Where to get a good massage and happy ending in Pattaya?

[TotallyOz]

I love Bangkok for the great massages I can get every day at Hero. I miss it!

 

Where in Pattaya offers not only a good massage by cute guys but also a clean and decent room for the massage? I'll admit, I have been very disappointed in my massages in Pattaya. The happy ending is always happy but I like a good massage before as well!

[Guest anonone]

Best I have discovered so far for "up market" gay massage in Pattaya is Magnolia Spa. A bit far out, almost to Sukhumvit Rd, but right on baht-bus route. Easy to get there.

 

http://www.magnoliamenspa.net/

 

Nice clean rooms with private shower. Small number of staff, but I have not been disappointed yet.

My go-to place when I want to be pampered a bit.

 

I do also like the more basic places in Day Night area when I wander by and spot a sweet looking masseur hanging out front. These are mattress on the floor, shower in separate bathroom, drapes instead of walls type of places. Not up-market by any stretch, but have had some great times there.

[TotallyOz]

Anonone, thank you. I am going to try this place. It looks very nice. Do all the guys go at a certain time or is it better certain times of day or night?

[Bob]

Damn. Michael's got handsome dudes staying over all the time providing "comfort" and occasionally he perhaps brings new talent home. And yet he's yearning to also partake in happy endings at massage parlors.

 

No criticism at all intended, Michael. I just want to know your diet.

[TotallyOz]

One of my true joys in Thailand is massages. I have been getting them from ladies but without the happy ending. I just prefer a guys touch (and then more touch).

[Guest thaiworthy]

What is the suggested tip for a good massage without the happy ending? Shouldn't one make this well-understood before the services begin?

 

I do like the idea of getting massaged by a handsome, sexy guy, but not always in the mood for the "extra services."

[Bob]

One of my true joys in Thailand is massages.

 

Next time you're up here in the boonies (Chiangmai), give the Olde Thai Medicine Hospital a try. They teach massage there and you can get a very good Thai massage for 2 hours for 300 baht (it used to be 250 baht for years!). And you can choose whether you want "man" or "lady." However, no happy endings there (other than feeling great from a good massage).

[Guest anonone]

Anonone, thank you. I am going to try this place. It looks very nice. Do all the guys go at a certain time or is it better certain times of day or night?

 

I haven't been enough times to get a good feel on the patterns. I tend to go earlier in the day...3PM or so...One time there were only 2 guys on staff to choose from, but both were totally acceptable to me. (I guess I am either easy to please or a real slut....wonder which )

 

Something a little different for this place. There is no "line-up" or fish bowl room. You sit down with a drink and an iPad, which has photos of the available staff from which to make your choice.

 

The massage quality was always good and no complaints at all about special services. The owner is very engaging and I am sure would answer any specific questions if you give a ring.

 

Let me know your opinion once you try it out. I have not been to Hero...and it has been years since I spent any time in Bangkok...so it will be interesting to hear your experience. If you enjoy, I will be sure to make a stop out there next week when I am back in Pattaya.

 

Cheers.

[Guest]

What is the suggested tip for a good massage without the happy ending?

 

I don't have much experience of that scenario . However in principle, Asia doesn't have a tipping culture and they're just doing the job they're paid to do. Where it's been discussed on other forums, the suggestion seems to be in the 0~300 range.

 

Smart massage in Pattaya has been good on my rare visits. That's one of those places that actually includes a massage as part of the service. Location second road, opposite side from Boystown (if they're still there).

[kokopelli]

In response to Thaiworthy's question on a tip for a non-happy-ending massage; I believe a tip equal to the cost of the massage is appropriate assuming you are satisfied with the massage.

[Guest anonone]

Smart massage is still there, just across 2nd road from Boyztown. Be careful when you come down the stairs. Like many places in Thailand, I cracked my head pretty good on a low-hanging ceiling on the stairway. You think I would learn by now.

 

For a non-sexual massage body massage, I would tip about 200 baht if happy with the technique.

 

In response to the "shouldn't this be understood before hand" question, I am always "up" for special services, so I just go with the flow on that one. If you don't want any type of hanky-panky, easy to take a tip from Nancy Reagan and just say no.... If you absolutely want some special attention, I would stick to one of the known gay massage places in Day Night, Boyztown, Jomtien, or the aforementioned Magnolia. If you try your luck at one of the less obvious places, it might be a let down for you. Or it might be a lot of fun, you just don't know.

 

And I agree with Michael, a daily massage while in Thailand is one of the joys of visiting here...a joy I take full advantage of.

