Queeriosity Palace’s last week

Yes the news is true. After more than four years of operation, Queeriosity Palace will be closing its doors on July 1. But just like Epitome they will be having a blast doing so.

For this final week, you can visit the bathhouse without being a member. Just pay the usual entrance fee. Today, Monday, the entrance will be 150 pesos all night. On Wednesday they will have one of their private shows.

And on Saturday, to celebrate the Pride month of June, they will be having their very own White Party. Since they will be open starting at 6pm, you can start your White Party at Q and then head on after midnight to Malate’s own White Party, if you prefer that. Anyway, if you’re wearing white underwear, you can get in for only 180 pesos all night. The party at Q will also guest DJ Stone of O-Bar Malate.

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I find it sad whenever establishments that cater to the PLU community close for good. But hey, the economy is not as good and people are tightening their belts. Hopefully in the future, when times are better and people are more accepting of the LGBT sector, then we can all have lots of good times. For now, let’s all support one another.

The latest on Epitome

Ever since word got out that Epitome would be closing down their Leon Guinto operations, with the hint that they might reopen in a new location, I've been seeing comments and questions here on this blog and elsewhere from lots of guys asking if Epitome has opened again, or asking where the new Epitome was (mistakenly assuming that it had already opened).

Just like these guys, I didn’t have any information about the status of Epitome. Only the guys behind the business would know anything about it and I haven‘t seen anything come out from their side yet.

That changed when one of the managers of Epitome posted the following statement on a forum in PlanetRomeo yesterday:

close na ang E since march 25 2012, kung tatayo man ito is anybody guess becoz...

To make the record straight...

Epitome Club Malate was closed since March 25, 2012 because the property was sold last year November 2011, without the full knowledge of the other 5 partners/owners of Epitome, until we received an abrupt notice (Jan, 2012) to vacate the property,
As for plans of putting up again is under consideration due to only 1 remaining owner who wants to continue the homey concept of E.
I have managed the place for the past 5 years (Sept 2007 to Mar 2012) and I have love and cherish the sacred bond of our guests, friends, talents (divas n mds), staff and some of the owners for being supportive. I guess, all things will come to past.Epitome Club Malate finally closes her chapter in the PLU Community history.

So I hope this would clarify all your queries....

Well, if you want to see some of Epitome regulars, some hangout at O Bar Malate...

Until we meet again....Love Love Love Sam...

So it seems final. Epitome is closed down for good. Some of the people behind it may decide to put up another establishment but those who miss Epitome’s quirkiness are out of luck.

Epitome’s last week at Leon Guinto

tarus top, one of the managers of Epitome, has posted the following comment in several of my blog posts about their bathhouse announcing the final week of their operations at their Leon Guinto location:

Important Advisory: Epitome Club Malate will have its FINAL Week of Operations at Leon Guinto St from March 18 to March 25 before we pack up and move for a better home. A Big Finale Show will be on March 24 Saturday. Thanks for all the love, loyalty, bonding and memories we shared since 2004. Until we meet again.

I think that this would be a good move for Epitome. Compared to the other bathhouses in Metro Manila, Epitome’s is the one needing quite a bit of maintenance and some updating in its facilities. I hope that when they reopen, it would be with better facilities (such as beds) and better air-conditioning.

I also hope that they would still have a discreet location like in Leon Guinto. Their entrance is so unassuming that people have been leaving comments here on Discreet Manila saying they’re having trouble finding it!

Here’s to Epitome’s new chapter! Epitome was the first local bathhouse I’ve visited and I’ve had some good memories inside it.

If you’ve been to Epitome, what do you want the management to do better next time? Come on, let’s collect all the suggestions here!

Action Sauna (Causeway Bay, Hong Kong)

I went to Hong Kong early this year for vacation. It was my first time to visit the former British colony and I must say that the city’s skyline is quite breathtaking! I wish I could have stayed for more than the few days I spent there, but I couldn’t stay away from work too long and the budget wasn’t enough. I will definitely go back there one day.

Anyway, I’ve read that the gay scene in HK is quite big (my main source of information is Utopia Asia) and so I definitely included visiting some of the PLU establishments in my itinerary. However, I didn’t have enough time since there was so much else of HK to see, so I was only able to visit 2 gay bathhouses out of a total of around 15. The first bathhouse I was able to visit was Action, and the second was CE.

I really, really wanted to visit the Towel Club ever since I’ve heard about it (and CC’s review only reinforced my desire), but the place apparently closed down in the meantime. Too bad.

For the rest of this blog post, I will talk about Action. CE will be tackled in the future.

Action, located in the Causeway Bay district, is the newest establishment of the largest chain of gay bathhouses in Hong Kong, ABC-gateway. The other bathhouses are ABC in Tsim Sha Tsui, Alexander in Mongkok, and Gateway in Wanchai. Action is open 24 hours on Saturdays and it was on a Saturday afternoon that I found myself there.

I don’t remember anymore how much the entrance fee was (I think it was about 100 HK$, around 500 pesos) but that was all I paid to get inside. No membership registration was required and I didn’t have to show any ID, just like with 24 Kaikan in Tokyo. (This is the main difference between local and foreign bathhouses I’ve visited.)

As far as bathhouses go, Action’s amenities are better than any bathhouse in the Philippines. Only Club Bath comes close. Of course, Action has a CR, a set of shower stalls, and a locker area. The place also has a sauna, a steam room, and a tanning machine. The locker room has a nice vanity area having complete supplies: alcohol, powder, hair gel, earbuds, skin lotion, mouthwash, etc. There’s a den with a sofa, a TV showing local shows, and magazines. There’s also an Internet room with 3 PC terminals. Action has an AV room with matresses covering the floor and a TV showing porn. There’s a dark maze and an kink room featuring a sling. And there are several rooms with beds where people can lock themselves up to have some private fun. In all the rooms where you can expect guys to have sex, there is an ample supply of condoms, tissue and lube. Nice!

