Basement Complex - Manchester -

20 reviews

First Impressions - A warm greeting.
Mega Clean throughout, Showers good, Jacuzzi's amazing, easy to enter them , large steam Room and Sauna.A bit of a maze and lighting is quite subdued, mainly red downlighters, but not too dark.

Visited for the 1st time at the begining of August, around 3.30am on a Saturday night, stayed till past 7am, place was quite busy and a regular stream of new guys, had lots of fun with a few people, in teh playrooms, jacuzzi and gloryholes. Very big place, very clean, nice staff and a great bar area. Will definitely come here again.

Visited yesterday while on business in Manchester. The sauna,steam room area very clean. Have to say this building is a maze!! Discovered the cruising area and its fantastic. Had a great time. Even discovered a sex shop in the middle of it!

Always a tourist but been three times this year. First a Saturday in February, midnight till early hours. Very busy, good mix and lots of fun. Some layout changes since last been. Steam room lost its intimacy with a big one space, and an open space is good but that’s too big. Gets rarely used now by the looks of it. Other change is the new dark are in the cruising room. Genius and lots of fun!!! Next trip was a Thursday, busy 9pm till midnight with again lots of fun. Quietened down for a bit and then boom. In part due to that new dark room. Cracking night. Went last night, a Wednesday and very disappointing, just due to lack of punters. And then those there needed lead to have a good time. Unfortunately the after club clientele didn’t show so poor night. But that’s not really Basements fault.

In all, clean, great staff and lots of fun to be had. Need to go through the day to see how that is. A must if in Manchester, especially at the weekend. 5

Visited after a week away on holiday,
Entry before 4pm is a cheaper rate.
Steam room and sauna are brilliant. Hot tub was lacking, but I hear it has been updated so will re visit.
Play rooms are good for walking round. Very busy and met a hot blonde. The bar is limited and not always someone available to serve. Clean and modern, Didn't see the staff much.

Excellent place visited here many times. facilities are always clean. staff are friendly needs more students on wednesdays or only students on wednesdays till 8pm. some of the older guys are like a disease they dont stop chasing you or touching you even when you tell them no. Much better than basement in leeds.

Not sure if the new steam room and sauna are better or worse. Still a very busy place and always has good pumping music.

I used to visit this place quite often, but found the staff a little disinterested in the clientele - unless they were young and good looking or their friends. The facilities are fine though, modern and clean.

This is Bristol’s original sauna - The Cottage Sauna, currently called the Village Sauna on its web site and “The Sauna” over its door. I used to regularly go to here until Elite Retreat opened nearby. The village sauna is run by an obnoxious bully called [redacted]. I have seen him have stand-up rows with his staff in front of his customers. Facilities here are not bad although it is dirty and neglected, but the worse thing I have deduced over the years which really winds me up is that [redacted] operates an unwritten rule that the steam room, despite being one of the advertised facilities, will not be switched on unless there are at least (I have unofficially been told by staff members) 8 customers in the place. Every time I went, I would make appoint of asking for it to be switched on, on the grounds that it this is reasonable, since it is one of the services that my entry fee is paying for, and - I wanted to use it! Sometimes it was then switched on. Just as often it would be “forgotten” or “not working”. I have been to about 40 different gay saunas all over the world, and every other one of them had its steam room operating all the time. The last time I went to the village sauna I politely asked [redacted] if the steam room could be switched on. He told me in so many words to piss off. Elite Retreat was just about to open, so at this point I vowed I would never return to the Village Sauna.

Visited in October over few days and going back in couple weeks, very big place, lots of lockers. Sort of two sides divided by 'underpass' one side has sauna (bit small), jacuzzi x2, steam rm (v hot and fun, again not that big). On the other side is the cruise area, private cabins etc, lots of places for fun.
On one visit I reported an aggressive guy who i was having 121 with, he wouldn't take NO, luckily strong enough to get out and away, I reported to reception and they didn't seem that bothered, which I thought was disappointing.
Otherwise I always found guys to have fun with, of all ages and backgrounds.
Well worth the visit.

There is no problem if you like a busy sauna, especially Sundays. I have rated only 3 stars because its not quantity I like it's quality. Most of the time there is just a lot of walking around in circles with no one doing anything and those who do are very picky with attitude. Of coarse if you are a hot twink you won't have any problem but spare the attitude. Sauna etiquette is low here and I have been aggressively pushed away more than once. A simple "no thanks" or light brush off is all that is needed. I have decided not to return for a while after being pushed to the floor by a guy who was interested in the same guy I was. There is also a strict policy of no dozing off in the Chill Out/Dining area so not the best place if you have been out all night.

went yesterday, staff are a bit miserable, but who cares... hot guys and good fun to be found

I visited again on Sunday, and found the place quite lively! My previous criticism had been about the loud music everywhere. This time it was a bit quieter, and some places had no music, so the atmosphere was much better. After the steamroom I had a delicious cup of coffee in the cafe. The 'play' area is very imaginatively constructed, with something for everybody to enjoy. The age-range was good too, from about 20 upwards. I left feeling very happy!

I visited recently midweek, and was impressed by the cleanliness, and imaginative design of the complex. I have just one gripe. The music. It's EVERYWHERE and it's LOUD! It kills the mood, which should be relaxing and sensual, not like a naked disco! The music should be either subdued, or restricted to the general areas, not the intimate zones. I'll probably go again later and see if it's any quieter then.

The place is dirty and very expensive,£15 plus £5 annual membership!!! They would get more in if they dropped the price to a tenner!!!

Visited this sauna for the first time yesterday. It was spotlessly clean, spacious and had excellent facilities. The bearded chap at reception could drop the attitude and slap a smile on, but the other staff were friendly and cheerful. It was a Friday afternoon, so not as busy as I'm sure it gets in the evenings or at weekends, but I had plenty fun...and I left with a smile on my face. I'll be going again for sure. Compares very well with the London saunas I've visited in the past. 9/10

The place us so dirty and most of the staff and just talking in the bar or reception. Mostly are so lazy to clean up the place. I entered after 8 and I spend 3 hours but the cabin so messy sunce i came in and they only clean after 2 hours before the staff changeover.:( bring a flipflops .

Went here for my first time, had never been to anything like this. Was nervous but by the time I got in it was all good. It was very clean, with certain areas being closed off and clean regularly during the time I spent there. Sauna was good but not much going on, and the steam room, was good again but nothing going on. The darkrooms seemed clean and a lot of action was happening, turned the corner and bam full on orgy. I had a goood time and will deffo be back.

Been there twice. Strong smell of chlorine outside, and a scruffy entrance. Inside a bit scruffy too, the floor did not feel clean underfoot. Hardly anyone there on either occasion, and no action at all. Most exciting thing was the cleaner watching me piss.

Very good enjoyed my first time there and.I will good back many times to come