Tried to go today (June 18th) and Luofang hotel was closed and in look like ruins...

There’s been a run of pretty poor reviews lately on that infamous tripadvisor. So much so that I had my doubts about staying. After cancelling an up coming trip for May, I’m now told I’m blacklisted & future bookings won’t be tolerated. Endless complaints regarding reception staff. Here’s another one. There your rules BABYLON I’m not breaking them. You allow cancellations & charge 3% for the experience. But no worries. Plenty of other venues & other cities to spend my cash.

Compared to Hutong in Hong Kong, Babylon is a mess, with old furniture in the corners, dirty floors, and rooms infrequently cleaned to say the least. There’s also a lot of older and less attractive folks that get real pushy. Very little English is available. And yet...mainland China does have its charms. Mandarin speakers will find curious and chatty guys from all over China. After a few hours I really felt like part of a community, with several conversations on politics, and the USA, and gayness. Kudos to the young little guy so who responded to me. China-lovin’ gays, give it a try. If you want the cleanliness and hotness of Hong Kong or Bangkok, you’ll be disappointed for sure.

Subway line 5, Yijing exit (2nd for the end of the line) Take exit B and continue walking in the direction of the stairs from the exit, along YiJing road. Stay on the sidewalk approaching the second major intersection. The second intersection is elevated, with Yijing road ascending a ramp. The sidewalk continues along a side road which remains at ground level, slowly turning to the right. Continue along the sidewalk to the second underpass to the left. Take the underpass and immediately take a hard left after exiting. Continue along this road as it turns slightly to the right. The LouFang Hotel is on the right side as the road begins to straighten out. It is difficult to see after dark, as the sign above the door is not lit. Enter the hotel and continue past the reception desk, which may not be attended, to the right to a pair of small elevators. The sauna is on the second floor.

The staff speaks enough English to guide you through the check in. Cost is 40 RMB. First remove you shoes and place them in the small locker in the check in area. The same number will apply to your main locker, located in the room to the right of the check in. The shower area is one floor up, and you need to pass through the TV lounge to access the stairway. Other than the carpeted stairway, the sauna is relatively clean, with attendants moping the tile floors often. There is a small dry sauna connected to the shower area, which is brightly lit. Directly across is larger steam room, which was dark and not operating when I was there. Some used it as a dark play area. The second floor also has a small TV area, a karaoke room, and a semi-dark area that has four small rooms, which offer some privacy, although each has a window in the door, and clients seem to be constantly looking to see whats happening. The back and far side of the TV lounge has large flat cushioned benches. There is also a smaller semi dark room with similar benches near the ping pong room. I was there on a Saturday, and it gets quite busy in the later hours. The clientele is mixed ages, mostly working class as none speak English (unlike Yang Gang sauna, which no longer admits foreigners).