By the way, while Action is billed as “The Nude Sauna,” towels were actually provided so I didn’t go around in the buff.

Surprisingly, it seemed that the whole place was manned by only one staff member (at least during the time I visited), and he was the one minding the counter at the entrance.

How was the crowd? I guess I went there not at the busiest time since there were only several other guys there. All were Asians except for this one chubby white dude. The age range was from the late 20s to 40s, and most were of average looks. I am partial to chinito guys but I didn’t find anyone there that I would really have a crush on. I did however managed to have fun with the attention and servicing I got. Hehe.

Given the choice, I’d probably try the place again. It’s a clean and comfortable place to spend some time in and I really want to see how the clientele is during peak times.

Action is located at the second floor (called the 1st floor in Hong Kong) of the Overseas Building along Hennessy Road. You get to the second floor via a really old elevator. The building’s entrance can be seen in the following Google Street View:

View Larger Map

The Playroom: a new blue bar/bathhouse

Last October 1, The Playroom had its soft opening. This is a new blue bar/bathhouse PLU establishment and is located at #35 West Avenue in Quezon City.

If you’ve been to the July or September parties thrown by the Fabcasters, then you’ve already been to the place since it is co-owned by one of the six Fabcasters. And if you’ve seen the movie Heavenly Touch, then you’ve also seen the place as well. The fictitious Heavenly Touch Spa in the movie is actually the Spartacus Spa in real life. Two-thirds of the building in which Spartacus is located was given up and now we have The Playroom.

If I’m not mistaken, The Playroom’s concept of a hybrid blue bar and bathhouse is the first of its kind. (Then again, both Epitome and Fahrenheit do have a bar area separate from the bathhouse proper, but unless there are events, these areas are almost always devoid of people which doesn’t make them blue bars.) Like a blue bar, The Playroom’s main feature is a bar where members can mingle and socialize and like other blue bars, there is a “backroom” area where guests can be more intimate with each other. In The Playroom’s case, the backroom is on the second floor and is effectively a bathhouse, where members are given towels and there are rooms and shower areas.

This post is just a preliminary peek but my first big beef about the establishment is that the layout is all wrong. For those who have availed of lockers instead of rooms, the bar area separates the lockers from the second floor, which may mean that patrons cross the bar area in their towels. Not good.

On the other hand, one thing I really love about the place is its location. The building that houses Spartacus and The Playroom is located in an inner driveway/courtyard away from the street. Since the address is at West Avenue, the vicinity is not seedy at all, but because the place is tucked inside, it’s quite discreet. I guess the only problem is that the masseurs (I think) of Spartacus often hang out at the driveway’s entrance which may unnerve some people.

More info on the Sep 24 raid at QP

As I blogged yesterday, I got several comments saying that Queeriosity Palace got raided for the second time. To clarify, QP has been under new management since early 2009 and this is the first time the bathhouse got raided since that time. Since I posted that article, I got several more comments and a couple more accounts of the raid from two of the victims.

Update: TLF Share, whose representative was at the precinct, has released a report on the raid.

I asked around and a source told me that the macho dancing show was already long done before the raid happened and that the dancers were not among those detained by the Pasay City Police. The GMANews.TV report saying that 10 “alleged male dancers” were arrested is therefore wrong and it was apparently based on the police logbook. This logbook entry was supposedly written by the police there to justify the raid.

Based on a source, it was obvious from the start that the police conducted the raid simply to extort money from the establishment and the patrons. For one thing, the Pasay City Police already knew what Queeriosity Palace is from the first raid. If the establishment is illegal, why do the raid only now and not before? Second, since the show was already long done when the police entered, there was no way they could justify the human trafficking charge since nothing that could conceivably be tied to prostitution can be seen at that time. Third, based on the accounts of the commenters and my source, the police were asking hundreds of thousands of pesos from the manager of QP and that the police took the cashier’s box and confiscated wallets and other valuables, even breaking the safety deposit boxes in the bathhouse where these were kept. Money is simply what these bastard police were after!

According to my source, among those who tried to help secure the release of the patrons were people from TLF Share Collective and Akbayan. A representative from Akbayan managed to tweet about the raid and their efforts to help the PLUs that night. Shown below are some of the tweets:

1:37 am: Another gay establishment got raided and we're in need of lawyers. If you're still up and willing to do pro-bono work, we need you. DM me.

4:06 am: 105 MSM got arrested. Police says they'll be charged for violating the anti-trafficking law.

7:51 am: was told by the police earlier, o, Akbayan kayo, e bakit kayo pumapasok sa kalaswaan. Di ba bawal yung chukchakan ng pareho lalaki?

8:01 am: The police took the money or the cellphones of the clients.They left nothing,not even fare money.Some asked for coins so they can go home.

The third tweet above and my source tells me that the police questioned those who were trying to help why they tolerated men having sex with other men and saying that it was “immoral” and “illegal.” (COMELEC, is that you?) Are the inept Pasay City Police trying to deflect the blame for their unjustified detention of PLUs? Have they even read the brilliant skewering done by the Supreme Court in proving that being gay and having gay sex is not illegal in this country?

As for the silence from the bathhouse management, I’ve been told that they could not release a full statement now since they are preparing various legal remedies with the help of some powerful people and that they do not want to preempt things. I hope that what they are doing will finally put a stop these stupid raids.

Paging President Aquino! You won on a campaign promise of ridding the government of corruption. Well, here’s a clear case of police extortion that happened in your backyard. Do you have the political will to prevent these kinds of things under your watch?

Queeriosity Palace raided again!

It had been a busy Friday for me so it was only now that I got to read comments on this blog saying that Queeriosity Palace was raided by Pasay police yet again. The raid apparently happened early Friday morning, September 24, during the monthly Full Moon Party of the said bathhouse. Since September celebrants get in for free and and there is a macho dancing show that night, there would definitely be plenty of patrons inside the establishment. The police allegedly entered the place between 1 and 2 a.m., rounded up everyone—dancers, staff, clients, and the manager—and brought them all to the precinct. The supposed charge was a violation of a city ordinance against male prostitution.

