Now that gay New Yorkers can tie the knot, there’s even more reason they should go all-out on a splashy honeymoon. But where to? We asked the experts for the top 10 gay-friendly getaway spots to celebrate coupledom.
CAPE TOWN
The same reasons that make Cape Town a favorite holiday destination — stunning beaches, dramatic mountains, excellent local wines, vibrant dining and nightlife scenes — also make it an ideal honeymoon spot. Especially for gay couples: There’s a large, openly gay population, same-sex marriage is legal in South Africa (since 2006) and the constitution safeguards LGBT rights.
When celebrity event designer Colin Cowie returns to his native country, he frequents the buzzy Grand Daddy Hotel: “The rooftop trailer park is unique — seven Airstream trailers were airlifted upstairs and handed over to artists and designers to rehab into guest rooms.” Its location is also key, notes Cowie, “within steps of the mixed clubbing, cruising and shopping of Long Street and the cultural sights of the City Bowl, as well as within walking distance of the Waterkant gayborhood.” (From $195 to $289 for Airstream suite; www.granddaddy.co.za)
If you’re looking for a quieter escape, Passport magazine’s Editor at Large, Andrew Mersmann, suggests MannaBay, a gay-owned, five-room guesthouse at the foot of the Table Mountain, “with an eclectic art collection, quirky/whimsical room designs and a genuine welcome.” Other niceties: a heated outdoor pool (with great views of the city and harbor), free airport transfers and daily high tea with homemade pastries. (From $145 to $578 for the palatial Versailles Suite; www.mannabay.com)
GET THE PACKAGE: Taj Cape Town is a 10-minute walk to gay-friendly Heritage Square and the Cape Quarter nightlife, and the hotel just signed a deal to be the host sponsor for Mr. Gay South Africa. “The Bachelor Romantic Escape” (the reality show’s last episode was filmed in SA) includes three nights’ accommodations, complimentary transportation in a Jaguar, dinner at the hotel’s Bombay Brasserie, couples’ spa treatments and daily breakfast. ($1,355 to $1,645; www.tajhotels.com)
LOS ANGELES
“Los Angeles has one of the largest, most vibrant, best-looking gay communities in the country,” claims HotelChatter and JustLuxe travel writer (and LA denizen) Eric Rosen. Why’s that? “There are a lot of actors!” There’s also plenty of variety for a honeymooning couple, no matter your interests. Some highlights? “Shopping the upscale boutiques of Roberston, grabbing coffee amongst the hipsters of Silver Lake and/or just hanging out on the beach,” says Rosen.
He recommends the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills: “Not only is it close to Weho’s BoysTown bars, but the Philippe Starck-designed luxury property is whimsical and fun and [it has] one of the most exciting restaurants in town, Jose Andres’ The Bazaar.”
Plus, the hotel has three LGBT Specialist concierges who can arrange for VIP reservations and complimentary transportation via BMW to sister property and gay nightlife hotspot, the Abbey. Or, just hang out and soak up the ambiance and views of Beverly Hills on the Altitude Pool Deck (stake a claim in one of the private cabanas equipped with a mini-bar, TV and DVD player).
GET THE PACKAGE: The “Savor Life Slowly” features breakfast for two, $50 credit for a spa service and a welcome amenity. (From $439; www.slshotels.com)
MEXICO CITY
“It’s a huge, throbbing metropolis!” is how John Polly, editor of Logo’s travel site TripoutTravel.com, characterizes this city of 21 million. Which means it’s a destination best suited to adventurous couples. “Not that it’s dangerous. But it’s for those who want the pulse and excitement of a crazy Latin American city,” Polly says. “And if you enjoy food — especially street food, this is the place.” Zona Rosa is home to many of the city’s gay bars, but Polly notes that the area is also “kinda cheesy.” For his money, the Condesa neighborhood is the best bet. “It’s hipster-meets-Soho, and exudes a stylish vibe that gay people respond to.”
It’s where you’ll find the Condesa df (one of three GrupoHabita hotels citywide), housed in a historic 1928 building but with a totally revamped, groovy interior. It’s been around for a decade, yet the slick Japanese/Mexican fusion restaurant and outdoor cocktail lounge overlooking the treetops still draw crowds.
Or head over to one of its sister properties, Hotel Habita, set in the Polanco district of leafy, tree-lined boulevards, chic boutiques and trendy restaurants. It boasts lots of open-air spaces, including a pool and Jacuzzi, a terrace with a bar and 12-foot-long fireplace, plus a spa and restaurant.
