Phuket nightlife and massage

[vaughn]

I'm weighing up some options for an April trip, and with the Phuket sandbox being my fallback plan I wanted to see if anyone has info on the Patong scene or any islands/areas near Phuket.

Have any members been to Phuket in recent times?
Is the area around Royal Paradise Hotel in Patong the only place to find gay massage and host bars?
My search has come up with the area around GClub and My Way Bar, with some massage shops scattered around as well.

I know the apps are always an option as well, but I am working out where to stay and what I'm likely to find on with boots on the ground.

Any info or experience is welcome

[speedoo1]

Patong is a good place to stay if you want to go out /visit the gay bars at the Paradise complex. Yes, there are a few male massage shops in the alleys around the street itself. In high season there should be plenty of gay tourists in Patong; this was pre-covid mind you! No need to stay in the Paradise complex itself (too seedy IMO); you can just walk to the area at night from elsewhere in Patong or take a (over-prized) tuk-tuk.

For gay travelers Patong is not matched anywhere else on the island.

[vaughn]

Thanks @speedoo1

I was considering the paradise hotel because it is SHA+ but it really does have mixed reviews from recent guests, I might look at some other options in the area as well.

[speedoo1]

I wouldn't stay there. There are way better options and locations in Patong.

Check out the Holiday Inn Express, Best Western and Patong Resort (for the latter book the garden superior rooms rather the cheaper rooms in the main building); all are within walking distance from Paradise. For more upscale hotel check-out the Impiana Resort at the ocean front.

[Boy69]

4 hours ago, vaughn said:

was considering the paradise hotel because it is SHA+ but it really does have mixed reviews from recent guests, I might look at some other options in the area as well.

Unfortunately Paradise hotel is not gay/guests friendly , you can consider it for the quarantine option only and then move to other nearby hotel as @speedoo1 suggested.

[vaughn]

10 hours ago, Boy69 said:

Unfortunately Paradise hotel is not gay/guests friendly , you can consider it for the quarantine option only and then move to other nearby hotel as @speedoo1 suggested.

Oh really, ok that's crossed off my list then.

I guess the good news is there isn't exactly a shortage of hotels in the area. I will look at those options, thanks for the info @speedoo1 and @Boy69

[Tomas1576]

How is it to bring a friend back to the hotel while you are still in the sandbox quarantine?

[khaolakguy]

2 hours ago, Tomas1576 said:

How is it to bring a friend back to the hotel while you are still in the sandbox quarantine?

That should be as straightforward as normal in the sandbox. That's the point, as soon as the result(negative) of the initial par test is received(24 hours) you are free to go and do what you want as long as you remain within your sandbox for 7 days.

[Boy69]

6 hours ago, khaolakguy said:

That should be as straightforward as normal in the sandbox. That's the point, as soon as the result(negative) of the initial par test is received(24 hours) you are free to go and do what you want as long as you remain within your sandbox for 7 days.

I am so confused , as  I understand you are not supposed to stay 7 days in quarantine at the hotel just to stay at Phuket island this period ?

[spoon]

Phuket sandbox require u to book 7 days hotel accomodation with sha status. Yes u can go around the island but have to stay with the same hotel for that duration. Correct me if im wrong.

[speedoo1]

9 hours ago, Tomas1576 said:

How is it to bring a friend back to the hotel while you are still in the sandbox quarantine?

 

Please also take into consideration that many hotels (most?) in Patong will charge a "joiners fee" if you bring a guest back to the room. Usually around 1,000 B. It doesn't matter if you book the room for 2 persons. You may be able to sneak in a guest during daytime (because will nobody notice) but at night it is almost impossible. The security guards are trained in spotting guests trying to bring a local lad or girl to the room, so most likely will have to do the "walk of shame" to the reception with your guest to have him registered and you to pay/to charge it to your room (admittedly, front desk staff is cool about it - as if it was perfectly normal; no issues there).

Annoying practice but that is how it works in Patong/Phuket (at least pre-Covid; I would be surprised if it changed). That is one of the main reasons I prefer to book Airbnb in Patong.