Update: I’ve posted more information I learned regarding the raid.

Update 2: TLF Share, whose representative was at the precinct, has released a report on the raid.

GMANews.TV has posted an article about the raid Friday afternoon. Here is an excerpt:

Authorities arrested 10 men during a raid of a club in Pasay City before dawn Friday, a local police official said.

PO2 Fernildo de Castro told GMANews.TV that the 10 men were allegedly male dancers of the "Queeriosity Palace Co." club along F. B. Harrison Street.

Authorities confiscated several items from the club including a box filled with lubricants, condoms, and pornographic digital versatile discs (DVDs).

The first comment about the event on my blog came Friday morning at almost 8 a.m., presumably after the anonymous commenter came home from the precinct. He said, “for the second time...Queeriosity Palace was raid again last night...truly embarassing and a night of shame...”

A more extensive comment came a few hours later, telling us the sad story:

it was again raid this morning September 24, 2010 on the same basis....at nakaka-inis lang naman kasi yung scenario was i think the same reason why it was raid the first time. kung alam nyo lang yung mga nararamdaman namin nun.. at 1AM Sep. 24 biglang me pumasok na police officer tapos sabi raid daw..so pinasok isa isa yung mga cabin, pinagbihis yung mga tao at dinamppot sakay ng mga jeep papunta sa presinto, pagdating dun pinapila kami tapos pinasulat mga pangalan namin para daw we were 105 customers na andun. then si allan the supervisor i believe ng Q was there with a certain friend negotaiting.. the amount was i heard is around 300K pero tinawaran down to 250K pero hanggang 200K alng daw ang tinatawad nila allan.. hanggang sa abutin kami ng pagsikat ng araw..dali dali kami pinapasok sa loob ng presinto at dun kung ano ano na narinig namin... and then there was this police men na kupal talaga pagdating sa pera... sa halagang 1K to 2K per person makaka-alis ka na. luckily i have enough money to save myself, papano naman yung mga customer na sakto lang ang perang dala? ano mangyayari sa kanila.. i mean it should had been avoided na umabot kami sa puntong iyon kung ibinigay lang ng management ng Q yung amount na hinihingi nila.. sa panahong ito wala ng di kayang tumbasan ng pera maliit man o malaki... at dun sa mga pulis na kotong.. makatulong sana sa inyo yung perang nakuha nyo mula sa amin. naway mabusog kayo at swertehin sa buhay...

The alleged extortion makes me so angry. It appears that the violation is just a pretext for siphoning off money from the scared patrons.

It must be recalled that QP got raided back in 2008 soon after the bathhouse started operating. Based on what I’ve been told about the real reason behind the first raid (see my post last year under the section “The true story behind the raid”) and the GMANews.TV article I linked above, the motivation behind these two raids are different contrary to what the commented said.

What I find interesting is that the legal basis for this second raid is a supposed local city ordinance. This is quite novel compared to the usual charges citing either Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code or the Anti-trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, both national laws and not mere city ordinances.

One sad thing is that the PLUs who were subjected to this shameful episode were helpless against the law enforcement officers. I guess we really need to educate people about their rights. Then again, knowing your rights and actually doing anything about it when faced with an actual raid are two different things. Even if you knew the right thing to do and how to fight back, I think most discreet PLUs would rather shell out money rather than have their secret exposed to their colleagues, friends, and family. Money can be (easily) replaced but your reputation cannot.

This raid at Queeriosity, and two recent raids at rundown cinemas makes me think that the “Raid Season” that Lex said is actually true. It’s a sad, sad week for the local PLU community.

24 Kaikan (Shinjuku Ni-chome, Tokyo)

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The SOP in Queeriosity Palace

I’ve talked about the SOPs of both Epitome and Club Bath before so let’s now tackle the SOP in Queeriosity Palace. One thing I have to say is that if you’ve ever been to Fahrenheit, then you would feel right at home with how things work in QP. This should not come as a surprise since Queeriosity used to be a sister bathhouse to Fahrenheit before the former was sold by the latter’s owner to this guy. The SOPs of QP and F are not exactly the same but the similarities are more prominent. But before we continue, you should review Queeriosity’s floor plan so you can follow the rest of the article.

So let’s get cracking! The first thing you will encounter in Queeriosity Palace is the “bouncer” (not the big, muscular type) who guards the door and would be the one to let you in. This is unlike Epitome and Club Bath who both have security guards manning the entrance but who would not screen you before you can get in.

Upon getting inside, you will immediately see the counter where you need to register. If you’re a first time member, you will need to fill out a membership form, pay the annual membership fee of 100 pesos as well as the entrance fee, which depends on the time you arrive and the day of the week. You can check out QP’s website to find the current rates. Like E and CB, you will also need to provide a valid ID so you can’t give a pseudonym on the form. But other than your name, I think you can get away with not declaring anything else like your address or contact details. However, if you like to be informed of promos and special events, then you should provide your mobile number. You will also be handed the membership card where you need to write your name and sign your signature at the back. Your ID and membership card (to be laminated) will be given to you later when you leave.

If you’re a returning member, you just need to provide a valid ID, your membership card and the entrance fee. If you are also renewing your membership, then you will additionally fill out a membership form again and sign a new membership card as well as pay an additional renewal fee. The old membership card will be surrendered.

After paying for the entrance, you’ll be given two keys attached to a bracelet. The bracelet will also have a tag with a number on it. You then turn to your right where the shoe and bag counter is. You will be given a pair of slippers by the nice shoe lady as well as a claim tag (which doesn’t necessarily match the number on the bracelet). You then surrender your shoes and bag and wear the slippers. There’s a bench beside the counter so you can sit down while changing footwear. I guess if you’re wearing slippers and have no bag in the first place, then you can skip this step. (I’m not sure because I’ve always worn shoes when I visit QP.) After this step, you will now proceed to the safety deposit boxes room which is located to the left of the registration counter.

