8th Floor, Oriental House
24 - 26 Argyle Street
Mong Kok
Kowloon
Hong Kong
MTR: Mong Kok Station, Exit D3
Tel: 2396 9595
Web: http://www.double-sauna.com/
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This from a reader who went to Double Sauna on 30 December 2010:
ello mate,
Well, I took you suggestion and checked out Double Sauna yesterday evening. Since you have not written a review, I thought I will make this modest contribution - hoping others will find this useful or even entertaining.
Getting There
Take Mongkok MTR exit 3D and turn Left as one emerges from the station. Down an alley way and the entrance to Oriental House is immediately on the Left.
It's a commercial building with a few shops so there is a healthy amount of shopper traffic. As Double Sauna is on the 8th floor, take the lift - unless one wants to turn up showing ones thunder thighs.
On Entering
Having read your review about its picky door / membership policy, I approached it with trepidation. Luck would have it that there was another dishy chink entering the lift with me who was also going to the 8th floor. So I let him open the lift door at the landing. He pressed the door bell, the door promptly opened to a smart reception desk. He paid HK$138, left the $2 change, was given a key and a towel. Not a word was exchanged. So I proceeded to do exactly the same - the difference was that I was given a 50% off voucher valid till Feb 2011. Since the guy in front did not get one - I thought either the receptionist saw my "fresh meat" tattoo on my forehead, or I exceeded his door policy criteria - I was really quite chuffed about that.
The Decor
The colour palette was 1% red, 9% grey and 90% black. The overall them was modern with clean lines. The white towels have Double embroidered in red. There was an impressive wall picture of two muscled guys in a light bondage scene that was made out of mosaic tiles: somebody must have paid good money to have that done. Two promotions were stylishly done as 'Letraset' onto two black walls - one stating a monthly speedo night, the other "Under 25 = Free".
Layout & Facilities
The Lockers - The lockers are immediately after the reception desk behind a black curtain and adjacent to the main lounge area. There were about 80 in total arranged along several walls at four-locker high. Each locker is big enough for a pair of shoes, a gym bag and not a lot more - so don't turn up with your Mong Kok shopping as there is nowhere to put them. Sensibly, the lockers are between the lounge area and the wet area - so it's busy and in full view. As nothing is ever spacious in Hong Kong, it's impossible to not bump into others. As I undressed from my winter coat, black leather boots, slim Diesel jeans and muscle tee to reveal my hard pecs, I felt centre-stage. Nice.
The Wet Area - There were four rose showers with good water pressure and dispensers for shampoo, conditioner and shower gel.
Dry Sauna - Adjacent to the shower area is the dry sauna with a single bench that could sit 3 comfortably and 4 if you want to get cosy - with standing space for another 3. The glass window on the door looks out to the shower which can provide some visual interest.
Steam Room - is further along from the dry sauna - it's L shaped with some floor lighting - though it gets darker further in. It's bigger than the Dry Sauna and can easily fit a dozen people.
Toilets - . There are two toilets with doors - I didn't check them out but they looked clean and there was no noticeable malodour. The single urinal was attached to a half height wall - so as one pisses, one can get a full view of the lounge area. Kind of strange but erotic.
The Lounge - It is divided into three areas.
a) The main one (closest to the lockers) has a big L-shaped sofa facing a LED TV screening TVB Jade. Luckily the sound was turned right down - as I cannot imagine anything more unhorny than listening to the six o'clock news while checking out the talent. There was a water fountain alongside bowls of peanuts and bananas.
b) The internet kiosk had two terminals with stools. The screens are integrated into the wall.
c) Another sofa facing an LED TV screening porn with a mirror perched on top (more about that later).
The Cruising Areas - There are two distinct cruising areas:
a) There are four fuck cabins accessed from the lockers area along a dimly lit corridor. Each cabin has a small TV screen showing porn. One can find condoms above the TV screen, lube dispenser and tissue underneath. All cabins have black faux leather covered fuck pads. A bin is also provided for spent condoms and tissues.
b) The main cruising area is also a nude area accessed from the wet area. And yes, there was an attendant taking your towel (he asks for your locker number so that the towel could be hung on a numbered hook - how organised). Then you are into a corridor, round a bend onto a y-junction: turn left through some crocked alleys to a few more cabins; turn right and meander towards the end is a dark play room. Remember the mirror perched on top of the lounge TV playing porn? Well, that's actually a one way mirror so those in this play room can check out the talent in the lounge area!
