Buenos Aires is one of the more interesting cities in South America for a single man, and definitely one of the largest in terms of population – the greater Buenos Aires area contains around 15 million people.
So with all these people, surely there are tons of brothels and massage locations, right? Well, yes and no. You may think that since Argentina is right next to Brazil, the sex scene may be very much the same, if not at least quite similar. Unfortunately, it’s not.
It’s a little unfair to compare another South American country or city to Brazil in the first place, but the truth is that Argentina as a whole is nowhere near their level, and that includes Buenos Aires, despite the population.
The vibe here is very different from other South American countries. People are a little more serious, and while sex is certainly loved here, it’s not as openly celebrated and embraced as in other parts of the continent. This carries over into the area of working girls, and the result is a very different scene that makes scoring some paid action a bit more complicated.
What You Should Know Beforehand
Like most South American countries in this region, prostitution is legal, so as long as there aren’t any third parties. You won’t find many street walkers (which you should avoid anyway), but you will find plenty of hookers on dating sites, escort listings and the like.
What you also won’t find is a slew of brothels advertising out in the open, but operating under the guise of a nightclub or spa. There are brothels everywhere, but the locations change frequently, and there are lots of locations you should avoid as well. Because of this, we’ll focus on strip clubs and erotic massages that are forms of brothels.
Before I get to all that, here are some tips to finding brothels in Buenos Aires on your own.
Taxi drivers can be a good resource. Local drivers in the city always have a good finger on what’s going on and where, and they’ll know the latest spots to hit up. Of course, you may end up having to pay them a small commission, but so it goes.
You can also try walking around the city and trying to spot the telltale signs of a brothel. This is a bit more adventurous, but if you know what you’re doing and maintain awareness of your surroundings, you’ll be okay. Having a travel companion doesn’t hurt either.
Many brothels in Buenos Aires offer subtle hints, and often take the form of a simple bar. Look for covered windows, or windows with curtains drawn so as to obscure your view inside. These brothels will sometimes have names like “Dance Club,” or “Hot Coffee,” which is a generic way to tip potential customers off.
Another good way to tell is to simply just go inside. If there is a massive female-to-male ratio, you’re in the right place. Another dead giveaway is being showered with attention by a female or two upon entering, but you probably already know that. If you like what you see, you can arrange a price, and then make your way to their private quarters elsewhere in the building.
The vast majority of brothels within the city are in simple apartment buildings. The operating procedure at these locations is pretty simple. You walk in, check in with the “front desk,” or madam, and then you are presented with a lineup of ladies to choose from. From there, you are told the prices for blocks of time. One hour is the standard time allotted, and you can expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $100 USD for a full session including sex.
What to Avoid
This is equally important. Buenos Aires can be a treacherous place if you allow yourself to get caught up in the moment, or be pressured by aggressive people working for bars and cabarets. Aloof tourists and uninformed dudes who are in town thinking they can score some quick and easy sex like in neighboring countries are preyed upon here.
All throughout the city, and especially around some of the more touristy locations, there are a number of people on the street looking out for single gringos, or even a group of them. They’ll pass you flyers advertising a “cabaret” or their brothel, usually with fake pictures that don’t even feature the women that will be there. The cabarets aren’t actually cabarets by the way.
Should you actually show up, you’ll be on the receiving end of a shakedown, which most often involves buying a bunch of insanely expensive drinks for a lady, only to be given the runaround and leave without any services rendered. Other times, it may go even worse, and you could get roughed up.
So, if you see someone passing out flyers, or trying to get you to come inside to their brothel, don’t do it. You’ll waste your money, and have a miserable experience. These people prey on ignorant tourists – don’t be one of them. The same goes for any flyers you see posted in something like a phone booth. If you actually meet a girl from the flyer’s number, it won’t be her, and your rendezvous won’t usually end well.
Strip Clubs in Buenos Aires
These are more of the legitimate, default brothels in Buenos Aires. While they are very much a strip club, think of them as a way to gauge your prospective acquaintance, rather than just picking one out of a lineup, or playing the back-and-forth haggle game at a bar.
Strip clubs are all over the place in Buenos Aires, and although you can choose to merely attend like you normally would in a western country, here you can usually walk right up to the girl and inquire about a sex-session during or shortly after her dance. It’s actually a great system, and certainly a better mood-setter.
Some clubs, but not many, will allow you to leave with the girl to visit a telo (love motel), but most clubs have separate areas for the sex part. How convenient, right? Definitely a brothel in every sense of the word.
It should also be noted that many of these strip clubs have girls lingering around outside as well, propositioning their services. You’re best off staying with the girls inside, unless you are in need of a bargain.
Here are 3 of the currently most popular strip clubs in Buenos Aires:
Cocodrilo – Palermo
Perhaps the most famous brothel in Buenos Aires, Cocodrilo has played host to a number of both local and international celebrities from Diego Maradona, to a rumored visit from Bill Clinton. The place is always lively, and the girls remain there for a long time, as they are treated well, and enjoy the notoriety and opportunities to meet some of the more notable men that find their way in.
