Going to Sao Paulo April 09

[Guest joe2001london]

Hi all,

 

1st of all thank you to all of you that have contributed to these forums, they have provided a wealth of knowledge and a wonderful time, I'm planning a trip to Sao Paulo. Does any one have any recent experiences of the saunas in SP, most of the reports are quite out of date, any up to date information on pricing for guys and good hotels to stay at would be very much appreciated. thanks Joe

[Guest EuropTravl]

I love The Emiliano Hotel in Sao Paulo, one of my favorite hotels in the world.

(http://emiliano.com.br) Small, personal - outstanding service, restaurant, and rooms/baths.

If it's in your budget, don't miss it. If it's full I'd pick Hotel Fasano or Hotel Unique - residents of SP would tell you those are the 3 hotels any of them would choose to stay at if given the choice (and money). Can't help you with current sauna info, but last time I was down there I had heard some mentioned here before had closed and Lagoa will be the last one to go, if ever.

[sf traveler]

These hotels are all great but they are the most expensive in town. I would recommend something closer to the Avendida Paulista, like the Crowne Plaza, so that you can use the subway which is convenient to Lagoa, the only sauna you need to visit. Some like the Bourbon downtown, which is inexpensive, but I would not recommend a hotel in the center for a first time visitor. The area isn't especially safe and you have to know how to handle yourself in Brazil to make this a reasonable option, IMHO. Although Lagoa isn't a beauty filled as it once was, it still is miles ahead of the competition. I think some of the best guys are now working the Internet and so the pool seems to be diminished somewhat. You should still start with R$50 as an offer, but the bargaining is much harder now to try to get you up. In Sao Paulo I believe R$70 is becoming more normal, with some guys refusing to do anything for under R$100, although that is not applicable to the majority. Of course, it you can't speak Portuguese they will take advantage. SF Traveler

[imrthr]

RE: Going to Sao Paulo April 09"

 

"recent experiences of the saunas in SP" any up to date information on pricing for guys and good hotels"

*******************************************************

As to "recent" information, two saunas have closed during the past couple of years. The oldest being Sauna Alterosas which had been in existence for more than twenty years.

 

Sauna Fragata (near Pinheiros) can be a fun place. It does not have as many beauties as does Lagoa, but, there are plenty of handsome guys available there most nights. The main problem I see with Fragata is the wait for a room on busy nights. Rarely does Lagoa have a problem with no rooms available.

 

sftraveler called it right with respect to pricing of the guys.

 

A word of caution is in order with respect to your choice of hotel - - if you intend to have a guy from the saunas visit you in your hotel room you will, most likely, have to stay at a lesser than elegant hotel, such as is named in the first response to this thread.

 

The hotels named above are splendid hotels but are not practical if you intend to do a lot of sauna visiting including taking back a guy to your room.

 

In Brazil, most hotels will not allow guests to take visitors in the rooms. There are several hotels that do allow visitors. Bourbon hotel, the hotel mentioned by sftraveler, has a very liberal visitor policy. For this reason, many readers of this board stay at the Bourbon despite the hotel being in the downtown area of Sao Paulo.

 

I hope this helps.

[floridarob]

RE: Going to Sao Paulo April 09"

 

I'm in Sao Paulo now, will be here for a month... I think the saunas are getting too crazy with their pricing....

 

a rum & coke is R$9.50 and anyone that knows me knows that I usuually have quite a few of those....

 

the entrance is R$39on weekends and holidays R$28 on other days

 

a suite is R$35 or R$40 depening on size

 

I've not had problems here in SP with guys accepting R$50 in rio the guys were getting greedy and asking R$80- 100... I think too many gringos are/were willing to pay high prices and made the price go up... I believe if you pay 50 and then tip 20 or 30 you didn't pay 50 you paid 80.... stop with the tip shit,,,, a programma is a programma... locals have told me they don't like all the foreigners throwing the money around and raising the boys expectations from everyone.

 

there are a few saunas in centro where the entrance is only R$20 and the boys only look for between R$10-30... all local customers.

 

for me my most fun here has been picking up guys near the park and taking them to a short time motel around the corner that only cost R$15 for an hour, much better than the R$35 at a sauna plus the entrance fee.

