GLAM's - 30 Aug 2024 review of new massage shop in BKK

[bkkmfj2648]

For my 63rd birthday, I decided to join @vinapu in Bangkok.  We had already met up in Pattaya the previous week with another forum member.

For my birthday, we celebrated in Moonlight, piggy-backing off of the party that was already underway for Jessica. 

Earlier in the day on the 29th, I treated myself to a Vinapu recommendation, Alex, a wonderful muscle Burmese guy in my Raya room with the "in the middle of the suite" transparent glass shower.  ohh lala...

On the following day, the 30th of August, I decided to pamper myself at the new GLAM's Massage & Spa, that was getting a lot of gossip, reviews, etcetra in the Twitter (X) Massage Insider forum.

--> reference to what is the Massage Insider forum from 26 January 2024  https://www.gayguides.com/forums/topic/40375-is-the-gay-scene-dying-off/page/5/#comment-372916

It is located at: 380/2 Ratchadaphisek Rd, Samsen Nok, Huai Khwang, Bangkok 10310 and can be easily reached via the MRT Blue line at the Sutthisan station and then just a 5 minute walk to the shop.

From our BKK gay ghetto, it is only 8 stops away from the Lumphini blue line MRT station to Sutthisan. - around 40 baht.

Here is the front of the GLAM shop.  I took my sneakers off and left them outside of the entrance door.

Here is the reception - you will see that it is huge and beautiful.

You will be greeted by the manager and told what is on offer for that day and shown a menu of various programs.

From here, I was taken up 1 flight via a large beautiful staircase where you are made to feel like you are in a museum or art exhibition.

I was not allowed to take a photo on this first floor because the manager was sensitive about what could be misinterpreted (as I told him that I was going to write an article for a gay farang newsletter) --> as the shop was only open 2 weeks - and they wanted a chance to survive (any wrongly prying eyes) this initial opening this soft opening period.

If you were lucky to visit the former Hero (Sukhumvit soi 11) or the current Prince - there is the famous glass wall with the hot guys pumping iron and showing off so that you can select your guy(s) for your visit.     https://www.gayguides.com/forums/topic/10299-hero-massage/#comment-89772

internet photo of Prince glass wall for illustration purposes

Well, GLAM has a similar concept, but instead of workout equipment behind the glass wall there are several leather sofas where the guys sit and with the manager you select your guy from outside of the glass.

Unfortunately, on the day that I showed up - it was 1pm and all of the guys were in a training class for their new Hot Stone massage offering.  So, the manager was able to only get 3 guys to exit the training class so that I could chose 2 from them - as I was interested in = surprise --> hahahaha --> a 4 hands massage.  The manager told me that they have 30 guys working for them.

So, my 2 masseurs walked me up another 3 flights to the top floor 4, to the VIP room.

The massage VIP room was huge with a big comfortable bed and an amazing shower where we truly had a lot of "warm up" fun.

 

All was good - the 4 hands massage, the "afters", and the "cool down shower" get ready to go back outside onto the streets of Bangkok.

My program was expensive - as I selected the VIP room and 2 guys for 90 minutes.

I paid 1.750 to the massage shop and each guy's minimum tip was 1.800 each - so the total for my birthday extravaganza was: 5.350 baht.

For me it was well worth it.

They have much cheaper prices for standard rooms and with just 1 masseur for 60 minutes instead of 90 minutes.

Would I go again?

YES, as it was nice to see another Bangkok neighborhood and to experience a decadent type of new massage shop like GLAM.

I wish them the best of luck.

Enjoy.

 

 

[spoon]

That shower is gorgeous! 5 star hotel suite room quality shower. 

[reader]

All birthdays should begin--and end--this way.

[bkkmfj2648]

17 minutes ago, spoon said:

That shower is gorgeous! 5 star hotel suite room quality shower. 

yes it is - and when it is activated (turned on) it illuminates like something you would expect to see in a scene from Elon Musk's future Mars civilization shower.

[10tazione]

Happy birthday!

