Clube 555 in SP: 2023 Update

[Xclay]

Over a year ago, sydneyboy1 started an interesting thread on the status of Clube 555 (heir to Fragata) in São Paulo. Most posters were impressed with the facility but not the GPs. If you are interested in São Paulo options to Lagoa (such as Pauleiro's account today of HotHouse), you might want to look over those May 2022 posts about Clube 555 along with this update below.

I thought sure that Clube 555 was defunct. It had been closed down when I previously tried to visit. But I was wrong. It turns out that São Paulo does in fact have a second, active, real GP sauna after all.

After two weeks of going daily to Lagoa, I ventured over to Clube 555 on Sunday night, a short $3 Uber from my hotel by Avenida Paulista. Here is what I found:

● Big downstairs with the stage, bar, pool, over 20 tables, was filled (50+ people) for the 9:20 lipsync, bingo, go-go boy show. (See partial photo of the airy area below.)

● A year ago travelers here were wondering if 555 could survive!  Even if Sunday is 555's top night and I did not have a perfect sample, it sure looked like 555 is doing OK if not thriving. So I think it's good news that Lagoa seems to have at a least a little competition, even if not with our crowd.

● Credit where credit is due. Clube 555's facility is clearly superior and far more spacious than Lagoa's. Instead Lagoa's tiny, cramped changing room, the one at 555 is nearly three time larger. The two bar/dining areas at 555 seem over three times larger than the two compact spaces at Lagoa. The steam room at 555 is more than double that of Lagoa. Also, for those who hate steps, 555 is spread over three large floors, instead of four floors like Lagoa.  Pictured below is the large changing room and the second bar/dining area. 

● Obvious issue: What about the talent? Outside of the "Lagoa-looking" go-go boys, I did not see any beefy, good-looking guys that you might see at Logoa. Guys at 555 were generally more swimmer types, not US football players. (Well, plus a few out of shape.) None at 555 were distinctly Euro or Afro; all were handsome Brazilian shades in between. They were not nearly as pushy as many Lagoa GPs.

I had two good connections. One was a str8, trim, toned, handsome, hung newbie and the other a masculine, gay, trim, toned, passionate btm. Both seemed far more surprised and thrilled to get a RS50 tip (up from 150) than any GP at Lagoa.

I cannot dispute the 2022 critics who identified 555's chief deficit as its lack of more top tier GPs. That is still the case in 2023. And yet, I got lucky.

● Suggestions:
I still share the consensus recommendation here that Lagoa be your default sauna destination, especially if you are in SP for no more than a week or so. However, if you stay longer and are looking for some variety and change of scene, you might find it interesting to go explore 555, ideally on a weekend night. And you can always quickly retreat to Lagoa in a cheap taxi.

Don't know about other nights but the Sunday show starts at 9:00 (BT so more like 9:20). Before 7:30 it will look pretty empty, but then it starts filling up.

Website: http://www.clube555.com.br/

[floridarob]

After hearing Namazu talk about it and now you, I'd give it another try.

[pauleiro]

Thanks, Xclay for the update. I am amazed to see how nice the facilities are compared to Lagoa. I regret not to have given it a try when I was in SP last week. I will give it a try next time. 

What about the showers ? Are they visible from the bar as in Lagoa or in mezzaninu ? It does not seem so. Pity, since it is a nice way of spending time in the bar looking at the goodies. 

I think it is not totally fair to compare Club 555 on a Sunday nite with Lagoa : I was yesterday, sunday,  in 117 in Rio. There was a very limited number of boys, and certainly not the best ones. If I was to write a review on 117 based on that sunday experience, it would be negative and would not reflect how nice the place is on Tuesdays or Fridays. When I go to Club 555, it will be either on Friday or on Saturday nite.

[Xclay]

2 minutes ago, pauleiro said:

What about the showers ?
Are they visible from the bar as in Lagoa or in Mezzaninu ?

Alas, wet, naked, soapy, tumescent Brasileiros are not visible from 555's bars.

[Xclay]

7 minutes ago, pauleiro said:

I think it is not totally fair to compare Club 555 on a Sunday nite with Lagoa....
...
When I go to Club 555, it will be either on Friday or on Saturday nite.

Agree. I did mean to imply that Sunday was any kind of definitive test of 555 vs. Lagoa. I mentioned (bullet #2) that my Sunday experience may not be representative of other days.

