May 27th, 2006, 17:10
Presently I am staying at Aquaris Sauna in the heart of the Paradise Complex in Patong Beach, Phuket. It is one soi over from the main gay soi and very central to the gay action.
It is my first time staying at Aquaris. As this trip was a longer working holiday, my one important need was 24 hour access to the Internet. Aquaris was the only place in Paradise that offered high speed wireless Internet (backed up by line connections in the suites). They offered me a rate of 22K baht per month for a suite (actually a nice studio without full kitchen facilities). This included daily maid service, all utilities, and free entry to sauna areas. It certainly beat the rents of places in the Pacific NW in the USA. They have a number of room options with very competitive prices.
My room is very nice. It has a king size bed, full size fridge, a large sitting area (leather sofa, easy chair, and coffe table), nice wardrobe, desk, TV with full cable, hot pot, free tea and coffee, decent minibar, air con, celeing fan. It is tastefully done with walls in pale yellow and stone terra cotta floors. The bathroom has copious amounts of hot water (but none in sink) and some wonderful smelling cosmetics from the shower dispenser (soap, shampoo, conditioner).
One of the best features is that the huge windows are tinted and have double panes, so one hears NO noise from the street. It is very quiet and peaceful in my room. They also have a set of light drapes and very heavy ones that block out all light. The hotel rents DVDs and a DVD player for 100bt (inlcudes two movies) per day. No free drinking water in the room although the large bottles of cheap water from the minibar cost only 20 baht. No worries for me, as I've filled the fridge with my own refreshments.
The hotel rooms are all on the third and fourth floors. The first two floors are taken up by the small lobby and the sauna/massage area. One of the nice things about staying here is that all sauna areas are free to use and there are discounts on massage (although they have few boys and none are my type). On the roof there is a huge rooftop patio/deck with a very nice jacuzzi that looks out over Patong Beach.
The suana areas are nice (but not luxury standard). Local boys only pay 50 baht entry (farang much more--300bt). There are always lots of cute boys in the sauna area, and a wide variety of types. About half the boys are money boys and half just like a little white rice. The main sauna area is darker with a large jacuzzi, a huge steam room with many private areas, a small suana, and a shower area. Through this area is a dark room area with many small cubicles that look well maintained (I don't have to use them as I have my own room).
On the ground floor there is a very nice pool with lots of seating and a decent little bar. Next to the pool is a gym with glass walls, so one can sit at the pool and watch the boys work out. It is actually a decent gym with both machines and free weights as well as some stationary equipment. As the wireless Internet works there, I like to go down on some afternoons and do some work while watching the boys. The music can be a bit loud, but not too bad.
The only downside (for some) to having the sauna and hotel together is that from 3:30 to 9:30 as one enters and leaves the hotel, one is beset by a great number of people wandering around in towels. I talked with a couple of guests who found this offputting, but I like seeing an assortment of eye candy every afternoon (even when I'm just coming and going---twice, I've scooped up the candy to take to my room on my way back in).
The service is fine although the new owners (a very hot European couple BTW) while very friendly are a bit lackadasical with service issues (I emailed to change my reservation dates and got a confirmation reply but still was not expected and put in a smaller room my first night with no real apology). The lobby is tiny, and the place definitely exists as a place for gay men to have sex (it is men only). It can make for an unusual living situation.
There is no food service, but the old owner opened a restaurant next door by the name of Aqua (one would think the two businesses were connected, but I get the feeling the old owner does not get along well with the new). The place is very good, with decent service, a great breakfast, and a number of 40 bt Thai meals that are quite tasty. They have an extensive Western and Thai menu with an open kitchen and all the major newspapers on hand. They seem to have sucked a large amount of business away from Connect (which is ten steps away).
I highly reccomend this place as long as one is aware that he will be staying in a very active sauna (from 3:30-9:30). However, the rooms are very nice and comfortable and very quiet, so even if one does not want to partake of the suana, it is still a good bet. The rooftop patio and jacuzzi are great, and even the most uptight traveler would surely find at least one cocktail by a pool full of towel wearing Thai boys at least a tad invigorating.