[pong]

What is the suggested tip for a good massage without the happy ending? Shouldn't one make this well-understood before the services begin?

 

Of course you do not tell that beforehand. Just show some inetrest there MIGHT be an extra-which BTW is NOT as such needed at all. Of course this also depends on the state of the shop, the actual job done and its pricing. And remember-for those of you who seem unable to ever understand how Th works- there is NO need at all for a tip-that means no requirement. Its just sobstories and all that-and the tipical farang having to taker pity on any wage slightly lower as his/her. In basic THai places-charge will be 100-250 for plain Thai massage-100/150 more for oil (per hour), rounding up to next 100 is OK-but give it apart to worker, not at paying. Best compliment is to return-that means youre really satisfied. Higher prices only mean that the place is more luxurious and/or in the tourist zone.

BTW-I am back in HCMC=Saigon now-had a good shoulder/back msg a few days ago in provincial Dalat-which came to 30 bt (or 1 US$)-this was for 30 mins, though it lasted about 40.

[Guest]

And remember-for those of you who seem unable to ever understand how Th works- there is NO need at all for a tip-that means no requirement. Its just sobstories and all that-and the tipical farang having to taker pity on any wage slightly lower as his/her.

 

To be fair, that's the culture for farang originating from the US, where the tipping culture seems heavily ingrained. The culture in Europe is somewhat less inclined towards tipping.

 

Not tipping for standard service seems quite logical to me. After all, no one tips the staff in the nearest 7-11, or those a multitude of other low paying customer facing jobs.

So there's no real need to tip a masseur if he's done a standard job.

 

Having said that, I usually offer something.

[mahjongguy]

"Not tipping for standard service seems quite logical to me. After all, no one tips the staff in the nearest 7-11, or those a multitude of other low paying customer facing jobs. So there's no real need to tip a masseur if he's done a standard job."

 

I'm sorry to say it so roughly but that's ignorant. 7-11 clerks get the same pay (now 300 baht minimum wage) whether there are customers or not. Masseurs get little more than a bowl of noodles for their 12-hour shift unless they get a customer and even then it's only an average of 100 baht out of the shop's 250 baht.

 

Massage shops are different from any other commerce here. It's not actually a tip at all, it's a system of separate payments where the amount for the masseur is up to you.

 

 

"Having said that, I usually offer something."

 

Offer? Like, in case they want it?

 

 

I get heated about this topic because I know a lot about the shops and the way they operate. Bottom line: if you like the fact that these shops exist then you need to help keep the staff from starving.

[Moses]

With shop price 250 Baht masseur will have only 100 Baht. So I tip masseurs if I like massage 100-200 baht to keep them working in this shop. It is about normal massage.

 

By the way: Ef still is working in Pattaya and makes good call-out massage, but he doesn't make "happy ending", at least for new clients .

 

Take a look at http://thaimasseur.biz I miss his massage a lot since I'm not in Thailand now

[Rogie]

Good discussion and info. I didn't know how the masseurs were remunerated - basic wage plus 'tips' (for want of a better word).

 

Could one draw a parallel with an offed go-go boy versus a boy working in a beer bar who simply spends time chatting with the bar's customers? The happy-ending masseur gets a good 'tip' (the equivalent of the 'up to you') and the masseur undertaking the plain massage gets a lot less, but at least 100 baht seems reasonable with 200 baht a decent 'tip' for a good enjoyable massage.

 

Even if just a plain massage I like it when you can sense the masseur is enjoying what he's doing and so would tip more for someone doing a wholehearted one than if he was chatting to his co-masseurs, on his mobile or watching TV, although I have to admit there's nothing remarkable about most people's bodies so I guess it's understandable if the average masseur has difficulty summoning up much enthusiasm, especially in the case of an ordinary one hour no-frills massage. The happy-ending masseur might be expected to show a lot more enthusiasm, because if nothing else, he's going to be well remunerated.

 

Be careful when you come down the stairs. Like many places in Thailand, I cracked my head pretty good on a low-hanging ceiling on the stairway. You think I would learn by now.

 

Duck or grouse!

 

 

 

[mahjongguy]

"I didn't know how the masseurs were remunerated - basic wage plus 'tips' (for want of a better word)."

Just to be sure I was clear: massage shop staff don't get a basic wage. They may get a meal, they may get a daily minimum guarantee of something like 100 baht just to encourage them to stick around, and they get 80 to 100 baht per customer (if any). Some earn extra baht by cleaning. Some are allowed to sleep upstairs. Whatever they manage to earn is paid out twice monthly, minus severe fines for any days they failed to show up for work. The standard schedule is 12 hours a day, 28 days a month. And yes, you may think I'm kidding, but that can mean 2 free days in November and none in February. Shop owners range from adequately humane to downright abusive.