Yet, if Sunday is the best night at 555, as some clients told me, I still suggest Sunday as the best time for those who want visit 555 for one night. If another night is superior, that would be valuable intel. I will look forward to your update!

[sydneyboy1]

11 hours ago, Xclay said:

Over a year ago, sydneyboy1 started an interesting thread on the status of Clube 555 (heir to Fragata) in São Paulo. Most posters were impressed with the facility but not the GPs. If you are interested in São Paulo options to Lagoa (such as Pauleiro's account today of HotHouse), you might want to look over those May 2022 posts about Clube 555 along with this update below.

I thought sure that Clube 555 was defunct. It had been closed down when I previously tried to visit. But I was wrong. It turns out that São Paulo does in fact have a second, active, real GP sauna after all.

After two weeks of going daily to Lagoa, I ventured over to Clube 555 on Sunday night, a short $3 Uber from my hotel by Avenida Paulista. Here is what I found:

● Big downstairs with the stage, bar, pool, over 20 tables, was filled (50+ people) for the 9:20 lipsync, bingo, go-go boy show. (See partial photo of the airy area below.)

● A year ago travelers here were wondering if 555 could survive!  Even if Sunday is 555's top night and I did not have a perfect sample, it sure looked like 555 is doing OK if not thriving. So I think it's good news that Lagoa seems to have at a least a little competition, even if not with our crowd.

● Credit where credit is due. Clube 555's facility is clearly superior and far more spacious than Lagoa's. Instead Lagoa's tiny, cramped changing room, the one at 555 is nearly three time larger. The two bar/dining areas at 555 seem over three times larger than the two compact spaces at Lagoa. The steam room at 555 is more than double that of Lagoa. Also, for those who hate steps, 555 is spread over three large floors, instead of four floors like Lagoa.  Pictured below is the large changing room and the second bar/dining area. 

● Obvious issue: What about the talent? Outside of the "Lagoa-looking" go-go boys, I did not see any beefy, good-looking guys that you might see at Logoa. Guys at 555 were generally more swimmer types, not US football players. (Well, plus a few out of shape.) None at 555 were distinctly Euro or Afro; all were handsome Brazilian shades in between. They were not nearly as pushy as many Lagoa GPs.

I had two good connections. One was a str8, trim, toned, handsome, hung newbie and the other a masculine, gay, trim, toned, passionate btm. Both seemed far more surprised and thrilled to get a RS50 tip (up from 150) than any GP at Lagoa.

I cannot dispute the 2022 critics who identified 555's chief deficit as its lack of more top tier GPs. That is still the case in 2023. And yet, I got lucky.

● Suggestions:
I still share the consensus recommendation here that Lagoa be your default sauna destination, especially if you are in SP for no more than a week or so. However, if you stay longer and are looking for some variety and change of scene, you might find it interesting to go explore 555, ideally on a weekend night. And you can always quickly retreat to Lagoa in a cheap taxi.

Don't know about other nights but the Sunday show starts at 9:00 (BT so more like 9:20). Before 7:30 it will look pretty empty, but then it starts filling up.

Website: http://www.clube555.com.br/

Thank you. Very much appreciated.

[scott456]

 

12 hours ago, Xclay said:

Obvious issue: What about the talent? Outside of the "Lagoa-looking" go-go boys, I did not see any beefy, good-looking guys that you might see at Logoa. Guys at 555 were generally more swimmer types, not US football players. (Well, plus a few out of shape.) None at 555 were distinctly Euro or Afro; all were handsome Brazilian shades in between. They were not nearly as pushy as many Lagoa GPs.

I am not into slim swimmer bodies, nor beefy football player bodies.  I am just into clean, trimmed, muscular gym toned model types that you see on Men's Fitness magazine, for example--

 

 

Based on the various posts on this forum, I don't believe 555 or hothouse offer this type of talent. But I see my types at SP' Lagoa and Rio's 117

[sydneyboy1]

A general observation. Things appear to be looking up in São Paulo.

[Xclay]

7 hours ago, scott456 said:

I am not into slim swimmer bodies, nor beefy football player bodies.  I am just into clean, trimmed, muscular gym toned model types that you see on Men's Fitness magazine, for example...

You are right. They are definitely not at 555 these days! 

I like like the Men's Fitness types too (with natural as well as gym muscles). I was thinking more about quarterbacks and tight ends (no jokes please) that fall into that cover-model category — not the offensive line. But, hey, I think Men's Fitness could feature quite a few of these University of Tennessee football players on its cover.