(Photo Credits: RossHelen from Shutterstock)
Have you ever been to a gay bathhouse, guys? It is called many names: gay sauna, gay steambath, gay spa, “a commercial space for gay, bisexual, and other men to have sex with men.” Also known as “the baths,” “the sauna,” or “the tubs,” the establishment is “used for having sexual activity rather than only bathing.” Read more about it here.
Anyway, we’re bringing this up because a gay man on Reddit was curious about what other gay guys’ first gay sauna experience is like, and do they have any tips for first-timers? The original poster (OP) explained, “So, I wanna go to gay sauna but I’m nervous what to expect or even if I’ll feel comfortable. I have body dysmorphia.”
One reader shared:
I first went to a sauna in Costa Rica. Incredible. One of the best parts people don’t talk about is the sense of being in a secret place. It’s just us in here, the rest of the world wouldn’t understand and they aren’t invited.
Yeah, it’s sexual which is awesome. It’s also relaxing, fun, fascinating, and weird. Just be safe but not too safe.
Another guy replied, “Just go and try to enjoy yourself because you know who also has body dysmorphia? Those really big muscle boys at the gym. Why do you think they do that to themselves?”
Meanwhile, another guy said:
My first time and every time was a mix of boredom, fun, and occasional mild apprehension. On the whole, I always had a good time but there is room there for people without perfect bodies to feel a little bit left out.
What about you, guys? Have you ever been to a gay bathhouse? If so, how was your first gay bathhouse experience? For readers who have never been into one and are curious about gay bathhouses, click here and here. Share with us your thoughts and stories in the comments section below!
Having said all that, there’s currently a monkeypox outbreak and BHOC advises that you abstain from sex and refrain from going out to bars, gyms, clubs, saunas, and other events if you are feeling sick. Read more about monkeypox here.
It took 6 or 7 visits not resulting in any action to build the comfort level. Am terrible with the signal reads, as some people are. The larger saunas also might have things like darkrooms that are different to navigate. First penetrative came in a darkish area of a place in Chile where tops lined up and bottoms passed by. I learned that tops were in demand there. Safe, of course, though a person or two would try to get me to do them raw. Wasn’t going for that. Also decided I was very picky and needed a better protocol… Read more »
I would love to go to gay sauna but don’t know where one in central Ohio is!!!
Club Columbus is one.
Would anyone like to meet me at club Columbus to show me how the clubworks?
Club Columbus is better to go to on Fridays and Saturdays for the best crowd.
there are two in Columbus
I only know about Club Columbus. What/where is the other one?
Dresden, 1943
My first experience was at the age of 19 in a Bath house in Dayton Ohio. It was very exciting to me to have open sex in a free open nude environment. I have been hooked every since
It’s amazing you are still alive.
Father:
Some-of-us-have-nine-lives!
But,
Some-of-us-don’t succumb to “Sexually Transmitted Diseases.”
Some-of-us – “Homosexuals” are not “Unmitigated Pigs”!
Some-of-us-have a keen sense of “Morality.”
Some-of-us-have “Intellect” and do not fall prey to the “Sins-of-the-Flesh”!
Many-of-us-do quite nicely and live long, prosperous lives…where we contribute, disproportionally, to selves!
I’m still alive because I have the CCR5 Delta 32 mutation, which was discovered over 20 years ago, it disables the CCR5 receptor on the surface of white blood cells. HIV uses this receptor almost like a key — it latches onto it to get into the cell. Without a working version of CCR5, HIV is essentially locked out of person’s immune system. The mutation is most common among people of Northern European descent. Approximately 10% of people in Europe and the United States have inherited this from one of their parents, but it is only protective in the 1%… Read more »
I never heard the news that they had identified the immunity. But you could still carry it to others, no?
no ,will not carry to other
No. Those with the mutation do not get infected.
Father:
Some-of-us-have-nine-lives!
But,
Some-of-us-don’t succumb to “Sexually Transmitted Diseases.”
Some-of-us – “Homosexuals” are not “Unmitigated Pigs”!
Some-of-us-have a keen sense of “Morality.”
Some-of-us-have “Intellect” and do not fall prey to the “Sins-of-the-Flesh”!
Many-of-us-do quite nicely and live long, prosperous lives…where we contribute, disproportionally, to selves!
I’ve never gone, and why would anyone? It’s totally dangerous, life-threatening.
A full year after my husband passed away, I went to Club Orlando to just have any form of intimate contact. I got what i needed! Lighten up! I got on prep, but yes there are other risks!
Well you may think so, but it sparked joy in me thousands of times !
Sure, if you engage in high risk play. But you don;t have to go to a bathhouse for that.
How would you know if you have never been to a bath house?
