The Ultimate Gay Travel Guide
The Gay Passport is your complete Gay Travel Guide. Looking to Drink, Play or Sleep we have reviews to help. Award-winning & Updated 2023.
London’s sauna scene is not as varied and active as it is in other cities worldwide, but there is plenty to play with if you know where to look. Premium saunas with large areas and state-of-the-art facilities include Pleasuredrome and Sweatbox, while smaller, local saunas include Sailors and E15.
Yes, gay saunas in London are perfectly legal and safe. The biggest risk you run is pickpockets, so make sure you always leave your personal belongings in a secure place, like a locker.
It depends on the sauna, but generally speaking Saturdays and Sundays are busiest.
Few saunas encourage overnight sleeping, but some are open 24 hours and have rooms for rent, like Pleasuredrome and Sweatbox Sauna.
One of London’s best gay saunas, Sweatbox has state-of-the-art facilities including a gym, several free cabins, a huge jacuzzi, and a steam maze. They host regular parties, which are well worth checking out. Hard Up Mondays and Thursdays are free entry for under 25s, otherwise it’s £20 for a 24h pass or £25 for 48h. The location in Soho means it’s super easy to drop by after – or during – a gay night out.
A clean and well-equipped sauna near Soho with all the standard facilities, plus a fully licensed bar and male massage services. Open until 2 AM on Saturdays, 12 PM during the rest of the week. There is an occasional naked party every Saturday, which is worth checking out. Standard fees are;
Entry fee: £20
Entry before 14:00: £18
Entry after 20:00: £13
Two-day pass: £35
After 20:00: £13 (except on Saturdays).
Popular East End sauna, especially with the White Swan crowd. It opens overnight on weekends, which is when it’s at its busiest – expect it to be quieter on weekdays. Mainly an older crowd of regulars. Facilities are nothing fancy, but clean and the rooftop terrace is a cool bonus. Entry is £18.
One of the most famous gay saunas in the UK, the Pleasuredrome has been a gay London institutiion for decades. It’s got state-of-the-art facilities, including private deluxe pods and rooms (extra fee) and a massage service. Everything is very clean and modern, and the mixed crowd means there’s something for everyone. Admission is £20 or £12 for men under 30 (with valid ID). Pleasuredrome is located near Waterloo station and is open 24/7, 365 days a year.
A small and no-frills sauna consisting of all the essentials, plus a bar and private massage services. The atmosphere is unpretentious, and the crowd is mostly made up of locals and regulars. Located near Hyde Park. Admission is £18 or £15 for under-30s (with valid ID).
The Locker Room is a clean, modern, and freshly renovated gay sauna with a bit of a reputation for being especially hardcore. Lots of great areas for cruising, including a 20-man sauna and a 16-man steam room. An older crowd during the day, but the place fills up with guys of all ages on weekend nights. Admission is £11.
E15 Club is located in Stratford, quite a bit out the way of the usual tourist trail. For that reason, it’s a good place to meet locals, and it has a pretty relaxed atmosphere. Facilities are good if not a bit dated and in need of a renovation. It has a particularly large jacuzzi and a basement dark room, and hosts regular themed parties like “Bears Night” once a month. Entry is £13.
The Gay Passport is your complete Gay Travel Guide. Looking to Drink, Play or Sleep we have reviews to help. Award-winning & Updated 2023.