Any tips for Istambul ?

[Latindude]

I am planning a trip to Istambul, I am going to stay for 2 weeks. I visited just once 2 years ago, but it was a business trip , so it was just for 2 days, and no action. 

I got tons of messages through Grindr and Tinder, and there were many nice faces there. But I was a bit afraid that there were many fakes as well. 

In the first evening, while I was in the line for check in - I was approached by a guy (around 25yo), he asked if we could have a drink together... that was very strange, he simply came presented himself , saying that he was from the countryside and was trying to move to Italy, and then asked if we could have a drink..... Then the receptionist asked him to go out! I really don’t know if he was a rentboy or what... 

But would you have any advices ? 

Is that safe to bring an escort to your hotel room ? Is that allowed? 

Besides Aquarius/Aquarium bathhouse , any other spots ? 

Thanks 

[pazubane]

Quote

In the first evening, while I was in the line for check in - I was approached by a guy (around 25yo), he asked if we could have a drink together... that was very strange, he simply came presented himself , saying that he was from the countryside and was trying to move to Italy, and then asked if we could have a drink..... Then the receptionist asked him to go out! I really don’t know if he was a rentboy or what... 

Common scam in Istanbul, he will bring you to a bar and the bill will be exorbitant (2k+ Euro). Google scams in Istanbul, this will be near the top of your searches. 

Edited January 6, 2019 by pazubane

[Latindude]

2 hours ago, pazubane said:

Common scam in Istanbul, he will bring you to a bar and the bill will be exorbitant (2k+ Euro). Google scams in Istanbul, this will be near the top of your searches. 

Thanks for the advice, actually the way he approached me was very strange....

[Cany10011]

My friend had the same scam in Rome. He was chatted up by a good looking guy who took him to a bar and immediately 2 hookers appeared with drinks... my friend got off easy... at 800$ worth of drinks. At least he didn’t lose a kidney or an eye.

 

[Lucky]

One tip I learned: the locals don’t appreciate you holding the turkey  leg by hand while you eat it. It’s considered disrespectful for an American to do this.

[MarlowewolraM]

On 1/6/2019 at 3:55 PM, pazubane said:

Common scam in Istanbul, he will bring you to a bar and the bill will be exorbitant.

This is very useful info, thanks (and not just for Istanbul).

[enlglishmun]

On 12/31/2018 at 1:25 PM, Latindude said:

I am planning a trip to Istambul, I am going to stay for 2 weeks. I visited just once 2 years ago, but it was a business trip , so it was just for 2 days, and no action. 

I got tons of messages through Grindr and Tinder, and there were many nice faces there. But I was a bit afraid that there were many fakes as well. 

In the first evening, while I was in the line for check in - I was approached by a guy (around 25yo), he asked if we could have a drink together... that was very strange, he simply came presented himself , saying that he was from the countryside and was trying to move to Italy, and then asked if we could have a drink..... Then the receptionist asked him to go out! I really don’t know if he was a rentboy or what... 

But would you have any advices ? 

Is that safe to bring an escort to your hotel room ? Is that allowed? 

Besides Aquarius/Aquarium bathhouse , any other spots ? 

Thanks 

There is a Bar named Haspa that has rent boys and another bar nearby which name I can't remember, but I'm not sure if your hotel will allow them in. Have you explored Airbnb as an option instead? The guys there can take you to one of those pay per hour hotels but I imagine they are not nice. If you do take them back hide all your expensive laptops, phones, passports etc as the boys of Istanbul have sticky fingers. I learned the hardway with my iPad. They are gorgeous though! 

and yes there are may shady guys in the area who will try to stop you and offer you an amazing bar but just ignore them at all costs and head to Haspa, regular prices and I stayed in Istanbul for 6 month and was never ripped off or charged extra. 

Edited January 29, 2019 by enlglishmun

[Latindude]

Thanks @enlglishmun

[gmine]

When I visited (a year or two back), security was very tight. Metal detectors and security guards just to get into hotels. Might be calmed down again now. But it would be difficult to bring escorts to your room.

[haobahaobahaoba]

On 1/8/2019 at 10:34 AM, Cany10011 said:

My friend had the same scam in Rome. He was chatted up by a good looking guy who took him to a bar and immediately 2 hookers appeared with drinks... my friend got off easy... at 800$ worth of drinks. At least he didn’t lose a kidney or an eye.

 

I had the same scam in Milan. I turned the local guy down though, since he is not my cup of tea.

[Latindude]

I am finally going to Istanbul for a week in first half of June. I have checked some sites as “hunks”but it seems strange to me that in a country where the average salary is less then 500 eur, the boys are charging 100 eur or more for an hour.... 

@enlglishmun would you remember what was the rate charged by the boys from Haspa ? Thanks ! 

[msclelovr]

On 5/12/2019 at 2:29 AM, Latindude said:

it seems strange to me that in a country where the average salary is less then 500 eur, the boys are charging 100 eur or more for an hour

FWIW my 2 cents:

1. There’s a big difference between what local clients pay regularly to local guys and what foreign visitors pay for one date with a very good looking local man who is fluent in English.

