The Las Vegas Courtesan

I stopped into Bella’s Ranch first since it was the nicer looking of the two brothels, and I also couldn’t forget Amanda Brooks’ and Mariko Passion’s stories about working there a few years ago. I walked in and found the bar lively with truckers, girls drinking, and guys who generally wanted to get out of the cold weather and into a warm bar. This was one place that I noticed the girls were actually socializing with the clients instead of keeping their distance like at some of the other houses I visited along the way. The bartendress was very friendly, and like I mentioned earlier, very helpful on the phone. She immediately had a line-up formed of four girls (normally more but the approaching holidays had some girls already leaving town to go home), and I got a tour from one of the girls. The building is similar to most of the brothels in Nevada: manufactured home or trailers pieced together which creates a somewhat confusing layout of the place. The interior was a little dated but not nearly as dated as Donna’s next door. They feature a jacuzzi room that was large and clean, one of the more (perhaps the most) professional looking fetish/bondage rooms I saw on the entire tour, and massage room. Besides the special VIP rooms mentioned, the girls have their own rooms in which they live and have fun in.

At this brothel you discuss private matters in their room after the tour, and I noticed they are more centered on selling time more than selling each act or fetish. Of course every girl was different and the two girls I talked to were very nice, accommodating, and willing to work things out.

Donna’s Ranch is the only other brothel located in Wells besides Bella’s, but also has a location in Battle Mountain approximately 120 miles to the West on I-80. This brothel is yet another one that claims to be the oldest brothel in operation in Nevada like the one in Ely, but this one boasts operation since the late 1800’s. I don’t know who really wins the oldest brothel contest, Donna’s or the Big Four Ranch. I guess they will have to duke that one out with the historians. 

As I entered the brothel I got a real uncomfortable vibe from the bartender and got a slight eye roll when asking for the line up. I think I had to repeat myself and then some other male patrons in the bar piped up wanting to see the girls as well instead of just drinking their beers alone. I don’t know if it was the fact that they only had two girls working that evening or what exactly was going on, but at last the girls came out and introduced themselves. The tour consisted of a little history of the brothel, mostly boasting about the old owner Jack Dempsey and showing the small room that he used to stay in. I’m guessing all of the girls of these brothels get a little training on the history of the brothel and what to tell potential clients on the tour so they have something interesting to talk about along the way back to their rooms. The girl took me back to her room, where she stays and entertains, to discuss any private details and pricing. This was one girl who didn’t negotiate at all, and really didn’t want to hear what I had to say or what budget I was wanting to spend. It was her semi-high half hour rate or nothing. When I tried speaking to work things out she cut me off and said, “Well thanks for coming by Donna’s!” I guess I will just see myself out, then!

Of course you can’t judge any brothel by one individual girl’s demeanor, but I really didn’t care for Donna’s after that. I did make note that they had a jacuzzi VIP room, but not much else. If I had the choice between the two and was stuck in Wells, I’d pick Bella’s first.

Ely is the first town you come to when going northeast out of Las Vegas that have licensed brothels. It was once a thriving mining town but is now a quiet city with a large main street that runs through the center of town that’s lined with older buildings and casinos. The two brothels, The Stardust Ranch and Big Four Ranch, are surprisingly right off of the main street drag, but tucked away in a western corner of town. One of the ladies I spoke with said that even though the houses are in town, they are in an area that people would know what you were doing on this side of town if they saw you driving through since the street dead ends not too far past the Big Four Ranch. I was unsure from looking online as to which brothels were still in operation in Ely, but found that two are currently open and definitely the third, the Green Lantern Brothel, is closed but for sale. I didn’t realize how many brothels along the way would be dressed up mobile homes or manufactured homes pieced together, but the two in Ely are actual brick and mortar buildings.

There was something about the darkness of the night and the bright red lights at both houses that were reflecting off of the ice on the ground that I liked visually. It really gave me the sense of the old western town that still had it’s brothels in town, though tucked away, like it was originally a hundred years ago.

 I was unsure about the status of the Stardust Ranch since it had been closed previously, but had reopened three years ago under a new owner (this sort of ownership change seems pretty common in the brothels across the state). From the front it looks like a regular simple bar to hang out in that is open until around midnight to 2am depending on the crowd, but has a 24hour side door with a doorbell for after hour patrons who are curious to see a girl. The manager at this brothel was very nice and really made me feel comfortable and welcome. I got a tour from the one girl who was there (apparently another girl was on her way from Vegas to work), and she explained to me how interested patrons can get a massage in the massage room while she can negotiate her prices for a party. Though there seems to be no actual negotiation room (like some brothels are required due to local regulations), this is just a method she chooses to relax the clients before carrying on in a different room with a bed. I was also showed a VIP room with a Jacuzzi that I frankly would be scared of stepping foot in. Eek!

The house is small and quaint even with the bar, but seems like it would be easy to stop in at both Ely brothels just to relax and have a drink before you decide if you want to partake in fun with a lady.