[bkkmfj2648]

17 minutes ago, reader said:

All birthdays should begin--and end--this way.

The alternative was to remain in Pattaya (Jomtien) where I would have been expected to organize a birthday party at one of the local Jomtien Supertown Complex bars and foot the bill.  I would have surely had a hangover the next day and no orgasms on my birthday or the day after.

With the money that I saved by not remaining in Pattaya I was able to:

• see and hang out with Vinapu and another forum member,
• treat myself to a wonderful birthday by pampering and spoiling myself.

[jason1975]

Thanks for detailed report and lovely photos! With such a big shower, I will go for 4 hands as well. Glad u enjoyed your birthday!

[macaroni21]

Happy birthday!

[Verchiele]

Happy 63th Birthday 🎂 and wow, what a treat!! 

Thank you for detailed review on this brand spanking new spa.

I was a little unsure whether this falls into "Prestige massage" (See Shameless mack review) type shop where there is little to no afters. I am cognizant that when the place looks so nice and invest alot to the place- they wouldn't offer such. 

Question: Do they offer it from get go with stated minimum tips or is this negotiated during?

Good to know and thanks for reporting.

[sydneyboy1]

Thank you. This is an excellent report. Reference to the old Hero brings back wonderful memories. This was by far the best massage venue of its era to the extent that in my view it had no competition. Are there any other massage places that are similar to the old Hero model? A glass wall where you can admire what’s on offer and choose at leisure? This new venue appears to come close.

[Verchiele]

45 minutes ago, sydneyboy1 said:

Thank you. This is an excellent report. Reference to the old Hero brings back wonderful memories. This was by far the best massage venue of its era to the extent that in my view it had no competition. Are there any other massage places that are similar to the old Hero model? A glass wall where you can admire what’s on offer and choose at leisure? This new venue appears to come close.

VCK definitely has the aquarium...

[bkkmfj2648]

5 hours ago, Verchiele said:

Question: Do they offer it from get go with stated minimum tips or is this negotiated during?

Thanks for your compliments.

Being a member of the Twitter (X) and related LINE Massage Insider forums, I was already privy to information that the GLAM massage guys would offer fun for the stated minimum tip.

Below, you can see a reference where the forum administrator states that up to H is available at GLAM.

These Thai massage forums use a ranking system of:

S - soft = handjob

SS - soft = outside activities that do not involve anal sex with penetration

H - hard = implies that there can be anal sex with penetration

 

[Verchiele]

1 hour ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

Thanks for your compliments.

Being a member of the Twitter (X) and related LINE Massage Insider forums, I was already privy to information that the GLAM massage guys would offer fun for the stated minimum tip.

Below, you can see a reference where the forum administrator states that up to H is available at GLAM.

These Thai massage forums use a ranking system of:

S - soft = handjob

SS - soft = outside activities that do not involve anal sex with penetration

H - hard = implies that there can be anal sex with penetration

 

Thanks! I guess with 1800B minimum tips, a dessert must be included 😛. 

Wabisabi has like 200baht  minimum, Msense has similarly low amount. I expect negotiation in these places for anything extra. though, no matter how cute, 1500B for a handjob may be hard to swallow figuratively speaking. 

[macaroni21]

4 hours ago, sydneyboy1 said:

Are there any other massage places that are similar to the old Hero model? A glass wall where you can admire what’s on offer and choose at leisure?

In addition to VCK (also known as Vclub7) that @Verchiele mentioned, there is also a glass aquarium in Prince. Arena has boys line up in the flesh. Ganymede too, if I remember correctly.

[Verchiele]

36 minutes ago, macaroni21 said:

In addition to VCK (also known as Vclub7) that @Verchiele mentioned, there is also a glass aquarium in Prince. Arena has boys line up in the flesh. Ganymede too, if I remember correctly.

 @macaroni21, given the choice, whether prebook or in person (say for Prince where booking is possible), in your experience what’s yielded better experience?

