In case this information was overlooked, buried as it was in the previous thread I started about catching an STD from a provider with an exclusive upscale service, I want to make this clear for everyone's health and safety.

The name of the brothel where I caught genital herpes (while practicing safe sex and using condoms 100% of the time) is the Viking Exotic Resort in the Caribbean.

I can't say they knowingly allowed one of their providers to work with a STD (genital herpes).

I can't say that any of the three providers I was with knowingly infected me. My best guess is that another guest probably infected one of the girls I was with prior to my visit and she was in her initial highly infectious phase during my time with her and unknowingly infected me. It must have been through skin to skin contact or contact with vaginal fluids. The site of the infection is above and to the left of my penis in an area of unbroken skin...no cut or scrap, no scratch or pimple.

All I know is that I had never had an STD before my vacation (after 15 years in the hobby) and I had a clean bill of health. One week after I come back, I'm sick with the initial phase of a genital herpes infection...open running sore, fever and other flu-like symptoms. My doctor placed my exposure to the virus during the previous week (while I was at the Viking Villa). I hadn't been with any other partners (providers or otherwise) in more than five weeks prior to my trip.

The Viking Villa is not cheap. It offers a GFE experience with 24-hour companionship. It's supposed to be very exclusive and upscale. It's been featured on Playboy TV and in a host of men's magazines. You can even buy a video about what the Viking experience is all about from a variety of places, including Amazon.com. It's supposed to be safe and discreet and it's clientle is supposedly successful and responsible executives, professionals and the like.

It didn't live up to my expectations (it wasn't horrible but it wasn't the experience of a lifetime), and on top of it all, I caught herpes while I was there. And, I don't believe I'm the only one who has been exposed to the virus there. All three girls I was with are still listed as being available at the villa. And, I came back home on Thanksgiving. I emailed the owner last Wednesday and again last Friday. Maybe they just haven't updated their website. They have been booked solid with several special events. But, for all I know the infected girl(s) could still be working and putting other guests at risk.

Let the buyer beware. You may get less than you bargained for. Or, you might get more than you bargained for. I'm just glad I don't have to explain my herpes infection to a wife or steady girlfriend. And, I'm grateful it's not a life-threatening disease. But, I'll never be able to have sex or any intimate contact with anyone else from now one without putting them at some amount of risk. The virus can even be spread with skin to skin contact between outbreaks. I guess I'll have to find a girlfriend who's also got herpes. I don't want to put a provider at risk and I don't know if I'd want to be with a provider who willingly serves the herpes community.

If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't have gone to Viking. I would have went to Montreal and snuggled with a lovely French Canadian girl in some nice cozy hotel room with a fireplace. Or, I would have gone to Nevada. Or, had a big name provider fly in to see me.

This wasn't the 40th birthday present I bargained for.

If you've been to Viking in the last month with the current crew of girls, I urge you to go get tested and make sure you're okay. Some people have no symptoms or only minor symptoms when infected with genital herpes. Other people have stronger symptoms, like I did.

If you're thinking about going to Viking, think longer and harder before you make the deposit and book your airfare.

Maybe I'm just unlucky, but do you want to take that chance?

i am sorry to hear such a aweful out come ...I heard a similar story from another Hobbiest a few months ago..
i know your story has woke me up...

I'm interested to know...Beside's the fact that you caught an STD ( Which does suck, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes there was something I could do) How was the resort in general? You mentioned that It didn't live up to your expectations. What was the service like? How were the girls? The website certainly makes it out to be a once in a lifetime experience. I'm just curious. There are other services on the web that offer the same thing and I have been very curious of these places. If anyone else can offer some advice or experience that would be great.

Thanks for stepping up and revealing where you picked it up from.  Even given your alternatives, there isn't a guarantee that you couldn't have gotten it from them either.  This hobby can be a crapshoot when it comes to this and "You pays your money, you takes your chances".

The Viking was high on my list of things to try but it just slipped a few rungs down the ladder.

