Basement Complex

Basement Complex

Large, long-running gay sauna; open 24 hours.

Basement Complex

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18 Tariff Street, Manchester, United Kingdom, M1 2FN

Owners Description: Basement Complex Manchester is an established gay male only sauna with over 20 years of experience. Located in Ancoats, Manchester and occupying the basement of an old Victorian mill.

Facilities include dry sauna, steam room and two spas. You can grab yourself a drink in the licenced bar (midday to 2AM). Cash or card payments are accepted.

Or come and explore the large dark area with private cabins.

Operating a challenge 25 scheme. If you are lucky enough to look younger than 25, Basement Complex will ask for ID. They can only accept passport, driving license and national ID cards. No photocopies or pictures on phones will be accepted. You must be 18 or older to access the venue.

Annual membership £5.

 

Free entry on your birthday

 

ID is required for any age-related discounts.

Weekday: Mon- Thur 12pm - 11pm,

Weekend: Fri-Sat 12pm - 10am, Sun 12pm - 11pm

Features:
Cafe
Free Wi-Fi
Jacuzzi / Hot Pool
Massage
Relaxing Cabins
Sauna
Steam room
Rate Basement Complex
3
Audience Rating

Based on 183 votes

2017 Audience Awards
2017 Audience Awards

4 Star Winner

2018 Audience Awards
2018 Audience Awards

3 Star Winner

2019 Audience Awards
2019 Audience Awards

3 Star Winner

2020 Audience Awards
2020 Audience Awards

3 Star Winner

H
Hak Ah

16-Mar-2024

Worst place ever

One of the worst place I’ve ever been. The service is so rubbish, the staffs are very rude. Not clean at all. Always cold shower. No central heating on.
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Tom Clark

3-Jan-2024

Disgusting policy of business self harm

A disgusting breach of civil liberty and disrespect to a loyal and regular customer. I arrived for first late night visit to find an offensive bouncer requesting full search. Exercising my civil liberties I refused and left. I was barred from future attending. As solicitor I know this fundamentally unethical and an act of business self harm as I’m now campaigning to persuade hundreds of contacts friends etc to boycott these premises. Disgusted by attitude and dismissive staff. DO NOT ATTEND!!!!!
J
John Woodman

18-Sep-2023

Great Place

been here now a few times, usually Friday or a Saturday night, always have some fun. The place is quite big with plenty of rooms, a couple of good hot tubs, huge sauna and steam room and plenty of guys to go around. On a Friday/Saturday they are open all night so I usually go in around midnight after having a few beers and stay as late as possible 7/8am when it closes, even in the early hours there are plenty of guys to have fun with. Just planing my next visit which will be early December.
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Sam

3-Oct-2022

I'm going back someday!

I visited on a recent Sunday afternoon around 5:00 p.m., and I can assure you, it was plenty packed. Four hot couples were in the steam room playing, and there must have been two dozen guys upstairs in the maze. It was very hot. I stayed until about 9:30 when the crowd began to thin out. Some of those naysayers who wrote negative reviews here may have just had a bad run of luck the day they were there, and didn't get the hook up they wanted. But to my eyes, the place seem very clean, and the staff was friendly. I was impressed.
M
Matt

21-Jun-2022

T-girl

I’m looking at attending soon, would anybody know if this club is T-girl friendly? Thanks
M
M

22-Nov-2022

T-girl

Northwich sauna not far from Manchester is probably better for T-girls. they do T-Girls day on Wednesdays.
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David

30-Apr-2022

Way too expensive

Entry fee is way too high, it isn't especially clean and the guy who runs the place is massively rude, I recommend Northwich sauna instead, cheaper, bigger, cleaner, busier, staff are way more friendly
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Paul

20-Sep-2021

Open again with more cabins!

I was here on sept 19 (2021!) and it is open! It’s got a load of extra private little cabins and a couple of new play areas. Let’s just say I had loads of fun!
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DJ

19-Jul-2021

A Friendly Place

Visited this complex many a times now and always enjoyed my time in there. Friendly staff, friendly people wandering round. There’s always someone you will get chatting too in the lounge and find things in common with. The only negative comment I can really say is that when something is not working properly or closed off (be it the steam room, or the sauna or one of the hot tubs), the staff never really reduce the price. It can be expensive visiting Basement Sauna at the best of times but I would at least expect a reduced charge when entering if something isn’t working. Knock a few quid off like some of the other saunas would do.
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Paul

25-Jul-2021

A great sauna if open

A great place to meet new guys. Seems closed for the moment. When are you opening, Basement?
D
D