Because, he probably has friends who are no longer here, because of many, many bath house visits; like I have lost. I went once a with very close friend after the bars closed, I didn’t like how it felt, wasn’t for me, nor the book shops either. I knew where there were cruiser parks were though, but I never did anything right there in the park, like many did.
FH just trolls every comment on this board. Ignore him.
Stupidity is apparently contagious, too. Life is not light.
It’s easy to be critical of something when you don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve been gong to baths for the past thirty years, and have not contracted any STDs. I admit to being picky about my men, and am careful with my activity, but acknowledge that there are others who are not. That happens out in the real world, too, you know. Aside from the sex, the number one benefit for me has been the bolstering of my self confidence. Almost none of us has a perfect body or a huge dick, so being naked in front of… Read more »
I’m half of a bi MF married couple and mostly a top. I have often thought about going to the very nice couple gay club here called The Club Houston. I have never done it because I know 3 buddies who got HIV on visits there and for mine and my wife’s sake I have to guard our health carefully. The friends infected admitted they were high on meth when it happened, not something I enjoy, so I doubt safety was foremost on their minds. I much prefer to fuck bare as I tend to struggle to stay erect in… Read more »
I can’t get HIV, but I have gotten other STI’s. But not for 20 years, because I rinse my dick with Hydrogen Peroxide after every raw fuck starting 20 years ago, since then I have never got any STI, even though I have lots of raw sex. LIFE IS GOOD !
Meth makes your dick wilt, I have never seen a guy on meth, ever have a hard dick. EVER ! Some say they can get hard on it, but meth also makes you crazy and they say and do the stupidest things. I have only done enough meth one time to get real high on it and it was because I was plowing this beautiful tight boy who had it in a water bottle and I was getting tired, so I sipped a bit to wake up and simply kept going till i was lit up (lost my hard on,… Read more »
It’s a little naive to think that fucking with a condom on in a bath house is more dangerous than bare backing a guy anywhere else.
I tend to agree and that’s why I don’t see just anyone who wants to fuck and I vet them carefully. Being a medical professional who is well-versed in STD’s makes vetting easier. No test results to show that are recent and it’s use a condom or no fucking. Since all of my few partners are closeted, bi married men whose wives have sworn off sex and they see only me the risk is lower but not zero.
No, because everyone there likely is having multiple partners in one night, not just one. Count.
PADRE:
Must you always be so technical?
Get on PrEP. While you can contract HIV as a top, it’s much easier to contract as a bottom.
“On PrEP” in profiles for me personally is a “stay away” from guys because they have little to no concern for the long list of STDs they could share. I respect their choice. Just as mine to STAY AWAY should be respected.
The wildest one I’ve seen as far as sex actually happening was in Amsterdam (based on grunts from the cabins). It can be pretty subdued in other places, especially with lots of non-regulars or basically shy people. A guy there almost sucked me off, bare, and he was good at it. Manual finish. Most guys used condoms for penetrative, though nowadays there’s PreP and a raw-dogging contingent. Have not been to the CumUnion events, but from reading the messages it looks like you’d need that, especially on the bottom. Bottoms usually outnumber tops.
It was fine until in walked the resident “locker room troll” saggy-assed and liver-spotted who thought he was “hot.”
Well, you’ll be saggy assed, and livers potted one day.
Laugh now, but many trolls have WAY more fun than you do with other guys. Jealous much?
I was taken to the Club Baths in Portland by my older boyfriend for fun the first time and I screwed a hot guy and loved it. I was too scared to ever go by myself back then. So I starting going a lot to bath houses all over the planet and have had the best sex thousands of times. At the zenith of my sexy good looks (nothing lasts forever), I would get a room at Steamworks in Berkeley on the weekend and hot boys would literally stand in a line of 2-3 guys outside my door, just to… Read more »
My first visit was to one in Cleveland and then had been to ones in Orlando, Ft Lauderdale, St Louis, Chicago, Phoenix, and one in Berlin and Vienna (what was amazing). It took me a while to get comfortable just walking around in a towel, and took a while to pick up on the hunting and gathering game. Now I enjoy being watched and don’t mind being naked
You only use white images and only talk about white issues even though this is a multicultural site too bad your news your share is never diverse unless it’s about dick
I’ve only been once but I had the best time. At first I felt like an African explorer studying the natives in their natural habitat. After getting the lay of the land (pun intended), I loosened up and my sense of humor & sense of wonder took over. Had great sex with a man close to my age, twice. Got sucked off in the sauna and the steam room. Enjoyed showering in front of everyone. Watched a variety of sex acts while roaming the halls. It was on a Sunday so they served a free fried chicken dinner. And they… Read more »
first sauna experience was at casino hotel in Shreveport, had hopes as had only recently (within year or so) started bi life again after staying str8 for 27 years. Went to sauna, was men only, went in was one guy laid out on bench, naked except cloth over crotch. As I laid out towel to lay on, he said greetings, I replied and asked where he got “wiener wrap”. he giggled, lifted cloth and said “Robe Sleeve” lol, I laughed, removed robe with back to him, laid down did same, within a minute, he walked over ,nude, asked “Do you… Read more »
Boooooring topic! And why would anyone want to go to one in the first place? That’s like STDs central by itself. Hell it’s bad enough taking chances through solo experiences and through dating apps and that’s with protection! Because some people could be crazy or murderers or anything! But a whole room of men that probably doesn’t even use condoms when having sex, now that’s like putting your hands out in front of a dog who has rabies. Enough said.
