Rio de Janeiro has a reputation for a reason. Brazilians love sex, and Rio may be the most sensual South American city of them all. Whether you’re coming for Carnival, or in the middle of June, there is plenty of mongering to be had, from girls in the clubs and on the beach, to the numerous escorts, to… girls in the clubs?
Let me explain. Prostitution is legal in Brazil, which you’re probably well aware of. Brothels? No sir. Well, not officially at least. Basically, you can have a brothel in Brazil, but you can’t call it a brothel. Everyone knows it’s a brothel though – the neighborhood knows, the town knows, the police know, the state knows. But as long as you don’t call it one, you’re fine.
(Note: There are no laws explicitly banning brothels in Brazil by name, but rather a law that says nobody can profit from selling sex other than the person selling it. As in, no third party partners. Being employed at a brothel would obviously go against that law.)
These brothels go by many names, but the most common term you’ll hear is termas. These locations will sometimes function similar to a nightclub, but the nightclub is where you meet your girl. The termas will have private rooms, a lobby, maybe even a gift shop and spa, and the club area where all the pre-partying happens. It’s really quite genius.
The brothel is presented as a nightclub, while being attached to a full-scale brothel. In many senses, it really is both. Most termas nightclubs charge an entry fee, and then you make your way to the club area where you can sit down and have drinks with prospective girls. Some termas do everything on a flat fee, others allow the girls to negotiate their rates with a client.
This seems to be the most popular format now for brothels in Rio, making it quite easy to find plenty of quality girls in a fun setting. Sex is celebrated here more than probably anywhere else in the world, so the vibes surrounding termas are the very opposite of shameful. People come to have a good time, women come to get paid, everyone wins.
Other termas will call themselves spas, and sort of operate like one in a way. The process is fairly simple: pay the entry fee, get a personal locker, change into a robe and slippers, maybe take a shower, and choose your girl. After you’re done, you go back to the locker room, change, and go to the front desk to check out.
Sex Massage Parlors in Rio de Janeiro
Massage parlors in Rio operate in much the same way. They aren’t going to really explicitly advertise what they do, but everyone knows. These are almost always more than just happy ending massages – they are basically mini-brothels. Multiple women to choose from, private rooms, the usual. Sure, some will still give you a mediocre massage before, but you’re not there for that.
Many people in Rio refer to the parlors as “casas de fast sex,” or “fast fodas” (fast fucks). Most of these places have only a handful of ladies available, along with just a few rooms. The girls here can vary to a big degree, and they are usually not as hot as the girls you’ll encounter at the termas. However, their skills are almost always as good, if not better, as they seem to want to work harder for the money. Massage girls tend to be a bit cheaper. Sessions usually last anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes (with 20 minute programs available in some), and the price is usually R$5 per minute. Quality of the room and cleanliness varies greatly from location to location.
Okay, now that you know how it all works, here are the currently 5 best and most popular termas in Rio de Janeiro worth checking out when you arrive:
Centaurus
You may have heard of this place. In fact, if you’ve done any research into brothels in Rio at all, you definitely have. Centaurus has quickly risen to prominence as one of Rio’s most well-known brothels (you can thank Justin Bieber for that). While the Biebs definitely helped garner the place some attention, it was already pretty damn popular in Rio.
Centaurus takes the spa approach. The receptionist will inform you of the prices:
- 40 minutes: R$140 (entrance fee) + R$140 (room) + R$320 (girl) = R$600 total (including sex)
- 60 minutes: R$150 (entrance fee) + R$200 (room) + R$400 (girl) = R$750 total (including sex)
Note that these are the prices if you pay by cash. Credit cards are also accepted for an additional fee. If you want to enjoy a drink at the bar before your session, that’ll be R$30-40 per glass.
The girls here are among the hottest you’ll find, with plenty of 8’s and 9’s to go around. 45 women working at one time is fairly normal.
After paying, you’ll go to the locker room, where a girl will help you change. I advise you give her the cold shoulder as much as you can, as she’s trying to get you to pick her. Don’t do it, make your way to the lounge area where you can sit back and relax while you interact with the local talent.
4×4 (Quatro por Quatro)
There is quite the big debate among Rio mongers about which termas is better: Centaurus or 4×4? There really isn’t an answer. Both are great, and both have very different atmospheres. 4×4 is a nightclub in every sense of the word. It holds around 500 people, and things get pretty crammed after 8pm in the club area. Still, the vibe is amazing, and it’s definitely one big fucking party.
The girls (about 60 to choose from at any given time) have a little more ink and a tougher look, which you may be into. Lots of the famous Brazilian asses around as well. There is a whiskey bar that has an entrance from both the street and main club area, with a fireman’s pole that the girls can slide down and make an appearance. There’s even a shower in the main boite that the girls will do shows in. The DJ plays a mix of local Brazilian pop music and American funk, which keeps things raging into the late hours.
