaper than a sauna when you factor in cabine charges, entrada (entry fee) and, especially, the extra "gozar" (cum) charge that has become a factor in the last year - especially with the sauna boys who are not multi-orgasmic as some are. Of course your hotel has to be receptive to visitors and not all are as I discovered staying at the Itamarti right in the heart of the gay district (so don't make any assumptions based on a hotel's location). Other than the strict NO GUEST policy, this hotel was a very good experience as a local economy hotel - cost R$50, including nice breakfast buffet!

 

On the general subject of agencies, I have used several. Apollus has some hot boys, speaks english but tends to have a generous measuring tape and great camera angles for crotch shots. Several of his boys are 17 or 18 cm vs the 21-22 advertised and, seemingly, shown (with the notable exception of Marcio). Included in this group is Caique who I find to be super hot - as a bottom, contrary to advertising, HOT,HOT ass - who goes by other names on Olimpos, in strip shows and, occasionaly as a sauna boy at Lagoa ("Duda", I believe). Apollus gets $80. I pay him R$100 from any other setting - and I've had him from all. Other agencies are at least half Apollus price - $40 if they know you're American - or less in reals. You need at least a rudimentary knowledge of portugese to navigate the other agency's telephone calls, or have a friend call for you.

[BillyZ]

Gotta spend more than just one night at Lagoa!

 

¨...want to spend one night in SP to see Lagoa.¨

 

In that case, my advice is stay in SP longer!!!

Lagoa is too spectacular to limit it to one day.

 

Also, I'd suggest going early in the afternoon.

Some of the hottest guys I enjoyed were only

at Loago early in the afternoon. They would go

all out, get their rocks off, not linger, and

go home to their wives. (Of course, the full-

timers who hang out for many hours were pretty

hot too).

 

Of course you can easily spend the rest of the

evening there: The food is not bad, locals clients

are friendly to chat with, sip a drink and watch

the boys in the glass showers, watch TV and the

sexy parade of guys thru the TV room, or go upstairs

and watch a row of hot young hunks jack off while

watching porn. All in all, not a bad evening

between romps in the sheets.

 

Take a cheap watch along. (No clocks in the rooms,

and you want to get your money´s worth, but not

necessarily pay for a second hour if you make it

back to the desk at 65 minutes after getting the

room.)

 

Love to hear your experiences there! Cheers, Billy

[CarloRio]

Don't go to downtown São Paulo... it's far...

 

Hi Gulliver,

 

If you're just staying in São Paulo for an evening stay at the Grand Mercure hotel, which is the closest to Thermas Lagoa (http://www.bookingsavings.com/latin_america/brazil/sao_paulo/hotels/93098.html).

Don't think of going to Bourbon which is in downtown, run-down area, with lots of street hustlers around... it's far, and depending on traffic it could take 1 hour for you to get there from Lagoa.:7

[trilingual]

RE: Don't go to downtown São Paulo... it's far...

 

Carlo, some of us LIKE downtown, run-down areas! Also, av. Vieira de Carvalho, the street the Bourbon is on, is actually rather upscale, by downtown SP standards, and the Bourbon is a nice hotel. At night, the street is lined with gay establishments, with the clientele spilling out into the street. Some of the bars are downscale, but others, like Cafe Vermont, Lord Byron, Habeas Copus, and the new place next to the Hotel Itamarati (whose name I forget) are not. The ABC disco at the site of the former Homo Sapiens (HS), nearby on Marques de Itu, also isn't downscale. It attracts a mix of older and younger clients. The Bourbon and other hotels on that street are very conveniently located for metro access and seeing downtown sights, as well as for the Airport Express bus terminal.

 

It's going to be a slow process, but downtown SP is starting to be renovated. The street vendors have been "disappeared" from the main downtown pedestrian street and a number of newer, nicer businesses have opened there on the stretch between Praça da Republica and the Shopping Light/Theatro Municipal. Downtown is still rundown, compared to the Jardins and Av. Paulista area, but the street life is much more interesting, and you get much less standing and posing at the downtown bars!

 

Carlo is right, there ARE street hustlers on Vieira de Carvalho, especially down towards the Largo do Arouche end. My advice is to look but don't touch. There's such a superb selection at the saunas, and it's so much safer, why risk it? Just remember that SP is the second or third largest city on earth, with VERY high unemployment and corresponding desperation, so use all your common sense and keep your wits about you when you visit.

[trilingual]

RE: Don't go to downtown São Paulo... it's far...

 

BTW, for anyone who's interested, I just remembered there's a new hotel across the street from Congonhas airport in SP. What I don't remember for sure is the name, but it may have been an Ibis? I'm sure a websearch will turn up the place. If you're making plane connections at Congonhas, or just flying in for a night at Lagoa, it could be a good choice. There´s hourly express bus service between Congonhas and Guarulhos (the international airport) so getting between the two isn't difficult, although allow plenty of time because it can be a lengthy trip if traffic is heavy.

[sf traveler]

RE: Don't go to downtown São Paulo... it's far...

 

For those interested in a more upscale hotel experience, look at http://www.hotelunique.com.br It's new, it's hip and the red rooftop pool is muito chic. I'm staying there at the end of the month and will give a full report. To get to Lagoa, you'd have to take a cab, but they're plentiful and not that expensive. SF Traveler