The process is the same, but you may also have to pay a cover fee late at night, or on the weekend. Drinks are pricey as hell, and the girls can be too. But again, Cocodrilo is a household name in Buenos Aires, so you’re going to pay for it. Unfortunately, if you’re an obvious gringo you’re going to get charged more, but that’s the literal price you pay when visiting other countries.
The sex prices here will depend on the time of day and the girls themselves, but you should be prepared to spend around $30-$50 USD in drinks and/or entry, and another $100-$250 USD on a session. Make it count.
Black – Recoleta
Located in affluent Recoleta, Black is a huge hit with the locals, and one of the more consistent and well-run strip clubs/brothels in the city. It’s more on the high end side of things, and you’ll see it opposite the famous Alvear Palace Hotel.
Upon entering, you’ll notice that there is a massive ratio of girls to guys, giving you several options to choose from. It can actually be a little overwhelming, but in a good way. There’s always a few girls pole dancing, and you can sit back and enjoy somewhat overpriced drinks while scouting your future lay.
It’s best to make a quick decision, unless you want to stick yourself with a massive bill at the end of the night. Expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $250 USD for a sex session. Pricey, but the talent is top-tier, and if you’re tired of striking out with the difficult local ladies, you’ll be more than willing to pay this by then.
Madahos – Recoleta
Madahos is the opposite of discreet, as they are quite proud of what they offer. As yet another Recoleta strip club, Madahos is higher-end, (see a pattern here?) so you’ll need to plan on spending quite a bit of cash. You have to buy the ladies an expensive drink to even initiate a conversation, and the session price is going to be a lot more than the drink.
Madahos has become the alternative to Cocodrilo for many, as it’s more fashionable and considered more of a fresher, newer club with better personnel. That is pretty subjective of course, so you should swing by and see for yourself if Crocodilo wasn’t happening for you.
Between drinks, girls and sex, plan on spending around $250 USD for the entertainment here. But again, the girls are solid 8-10’s on most nights. Totally worth it if you can afford it, even if it’s your only stop during the trip.
You can find the locations of all mentioned places on the map at the end of the guide.
Sex Massages in Buenos Aires
Erotic massages are quite popular all throughout South America, but they are perhaps most popular in Argentina. There are countless massage locations everywhere you go, and they are relatively easy to find, as most of them are very upfront with their advertising and signs.
The key term to look for at a massage location is the term “relax” on the services list. This is their not-so-subtle code for at least some form of a happy ending, if not full blown sex. Some locations will actually provide an actual massage beforehand, which is always nice. Others will give you some kind of half-assed massage before moving on to more important things.
While many locations come and go, there are still plenty that remain in operation over long periods of time. If you are in doubt, ask around, or ask a taxi driver.
The vast majority work in the usual way. You enter the massage location, pick your girl, and retreat to a room or private area for your session. Some locations offer extended sessions that can last up to an hour and a half. You may negotiate a starting price and take part in a few activities, relax for a bit, maybe even get another massage, and choose to receive a hand job, blow job or sex – or a combination of all. Showering afterwards is common, and tipping is accepted and encouraged, especially if you plan on coming back to see the girl again, as this will ensure good or better service the next time.
While you do have several options around town for walk-in service, there are plenty of “masseuses” that you can find online, the majority of which are really just escorts claiming to offer some kind of massage service. Masajes.com.ar is an excellent resource that is full of profiles and contact info for a number of these women in the area. You can browse their pictures, services and massage types, and of course their pricing and phone numbers. This is a good way for in-calls to your accommodations, which is always a convenient option.
Here are some of the most popular erotic massages in Buenos Aires that have remained active for a number of years, always maintaining a decent pool of girls to choose from, with decent prices:
- Barbaras Spa in Cordoba
- Magic Hands in Cordoba
- Markus Day Spa For Men in Recoleta
- Belgrano Brisa Massage in Esmeralda
- Colegiales in Cespedes
- Armony Spa in Cerrito
Pricing varies from location to location, dependent on the girl, the session length, and the services (full sex service is obviously going to cost you more than just an oily hand job). You may have to offer a tip upfront before each request. Always make sure you ask the girl first, and be sure to politely remind her if she seems to be acting aloof towards the end of the massage, or once you turn over from your back, which is usually go time.
A little politeness goes a long way, and of course tipping results in better experiences. $50 to $75 USD usually covers the average visit, and you can tip about the same amount during your session for more services if you have the time and a willing girl.
Map of Strip Clubs & Sex Massages in Buenos Aires
I have marked the strip clubs with the purple pin and the sex massages with the yellow pin.
Final Thoughts
Buenos Aires isn’t the easiest city to find a quick or economical lay, but there are certainly good times to be had as long as you avoid the tourist traps and focus on the best locations and parts of town. Yes, you’ll end up paying more for sex here than you would in other parts of South America, but like I mentioned earlier, you’ll probably be okay with that if you’ve failed to meet any ladies on the dating site.
The process may be a bit more difficult, but once you settle in to the right clubs and massage joints, you’ll be able to be much more efficient with your time during your stay. The women are gorgeous here, and the challenge makes the payoff all the better.