[macaroni21]

I'm not sure whether the the operative factor is the line between spot-choice and pre-booking. I think a shop's management policy may be a better determinant. Let me explain with a few examples:

I have found Prince and Arena (both with spot-booking) to be largely reliable and consistent in quality. Not always fantastic, but I have yet to leave disappointed. However, VCK (based on a friend's report (and he is quite a regular there), tends to underperform. Now, why my friend continues to go there despite this remains a mystery to me; something to do with "but I like the look of the boys there!" -- a sentiment I cannot fully grasp. I think there was also a recent discussion somewhere in this forum saying the same thing, that at VCK they often do not give you the full hour.

Ditto with pre-booking. Some places, e.g. Jey Spa, and (I am told) BT House are mostly reliable and consistent. Bad apples occur once in a while, of course, and we have to take it in stride. But those places in Saphan Khwai that advertise dozens of freelancers, in my opinion have a poorer performance average. It stands to reason. As freelancers, the shops have no control whatsoever regarding service quality.

The one advantage of pre-booking, even in the Saphan Khwai places, is that sometimes I want a repeat session with a freelancer who had performed well before. But in order to discover these gems, one has to throw oneself into the gravel full of freelancers, and make pre-bboking appointments with never-tried-before boys from the Saphan Khwai places.

Sorry... it's a complicated answer.

[sydneyboy1]

Has anyone been to Arena lately and if so what was your experience?

[bkkmfj2648]

2 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

In addition to VCK (also known as Vclub7) that @Verchiele mentioned, there is also a glass aquarium in Prince. Arena has boys line up in the flesh. Ganymede too, if I remember correctly.

You can also add the Senso shop to this list.  When you walk in, the manager calls out to the guys in the back to do a line up where you tell the manager which guy(s) you want.  

When I was there last week, I told the manager that I wanted the 4 hands 90 minute offer and that I will pick the first guy and then that guy should nominate which other guy from the line up that he feels comfortable working with.

For the first pick - all eyes and smiles are on you --> for the 2nd pick, I noticed that not all of the eyes were on the 1st guy I chose - so, I sensed that there is definitely some "good" and "less good" chemistry between the guys.  This is why for 4 hands massages, I let the first guy choose the 2nd guy to avoid anything strange during our session.

[vinapu]

9 hours ago, sydneyboy1 said:

 Are there any other massage places that are similar to the old Hero model? A glass wall where you can admire what’s on offer and choose at leisure? 

Yes, Prince. I did not have time to put report together but they use the same "behind the glass wall"  system

[vinapu]

13 hours ago, Verchiele said:

Happy 63th Birthday 🎂

I did not know people live that long! 

[CallMeLee]

6 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

In addition to VCK (also known as Vclub7) that @Verchiele mentioned, there is also a glass aquarium in Prince. Arena has boys line up in the flesh. Ganymede too, if I remember correctly.

I visited Ganymede last month and didn't see any glass "aquarium" - you have to pre-book your masseur. ☺️

[spoon]

Vck guys will line up in a sort of platform stairs, similar to seats u see in small school gym for spectators. No glass in between you and them though but your seats are quite a distance away. No glass walls at arena too, but guys will line up across the room where they relax/workout.

5 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

but I like the look of the boys there

I share the same sentiment as your friend unfortunately lol

[Keithambrose]

4 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

You can also add the Senso shop to this list.  When you walk in, the manager calls out to the guys in the back to do a line up where you tell the manager which guy(s) you want.  

When I was there last week, I told the manager that I wanted the 4 hands 90 minute offer and that I will pick the first guy and then that guy should nominate which other guy from the line up that he feels comfortable working with.

For the first pick - all eyes and smiles are on you --> for the 2nd pick, I noticed that not all of the eyes were on the 1st guy I chose - so, I sensed that there is definitely some "good" and "less good" chemistry between the guys.  This is why for 4 hands massages, I let the first guy choose the 2nd guy to avoid anything strange during our session.

That's very sensible. I propose to do the same in November!

[Keithambrose]

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

I did not know people live that long! 

Only just!

[bkkmfj2648]

I forgot to include the business card that the manager gave me for GLAM