At the safety deposit box area, there is a small table and a staff member to whom you will hand your key bracelet. He will provide a small plastic bag into which you will deposit all your valuables—wallet, cellphones, keys, wristwatches, etc.—including your shoe claim tag. The staff will log your bracelet number and these valuables into a logbook including the color of the wallet and the model of the cellphone. The staff will then have you sign the logbook, wrap the bag up and put it inside a safety deposit box bearing a number that matches your bracelet. One of the keys on your bracelet is for the box.

After depositing your valuables, you then get back your bracelet and then you will proceed to the locker room. A staff is there to assist you find your locker, which has a matching number as well. Using the other key on your bracelet you can then open your locker. Try the other key if the first key doesn’t work. Or ask the staff for help since some locks are hard to open. Inside your locker is a plastic bag containing a bath towel and a small towel (if I remember correctly). There should also be a free condom inside. Queeriosity didn’t provide free condoms before because law enforcement agencies often used the presence of condoms as proof that an establishment is used for prostitution. But because of the heroic efforts of QP’s current owner, free condoms are now a regularly provided service.

So you now take off your clothes and don the towel and from there on you’re on your own. Explore the red-lit hallways on the second floor. Watch some porn in the video room. Have wild unforgettable sex with the guy you fancy in one of the numerous rooms. Relax in the ice-cold jacuzzi (I’ve never seen it warm). Or surf the web at the Internet cafe area. You can also avail of some food and refreshments at the bar and you will be billed when you leave. I’m not sure about this since I’m not a smoker, but I think you can smoke in the lounge area and at the bar, both on the ground floor.

After a few hours, and a round of sex (or two, or three), it’s now time to go home. Just go back to the locker room, wear your clothes and deposit the towel in a basket in the vanity room (where you can freshen up) located between the locker room and the safety deposit boxes room. At the safety deposit boxes, you give the staff your bracelet and he will fetch the plastic bag in the corresponding box and give it to you at the table. You will then sign the logbook to declare that there’s nothing missing.

After that, you go to to the registration shoe deposit counters and claim your ID, membership card, shoes and bags. Sometimes, the nice lady at the shoe counter will provide tissue so you can dry your feet, especially if you’ve taken a shower just before. Once everything is in order, just leave the place and come back some other day!

As for Queeriosity’s membership card, it's just a laminated piece of stiff paper. The card contains the club’s contact details, the card number, the issue and expiration dates and some barcode. I didn’t bother taking a picture of it unlike with Epitome and Club Bath since it’s not worth it. Club Bath’s membership card is still the best I’ve seen being a piece of plastic that’s like a credit card.

Sundays at bathhouses

One thing I’ve noticed is that Sundays seem to be the default bathhouse day for many gay men here in Metro Manila. More often than not, there would be more people than normal in these bathhouses on Sunday nights. This is just my impression and I could be wrong. After all, I don’t go to the bathhouse every day of the week! Hehehe.

This observation is particularly true during long weekends where the Monday is a holiday, as is the case during this weekend and the last. I was at a bathhouse last Sunday and the place was filled with men! That night was definitely the most packed I’ve seen of that bathhouse ever. I’m expecting that this Sunday night will also be quite busy as well. I don’t think the election liquor ban will have any effect, but who knows?

I don’t have the explanation why Sundays are very busy days for these gay venues but one reason I can think of is that weeknights are inconvenient for most while Friday nights and Saturday nights are “regular” gimik nights meant for movies, drinking, and clubbing.

To guys who go to bathhouses, do you agree with my observation? Or is there a busier night in your opinion?

TLF SHARE Collective goes to Queeriosity Palace

TLF Share Collective, a LGBT NGO offshoot of The Library Foundation, and Queeriosity Palace are teaming up for an HIV awareness event over at Q this coming March 21, Sunday, starting at 10 pm. A couple of comedians will be hosting the program and providing entertainment while at the same time dishing out education about HIV/AIDS. You can also avail of the early bird entrance rate of P200 when you come in between 6 and 8 pm.

Check out the Facebook event page to learn more.

According to Q’s owner, as far as he is aware, this is the first ever HIV awareness event held in a bathhouse in the Philippines. As far as I am aware, yeah, he’s right.

Discreet Manila is apparently Epitome’s unofficial website

I was browsing the G4M Tagalog forums at PlanetRomeo and was pleasantly surprised to find messages like the one below with my blog mentioned:

Among the four major bathhouses in Metro Manila, Epitome is the only one without its own website. Their online presence is restricted to promotion messages on gay social networking forums. Now, the managers think that my Epitome blog posts are good enough to serve as unofficial webpages. Hehe. (Note: taurus top, one of the Epitome people occasionally comments on this blog.)

So, to those people who stumbled onto my blog from PlanetRomeo, welcome! Hope you stick around!

What’s inside Queeriosity Palace?

To continue my series of posts on Queeriosity Palace, let me now show you how this bathhouse is laid out on the inside.

Queeriosity Palace has two floors and the entrance coming in from F.B. Harrison Street is on the first floor. It’s the door located at the bottom of the floor plan above. Immediately inside is the registration area, and to the right is the bag and shoes deposit area. Further on is the safety deposit area then a toiletries area (where people can freshen up before leaving) and then the locker room.

From the locker area, you can then go on to the bar, the jacuzzi, the steam room, the lounge and the shower area. The lounge, which is surrounded by glass panels so that it’s visible from outside, used to be a closed-off area where a gym was planned to be put up by the original owner, but the new owners decided to turn this into a lounge where they put up occasional shows.

The shower area is certainly not for modest people since there are no dividers here—just two back-to-back rows of shower heads. If you want just a bit of privacy, the back row is a bit better but if you’re the exhibitionist, the front row is for you since it’s visible from the lounge.

