Manticore Spa is a men-only sauna and social venue on the top floor of 2 Union Street in Plymouth city centre, in a building it shares with a Genting Casino . It is not a spa in the conventional hotel or wellness sense. It is a gay sauna, also known as a bathhouse, and it has operated since 2013 . This guide covers what the venue actually is, its facilities, opening hours, entry costs, and the practical details about access that you will not find on the street.
What Manticore Spa Is and Who It Is For
Manticore Spa describes itself as a safe, clean environment for “men of all ages, shapes and sizes to relax and play” . It is Plymouth’s only gay sauna and is listed as the busiest sauna in the South West Peninsula . The venue is adults-only and men-only. Naturism is encouraged, so visitors should expect to see naked men walking around .
The company behind the venue is Manticore Spas Limited, a private limited company incorporated on 15 March 2013, registered at 2 Union Street, Plymouth, PL1 2SR . Its SIC code is 93290, “Other amusement and recreation activities not elsewhere classified” .
How to Find the Entrance
The entrance is deliberately discreet, and this is the detail that catches first-time visitors out. The venue is on the top floor of the building shared with Genting Casino, but it is invisible from the street . You need to go to the rear of the building, to the ground-floor glass door in Colin Campbell Court car park, and press the buzzer marked Manticore Spa . The Plymouth Herald noted in 2019 that the only sign it exists is the name on the buzzer at the rear of the building .
If you are walking down Union Street looking for a spa entrance, you will not find one. Head for the car park at the back.
Facilities Inside
The venue is around 4,000 square feet and includes a hardwood sauna for about twelve people, a steam room for around twenty-five, private cabins, a cinema room with tiered seating, showers, and a fully licensed bar . One listing describes the steam room as one of the largest in UK gay saunas . There is also a chill-out lounge with a view across the city towards Cornwall .
Towels and lockers are provided free of charge. You keep your own locker key during your visit . Condoms and lube are freely available, provided in conjunction with The Eddystone Trust along with literature on safer sex .
Opening Hours and Entry Prices
Opening hours vary by source and by day. The most detailed listing, updated in July 2025, gives Monday and Tuesday 12:00 to 18:00, Wednesday and Thursday closed, Friday 12:00 to 02:00, and Saturday 12:00 to 04:00 . A separate listing adds Sunday 12:00 to 18:00 . A Plymouth City Council licensing record from 2014 shows permitted hours for Friday and Saturday until 04:00 and Sunday until 22:00, but that is an old record of a temporary event notice and should not be treated as current .
Entry prices from a 2019 report were between £10 and £14 for individual visits, with a three-day pass at £30 and a week pass at £50. Discounted rates were available for younger men and military personnel . These figures are several years old and should be confirmed by phone on 01752 226706 before you travel .
Photo ID is required, and anyone who looks under 25 will be asked for it .
Events and Atmosphere
Manticore hosts event nights including naked parties, blackout nights, underwear and jock nights, a social for trans women and their admirers, and a night aimed at straight and bi men . Reviews on travel listings describe the atmosphere as friendly and the venue as clean, with one reviewer noting that the staff were “really friendly” and the facilities clean, though “there isn’t anything flashy about this spa” . Another described it as a “very safe place to dress and relax” .
The venue has worked with Devon and Cornwall Police’s diverse communities team on hate crime towards the LGBT community in Plymouth .
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Manticore Spa in Plymouth?
Manticore Spa is on the top floor of 2 Union Street, Plymouth, PL1 2SR, in the building shared with Genting Casino. The entrance is at the rear, through the ground-floor glass door in Colin Campbell Court car park, where you press the Manticore Spa buzzer .
What are the opening hours for Manticore Spa?
Listings give Monday and Tuesday 12:00 to 18:00, Wednesday and Thursday closed, Friday 12:00 to 02:00, Saturday 12:00 to 04:00, and Sunday 12:00 to 18:00. Hours can vary, so call 01752 226706 to confirm before travelling .
How much does Manticore Spa cost?
A 2019 report listed individual entry at £10 to £14, with a three-day pass at £30 and a week pass at £50. Discounts were available for younger men and military personnel. These prices are several years old and should be confirmed directly with the venue .
Is Manticore Spa a gay sauna?
Yes. Manticore Spa is Plymouth’s only gay sauna, a men-only venue with a sauna, steam room, private cabins, cinema room and licensed bar. Naturism is encouraged, and the venue describes itself as a space for men of all ages, shapes and sizes.
