You can stay in an authentic whorehouse for $26 per night ($30 to
claim your very own bathroom across the hallway). The place is
very clean, with shiny floors and modern bathrooms (two of which
are better than my bathroom at home), But, to be totally honest,
I have to report I saw a cockroach (there seemed to be more of these
on the SJ streets than in the past -- a summer effect?). I want to stress,
however, that this Marruecos place was vastly cleaner than any other
massage parlor I have seen, with the excpetion of a single upscale
place in El Barrio Norte of Buenos Aires. I would not want to sleep
at Bar Idem or New Fantasy, and I can't afford to sleep at Zona Blue.
The beds at HM are very firm, in the style of extra-wide massage mats. The TVs
work, and there's a microwave, regrigerator, and coffee pot that you can
use down the hallway.
Priscilla, la proprieteria, is an authentically welcoming and helpful
lady. She let me win a game of fusball (with the hand cranks) in her office
and offered me some Johnny Walker Red. Priscilla went out of her way
to help me experience some of her young ladies, even on a Sunday
when the place is officially closed. The cost was about $30 per hour,
extra on Sunday requiring a lady's special trip from the suburbs, It was
interesting to watch the gringos and the ticos poke their heads in the door
all day to check out the ladies in the incense-wafting sitting room. There
was no problem in bringing ladies back to the Marruecos from the
Key Largo: everyone was nice.
I often had the upstairs to myself, but a resident old-timer was around
sometimes to show me how to play 9-ball. I think the place could be
a big financial success if it had more ticas, but I suppose it's a chicken-
and-egg problem to get the chicas to sit around waiting for business
to perk up. There is some connection between this place and another
MP in a worse neighborhood, with the chicas going back and forth
as needed.
Hostel Marruecos is on 3rd Street (Calle Tres) between 5th and 7th
Avenidas. That makes it a little closer to the Blue Marlin than
the SL, and there is a good supermarket and internet/phone place
within 150 meters. Zona Blue is less than 3 blocks away. It's reasonably
safe to walk outside on 3rd street toward the Plaza de Cultura until
9 or so: lots of bustle. But don't walk after dark in the direction of
Zona Blue. There are lots of taxis including Priscilla's paramour.
The only problem I had with the place is that the windows for the upstairs
rooms are over a busy street where buses sit with their
engines running. I don't mind the noise, but the fumes did me in. Next
time I will seek a room within the interior.
I just love the idea of staying in a whorehouse, a clean whorehouse
with nice people, but not too many. I write all this in the knowledge
that the place might become a magnet for cheap crazy gringos, but
I am sworn to tell the truth and not to keep finds to myself. Others have
helped me out so much by providing needed information. I owe you.
Hostel_Marruecos@yahoo.com 221-0468 862-6662