To get to the second floor, there are two stairs available: the one beside the bar, and the one between the jacuzzi and the safety deposit box. I assume the latter stairs is for the people who opt to get one of the private rooms upstairs. I have never been inside any of the private rooms but I think each one has its own private CR. Also, one of the rooms is reserved for those who avail of the massage services provided by a couple of masseurs from Hilom.

If you didn’t opt to get one of the private rooms, there are 19 smaller rooms on the second floor and each one has a raised bed with a leather-covered mattress, and each one has its own light and exhaust fan that can individually be turned on. The second floor also has three shower cubicles (for the really modest though these cubicles don’t have any doors) and two toilets (of course with doors) at the far end. Towards the entrance side, there is an Internet cafe with three PCs and a TV room showing blue films.

I have to warn you that the second floor area where the public rooms are is a bit dark and is illuminated only by red floor lights. Most of the other areas have enough lighting. One nice touch in the bathhouse is that the floor of the bar and jacuzzi area is covered with small white pebbles giving the place a sort of tropical or spa-like feel (kinda). And if you’re wondering, the jacuzzi is cold.

So there. I know how it feels like feeling lost in a place (and it decreases your confidence levels) and so I hope that this post will help first-timers navigate the place. You’ll spend more cruising and less time getting lost. Hehehe.

How to get to Queeriosity Palace

If you visit the website of Queeriosity Palace, you can find a link there to the map showing the bathhouse’s location. The maps are actually screenshots of Google Maps and I guess I’m being redundant by embedding a Google Map here as well. Hehe. Anyway, the official address is 1946 F.B. Harrison St., Pasay City, and the bathhouse is actually on the same street as Club Bath except that Queeriosity is on the other side of Buendia. Among the three bathhouses I’ve featured so far, Queeriosity Palace is the easiest to find and reach.

View Queeriosity Palace in a larger map

Queeriosity is quite walkable from Buendia. The landmark to look out for along Buendia is the 7-11 store located at the intersection with F.B. Harrison. Remember that F.B. Harrison is the major street between Roxas Boulevard and Taft Avenue. From 7-11, QP is just a short distance away and the next landmark to look for is the Unioil gas station. The bathhouse is directly beside the station towards Buendia and it is the two-storey building with a glass door on the left side of the facade. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the word “QUEERIOSITY” written in metal letters on the wall of the building.

If you’re commuting, you just need to hop on a bus or jeep that plies Buendia then get off near Harrison. From Ayala Avenue in Makati, the bus fare is only a mere 11 pesos one way (if I remember correctly). An alternative route is to get a jeep that traverses F.B. Harrison, and these are the same jeeps that pass by Club Bath.

If you’re driving a car, your choices for parking are a little bit iffy. As I’ve mentioned in my earlier blog post, Queeriosity’s location is really not good. The area is just a bit seedy and I would hesitate to tell you to park along the nearby side streets. There are 2 (maybe 3) parking slots right in front of Queeriosity Palace and you can ask the attendant manning the door to help you park your vehicle there. (There is a written “No Parking” sign in front but it’s meant to reserve parking for patrons.) However, you might not like how parking right in front is too conspicuous.

If you prefer a more discreet parking space and you don’t mind a bit more walking, you could park along the service road of Roxas Boulevard. There are plenty of parking slots here catering to the hotels and bars along Roxas and the whole stretch is brightly lit thanks to the garish diamond-gem-shaped street lights installed by the Pasay City government. Based on experience, I would definitely say that parking here is much more safer than parking nearer to Queeriosity Palace. From here, you can walk along one of the streets parallel to Buendia to get to Harrison. Dapitan Street and San Juan Street are good, safe roads to walk on.

I hope that this post helps you a lot! Wait for my article on Queeriosity Palace where I present to you the floor plan so that you won’t look lost the first time you get inside.

Queeriosity Palace: Men’s Private Sanctuary and Playground

After doing a series of guide articles on Epitome and Club Bath, I will now start featuring the next bathhouse and that is Queeriosity Palace. This bathhouse is the newest among the ones in Metro Manila, having opened last April 5, 2008. Unfortunately, it was raided soon after (see my post about the raid for a backgrounder). The raid was apparently a case of mistaken identity (see below) and the bathhouse continues to operate to this day (and even had a change of ownership) with no more hitches from the authorities.

Fahrenheit’s cousin

I first heard back in 2006 or 2007 that Wilbert, the owner of Fahrenheit (that bathhouse in Quezon City), planned to have a second bathhouse in the south. Queeriosity Palace is apparently the realization of this plan and the establishment is located along F.B. Harrison Street in Pasay (along the same road as Club Bath, but on the opposite side of Buendia).

I don’t know why he named the new place Queeriosity Palace, but I think he missed a huge marketing opportunity by not naming the bathhouse Celsius. Fahrenheit—Celsius, get it? Even if he didn’t pick the name Celsius, Wilbert could have done better picking a name less... um... queer. Bathhouses, by their nature, are relatively discreet places, and a name like “Queeriosity” just doesn’t cut it. An additional problem was that the entrance of the bathhouse had this big-ass signage proclaiming the name of the place. On a locally-busy street. Good thing the sign is no more and has been replaced with a more discreet metal lettering on the wall.

The true story behind the raid

Apparently, the real story behind the infamous raid at Queeriosity Palace was not because the place is gay, but because the police thought that the establishment was a continuing KTV joint fronting for female prostitution. Before Queeriosity Palace was opened, it was a place called El Barako. Male clients ostensibly went there to sing karaoke, but girl G.R.O.s were on hand to “serve” the eager clients in private KTV rooms.

When QP opened, the police thought that it was still the same place, with just a name change. When they realized that the place is actually a gay bathhouse (which is not illegal since there is no prostitution involved), they continued with the raid to save face. No charges were filed and they released everyone shortly after bringing them to the precinct. According to one policeman, “Kung alam naming na baklaan pala yun, hindi na naming pinasok yun.” Of course, this doesn’t diminish the fact that those people caught were humiliated and this incident diminished QP’s reputation.