Good luck and I hope everything goes well for you.

Since I am a shy person who doesn't particular enjoy threesomes, I decided to spend the money on model like ladies in NYC and London.

Sorry about your situation.  I think in the not too far future, there would be cure or more power treatment for herpes.  Since it is not located in the genital area, you might be able to cover it up for sex purpose.  Don't know whether it is possible to do so.  Might ask your physician about that and see if that works.

Take care and best wishes.

Here's what I said about my experience prior to the onset of the herpes infection. I wrote the following on Nov. 29.
_______________________________________________________________

Just got back from spending 5 days/4 nights at Viking's standard villa on the Birthday Boy Package.
It was definitely a mixed experience for me.

Neither the current standard villa or the current executive villa are the villa seen in Viking's video or in the Playboy TV segment. Neither has direct access to a private beach. To get to the beach you have to walk down the street to a long rocky, muddy path through tall weeds and brush. The room was small. It didn't even include a chair. The air conditioner had no thermostat, only an on/off switch. It was either too hot or too cold. Mornings were noisy with taxis and cars arriving and departing.

The breakfast buffet was weak with only the made-to-order omelets being to my liking. Lunches were better. Dinners were very good. The staff was friendly and helpful. The girls were, as a whole attractive and playful. The water in the pool was pretty cold (maybe it's the time of the year).

I spent my time with 3 different companions and had 3 very different experiences. All three were fairly attentive and affectionate to varying degrees in public. Behind closed doors, they were very different. One was a real dud. She was always too tired or too drunk or it was too early. No FK let alone DFK. No full service. Only a little oral and manual action and partial penetration. Very frustrating and disappointing. Plus, I ended up with her for not just my first night, but my second night and they wouldn't give me a refund for my time stuck with her.

Another was very romantic and passionate, but apparently she had been riden hard recently and was very sore. Multiple cups were not available back to back. She loved kissing and was very enthusiastic about DFK sitting by the pool, after dinner, at the disco, in taxis and in the bedroom. Even with her discomfort she was very energetic and my time with her was pretty satisfying, but I was dissappointed that we didn't have more encounters, and to make matter worse, she became ill on my last night after we had retired. But all-in-all she was wonderful inspite of her limitations. Making her cum was so much fun and in the afterglow she gave quite a bear hug. Unfortunately she was also more sensitive after cumming and her discomfort was even worse then.

The third companion was the best. With #2 taking ill, she stepped in and entertained me for a couple hours before my flight left on my last day. She had the sweetest smile on her face the whole time we were together. She made me feel very special...like she was genuinely happy to be with me. Passionate DFK, multiple positions, no pain or discomfort. She was very tender and giving. She bathed me, massaged me. And, after the shower we lay in each others arms on the bed and kissed like teenagers. The time flew by and I had to scramble to get dressed to catch my flight.

As for my birthday threesome, it never happened. There weren't enough girls on my first or second night. We tried to set it up on the third night but one of the girls who was to participate became ill that afternoon. Anyway, there were only two girls while I was there that seemed to be truly bisexual with each other and they were occupied at the executive villa. It seemed like a crap shoot to try a forced threesome, so I stuck with girl #2 when it was offered again on my last night. I didn't know she was going to get sick.

If I had spent my entire trip with girl #2 (and she hadn't gotten sick or hadn't been so sore) or with girl #3, I think I would have been very happy overall, but the experience with girl #1 and the fact that I missed the opportunity to switch girls because a group of us didn't get back from Ocean World in time for cocktails and dinner that second night really put a damper on things. I guess I should have told the management that I wanted to switch on the second morning and spent the day by myself in order to have made the switch to another girl that second night. Instead, I spent the day with girl #1 and the group that went to Ocean World and we got back late and I missed my chance to get to know one of the other girls and switch. I gave it my best shot. Part of me hoped that girl #1 would be more at ease after we spent more time together and that the second night might improve, but it didn't.