4×4 has about 30 rooms and suites spread throughout, and most of them are large and comfortable. Some includes mirrors, jacuzzis, and mini dance floors. The brothel area takes the standard termas spa approach that involves the typical front desk transaction, locker room, and sauna/shower beforehand. You have three bar areas to choose from, with one of them being a little more quiet so you can get some quality time with the girl before hitting the room. Prices are reasonable, with a R$50 entrance fee (waived if you get a girl), and around R$500-600 for a session in a basic suite.
The only downsides to 4×4 are the fact that it is closed on the weekends, and located in Centro, which is too far to walk from Copacabana and Ipanema. Fortunately, Uber gives you easy access to the area.
MV 30
Also located in Centro, MV 30 is a popular termas that is considered to be pretty much on equal footing with Centaurus and 4×4, though it largely depends on who is working the day you come in.
This termas used to have two bar areas, but they’ve since consolidated down to one, and made it a bit more upscale, which is always a good thing. A cheap entrance fee (R$60) buys two beers, and you of course have the option of getting a room with a girl. Something that may be appealing to you is the fact that you can stay in your street clothes rather than donning a robe. I’d still recommend going the robe route with the shower beforehand in the room – the girls will appreciate it.
The prices vary a bit, but expect to pay around R$400-500 for a one hour session with a girl. If you come late, you’ll have around 25 to choose from. The rate is a great deal for the quality and duration of the session.
Cancun
Another high-rated termas located in Centros. Rumor has it that Cancun was started by a former partner of 4×4. The facilities are some of the nicest you’ll encounter at a termas, something that was obviously very intentional. In fact, it’s obvious that Cancun is basically trying to outdo 4×4. Cancun was the first to put in the whiskey bar, which was followed by 4×4 installing one.
Anyway, when Cancun opened, they recruited some of the best local talent in the city from other termas, and it’s paid off, as many of the ladies are still top tier. Prices are still below 4×4, but they are steadily climbing as time goes on. The entrance fee is typically R$50, and the room fee is R$100. One hour sessions are usually around R$300, giving you a total average cost of R$450, not including drinks. Not bad for the quality of the rooms and girls. Check this one out if you aren’t liking the girls at the other nearby termas.
Monte Carlo
Finally, a great termas if you stay in Copacabana. Monte Carlo has been around for awhile, which is a good sign as to how good it is. Standard operating procedure here. Come in through the ground floor level, where you’ll check in and change clothes. After doing so, you take an escalator to the second floor where you can visit the showers and sauna. From there, it’s off to the third floor where the club and girls are.
There is quite a bit of turnover here, and some say it’s due to the rough managers. Still, Monte Carlo has a reputation for the quality of girls, so the talent pool will also be worth sampling.
The prices are exactly the same as in Centaurus (see above), which makes me believe that they have the same owner. Smaller bills are encouraged, as the front desk attendant may sometimes claim to be out of change and pocket the difference.
- See also: Brothels in Rio’s Red Light District
Erotic Massages in Rio de Janeiro
Erotic massages in Rio can be a little trickier to find, but believe me, they are everywhere. There are quite a few in the Cinelândia, Carioca and Uruguaiana neighborhoods in Centro. You are certainly welcome to ask around, but restricting your activity to the following locations will serve you just fine. As always, going earlier in the day will often yield a better experience.
RJ Massage – There are actually two locations, one in Copacabana, and one in Centro. Both have a good selection of girls, and you can actually get quite a few different massages as well, including tantric, body-to-body, and a slew of actual massages if you really are in need. Prices do vary, but a one hour happy ending hand job massage will run R$240, which is a pretty good deal if you get the right girl. Hold on tight.
Alternativa Spa – Located in Copacabana, this location has earned a reputation for having not only some of the best looking women, but also ones that are enthusiastic and love their work. Prices are good, and the sessions never feel rushed. Expect to drop around R$260 for a one hour tantric massage.
Eden Spa – The ladies here take pride in business, and make sure that you always have a clean and comfortable visit with anyone of them. There are usually 6-8 working during normal hours, with five clean, private suites to choose from. Attitudes are always good, and the girls are handpicked by the owner herself. There are different types of happy ending massages on offer, including boobs body to body (R$260), nuru massage (R$300) and four hands massage (R$400) – all of them finishing with a hand job.
Map of Brothels & Erotic Massage Parlors in Rio de Janeiro
I have marked the brothels (= termas) with the purple pin and the erotic massages with the yellow pin.
Conclusion
So, by now you should have a decent head start on brothels and sex massage parlors to hit up in Rio. Nothing is ever a given, so make sure you allot yourself some extra time to sample more than one location, allowing you to get a good feel for the girls there, and the general vibe. If it doesn’t work out one night, just come back again the next day, or feel free to search out some nearby locations to see what’s going on.
Always be polite, and make sure to not appear too gullible, or some of these girls will eat you alive if they know you’re in the palm of their hands. Stay relaxed, and stay cool, you’ll be assured of a good experience regardless of where you end up.
- Recommended: The Best Dating Site in Brazil