20-Jun-2020

Hottest night of my life

I went to Basement at midnight on a Saturday in February. I had had a few drinks already so the lack of a bar didn't bother me. You get a locker and key for your stuff, and a towel for modesty. I first went to the bright lounge, which has a TV playing movies, comfy chairs and several PCs. I got chatting to an Asian bloke in his 40s, who asked me if I wanted to have fun with him after a bit of polite chat. I followed him down the stairs into the maze like darker rooms. We found an empty booth which locked on the inside.there were condoms inside the booth. He put one on and had me on my back and immediately and I was begging for more. However he didn't want to climax too early, so he left after 10 minutes. It took me about half an hour of wandering around the darker maze area to find another daddy. The pleasure was immense. I talked to a few other lads and everyone I met was friendly. It was genuinely one of the hottest experiences of my life. Try it out but be safe xx
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Darren

17-Oct-2019

Its actual really good, better then what I thought!

I've lived in Manchester City centre for over 20 years and its literally just behind me, I walk past every day on the way to work for the last 15 years.. I've heard mixed reviews to be honest, good and bad! But never really paid it any attention.. curious I guess! But I've never been to a sauna before in all my life.. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago a friend of a friend suggested going after a night out ... So I just thought F**k it, least I won't be wondering in on my own... And I was pleasantly surprised... to be honest I didn't know what to expect, If I was really honest I was kinda expecting it to be filthy and dirty and yes seedy to some point! But this wasn't the case! The entire place was amazingly clean, it were a lot larger then what I thought too! Mixed crowd young and middle aged! There was no attitude off anyway, I was expecting all the floors to be wet with toilet paper everywhere ... but everywhere was seriously clean! Private cabins with locks and some without, dark rooms, decent shower rooms, glory holes, play areas, it wasn't dark and ding ... You could either chill in the main area towards the front and use the pools ands steam room or if you fancied some action head towards the back... there was no pressure! Although there was only around 30 people in to be honest... So I don't know what it would be like if it was super busy? I actually thought this was a great place! I know this isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea for spending there evening But considering the size of the place, I thought they could do a little more with the space! - But overall great place, why its taken me 20 years to check out now baffles me! *A bar would be great, I did get told there was one, but couldn't find it *A maze would be a nice *Better glory hole area *fetish rooms * electronic wrist bands for the lockers, rather then the key tied around a band * less is more - I do think its a bit pricey (£17 each time you visit) if it was slightly cheaper then I'm more then sure that more people will go more often Considering some places Ive been too while travelling that had dark rooms .. this beats them by miles!
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Valery

6-Oct-2019

Weak...

Overrated and extremely overpriced place. Why? 1. No slippers. Even for your money. Get ready for fungus infections and cold feet. 2. Cold. It is warm only in dry sauna and in a steam room. Even labirynth is cold - freezing fun. 3. Jacuzzi. 2 small home-style tubes... Not too bad, but, come on, guys, is it your private house? 4. No drinks in the bar... Well, if no licence then no licence. But this is the first ever place (whatever it is - club, bar, sauna, cruising....) where the one can't get even a glass of wine or a beer! How come? Are we in kindergarten to drink Fanta and water all night long? Ahaha, pay for licence, guys! Easy. 5. Cabins are really uncomfortable. But this is according to my taste. 6. You need anyone from staff? Try to find any during the next 30-40 minutes until you just go out and face the same guy by the entrance. 7. Signs "what, where"? Map of a place? Nope, nope and nope. Forget about it and just explore it yourself trying to get to the staff only places. 8. No shop, no additional services like massage or spa. I know, it is extra, but people pay for that, don't they? 9. Not to mention smoking. Nowhere... We've been there with my boyfriend for the first time. And for sure the last. All this freezing uncomfortable fun is 22 Gbp per person (5 Gbp is a membership, but - read above - I will never use this membership to go to this sauna!). To my mind a place like this is not a gay sauna, but just a cold cruising with couple of warm spaces - sauna and steam room. And if it is a cruising club with no additional services, the normal price can be around 5 Gbp, probably (I give it even a higher possible price than in most of Europe just because of +dry sauna ). No way I come here again...
C
Chris

15-Aug-2019

My visit

I went to this sauna a few days ago it was early Saturday morning. Cost £22 to get in. Had a shower and went for a wander. 3 guys asleep in the lounge. A few guys around but nothing happening. Went looking for the video lounge Found it down stairs The screen was small but nobody was around. I was disappointed with this place. The guy on the door was great said it was slow. I needed to go So went for a shower. I realise the venue can't guarantee the numbers etc but it was disappointing.
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Andy

13-Jul-2019

andy

I have been here before when travelling down from london...Have to say the night i went was a big let down.....NO CINEMA.....!!.......Come on guys....!!.....
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Jason

10-Jun-2019

Great fun On Sunday Fun.Must explore.