[Guest]

Do these hotels list a joiners fee in their T&C on the booking apps ?

My current practice is to check those T&C.  If I have booked a room for 2 people and the T&C do not mention such a fee, I don't expect to pay one. I would be prepared to dispute the matter, but that has never been necessary.   Admittedly I have not been to Phuket for over a decade

[Boy69]

5 hours ago, speedoo1 said:

 

Please also take into consideration that many hotels (most?) in Patong will charge a "joiners fee" if you bring a guest back to the room. Usually around 1,000 B. It doesn't matter if you book the room for 2 persons. You may be able to sneak in a guest during daytime (because will nobody notice) but at night it is almost impossible. The security guards are trained in spotting guests trying to bring a local lad or girl to the room, so most likely will have to do the "walk of shame" to the reception with your guest to have him registered and you to pay/to charge it to your room (admittedly, front desk staff is cool about it - as if it was perfectly normal; no issues there).

Annoying practice but that is how it works in Patong/Phuket (at least pre-Covid; I would be surprised if it changed). That is one of the main reasons I prefer to book Airbnb in Patong.

I always book on one of the gay guesthouses in Paradise Complex no issues and no joiner fee but this was pre covid I doubt they qualified for the sandbox program.

 

[reader]

According to Richard Barrow, Phuket's now receiving about 4,000 applications a day since Test and Go was suspended.

[speedoo1]

14 hours ago, z909 said:

Do these hotels list a joiners fee in their T&C on the booking apps ?

My current practice is to check those T&C.  If I have booked a room for 2 people and the T&C do not mention such a fee, I don't expect to pay one. I would be prepared to dispute the matter, but that has never been necessary.   Admittedly I have not been to Phuket for over a decade

It is almost guaranteed that you will not find any info about this in booking.com, Expedia, Agoda etc. If you are luckly you may find the info on the webpage of the hotel, but most likely you will not. You would need to contact the hotel and inquire about their practice.

Be prepared to dispute the matter? You will be asked to sign the form where you accept the payment and it will be charged to you room. If you don't sign, you will walk alone to your room... You don't want to take that discussing with an embarrassed boy next to you. 

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, speedoo1 said:

Be prepared to dispute the matter? You will be asked to sign the form where you accept the payment and it will be charged to you room. If you don't sign, you will walk alone to your room... You don't want to take that discussing with an embarrassed boy next to you. 

it never happened to me but I admit one of reasons I don like to book more then 3 nights  in one hotel is thatt in case of problems , whatever they may be I have window of escape in a day or two

[PeterRS]

20 hours ago, z909 said:

Do these hotels list a joiners fee in their T&C on the booking apps ?

My current practice is to check those T&C.  If I have booked a room for 2 people and the T&C do not mention such a fee, I don't expect to pay one. I would be prepared to dispute the matter, but that has never been necessary.   Admittedly I have not been to Phuket for over a decade

If I recall correctly, the small print T&C of all hotels states that visitors are not permitted after a certain time in the evening. The reason for this is that under Thai law hotels have to report in their daily communication with the cops the names and passport/ID numbers of all guests staying overnight. So there is a cut-off time for guests in rooms. I cannot believe this is included on most hotel booking sites as they will probably refer to the need to fulfil the hotel's own T&C or at least to refer to them.

Of course, many of the cheaper hotels turn a blind eye to this. But not all. By charging for a joiner, effectively they can include the joiner as a paid guest.

[Boy69]

I can recommend the Capricorn Village it's very short walk from Paradise Complex, SHA certificate and as far as I remember you can  walk straight to your bongalaw bypassing the reception.

