Sex clubs and swingers clubs, city by city

A gentlemen's club is a place to watch. Dancers perform stage shows through the evening, and guests can ask for private dances, which take place in a separate area. Each club sets its own house rules, and those rules bind guests as much as staff. A dancer decides whom she dances for, contact follows the rules of the house, and taking photos inside is generally not done.

A swingers club works differently. It is a meeting place for adults who want the same kind of evening: couples, single women and single men, depending on the night. The club charges for entry and the bar. Nothing that happens between guests is part of that price. What two or more people choose to do together is their own decision, made with clear agreement on all sides, and anyone can change their mind at any moment.

Both kinds of venue appear on this page because people often look for them together. They answer different wishes, though. One is an evening of performance; the other is an evening of meeting people.

New York has the widest choice on this page, with 22 gentlemen's clubs and 6 swingers clubs. London follows with 11 gentlemen's clubs and 5 swingers clubs, and Prague lists 11 and 3. Las Vegas is the one city here where swingers clubs outnumber gentlemen's clubs, with 8 against 5.

Budapest has 7 gentlemen's clubs and 2 swingers clubs. Denver lists 5 and 2, and Chicago has 3 gentlemen's clubs and 1 swingers club.

In the remaining cities our listings are gentlemen's clubs. Athens has 7 of them and Warsaw has 5.

Lisbon and Da Nang have 4 each, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City have 3 each, and Madrid has 2.

Open a city card on this page to see every club we list in that city. If you are travelling, check the city you will actually be staying in, since a short trip across town is easier to plan than a long ride back late at night.

A little reading before your first evening makes the night easier. Our guide to your first gentlemen's club visit walks through arriving, watching the stage and asking for a private dance. For the other kind of night, read about a first visit to a swingers club before you go.

The sex club etiquette guide sets out the manners that apply in both kinds of club. Couples planning a night out together can turn to our guide to adult venues for couples.

The short version fits in a few lines:

• Ask before you touch anyone, every time.
• Treat a no, a shake of the head or a step back as a final answer.
• Keep your phone in your pocket and never photograph other guests.
• Drink at a pace that keeps you clear headed.
• Follow staff instructions without argument.

Every club on this page is a listing in our directory. We show what we know about each club and point you to its own contact details. You arrange your visit with the club directly, and any payment happens between you and the club, never through us.

A featured listing is a paid placement. It gives a club a more visible spot, and it says nothing about quality compared with the other listings. On this page there is currently one featured club, in Denver. Club owners who want that kind of placement can read about featured placement for venues.

If you want to know what we look at before a club goes live, our page on how we check the venues we list explains the process. Should something on a listing be out of date, contact the club first, then let us know so we can correct it.

Before you go, send a message or make a call to the club if you have questions about entry, tables or the evening's programme. Bring photo ID, since you may be asked for it at the door. Check the dress code too: smart casual is a sensible default when you are unsure, and sportswear is best left at home.

Inside, take a seat, order a drink and watch the stage for a while. There is no need to rush. If you would like a private dance, ask a dancer politely or ask the staff. Agree on the price of the dance before it starts and ask how payment works, and bring some cash as a backup in case card payment is not possible.

During a dance, keep your hands where the house rules say they belong. If you are unsure, assume no touching. A dancer can decline or stop at any point, and that decision is hers. Be friendly with the bar staff and the people at the door, and leave when you are ready without fuss. Good guests are the ones people are happy to see again.

Swingers clubs often organise their week into different nights. Contact the club ahead and ask who the night you have in mind is open to: couples, single women, single men or a mix. Ask too if a membership or a first-time registration is needed, and what the dress code is. Some nights have a theme, and it helps to know before you arrive.

On arrival, expect to show ID and pay the entry. Take your time after that. Have a drink at the bar, look around the shared areas and talk to people. Watching and chatting is a perfectly good first evening, and nobody is owed anything for showing interest.

Everything rests on consent. Ask before you approach a couple or a guest, accept a polite no with good grace, and never assume that one yes covers the whole night. If a person says stop, you stop. Staff are there to keep the evening pleasant for everyone, so if something feels wrong, speak to them.

Couples get the most out of a first visit by talking beforehand. Agree on what each of you is comfortable with, what is off the table, and a simple signal that means it is time to leave. Check in with each other during the evening, and keep to what you agreed even if the mood of the room is tempting you further. Our couples guide goes into more detail.

Going alone is common at gentlemen's clubs, and a solo evening there needs no special planning beyond the house rules and the dress code. At swingers clubs it is different for single men, since many nights are arranged around couples. Ask the club which nights welcome single guests before you set out, and respect the answer if a night is closed to you.

Single women, couples and single guests alike should keep the same basics in mind: arrive sober enough to make good decisions, keep your belongings close, and leave whenever you want to.

Can I book a club through this directory? No. We take no bookings and no payments. Contact the club directly using the details on its listing.

What does the entry fee pay for at a swingers night? It pays for access to the club and its bar. Anything between guests happens by mutual agreement and is never part of any price.

Can I go along as a single man? That depends on the club and the night. Ask the club before you go which nights are open to single guests.

What should I wear? Check the club's dress code first. When in doubt, choose smart casual clothing and skip sportswear.

Which city on this page has the most clubs? New York, with 22 gentlemen's clubs and 6 swingers clubs. Las Vegas has the most swingers clubs, with 8.