As things played out, my trip to the Viking villa didn't live up the promise of the "ultimate erotic experience" and I don't feel I got my money's worth overall. Next time, I want to spend this much, I think just I'll fly in a big name provider for a 24-hour date. I probably would have gotten as much action in 24 hours with one of the known GFE providers as I got in 4 nights at Viking.
______________________________________________________________

Rightly or wrongly the second girl's soreness (an internal sore maybe?) and flu-like illness with swollen lymph glands makes me suspect that I caught it from her. Because I don't want to believe that she knowingly infected me, I want to think that some idiot guest infected her about a week prior to my visit and she hit the peak infectious stage of the initial herpes infection on my second evening with her. But, who knows?

-- Modified on 12/12/2003 11:58:23 PM

-- Modified on 12/13/2003 12:04:41 AM

-- Modified on 12/13/2003 4:00:53 PM

Several years ago they had catamaran cruises, and did not offer the resort. I tried them at that time.

My experience was better than Anonymous One's (I think they stopped doing the catamaran trips because they took more effort to arrange).

But I would agree with him: I'd prefer a weekend with an ATF.

...I am truly sorry...but I wonder about 2 things. First, you mentioned that 2 of the providers were 'sick'...bad sign perhaps.  Secondly, I wonder if the odds of catching something like this would be higher than any other provider experience...could it be that state-side providers are more health aware?

Rather than taking so much time slamming the Viking...you should take accountability for your own actions and realize that you could have contracted herpes from ANY provider. That's the risk you're willing to take whenever you have "relations" with a stranger. 30% of the population is infected with herpes according to national statistics. Always keep that in mind.

EVERYONE needs to be aware of risks and weigh their options before diving in!

Have fun & be safe!

I can't prove that the owners there did anything negligent that lead to my catching herpes. I can't prove that any of the providers intentionally exposed me to the virus. But, nethertheless, I was infected.

Sure every encounter comes with risk. But I would have been less suprised if I had caught this some other way in some other place. Their whole pitch is that it's very private and exclusive and discrete and safe. That their girls are with a lot fewer guests than typical sex workers. That their cliente  are successful and responsible and are not drunk and rowdy and are not likely to bring diseases to the resort.

Maybe I am just unlucky. Maybe I'm the only one who got infected. I just hope all the girls got a proper medical screening after I emailed them with my diagnosis. I have no idea what medical care is like on the island. I hope the outbreak was contained and as few people as possible were exposed. I hope we don't see more guys who stayed there post that they caught it too.

And, again, I repeat, if you've been there in the last month or so with the current crew of girls, I urge you to go get tested and make sure you're okay. Safe sex doesn't guarantee that you're protected from catching herpes. Any skin to skin contact can spread the disease if the virus is present in one of the partner's skin in the areas that touch. Open sores don't have to be present. Body fluids on unbroken skin can also spread it.

In the interest of providers safety, does this mean you are now leaving the hobby?

Laura

One girl who spent most her time with the guys in the executive villa had emrgency dental work while I was there. I don't know the details. Her friend, who management was trying to set me up with as part of my birthday threesome, was ill on my third day and was unavailable. I don't know any other details. When I saw her on my fourth day, she was quiet and subdued and looked tired but had not obvious symptoms of any kind...no coughing or sneezing, no swollen lymph nodes or anything like that. It may have been unrelated.

The girls there are supposedly in good health and tested for STDs before they come to work, but who knows.

All I know is that I've been in the hobby for about 15 years and never caught anything from any provider here in the States. I spend big bucks for a safe discrete adventure in the Caribbean and I come home with GH. Go figure. Life's a crap shoot.

Would you knowingly put clients at risk? I won't knowingly put providers at risk.

I have to live with the fact that I can't be sexual or intimate with any partner without putting them at some amount of risk of getting infected. The sores don't have to be present to spread it. A condom isn't enough protection, especially where the site of my infection is located. It's not covered by a condom.

