The Club Orlando (450 E. Compton St.) is a very popular place for men to meet and to relax. So popular, in fact, that staff and employees will be celebrating 20 years in business in 2017. Last time we spoke to Chip Braxton, manager at The Club Orlando, the venerable business had finished a year-long remodel. Now, just eighteen months later, even more changes are occurring. Don’t be sad, though: these changes are ensuring that everything is fresh and up-to-date.
One thing Braxton likes about The Club Orlando is that the experience is what you make of it. “People hear ‘bathhouse’ and think it’s just a place for sex, but a lot of our clients come here to meet friends, and they also have the chance to make new ones. Some people come during the lunch hour and bring their lunches to the pool deck. You can get whatever you like out of The Club,” he told me the last time we spoke.
I’m happy I had the chance to catch up with Chip Braxton and discuss The Club Orlando with him. He talked to me about what customers can expect from the business in its 20th year in this exclusive interview for Hotspots Central.
What do you think is the secret to The Club Orlando’s success?
Everyone really gets along here, all the different groups of people. It doesn’t matter what race you are, whether you’re in shape or out of shape, whether you’re younger or older, everyone is just very chill and laid-back and the prevailing sense of acceptance makes everyone feel good.
I also think the high level of customer service we provide makes the business successful. We want to make sure everyone has a great time, and we make sure we exceed everyone’s expectations. We also make sure we exceed expectations in the realm of cleanliness. You may hear “bathhouse” and not think of high standards in that regard, but we place a very high priority on that. We want people to enjoy themselves and to come back, and they do.
Tell us a little more about the diversity of your clientele. What types of customers do you see in a given week?
It varies by time, honestly. In the morning, the crowd is more mature, but as the day goes on, the crowd gets younger. By the evening, there are a lot of young people of all different body types. Then after the bars close, there will be lots of people coming in from the clubs. It’s amazing to me how everyone is friendly to one another and everyone coexists.
Last time we talked, The Club Orlando was finishing a year-long renovation. Tell us once again what was replaced, and how customers liked the changes.
We added three new rooms. One of the rooms is a TV viewing room with four 55-inch televisions, and two dark rooms behind that, and all of the rooms have been very well-received. We also added a maze, behind the theater, and it can get crowded in the evening hours, so people have really taken to it.
Are there any updates coming our way in 2017 that you’d like to tell us about?
We’re going to completely redo the cubicle area. We’re going to replace wall coverings and redo the lighting. We’re also going to revamp the hallway and also replace the tile in the showers. By the end of February, it’s going to look like a brand new place. Our goal is to ensure our customers always have something to look forward to when they return.
What do customers have to say about their overall experience at The Club Orlando?
We have people who come in, who haven’t been around in a while, and they tell me how surprised they are at how much has changed lately. Not only have we changed a lot in terms of the interior, there’s been an attitude change — for the better. It’s only helped to make everyone’s experiences even better.
For more information on The Club Orlando, including locker and room prices, visit club-orlando.com. For immediate assistance, call The Club Orlando directly (407) 425-5005. Press “0” for an attendant.