Change of ownership

Sometime early this year, the owners of Hilom decided to buy Queeriosity Palace. There wasn’t really any noticeable change in operations except that the planned gym at the ground floor became a sort-of lounge instead and that Hilom masseurs had rotating assignments at Queeriosity to provide massage services at the bathhouse. In addition, I think you can now get free condoms on entry. This wasn’t done before, anywhere, because apparently the police thinks that an establishment that offers free condoms equates to prostitution. I think the owner managed to be successful with his dialogues with the authorities.

My initial thoughts

My single biggest beef with Queeriosity Palace is its location. Yes, it’s very much accessible and easy to reach, but the street where its located is much too busy for my taste. There’s far too many people loitering on the street and there are many active shops nearby. And it’s located right beside Unioil. It’s unlikely for you to go inside without anyone outside noticing you come in. I think this is the biggest turn-off for Queeriosity Palace. It was worse before when the place had a huge sign outside as I mentioned above. Club Bath, Epitome, and Fahrenheit have vastly more discreet entrances.

Aside from the location, Queeriosity Palace is a pretty decent bathhouse. It’s housed in a two-storey building with all the usual bathhouse amenities: lockers, showers, and private rooms. The showers on the first floor is an exhibitionist’s and voyeur’s delight—it consists of two rows of back-to-back shower heads on a free-standing wall with no dividers. The shower room on the second floor is a bit more palatable to the self-conscious since it has dividers.

Unlike in Club Bath and Epitome, there is no mini-gym here (the original owner planned to have one but the new owners decided not to pursue it). There is a bar on the ground floor, a jacuzzi (better than Epitome’s), and a steam room. The second floor contains an Internet cafe and a movie room showing blue films. The second floor also has four private rooms that you can avail of, but for the budget conscious, there are plenty of free-for-all smaller rooms with beds. These rooms (when clean) is the best feature of Queeriosity Palace compared to Club Bath and Epitome.

Other articles

If you want a different view of Queeriosity Palace, you should check out Joel McVie’s two-part blog posts. He went to the place on the suggestion of the new owner and provided feedback. It was from McVie where I obtained the story about the raid I wrote above. This other blog post by mgm is also quite informative.

Anyway, just like with Epitome and Club Bath, I’ll be writing more posts about Queeriosity Palace to serve as a guide for the PLU community. Stay tuned!

How things work in Club Bath

I’ve already told you guys how to get to Club Bath and how it’s layed out inside, so, just like what I did for Epitome, I’ll do the same for Club Bath and give you a rundown of what to expect and how to conduct yourself in this bathhouse. Before we continue, you should review Club Bath’s website since it already provides quite a lot of information. I’ll just elaborate or fill in the missing details.

Club Bath’s entrance along Valhalla St. is manned by the hired security guard. He can also help with parking if ever you’re bringing a car. Just inside the gate, you just need to go straight ahead to the end and enter the registration area. If there is already somebody else at the counter, you need to wait your turn.

Once at the counter you then need to register and pay for your entrance. If you’re registering for the first time, the registration fee is 250 pesos while for renewal, it’s 100. To register, you only need to provide them an ID and to fill out a membership form. You can probably get away with providing minimal information in the form, but the name you write must match the one on the ID.

Unlike in Epitome, the membership fee does not serve as your entrance fee. (This is probably why Club Bath has this high-end, pricey air about it.) You need to pay for the entrance separately and you need to tell the attendant whether you’re availing of a locker or a private room. Also, you and a friend cannot share costs by availing a room (or locker ) for both of you. Each has to avail a locker or a room. The rate for a locker is currently 200 pesos during weeknights and 230 pesos for weekends, holidays, and the nights before them (e.g., Friday). The rates for a private room are 350 and 400 pesos respectively. When you hand the payment (and your ID and membership card if you’re a returning member), the attendant will then give you a card where you need to write your name and sign it. Then he will ring up your fee on the cash register, give you change (if any), staple the receipt from the cash register to the card from earlier then have you sign that receipt. Only then will the attendant press a button unlocking the inner door to the bathhouse. Just pull the door to open and get inside.

Just past the door, there is a smaller counter where you can get your bathhouse stuff and deposit your bag. If you availed of a private room, another attendant will escort you to it. If you got a locker, the attendant will usher you to your locker. Unlike in Epitome, you don’t need to deposit your valuables with the staff—you keep them in your locker or your room. Each room has a safety deposit box for your use. The aforementioned bathhouse stuff consists of a bath towel, a face towel, a pair of slippers and the key(s) to your locker or room/deposit box. Like in Epitome, the key(s) are attached to a wristband.

By policy, cellphones are not allowed in the common areas. But since you did not deposit them with the staff, you are free to check it anytime in your locker or room. Just don’t bring them out or the staff will reprimand you when caught.

Stripping down and wearing the towel is the norm, but you can get away with wearing just your briefs or boxers. I’ve even seen some people roam around in jeans (but shirtless) and a guy who wears a black tank top over his briefs. So the attire is quite lax, but expect guys to look at you askance if you go around in full street clothes.

Smoking is not allowed in the air-conditioned areas, but there are two balconies on the second floor, a dark room and lanai on the third floor and the open area at the back of the ground floor for that. Free biscuits/candy is available on the first floor (by the gym area) as well as free coffee and drinking water. If you want heartier snacks, you can buy cup noodles or chips; just ask the staff at the registration area. The available snacks can be found in the display cabinet at the back of the TV area near the Internet cafe room. Speaking of Internet, there is free Wi-Fi available though I haven’t seen anyone use it.

When you’re ready to leave, just change back into your clothes then proceed to the third registration counter facing the gym area. This is where you will drop your bathhouse stuff. Then exit at the door to your right and wait for your ID and membership card (and bag). You will also need to sign the back of the card from earlier to signify that you received your things. Leave the premises and come back again next day!