 

 

https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/capricorn village patong/entity/CgoI_p_n-rbVrZ40EAE/photos?g2lb=4401769%2C4317915%2C4549823%2C4641139%2C4306835%2C4624411%2C2503771%2C4685655%2C4419364%2C2503781%2C2502548%2C4647134%2C4640247%2C4649665%2C4618983%2C4671752%2C4258168%2C4596364%2C4605863%2C4371334%2C4270859%2C4284970&hl=en-IL&gl=il&ssta=1&q=capricorn village patong&rp=EP6f5_q21a2eNBD-n-f6ttWtnjQ4AkAASAHAAQKaAgIIAA&ictx=1&ved=0CAAQ5JsGahcKEwjI2JTHjK71AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAw&utm_campaign=sharing&utm_medium=link&utm_source=htls&ts=CAESABogCgIaABIaEhQKBwjmDxABGBASBwjmDxABGBEYATICEAAqCQoFOgNJTFMaAA

 

[Boy69]

Good news my preferred gay owned and freindly guesthouse  Rendez vous Hotel in Patong is SHA certificated.

 

https://il.trip.com/m/hotels/detail?hotelId=703212&checkIn=2022-02-13&checkOut=2022-02-14&adult=2&children=0&ages=&crn=1&travelpurpose=0&UniqueKey=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONaxsjFJMEkxMTBKDWbkWPv-YfNzBYThRzPPmVzlu0Oc_DU3TT3_fKOKIcAjsJdnjxM2pN9HCYxqni2vg7cIZeZ4hBoyLFGJioy0SESpjBxruDSvQd7wxxmML75qrWCkXEj47-kbSmhb_QddjAyHWBkushYaMt1fXGBjsNDxodVIuvcHxo4vGB8emmiRifLG6Cpra8P2i9gYV7FwsNxh19wSQFIMYuDlIKRgbFhmrGlcUpaUqpJWpJ5oomheZK5qWFiooFRSpKJuQKzxpS3G_rZPBiD2IyNLJwsnaJkuJhDPJwEmx4dn7F72gl7KebQYBfFapCVUZIOSaypebqePhmfOSoyuxiZPBhXMTIAAENL2EYPAQAA&hasAidInUrl=1&roomKey=813197245__0_0__0_&cityId=725&fromMeta=1&edmHotelData=&fgt=1

[vaughn]

I now have a reservation at Le Meridien Phuket, it is 4-5km away from the paradise complex so I will be relying on transport, but it has a private beach, lots of outdoor spaces for dining, and being a hotel brand I know and trust will help ease the anxiety of the sandbox stay.

Unless my plans change (again) I will try and give a good summary of the current Patong scene in my trip report in April.

[vinapu]

By April  we hope all restrictions will be removed and sandbox will be distant memory 

[Midguy1]

Enjoy your trip! 

[vaughn]

I had to delete my trip report, but because I started this thread seeking answers I wanted to at least provide an update on the Phuket scene in early April.

 

3 or 4 boy massage shops were open, but only 2 with any real selection. Blue Dolphin massage and 4massage, these two shops are in the middle section of the complex towards the Paradise hotel. Cute twinks were rare, but the boy next door and more toned guys are more common along with some heavier boys.

10-15 boys across both on any given afternoon, prices were standard 300-400 per hour + whatever you arrange with the boy in the room.

 

5 or 6 host bars are open in the bar street, with maybe 2 dozen boys that stand around in a group (possibly waiters?) at the start of the soi. I didn’t really spend much time at the bars, I went one night at 8pm and there were 6 or so customers spread out along the bars. I seemed to be largely ignored by all but one boy who wasn’t my type.

The one boy who sat with me and chatted seemed to be looking to be offed but I wasn't into him and I didn’t really want to walk up and try my luck with the others.

 

The layout is similar to Jomtien complex, with bars lined along each side of the soi. An outdoor drag lipsync show from 8:30-9:00. I left at 10:00, and the bars closed at 12:00 (still under government covid rules). I was told by the boy that Friday and Saturday nights have more people, so I might have just been unlucky.

 

I stayed at Le Meridien Resort Phuket, it was nice and bringing back guests is fine, but it is more of a family-oriented place and not very convenient location-wise.

[PeterRS]

On many trips to Phuket, I also stayed once at Le Meridien, thinking that it would be nice to have a basically private beach. Totally agree with @vaughn. It's a hotel for families and the location is not convenient. I have never returned.