Pete
It is my first time staying at Aquaris. As this trip was a longer working holiday, my one important need was 24 hour access to the Internet. Aquaris was the only place in Paradise that offered high speed wireless Internet (backed up by line connections in the suites). They offered me a rate of 22K baht per month for a suite (actually a nice studio without full kitchen facilities). This included daily maid service, all utilities, and free entry to sauna areas. It certainly beat the rents of places in the Pacific NW in the USA. They have a number of room options with very competitive prices.
My room is very nice. It has a king size bed, full size fridge, a large sitting area (leather sofa, easy chair, and coffe table), nice wardrobe, desk, TV with full cable, hot pot, free tea and coffee, decent minibar, air con, celeing fan. It is tastefully done with walls in pale yellow and stone terra cotta floors. The bathroom has copious amounts of hot water (but none in sink) and some wonderful smelling cosmetics from the shower dispenser (soap, shampoo, conditioner).
One of the best features is that the huge windows are tinted and have double panes, so one hears NO noise from the street. It is very quiet and peaceful in my room. They also have a set of light drapes and very heavy ones that block out all light. The hotel rents DVDs and a DVD player for 100bt (inlcudes two movies) per day. No free drinking water in the room although the large bottles of cheap water from the minibar cost only 20 baht. No worries for me, as I've filled the fridge with my own refreshments.
The hotel rooms are all on the third and fourth floors. The first two floors are taken up by the small lobby and the sauna/massage area. One of the nice things about staying here is that all sauna areas are free to use and there are discounts on massage (although they have few boys and none are my type). On the roof there is a huge rooftop patio/deck with a very nice jacuzzi that looks out over Patong Beach.
The suana areas are nice (but not luxury standard). Local boys only pay 50 baht entry (farang much more--300bt). There are always lots of cute boys in the sauna area, and a wide variety of types. About half the boys are money boys and half just like a little white rice. The main sauna area is darker with a large jacuzzi, a huge steam room with many private areas, a small suana, and a shower area. Through this area is a dark room area with many small cubicles that look well maintained (I don't have to use them as I have my own room).
On the ground floor there is a very nice pool with lots of seating and a decent little bar. Next to the pool is a gym with glass walls, so one can sit at the pool and watch the boys work out. It is actually a decent gym with both machines and free weights as well as some stationary equipment. As the wireless Internet works there, I like to go down on some afternoons and do some work while watching the boys. The music can be a bit loud, but not too bad.
The only downside (for some) to having the sauna and hotel together is that from 3:30 to 9:30 as one enters and leaves the hotel, one is beset by a great number of people wandering around in towels. I talked with a couple of guests who found this offputting, but I like seeing an assortment of eye candy every afternoon (even when I'm just coming and going---twice, I've scooped up the candy to take to my room on my way back in).
The service is fine although the new owners (a very hot European couple BTW) while very friendly are a bit lackadasical with service issues (I emailed to change my reservation dates and got a confirmation reply but still was not expected and put in a smaller room my first night with no real apology). The lobby is tiny, and the place definitely exists as a place for gay men to have sex (it is men only). It can make for an unusual living situation.
There is no food service, but the old owner opened a restaurant next door by the name of Aqua (one would think the two businesses were connected, but I get the feeling the old owner does not get along well with the new). The place is very good, with decent service, a great breakfast, and a number of 40 bt Thai meals that are quite tasty. They have an extensive Western and Thai menu with an open kitchen and all the major newspapers on hand. They seem to have sucked a large amount of business away from Connect (which is ten steps away).
I highly reccomend this place as long as one is aware that he will be staying in a very active sauna (from 3:30-9:30). However, the rooms are very nice and comfortable and very quiet, so even if one does not want to partake of the suana, it is still a good bet. The rooftop patio and jacuzzi are great, and even the most uptight traveler would surely find at least one cocktail by a pool full of towel wearing Thai boys at least a tad invigorating.
Pete