Shown above is how Club Bath’s membership card looks like. Unlike Epitome’s, Club Bath’s card is a classy plastic card. Anyone who looks at it might think that it’s for a swanky gym or spa. The back side of the card has a space for the member’s signature, the expiry date, a barcode, and some legalese text which states:

Signer agrees to abide by all club rules. This card remains the property of the issuer and must be surrendered upon request. This card is not transferable and additional photo ID is required.

It’s a good thing that the card now features a nice gold-tinted gradient. I’ve seen an older card with garish rainbow colors!

Why are IDs required in bathhouses?

In this year-ago blog post by Trey (aka theTripper), there is an implied side question about the necessity of requiring an ID when going to bathhouses. (That blog post’s main topic is not really about that, but the tangential thought is worth exploring.) I’ve also wondered about that and so I hope this blog post can become a discussion point (especially since a bathhouse owner occasionally reads this blog ).

So, why does one need to present an ID when going to a local bathhouse? And why does one need to sign for a membership? Every bathhouse that I know of in Metro Manila requires membership. Why is that? In Club Bath’s FAQ we have the following Q&As providing clues:

Can I visit The Club anonymously?

No. In order to comply with city ordinances for private clubs we cannot allow our customers to purchase memberships without identifying themselves.

What do you do with the personal information I give you when I purchase a membership to The Club? Will I receive anything in the mail?

The Club is highly respectful of member privacy and we understand the need for discretion. The information you give us is for our records only and is never shared with third parties. You will never receive anything in the mail.

That actually leaves me with more questions. Why does having to visit a bathhouse be in a form of club membership wherein you have to disclose your personal information (as required by the supposed city ordinances)? Local gay dance clubs, gay bars, and gay massage parlors don’t require membership, so what’s so special about bathhouses? I’ve been to a bathhouse outside the country (I’ll talk about that in a future post) and the only requirement was the entrance fee. For ultra-discreet guys, such form of membership is a big turn-off. What does membership really accomplish?

The first possible answer that comes to mind is that the membership is for security purposes. The problem is, I have no idea what the bathhouse needs to be secure about. Does it ensure that the place doesn’t get raided or that prostitution (which is illegal) is avoided? Well, the incident at QP shows that raids are possible, even if ultimately the reason for the raid (suspected prostitution in the case of QP) is baseless.

So what do you think? Does the thought that you have to show your ID and have your personal details stored in the bathhouse’s database scare you?

Update: Check out rudeboy's comment below. It practically answered everything you need to know! And a clarification: I personally have no issues with the ID requirement but I figured that asking it would benefit those who are apprehensive about such things.

Discreetionary: parokyano

parokyano [pa·ro·KYA·nò] noun 1. A person who frequents gay establishments, especially bathhouses and gay saunas. etymology: from the Tagalog parokyano, which comes from the Spanish parroquiano, which means parishioner (of a parish) or a patron or customer of an establishment.

This term has a negative connotation and is used to refer to those guys who frequent bathhouses, especially those that go there every week or even more frequently. The connotation seems to say that a parokyano is a sex-maniac. I don’t get why frequenting bathhouses is such a bad thing. If you’re single, having safe casual sex in moderate amounts is not an unhealthy thing. And getting laid in the bathhouse is a very low-risk affair and there’s no problem of second-guessing if a guy is straight or not and wondering where to do it unlike when cruising in public. And unlike chatting and cruising online, you have no problem anymore with fake pictures. I guess being a parokyano will only be a problem if one is addicted to it.

Because of this negative connotation, I’ve observed one thing. One question that I’ve encountered a lot from people I meet in the bathhouse is “how many times have you been here?” The usual answer is two, three, or a few times. People don’t like to say it’s their first time (so that they won’t appear naïve), and they certainly don’t like to admit that they’ve been to the bathhouse many times. Well, I’m admitting that I’m a parokyano and by that, I’m saying that I patronize bathhouses (I usually go about once a month). I don’t see anything wrong with that, do you?

Got any Discreetionary terms of your own? Send them my way at discreetmanila at gmail.com.

How things work in Epitome

From past posts here in Discreet Manila, you should already know where Epitome is (and how to get there), how the bathhouse is laid out (so you won’t get lost or look lost), and what are its themed nights. So now I’ll explain how things work in Epitome and what norms, procedures and things that you can expect there so that you won’t go around looking clueless (and therefore prey to others).

Epitome’s entrance, manned by a friendly security guard, is just a doorway leading straight to a stairway. On the second floor landing is a bulletin board where you can check out the posted promos and events. To the left is a door which leads to yet another stairway on top of which is the registration booth, which is usually manned by a hunky guy.

If this is your first time to go to Epitome or you are renewing your membership, the attendant will give you a registration form that you need to fill up and you need to provide him with an ID. I think you can get away with providing minimal information in the form, but the name you write must match the one on the ID. The attendant may also have you sign the back of a membership card that he will provide you (or later before you leave). You also need to pay the membership fee which I think is P280. The membership fee also serves as your entrance fee for that night.

If you are already a member, then you only need to provide the attendant with your membership card and an ID and you need to pay the entrance fee, which varies with the time you arrive (the earlier, the cheaper) and the day of the week (weekends are more expensive). The average price you will shell out is around P200.

After everything is in order, the registration attendant will give you a padlock and a pair of keys. If you brought a bag, the attendant will also claim it for deposit there. In addition, depending also on the time, you may be given a drink stub that you can redeem for a free drink. The attendant will then ring a bell (of sorts) where you will be ushered into the left door. Inside, a waiting attendant will get all your valuables and deposit them in one of the safety deposit boxes using one of the keys given to you (the box’s number matches your padlock’s). You have to leave everything valuable: cellphone, wallet, keys, wristwatch, etc. The attendant will then frisk you to check that you have left nothing else.