2. Asking prices are always negotiable. 

[Latindude]

On 5/14/2019 at 1:06 PM, msclelovr said:

There’s a big difference between what local clients pay regularly to local guys and what foreign visitors pay

Thanks for the comments, but I disagree in this case - there was a big discussion about that in Latin America forum, and as a Brazilian I can say that you guys pay the same than I pay as local - it is a commodity market. I believe no one in this forum - even not knowing a single word in Portuguese is paying over 100 euros for a boy in Brazil (that has a similar average wage to Turkey) - but in Turkey it seems to be different ... the prices are not in accordance with the economic situation/ wages in the country. 

The only explanation I see is that it is a Islamic country and gay sex is a very special and niche market... but at same time most of the guys in Grindr are escorts - so there is no shortage on the supply side. 

[msclelovr]

I was talking about Istanbul/Turkey and not about Brazil.

I feel you may be right about working guys and gay sex in an Islamic country. I still believe that prices are negotiable, but that foreigners (with the language barrier, difficulties for working guys entering a smart hotel etc) are likely to be charged more than a regular local client.  

[Guest]

On 1/6/2019 at 8:55 PM, pazubane said:

Common scam in Istanbul, he will bring you to a bar and the bill will be exorbitant (2k+ Euro). Google scams in Istanbul, this will be near the top of your searches. 

The same scam is reported in China & other locations.    You either reject the approach, or if you fancy the punt, take them to Starbucks, NOT some venue they decide.

If anyone hasn't already heard of this, it's worthwhile to spend 30 minutes googling tourist scams in your intended destination & other places.    Just familiarizing yourself with a few of them improves your defences.

I didn't hook up with anyone in Istanbul, although I was looking for a cute twink to suck and bottom for me.   The closest I came to was cruising in Taksim square, but there were age verification issues, so that didn't progress.   If you want  your lad to be the top, then there will be a bigger field to explore.

[Latindude]

So... 

I just returned from Istanbul, it was a nice week there and I also got some new hair in my forehead lol (yes Turkey is a Mecca for hair transplants, so I took the opportunity to get some personal repairs  ) 

Haspa is a nice bar, however it is very small, really like an studio apartment. Music is mainly Turkish, but it has a very relaxed environment. There was maybe 3 or 4 hustlers the day I visited (Saturday night) when I arrived one came already and started talking to me, I was not really interested, but I didn’t want to be impolite - so I kept answering his questions - that was my mistake, because he stayed the rest of the night following me. The hustlers there usually don’t say that they are working boys, so be aware of that, this guy for example said the he was a masseurs just after an hour or so,  when I was trying to get rid of him. Their waiters are very cute. 

The entrance fee is 40 lira, and you get a beer included in this amount. Drinks have a normal price for bar in Istanbul - 30 lira for a bottle of local beer, and 45 lira for a prepared drink.

Concerning the Apps, they are very busy in Turkey, the main one is Hornet , as Grindr is somehow blocked (it is necessary a VPN connection or roaming to use that). Many escorts - they will try to charge 100 usd or euros for an hour - but many will go for half of that. There are many free boys as well - I met a 25yo Turkish, civil engineer, very mainly but cute guy, that turned to be of the hungriest bottoms I have ever met. He kept sending me messages in the next days asking for another date - unfortunately I had my hair transplant, so no sex in the last days. 

 

[enlglishmun]

On 5/12/2019 at 3:29 AM, Latindude said:

I am finally going to Istanbul for a week in first half of June. I have checked some sites as “hunks”but it seems strange to me that in a country where the average salary is less then 500 eur, the boys are charging 100 eur or more for an hour.... 

@enlglishmun would you remember what was the rate charged by the boys from Haspa ? Thanks ! 

The first and hottest guy said to me to pay him whatever I can afford, so after the deed I gave him 300Lira (around$55) expecting him to ask for more but he was fine and left, the others I met negotiated 350 Lira. Online is a different story, the same guys asking for 150usd!! crazy prices and Im sure they very rarely get that amount. And from the few times Ive visited they all say they are strictly active, until you get them in bed and then anything goes. 

Edited July 1, 2019 by enlglishmun
spelling

[antoinek]

First time posting here - my experience was a disaster! I found one cute looking on rentmen, asked for pricing and he said 200 USD in my hotel. I agreed but without thinking twice, the guy showed up completely different than the picture, then in my room he refused to take money at the beginning which I normally do, but that should have called my attention. After so called massage and masturbating me (he didn’t bring condom which is another red flag) because the condom I had ripped apart, he got up and said I owed him 700 EUR! It was shaking to me because he denied all our conversations with what’s and when turned into what’s up messaging I found all our conversations from his end deleted! He had to take 200 USD because I called security and by the time they showed up he was gone! 

[Skardesim]

First time posting here/ I live in Istanbul Asia side and please let me know if you need accompany