The Boilerhouse is Dublin's only gay sauna and the largest men-only bathhouse in Ireland, on Crane Lane in Temple Bar. It opened in 1997 on a site that had held a sauna called The Gym since 1979.
Five floors hold a dry sauna, a steam room, a hydro pool, showers, private cabins, an adult cinema, a play area and a swing area, plus a coffee bar and a smoking area on the first floor. Lockers, towels and flip-flops come with entry, and condoms and lubricant are provided. Cabins can be rented overnight, booked by email in advance.
Entry is men only and 18+, with photo ID required. The sauna states that transgender men are welcome. Nobody is expected to take part in anything, and staff do not give tours, so a first visit is a matter of walking around at your own pace.
MPower runs free rapid HIV testing on the premises with no entry fee required, and there is a regular PrEP clinic in partnership with St James's Hospital.
