It’s way too early for a full review of Hot Lips Soi Cowboy, but Thailand Inner Circle hit the Neon Alley’s newest go-go bar and came away with a good first impression.
The TIC crew does a lot of reviews of go-go bars and nightlife venues in Bangkok. But having only opened in mid-November, a review of Hot Lips Soi Cowboy would not be fair. We usually like to give a new go-go bar three months or so to get fully up and running before sizing them up and sharing our experiences.
With that in mind, we at TIC are going to share our first impressions of Hot Lips Soi Cowboy with you.
The Hot Lips Soi Cowboy Space
The full renovation of what was most recently Stumble Inn Soi Cowboy extends all the way from the street and the steps leading onto the deck to the back of the bar.
When entering, the first thing that struck us about Hot Lips Soi Cowboy was the red; lots of red mixed with black for a slick look that let us know we had arrived.
With single stadium seating on the right and double stadium seating on the left, the plush-looking red velvet, high-backed seating is inviting and as comfortable as it looks. And, when seated in the second row, it provides a level of privacy for those times when a dude is enjoying the company of an entertainer.
For those who wish for a more up-close-and-personal experience, the stageside seating puts you as close to the action as you can get.
The Stage
Now let’s talk about that stage. It is much lower and narrower than most of the stages we’ve encountered in Soi Cowboy. Two main advantages of this are that the dancers are much closer to those sitting stageside – much closer. The next, and probably largest impact is this gave the designers a lot more floor area to work with and this extra space has been put to good use feeding into the place feeling large and roomy all the way around.
The Atmosphere
The next thing we noticed was that Hot Lips Soi Cowboy lacks that smoky smell that settles into a place over time. This is good news all around as there is no smoking allowed inside. This is a standout choice that seems to be a growing trend in the area. (Not to mention it’s actually the law in Thailand). This also means we got to fully take in that “new go-go bar smell” and it was great.
Some clubs, like Crazy House, are brighter inside; that serves its purpose but it’s more than many of us prefer. Thankfully, this is not the case in Hot Lips.
Like everything else the lighting at Hot Lips Soi Cowboy is new and looks like they put a lot of thought into it and the resulting mood that it creates adds to the overall vibe. It’s bright enough to see everything we came to see yet dim enough that when sitting in the back row it feels private. Mission accomplished.
The Girls
Alright, so let’s get to the literal meat of the matter: the girls.
During our Dec. 6 visit, which was not lengthy, we saw five girls on stage and four sitting with customers. The night was still young and it looked like girls were continuing to arrive now and again.
This is a situation that all girly bars and go-go bars face: Building an all-new lineup from scratch takes time. With that in mind, the girls were cute and all looked like they were under 30. That tells us they are building a lineup that will get the guys to show up over and over again.
Wrap Up
Overall, the team at Hot Lips Soi Cowboy has brought the club a long way from its pub days as Stumble Inn and The Oasis. They are still doing some fit-out work that appears to be mostly cosmetic and we’re looking forward to the deck being outfitted and ready to use.
So, the next time you’re on Soi Cowboy, dip into Hot Lips Soi Cowboy, take in that “new go-go bar smell”, have a few drinks, enjoy the company of the girls and then let us know what your thoughts are and what kind of experience you had.
That’s all I got for today, it’s your boy JC, peace out!