[bkkguy]

gosh mahjongguy my heart just bleeds, add a picture to your post of workers at a clothing sweatshop or a Foxcon factory and the whole world would be up in arms demanding a boycott of brands using these abusive businesses and also demanding improvements to staff conditions but because it is a gay massage place we are not only supposed to continue to patronise these abusive businesses but also throw extra "tips" at the staff so the owners can continue ignoring local labor laws and continue with their abusive practices because "if you like the fact that these shops exist then you need to help keep the staff from starving"

 

what you really mean is "if WE want to keep abusing the staff cheaply then we need to help keep the staff from starving"

 

bkkguy

[mahjongguy]

If one follows the thread it can be seen that I was talking about standard (i.e. non-sexual) massage. No mention in my posts about gay massage. In fact I only used the word masseur because I don't know a gender-neutral word. You won't catch me saying "massager". George Bush I'm not.

[bkkguy]

OK if you feel better I will take out the word gay from my post, how does that change the claim - these are still abusive businesses that are ignoring local labor laws

 

and the point still applies just as strongly to gay massage and go-go bars as it does to your cop-out "non-sexual" massage places

 

"if WE want to keep abusing the staff cheaply then we need to help keep the staff from starving"

 

bkkguy

[Guest]

If a company is running a massage business in a country with no embedded tipping culture, I would expect they should either pay the staff sufficient to live on or make it clear to the customer that some additional tip is required.

 

After all, as many of the customers will come from Thailand and other Asian/European countries with no history of tipping, why would they expect to tip? How are they supposed to know the staff are not paid enough to live on? If that really is the case.

Does the same staff remuneration model operate at similar service businesses, such as Thai hairdressers? I doubt some newbie tourist would consider a masseur doing a foot massage deserves any more tip than someone cutting your hair.

 

If their price list said "We pay our staff **** all. Therefore a minimum tip of xxx baht is expected", it would be clear.

 

Failing that, the problem will be solved by market forces. If working at a 7~11 is so much better, the staff will all migrate away from the massage business.

[Moses]

bkkguy, sometimes traditions are more strong than law. I know countries where workers even have to PAY to owner of service for to work and earn only tips.

[firecat69]

I guess it depends on where you come from. I am from the USA. I tip my barber, manicurist, waiter , taxi driver and many more in the USA. And of course I tip my masseur in Thailand happy ending or not and IMHO if you can't afford to tip then don't get the massage..

 

Sick of seeing cheapskates getting a 3-400 meal in Pattaya and leaving 15-20 baht for a tip. Stay home and cook if you can't afford a few extra baht. Or eat off a street stand!!!

[Bob]

Sick of seeing cheapskates getting a 3-400 meal in Pattaya and leaving 15-20 baht for a tip. Stay home and cook if you can't afford a few extra baht. Or eat off a street stand!!!

 

Just a bit strong and you're obviously either ignoring other peoples' customs or suggesting our (US) customs ought to be imposed everywhere.

 

I, like you, was raised in the US and have this almost compulsory and ingrained attitude about when (every time) and how much (probably too much) to tip. By now I'm used to the funny looks I get from Thai friends when I leave at least a small tip at places that it's frankly traditional that nobody else tips (at least here in Thailand). But, being from the US, I simply can't help myself.

 

Do what you want to do but it's a bit presumptuous/stupid to tell us yanks that we're doing it "wrong" or that we're "ruining it" for everybody else; on the other hand, it's equally presumptuous and ignornant for us yanks to call somebody else a cheapskate because they either doing what comes naturally to them and/or they actually are conforming to local Thai customs.

 

As for tipping at legitmate massage places, it's expected even here in Thailand; however (and I don't care if anybody thinks what I do is too much or too little), I typically tip about half of what the massage cost might be. Whether that's right or wrong, hell if I know but I do know the people getting the tips from me over the years seem quite satisfied.

[Guest]

Just a bit strong and you're obviously either ignoring other peoples' customs or suggesting our (US) customs ought to be imposed everywhere.

 

Well said Bob. It's certainly a mistake to expect the entire world to adopt the US custom of arbitrarily defining services for which tips must be paid. In some parts of the world, offering a tip would be seen as an insult.

 

Of course, I recognise that imposing customs and values is not just a US problem. We British have been doing it for centuries now.

 

One should not assume the customs of one's own nation are correct and must be imposed on others.