 

 

so, to each their own I guess... but until Lagoa and Fragata lower their prices, I don't think I'll be returning.

[Guest EuropTravl]

RE: Going to Sao Paulo April 09"

 

>>"A word of caution is in order with respect to your choice of hotel - - if you intend to have a guy from the saunas visit you in your hotel room you will, most likely, have to stay at a lesser than elegant hotel, such as is named in the first response to this thread."<<

 

Well, I'd disagree that Emiliano wouldn't let people of your choosing go to your hotel room. True, they weren't from the sauna, but.....:-)

[+ Axiom2001]

>>"A word of caution is in order with respect to your choice of hotel - - if you intend to have a guy from the saunas visit you in your hotel room you will, most likely, have to stay at a lesser than elegant hotel, such as is named in the first response to this thread."<<

 

Well, I'd disagree that Emiliano wouldn't let people of your choosing go to your hotel room. True, they weren't from the sauna, but.....:-)

 

If you are staying in an upscale hotel but would like the company of a guy from the sauna, there are sexo hotels/motels available. You can have hours of fun there.

 

I stayed in an apartmento hotel which I WOULD NOT recommend (this one anyway) because it has gone down in quality since 2005. It was only a block away from Paulista Ave., and I had all of the outside guests that I'd wanted to have.

 

...stayed there on 3 occasions during three different years 2004, 2005, 2006, but this place--The Alameda Apartments isn't what it was during my earlier stays!!

[sydneyboy]

I have been to Sao Paulo 4 times and will be returning for 16 nights in late November. I must confess to being a fussy wretch when it comes to hotels and I like my creature comforts. One of the reasons I tend to stay longer in Sao Paulo rather than Rio is the excellent choice of hotels (apart from the delights of Lagoa and Fragata). I have stayed at the Fasano, Unique (both very expensive) and L'Hotel where I am returning in November. L'Hotel is an excellent hotel, very elegant, conveniently located (just off Paulista and 2 minutes to the tube station) and much cheaper than the Fasano, Unique and Fasano. Check Tripadvisor for comments where it is listed as the Porto Bay Internacional L'Hotel. Forget about room guests.

 

I would be interested in the views of recent travellers to SF Travellers comment that Lagoa is not as beauty filled as it once was. I have always loved Lagoa, the boys and that oasis of a no smoking TV lounge. Blessed relief and so rare in Brazil.

[imrthr]

Smoking ban in Sao Paulo

 

 

I would be interested in the views of recent travellers to SF Travellers comment that Lagoa is not as beauty filled as it once was. I have always loved Lagoa, the boys and that oasis of a no smoking TV lounge. Blessed relief and so rare in Brazil.

 

When you return to Sao Paulo you will be even more pleased after you learn there is a new smoking ban in all public places including the saunas.

 

Initially I did not think the ban could be enforced. There are signs posted in all public areas (hotel lobbies, restaurants, offices, stores et cetera). Furthermore, the signs posted give instructions on how to report violations of the ban. Establishments are fined if a violation of the smoking ban is confirmed.

 

If you are a non smoker, you will agree the ban on smoking is a great thing.

[+ Lucky]

Club 117 in Rio is totally non-smoking now. They have an outdoor smoking area, which I did not look at, for the reason that I hate cigarettes!

[KMEM]

How can you be gay and not smoke cigarettes? JK. I hate being around smoke in any form.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[imrthr]

How can you be gay and not smoke cigarettes? JK. I hate being around smoke in any form.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

 

 

 

?????

[sydneyboy]

A smoking ban? Guys, you have made my day! I detest smoking!

[Thumper]

I've not had problems here in SP with guys accepting R$50 in rio the guys were getting greedy and asking R$80- 100... I think too many gringos are/were willing to pay high prices and made the price go up... I believe if you pay 50 and then tip 20 or 30 you didn't pay 50 you paid 80.... stop with the tip shit,,,, a programma is a programma... locals have told me they don't like all the foreigners throwing the money around and raising the boys expectations from everyone.

 

The boys trying to haggle as close to $40 US for 40 minutes of fucking is greedy? Last time I looked around Rio goods and electronics were not THAT much cheeper than in the states. You'll pay 6 times that in CA and 7 times that in NYC.