We explored this Sauna on Sunday afternoon. It was awesome and clouded during the time from 13:00 to 19:00 in the afternoon, I went there and found about 60 to 70 guesses. I don't know about the number of guests in the late night. They enjoy themselves in different places in the sauna. These days, some parts of the sauna are updated and repaired, and the big TV room was closed. Many guests explore the dark place in the back area cabin. Crowded was great to feel and touch. And some had fun in the holy hole. Today we met many young handsome guys who are hot.
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Mike

9-Jun-2019

Mr Mike

I have visited this basement sauna for several times and like it and recommend it to gay friends. It's about 14:00 to 17:00 at the weekend. Every time I visited this place, the number of people will be around 30-40. It's not a big number. The age will cover from late 20s, 30 to 50. Maybe on Wednesday evening, some students will come for Free. Then you may meet a lot of young and handsome guys here. The facilities are good and the sauna is very clean. I really enjoyed the hot steamed in the sauna room, but for the jaccuzi, I never use them where I saw many visitors like having fun there. Good points.1.) the staffs are very friendly.2.) Student have a discount at 10 pounds every day and on Every Wednesday students enter for Free. Improvement.1. Some places in the corridor to the downstairs isn't clean. Clean work should be done on this place.2. It's a pity this sanna doesn't have a maze.
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Richard

30-Apr-2019

Love this sauna, great atmosphere

I’ve been coming to this sauna many times now .... very clean and well kept.... always plenty of fun going on downstairs ... love the dark room and play areas.... plenty of activities going on... staff really friendly which is more than I can say for some saunas I’ve visited recently.
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steve

22-Mar-2019

excellent

Free for students on Wednesdays. The best place to be on Sunday and Wednesday. really good place to hang out and have some fun.
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B

8-Dec-2018

This was one of the best.

I recently traveled all around the UK and Ireland for a second time over two years, stopping at saunas all along the way. This one was the best. Everything feels very new and very clean. The staff were nice. The facilities were sprawling. I really have nothing negative to say.
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Anon

1-Oct-2018

Better than expected

My friend and I each 21 decided to check this place out as students under 25 go free on Wednesday was much better than expected chill out upstairs or head on down to the crusing area. If you don’t like someone just say no thanks and you’ll be left. It is spacious and clean. This and Sweatbox in London are incredible.
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Tom

10-Sep-2018

cold sauna

In the sauna you are naked so this must be very warm all the time!! If you sweat you can have a shower but you are cold if you are naked. PLEASE PUT ON THE HEATING ALL THE TIME IN ALL PLACES!! Thanks!
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Peter

4-Aug-2018

Best place ever

I've been there number of times and ALWAYS had great time!!! Great saunas, clean and modern. And plenty of action dowstairs. Annoying membership but place definitely worth visiting if you know what you want....
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Joe

23-Jul-2018

Horrible place

The staff at basement complex are so rude and nasty, it is appalling that any business can treat customers in this way. I visited Saturday afternoon and the receptionist was shouting and screaming at a customer who simply asked for an extra towel. Inside it was very dead, only 5 guys inside wondering round and round. Cold jazzuzi and smelly steam room. Avoid.
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Al

21-Jul-2018

Poorly Managed Ugly Nasty Staff

Do not honor international student ID, they are very rude. Do not listen to the customers in clear English. Never talk to management as it’s like talking to a brick wall: they don’t care about customer satisfaction or pride of community. I was 100% sober came to soak my feet after a long trip had hidden fees and didn’t honor advertised prices! I’ve been to 31 countries and by far this is the worst suana you can spend your time at. Walked a mile to find out what true wankers are. Not the good kind.
A
Andy

17-Jul-2018

BROKEN ARM

Went here end of June this year on a Saturday night. There was a strange crowd in, not nice, full of horrible queens who seem to reject those better looking than themselves - so I thought to myself, two can play at that game. So, as a trained ACTOR, I deliberately got into character whilst a song came on by sister bliss - the one that's called " life's a bitch" - and guess what? before I knew where I was I was speaking out loud in role and in full dialogue as the QUEEN BITCH! "If you tied a dog on a lamppost and left it around here long enough, no doubt it would cock up its leg and piss on you"! And as for those queens who saw me in action, they didn't know where to put themselves. Well, serves you right, I say, let this be a lesson for you, and after my debut performance, I managed to practically vacate the building. Well, that's ACTORS for you!
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dillo

13-Feb-2018

best place!!!!