Ambience & Clientele
Having read comments from others on this blog, as well as those on other sites, I was most intrigued by the ambience and clientele at Double. What kind of music will they play? Will it have a horny up- for- it or strictly posing crowd? How strict will the door policy be? Will there be loads of skinny chinks or Chinese beefcakes? Racially homogenous not?
The music was good - lounge x house - enough to make you feel the beat but not enough for you to want to listen to it.
The lighting in the lounge and wet areas was good enough for you to check out who's there.
Though as one would expect, the cruising areas were all rather dark with only floor level lighting.
There were many small LCD screens scattered around the place showing both Eastern and Western porn. As these were small screens, not too many people were encouraged to be glued to the TV.
Now the people. There were about 40- odd guys when I went there at 7pm, a few left at around 9pm and a few more turned up at 11pm. As others have observed on this blog, the clientele when I was there was almost all GAM bar one caucasian guy. Being a discreet but chatty sort, I managed to talk to a few - so there were local Chinese, those educated abroad plus a few from the Mainland. A few regulars. And I'd say most guys there were at least gym toned while half a dozen were sporting very sexy pecs and six-packs. Some were handsome, others were ordinary. The eye candy percentage was definitely well above average. I had a lot of fun fucking a few beefcakes.
And there was plenty of action. I noticed the 9 or so cabins were often busy. I had trouble finding an empty cabin for some one-to-one action at one point. The steam room, sauna and cruising areas all played host to a lot of group action. Though most guys covered up their privates in the nude areas - I think I was the only one strutting around loud and proud. Just before I left, the manager came around and collected everyone's towels - so presumably the place has a nude policy past 11pm.
Just one observation not entirely related to Double Sauna. Don't guys manscape their pubes here? In Nanny Kingdom where I reside, most gym going gay men (of all races) do a bit of manscaping to keep pubic growth under control. Those who have been to naked parties and discos would attest to that. I like to be clean shaven most of the time: and I like my men that way too. So it's a bit of a shock to find guys here sporting wild bushes. What's that about?
Overall - The owner put a lot of thought into the place - from the consistent design language, facilities in the fuck cabins, the mosaic wall and the showers. It is also well run - everything feels clean and looked after. One doesn't feel shortchanged by the $138 entry fee. Like all saunas, the clientele was great when I went but there is no guarantee that it consistently attracts a youngish muscle crowd. Will I go back? Fucking definitely.
FuelMix says:
Well written, clear evaluation of the joint. Not much that FuelMix would add even if he dropped in.
Only 9 cabins to play in huh? A review from another reader also mentioned that. That's less than ABC, Action, Alexander, My Way Platinum and the now defunct Towel Club. Tends to suggest that either people stand around a lot or try and get into group action in the Dry Sauna, the Steam Room or the Cruising Areas. A lack of room to play or chill out in, or in which to take a short nap, can be very hard on the feet - esepcially when waiting for more interesting people to show up.
The "Under-25 Get In For Free" promotion is a gimmick also being used by Hunter, 0101 (in the Yau Ma Tei area not far from Double), My Way Platinum (in Wanchai) to name a few. How that works as a business model when competing with other saunas doing the same thing is unclear.
Double seems to be a very chink-centric place. Pity you didn't speak to the lone white guy to get his take on the clientele. In any event, Double appears to be far less international than Alexander, Central Escalator or even ABC (although if one calls the hordes of Filipinos in ABC "international", then perhaps one needs to travel more). FuelMix has been hearing that My Way Platinum in Wanchai and Chaps in North Point are also attracting more foreign and white guys.
Agree with your comments on "manscaping". There's nothing like being well groomed everywhere. Bushes are big here in Asia and a major gay fetish in Japan where some fags resort to dyeing them in startling colours.
Glad you got your ego and whatever else massaged. Thanks for taking the trouble to write in. Much appreciated.
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