Confused: 19 saunas listed in Rio but no Club 117

[matt4twinks]

I did a search on Google maps for Club 117, it doesn't show up. I realize that Google maps is not accurate frequently so where is this place, in relation to others, you all talk about?

Also, I was told there were about 3 saunas in Rio.....but doing a search shows 19. All of them clumped around each other...ruffly. Are the others just dangerous or bad or???

[SolaceSoul]

Rua Cándido Mendes, 117, in Gloria.

The photo of the building with the name on it shows up when you put the address in Google Maps, but not when you put in the name. The name Club 117 used to appear in a Google Maps search, but now that seems to have changed.

Star it on your favorite places in Google Maps, and add a label.

 

[matt4twinks]

Thanks Solace.....Any thought on the 19 saunas I see listed???

[Riobard]

Read this and save a few days of perusing, though perusing may be helpful:

There are 3 brothels that are bathouse/bar hybrids and contain steamroom and dry sauna facilities. The sauna can be non-dry if you port your alcoholic bar beverage.

These are brothels due to the gender of occupants, not to be confused with broettethels where the trade are female. 

Otherwise, there are several additional bathhouses. Generally, sauna, or termas (ruffly translated as spa or heated waters) is contained in the name of a traditional bathhouse, whereas sometimes the name of a brothel has the word 'club' in the venue name. 

For safety, it is best to stay in the sauna or steamroom for 20 minutes max at a time. The bathhouse or brothel time limit is much longer.

Each establishment is unSAFE, where SAFE means "same answer for everyone".

Spartacus Gay Guide at some point did not Finnish thinking through the traditional definition and meaning of sauna. 

 

 

[SolaceSoul]

Currently, there are 3 gay saunas in Rio with “garotos de programa” (rent men): Club 117, Point 202, and the new Lion’s. 

There are a few other gay sauna without garotos de programa, if that’s what you’re interested in. They are most similar to, but not exactly like, American bathhouses. The most popular one is Rio G Sauna, in a very safe neighborhood, Ipanema. Rio G gets more of a “gay nightclub crowd”, with the similar gay nightclub attitude and pretense. The patrons at the other non-payboy gay saunas will probably be less... physically discriminating... when it comes to selecting their play partners. 

I seriously doubt there are 19 gay saunas in Rio. Your map may be including saunas for straight men (with female workers — garotas de programa), or just spas. Any gay-themed Rio website will have a list of saunas on it — although they might not be updated. 

[Lucky]

Oh how unassuming that door to 117 is. Not a clue as to the delights inside!

[Riobard]

And of course a fourth, New Meio Mundo which deserves at least half a mention. The most northerly. Has a website. And IG presence: newmeiomundo

Some decent Centro sights can be accessed on an afternoon prior to heading in. 

19 with 'program men' would be an exponential increase ... 69 to the power of the bottom, or 8.3 to the power of two or more.

I just saw a rather slick but tame new vid ad for Rio G on Youtube.

Edited August 6, 2019 by Riobard
Erratum

[Riobard]

I wonder if 117 knows their My Google Business maps pin fell out and a search brings up some of the competition. 

[SolaceSoul]

39 minutes ago, Lucky said:

Oh how unassuming that door to 117 is. Not a clue as to the delights inside!

And IMHO, as it should be!

There used to be a large neon sign hanging like an awning that read “Club 117”. That was removed. I think, as it sits assuredly in a neighborhood, that is for the best.

[Riobard]

I personally know and have socialized with some locals who drop off and pick up their children at the school next door, partially English immersion, the gate inches away from that usually ajar blue door. Believe you me, I quickly ascertained the end-of-day sched, yet the spread of retrieval could extend along with the typical sidewalk socializing. 

If caught red-handed, there is a chapel within the same building, pinned on Google Maps. "Erm, this blue door leads to the place of worship, né? ... Não? Tá! ... Ai meu Deus!

[Tartegogo]

I had a bookmark saved on google map for clubs 117, and that bookmark still exists, but is now just linked to these coordinates (-22.919675, -43.178254). The business is indeed not on the map anymore.