I have been going regularly for a year now. Does get busy on Sundays around 3pm. Lots of guys different ages come in. Although does get a bit annoying when dirty old guys cant stop chasing the younger lads. This place needs more younger lads. Best days to go are Sundays. Place is cleaned regularly. Never had any issues with the staff.
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Tom

30-Sep-2017

Shabby and depressing

I won't mix words. The Basement really depressing. One guy was actually crying. Steer clear.
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Ray

20-Sep-2017

Appalling

The guy on reception is so rude and speaks to you like your a child. I asked for an extra towel and was willing to pay for it, but he just shouted 'no' at me. The place stinks, the sauna is dirty with broken tiles. People walking circles looking for something or someone, no action on offer.
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Neil

3-Aug-2017

No action going on

Been there twice and on both occasions it was empty. The first thing to note is the building.... soggy carpet, smells of damp and dirty seating in the sauna. It isn't relaxing at all and there was no action going on. There are lots of photos on grinder of very hot guys saying they are at basement and enticing you to go and pay but I think these are fake. Not worth it.
d
dillo

13-Feb-2018

best sauna around

This is the best sauna in Manchester. The sauna you must have gone to would have been near canal st called base sauna. Most the reviews on here are about Base sauna and not Basement Complex. I have been a regular customer for over a year and had no issues. Best day to come in the sauna is on Sunday after 2pm.
L
LESLIE

29-Jul-2017

Lack of contact

Never been to a sauna, so have sent e-mail to them NO reply Phoned 5 times rings but no answerer so how dose anyone talk to them and to find out more about what is on offer. They can not be that busy that no one can answerer the phone. Very disappointed with the Basement.
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Gabi

6-Jan-2017

Ok-ish

People walking circles looking for something or someone. Jacuzzi had so much chloride in it it was literally burning my eyes. It's decent and clean. Staff are friendly and helpful. I heard them give advice to a guy that was complaining of bo action telling him to stop being so fussy. Found that to be funny. Not sure if i would go back. A bit to expensive if u ask me especially after 4pm.
J
John

27-Aug-2016

Fyll of lonely guys

Guys, looking, for others, not sure the person is there, so searching and searching for the right guy. Most knowing how to make it work. Very sad.
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Rodger

30-May-2016

Excellent - Spacious - Great Design

Accompanying friend, who last attended around 5 years ago, is highly impressed with the sauna's improvements, increased space, new black tiling throughout that is sophisticated looking and visually appealing. Excellent sauna well worth a visit to freshen up, relax, enjoy a snack while watching TV or going online and enjoy all the other facilities of a fantastic men's health club.
J
John

21-Mar-2016

Poor experience

Very poor experience. Neither set of showers were working properly - when we informed staff they were unconcerned and made no attempt to rectify the issue or provide a refund despite shower facilities being a basic need in a sauna. Lockers wee not secure - I tried the wrong locker by accident with my key and managed to open someone's eles's locker with all their belongings. Staff on duty were pretty poor and could do with customer care training. Atmosphere not great unless you want a social club - lots of guys sitting or standing and chatting! Not a place I will rush back to!
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Mark

5-Aug-2015

Appalling state

First of all great welcome, by the Romanian young fellow, very informative and what a shame. Renovation was going on and it was a right mess, entry charge £15, one shower right at the back and not been cleaned like forever, filthy cubicles, list is endless. I would suggest ringing in before visiting just to check if renovation is finished
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Micheal

1-Aug-2015

Basement

Went there this week 28th July 15 only to find both the sauna and steam closed off for refurbishment, whilst about time as they are grubby, entrance fee remaining at 15 quid is ludicrous! I would call them to check facilities are open before making the effort to go! There are other places. If refurb is still happening I would not bother.
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Andy

17-May-2015

A true complex

Well established and pleasant greeting on every visit. The 'refurbished' cabins are a bit strange. There are a handful of different sizes with high step into them (potential accidents?) - I'm not young and it's difficult to climb in and out. The 'new dark room with a circular table in is my favorite. There's been a crucial problem for the last couple of weeks where the floor by the showers is giving way - and dangerous. Not well marked or protected. This dates 17.5. am due back 18th.

Comments / Reviews are the subjective opinion of Travel Gay users, not of Travel Gay.