From there you can proceed to the lounge area. During Fridays and Saturdays, there is usually a show on the lounge’s stage, usually a gay comedy show with karaoke singing—basically your typical bar program that you can see elsewhere. You can opt to stay and watch the show (and sing if you want) and drink at the bar there, or proceed to the bathhouse proper.

The bathhouse proper’s entrance can be found from the back of the lounge going outside the back and down a steep set of stairs. After entering the door, you will find yourself in the locker room where a waiting attendant will give you a towel and a pair of slippers. He may also ask you your padlock number and point you to the matching locker where you will deposit your clothes. You have to change into the towel and slippers before you can proceed to the other areas. The keys are attached to a wrist band which you can then wear while inside the bathhouse proper.

From then on, it’s pretty much up to you. I suggest you go and explore. Try to familiarize yourself with the floor plans I provided so that you won’t get lost. In addition, you can also get your drinks at the bar on the ground floor. When ordering your drink, you can give your drink stub if you have one. Additional drinks will be charged to your number which the bartender will ask every time you order a drink. The payment will be conducted at the registration booth when you leave. (Surprisingly, the bartender rarely checks your keys to confirm the locker number. So theoretically, you can charge your drinks to somebody else.) You can also order food if you want; just ask the bartender.

Once you’ve had your fill of, uh, men and want to leave, just change back to your clothes at the locker room then give the attendant your towel and slippers. You can also freshen up using the provided toiletries at the dresser there. Then, retrace your steps back to the safety deposit boxes where the attendant will get your stuff and hand it back to you. From there, you go to the registration booth (via a different hallway) where you give the registration attendant your padlock and keys. You then have to pay for any additional drinks you ordered. The attendant will then give you your ID and your membership card, and your bag if you brought one. Finally, you can leave the premises and come back another day.

Shown above is a photo of the back of the membership card, which is just a piece of cardboard. There’s a bar code, an ID number, and a space for your signature. The front of the card just depicts Epitome’s logo. They used to have the card laminated but now no longer.

Trivia: Epitome's official name is Epitome Cafe and Fitness Center and the corporation behind it is named Hedoniste Inc. How do I know the corporation? I’ve seen the business permit posted at the registration booth. I’ve also learned that Epitome is registered in the City of Manila as a restaurant, would you believe?

Epitome’s themed nights

As far as I am aware, Epitome is the only local bathhouse that has themed nights. I think Epitome took a leaf from other foreign gay bathhouses like Towel Club in Singapore and Hong Kong (visit the website—it’s one of the most tasteful gay-oriented websites I’ve seen). Towel Club has its special nights like Beefcake Thursday—special rates for gym members—and Speedo Sundays—for guys who like trunks and underwear.

Like Towel Club, Epitome has its own special themed nights. Currently they are Oooh La La Mondays, Lights Out Tuesdays, Wild Wild Wednesdays, and Undergears Only Thursdays. These special nights are aside from their usual drag comedy and sing-along shows on Friday and Saturday nights as well as their extended opening hours during Sundays. I’ll describe below what you can expect during these themed nights in Epitome.

Oooh La La Mondays

Oooh La La!

Exactly 10PM, 11PM & 12 Midnight, Epitome highlights an Exciting, Exhilarating, Expressive GoGo Boy at the Gym Area

On Mondays, Epitome has a striptease number performed by a macho dancer at the gym area divided into three parts. The first part starts at 10 p.m., followed by the second part at 11 p.m., then a finale at midnight. Each part lasts for less than 5 minutes and its only during the finale where the dancer bares it all.

My verdict? Skip the show. Why bother looking at a gyrating man when you can possibly have real sensual fun with other patrons? Then again, I’m not really a fan of macho dancing so those who are into such form of entertainment might like this night.

Lights Out Tuesdays

Dark Hallways, Dark Rooms, Dark Maze, Dark Steam Room, Dark Outdoor Heated Jacuzzi, Dark Gym, Dark Shower Areas...

MEN Bonding in the Dark!

Tuesday nights are basically just your regular nights except everything is darker and most areas are lit only by candlelight. Epitome is already dark in the first place so you can already imagine how much darker it will be.

I’ve tried this themed night twice. The first time the video room had no blue films playing so it practically doubled as another dark room. The second time there was a screening of blue films (as is usual) so it was not entirely dark; most guys then use the video room area and the adjacent hallway to check each other out.

“Skin Night” Wild Wild Wednesdays

Be Vulnerable. Be Daring. Be BOLD.

No Underwears allowed, No Game, No Play

Only Wednesdays at Epitome takes you to a different side of bath house experience... SKIN Night!

This is the kinkiest themed night for Epitome. It basically has you in the bath house naked, save for a gym towel (about 1 feet by 2 feet) for modesty’s sake. I might say that this night is for the exhibitionists and the voyeurs among us; it’s definitely not for the self-conscious or modest people.

I have to emphasize that the towel is really small. Unless you’re an inordinately slim guy, you cannot wrap the towel around your waist. You can cover your crotch and your buttcrack but you need two hands (one, if you’re clever, but it requires sticking your elbow out). So most guys just content themselves with covering their crotch area and leave their butts naked for all to see. A few daring souls simply just hang the towel on their shoulder and strut around naked.

The problem with this night’s setup is that the small towel is simply not large enough to dry yourself with should you wish to take a shower—the staff won’t give you any big towels for bathing purposes. Be forewarned.

Undergears Only Thursdays

Reveal your hottest, sexiest, hippest thongs, boxers, briefs, trunks

This Thursday themed night is essentially the same as Wednesdays, only this time, you’re allowed to wear one piece of lower underwear. Epitome markets this by encouraging patrons to wear their most sexy briefs, boxers, trunks, or even thongs.

Since this is just the more modest version of Wednesday’s theme, the same caveats regarding using the towel for bathing purposes apply.

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Hope that guides you if ever you've been curious about the numerous event listings posted by Epitome’s management on Guys4Men about these nights.