Buenos Aires Basics, Guides to the Darkside of Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires Darkside: Hookers, brothels, strip clubs and more

BA Basics

By | February 19, 2009

Updated: Aug 2017

Like any other large city, there is no lack of brothels, swinger clubs and seedy joints in Buenos Aires. Prostitution is, for the most part, legal here and is advertised subtly. There is a loose law that requires streetwalkers to stay at least 100 meters from private residences. As a result, most prostitution solicitation takes place within brothels and strip clubs.

Strip Clubs
Strip clubs are like brothels, but with a bit of teasing and sexy display before any transactions take place. Most will have a hefty entry fee at the door and sell expensive drinks to ensure that the club is making money. Inside the club patrons can relax, enjoy the sights and make eye contact with any of the enticing ladies of the night. Exchanges are negotiated before leaving the club, and may or may not include the rate of the nearby telo (hourly hotel). For more on telos, read Will Betton’s article, “Transitorios” or check out what some of the more popular Buenos Aires telos look like and where you can find them.

Popular Buenos Aires Strip Clubs:

General rules of thumb are to:
1. Not arrive before 12 midnight…but not too late as many of the staff will be “out” and
2. The girls will often request that you buy them a drink. Drinks will not be cheap- but this shows them that you are serious and have the cash to splash.

Cocodrilo Gallo 1311, Barrio Norte. A mixture of legit club with comedians and shows on the bottom floor and full on disco, pole dancing upstairs. Great for groups, the women will be less aggressive. How could both Bill Clinton and Diego Maradona be wrong!?
Black On the corner of Ayacucho and Alvear, across the street from the Alvear Palace in Recoleta. Considered the top strip club and brothel in Buenos Aires. Closed as of Jan 2015.
Hook/Keep Suipacha 936/940 in Centro. Hook has now renamed itself and moved next door under the new dub “Keep”. Awesome building.
Newport Vicente López 1969, Recoleta. Typical bar with pricey drinks, but with lots of working girls.
D’Lirio Vicente López 2134, Recoleta. Hidden in plain sight, standard looking bar with expensive drinks and a very attractive female working crowd.
Madaho’s Closed as of late 2013.

Brothels
Straight up brothels with no bells and whistles are scattered throughout Buenos Aires and most are not advertised with neon signs. Ask cab drivers that seem approachable or “in the know”, check out flyers in telephone booths that advertise specials or try running a few internet searches for “privados VIP”.

Brothels are typically located in large apartments. Once inside, patrons are greeted by a receptionist who provides a list of prices. The female line-up is presented and a selection is made for the female (or male) and amount of desired time. The receptionist will then show you to a room and request payment.

More upscale brothels require appointments, but are not likely to turn down a walk-in customer. Many customers choose to select the female companion ahead of time using the convenient web pages the brothels provide.

Helpful web page: http://www.travelsexguide.tv/argentina.htm

Swingers’ Clubs
Swingers’ clubs are designed for adventurous couples and curious singles. General rules stipulate that you must arrive with a partner of the opposite sex (there are special nights for solo guys). Girls enter for free and guys pay a cover of roughly $20 USD. Swingers’ clubs feel like a sexually charged bar scene. Voyeurs are allowed to do as they please in backrooms. Lighting is low. No cameras or cell phone cameras allowed. To join in the ensuing action, a light touch is recommended. If that light touch is reciprocated, then you have permission to join.

Many couples choose to meet interested parties and arrange for more private settings.

Well-known Swingers’ Clubs: Club Swinger a.k.a. Anchorena SW a.k.a. El Templo, located at Anchorena 1121, Barrio Norte (Closed Feb 2015), Prive Club SW, Honduras 4184 in Palermo.

What to do during the day?
I have a simple description for you: A classic hot towel straight razor shave, fine cigars & whiskeys in a VIP cigar lounge, hand-made custom hats, a bit of history and architecture. It’s like a day in the life of Don Draper in Buenos Aires. The Man Tour Buenos Aires.

Massage Parlors
The Buenos Aires “massage” parlor scene is quite popular. Many places will offer an included “relax” or happy finish to the massage. The code is “relax” and if this is not mentioned then the location is likely not what you are seeking.

Cabarets
Like brothels, cabarets are located throughout the city and have earned a bad reputation over the years. Most often, a promoter will offer free shows, sex or drinks at the entrance of the cabaret to entice potential clients to go inside. Drinks can be very expensive and often times the ladies drinks will be added to the tab without the previous consent of the client. These places are designed to fleece unsuspecting patrons for maximum profits. This is #10 on our list of What NOT to do in Buenos Aires.

Street Walkers
The street walking prostitutes are uncommon and with good reason. One of the few laws that do exist against prostitution in Argentina state that no sex worker may be allowed to sell their services within 500 meters of a school, church or residence.

Most street walkers are trannies both pre and post op. There is an entire area devoted to tranny prostitutes near the horse track located in the Palermo lagos and park areas. This area will be the closest thing Buenos Aires has to a red light district. They attract a couple kilometers of traffic on the weekends and many will hardly resemble the image of a tranny. It is not wise to be on foot in this area late at night as many seedy characters hang out nearby seeking unsuspecting drunks.

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