I guess my resolution for 04 will be to find a steady girlfriend with GH so that it won't be an issue between us and we can have a sex life together without worrying about infecting her.

-- Modified on 12/13/2003 5:33:25 PM

As a newcomer to the hobby, can one expect a provider to be open about having herpes?  Should one ask, or simply assume that one would either be warned or the provider would not be active? Would concerned providers ask me, and if not, is it because an honest answer is not expected?

Didn't someone post about a doctor in Mexico that has some sort of treatment?

From what I've learned in the past week or so, GH is more common than we want to think or believe. It can be very infectious or moderately infectious or hardly infectious at all. A lot depends on the stage of the infection in the carrier. Initial outbreaks are the most infectious. My doctor says over time outbreaks usually become less severe and happen less and less and sometimes stop altogether, eventhough the virus may still be dormant in the carrier and that person may still be a some risk to spread the virus. Sores or ulcers don't have to be present to spread it. Mucous membranes don't have to come in contact with the virus t spread it. Skin to skin contact can spread it. Body fluids on unbroken skin can spread it. Condoms don't provide enough protection because other parts of your body can get infected. And to make matter worse, some people have no symptoms at all when they're infected or symptoms that are so minor that they mistake them for other things like razor burn or insect bites or a pimple.

The hobby has more risks than I ever realized. I always thought safe sex as pretty damn safe. I've learned a hard lesson. Take care and be safe.

Here's a link to the National Institute of Health's Fact Sheet on GH. I urge everyone to read it.

-- Modified on 12/14/2003 4:53:02 PM

Thank you Anonymous One,
I commend your decision to refrain from putting others at risk. I would do the same. Good luck in your search for a compatible companion.
Sincerely,
Laura

Deviant Liquid Latex. Paint this stuff on. Should protect you.

Unless it's tested and approved to prevent transmission of STDs why would you want to risk it? If I was the uninfected partner, I wouldn't trust it. And, as I'm still sick with my initial herpes outbreak, I don't wish this on anybody.

I'm not surprised to read your post. I'm sure there are many others who just don't know about TER or don't bother to post here.

I know how you feel regarding your STD from Viking's as I also was exposed to genital herpes while on vacation there. I always wore a condom but was still infected just like you.

I was pretty disappointed in the whole experience as it is not at all what they market it to be but this certainly put the icing on the cake. Their website is very well done and sold me on the idea and two of the girls I was with were very nice. But while the people are friendly there it was obvious they have no clue on how to run a business in general. I am a CEO of a major company and can tell you they are not organized at all once you get there.

I had not been with anyone for almost 2 months prior to this trip. I got home and a couple days later started running a fever and breaking out as well. I went to my doctor where I was diagnosed with genital herpes.

Let me say this as I've read several posts where people claim you take risks no matter where you go or what provider you see. While I would agree, I also would say that in an brothel such as this I would expect the girls to be tested on a regular basis and is one of the reasons I chose to go there. I even asked this of them prior to booking my trip and they confirmed all girls are regularly tested. If you read their FAQ page it says the girls are also tested.

But I did get the email of two of the girls I was with before leaving and have since emailed them since they returned home. Both girls confirmed they had never been tested before being hired and had never been tested during their stay. They also told me that none of the girls had ever been required to be tested while there. They both claimed they had no signs of genital herpes but I did encourage them to be tested right away knowing that some people also never show symptoms.

The Ukraine where these girls are from I later learned has one of the highest STD and HIV rates in the world and is considered an epidemic there.

You all will have to make up your own mind but I would strongly encourage you to frequent a place that is regulated like in Nevada and where they take the matter of testing seriously. The people at Viking are in the business of making money and even when I told them seemed to care less. I only asked that they get the girls tested but the girls not only continued working for several more weeks after I left but they confirmed with me they never were tested before or during their stay.

I just hope this makes you think before booking your sex vacation at Viking's.