Dyson, these types if topics give A4A staff others’ sex lives to live vicariously through.
A famous bathhouse in Las Vegas was my first time. It was pretty liberating to be toweled or naked with like-minded people. Lots of tourists, many shy bi-guys, but locals, too. Every body-size shape race, etc. 1 on 1 wasn’t really what I was looking for. It was condom-city except for the brave or crazy before 2002. Then, PrEP or the poz-undetectable crowd started going raw. I went on that program, and haven’t looked back. I traveled frequently for my company. Europe, Turkey, SE Asia, and Oz. There’s a bathhouse most places in those areas, sometimes few and far between,… Read more »
My preference is group play with friends I’ve come to know well over time and their good friends. Sex with random guys I’ve just met and will probably never meet again in a public environment? No thanks. This doesn’t guarantee an STD-Free experience, but it sure has safer odds.
If a guy likes the sauna public environment that’s totally his choice!
I’ve never had one and considering I worked in a health club and used the sauna a lot and nothing.
Seriously? My first sauna sex was not at a gay bath house, but rather, mid morning at my local gym! I had finished my workout and headed to the shower when I passed a younger guy coming from the shower/spa area. He had a great, hairy chest which I did take note of as we passed but there was no eye contact or any other acknowledgement as we passed. The showers are open so there’s no privacy and I saw him as he went into the sauna. He definitely gave me a smile as he went in. I quickly rinsed… Read more »
Landscapes, I’ve had a number of experiences similar to yours. I’ve never been to a bath house, but have had probably a dozen very hot sexual encounters in various health clubs/gyms. It seems like less gyms are having single-sex saunas and steamrooms these days, so it is a little more challenging than it was 10-15 years ago.
Came back to look at the responses to this topic. I noted in the picture with the article the guys have cute little hats on. Are these because in a sauna a cute little scarf or a cute little sweater would be just too much? After all all gay guys should be wearing cute little hats and cute little scarves and cute little sweaters, right!?
was Awesome, in Casino/hotel in Shreveport, went in with robe, only one guy present, he was laid out nude other than cloth over cock area, as I spread towel to lay on, he said hi, returned greeting, asked “where were the wiener wraps?” as point to crotch he laughed, “robe sleeve as he lifted it, I laid down did same, moments he was there in front of me , buff, asked “Like head?” I said “Yes, giving as well as receiving” he got on knees started playing my cock, soon we were all over each other, one of top 10… Read more »
I went to The Chute in Phoenix with a friend several years ago. I was anxious at first and walked around the place before sitting on a bench t watch the men walk around. I eventually wound up in the steam room, where things got a little hot (no pun intended). Condoms were free and abundant throughout the facility, need less to say I had a great time for my first experience.
I’m bi and married and have occasionally visited bathhouses in numerous places. You definitely gotta practice safe sex in them…lots of stuff going around, but every one I have visited has plenty of condoms. The first time scared the crap out of me. I was always accustomed to sex being behind closed doors and secret. Here, it is out in the open and on full display. Once you get past that and realize everyone is in a towel or less, it’s easy to get into it. You learn how to politely turn down the less than subtle advances from guys… Read more »
I’ve been going to baths here in FL for years but never let myself cut loose and have a good time because of misconceptions(rolled up with fear and shame) about HIV/STD’s that were put in my head, being a product of the eighties as an adolescent growing up in rural MI. At some in life point we realise the truth about this, and how wrong people had it then, and still now in some cases and places. Life is too short to live in fear, this has proven itself to be true. So, if you’re in St. Petersburg, this weekend… Read more »
First time at Flex Spas Cleveland a few years back was awesome. Met a sexy young twink and went to his room and played around and fucked him. At 1am went to the lounge to see Hugh Hunter. I was still raging hard. The twink saw my throbbing 9er under my towel wrapped around my waist and yanked it off. Hugh saw and came over. He smiled and kissed me. Asked if he could go down on me. Fuuuuck Yeah! He knelt and throated me. He let me go down on him after making out with me again. He took… Read more »