GET THE PACKAGE: At the three area GrupoHabita hotels: The “Sexy Weekend” includes one night’s accommodation, dinner for two (plus two free glasses of wine), a “sexy kit” and late checkout. ($195; www.grupohabita.mx)
BUENOS AIRES
Not only is Buenos Aires a top destination for fashion, design, dining and the arts, Argentina is the first (and only) South American country to legalize gay marriage. Writer Eric Rosen suggests starting your honeymoon adventure like a local — at a café. Try Pride, in San Telmo, which also functions as an ersatz gay tourist center, then browse the nearby antique shops. Pay homage to Evita at Casa Rosada (oh, that famous balcony), catch a performance at the Teatro Colon, dine on steak and Malbec (natch) at a parrilla and end your night on an intimate note, Rosen says, “dancing to tango at one of the myriad milongas.”
Retire to the Algodon Mansion, an intimate, 10-suite boutique hotel in a landmarked 1912 building with luxe trappings like a two-story waterfall cascading into the lobby, 24-hour butler service, a wine cellar, cognac bar and library bar, rooftop pool, a patio with a fireplace and landscaped gardens. Bonus: Every arriving guest gets a bottle of wine from the hotel’s sister property in Mendoza, Algodon Wine Estates.
GET THE PACKAGE: “One Magnificent Day, One Romantic Night” includes a welcoming glass of champagne and chocolates from the hotel’s pastry chef, an in-room wine-salt therapy bath, fresh-cut flowers and 6 p.m. check-out. (From $480; www.algodonmansion.com)
TEL AVIV
This part of the world doesn’t exactly welcome LGBTs with open arms, excepting Tel Aviv, which stands out as the gay capital of the Middle East. Among the official events: an annual pride parade (which attracted 100,000 people this past June) and a yearly International LGBT Film Festival.
In fact, Tel Aviv hotel owner Nitzan Perry notes that “the entire city, a mix of beach resort and urban life, is very gay, and you can constantly see same-sex couples walking hand-in-hand down the streets.” And he points out that since Israel is so small, you can get to important sites like Jerusalem’s Old City and the Dead Sea in less than two hours.
Perry and his husband, Leon (they married in Toronto), opened the Brown TLV Urban Hotel, with 30 designer rooms, less than a year ago. “The location is probably the best one in the city for gay nightlife, being within minutes from all major gay bars,” says Perry. It’s also ideally situated for a stroll through the romantic streets of the Neve Tzdedek quarter and the trendy Rothschild Boulevard lined with historic Bauhaus buildings, and just a 10-minute walk to the beach. Hotel amenities include free drinks and snacks, a rooftop sundeck and a spa with signature treatments, like the Brown Chocolate massage for two, with real chocolate.
GET THE PACKAGE: The “Urban Escape” includes a choice of couples massage, a bottle of Cava and breakfast for two at one of three area restaurants for $119 on top of any room rate. (From $195; www.browntlv.com)
DUNTON HOT SPRINGS, CO
Indulge your “Brokeback Mountain” fantasies at this resort, set deep in the Colorado wilderness in the San Juan range of the Rockies. “Though Dunton – or Colorado – may not come to mind as a gay destination, the resort welcomes and embraces couples of all orientations,” says general manager Edoardo Rossi.
The completely refurbished 1800s ghost town makes use of the original buildings, from log cabins (now 12 luxury accommodations) to the saloon (today an organic restaurant with locally sourced meat and produce and award-winning wines produced by the resort’s own Sutcliffe Vineyards). You can partake of spa treatments that employ natural ingredients, or just loll about in actual nature, in the multiple mineral hot springs surrounding the resort. Activities depend on the time of year, but can include horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, snow-shoeing, rafting and river fishing.
GET THE PACKAGE: The five-night “Honeymoon” package features accommodations for two, all meals and beverages, Champagne, flowers and chocolate-covered strawberries upon arrival, one-time in-cabin dining, two spa treatments per person, privately guided activities, unlimited use of sporting equipment and airport transfers. (From $4,385; www.duntonhotsprings.com)
SYDNEY
Long one of the world’s most gay-friendly destinations, Sydney is also heavenly for beach bums — with more than 60 pristine white-sand ocean and harbor beaches all easily accessible from the city. A handful appeal specifically to gay sunbathers, especially those who like to forgo swimsuits.
But there are plenty more attractions as well; writer Eric Rosen recommends the city’s “hopping restaurant scene, with daring young chefs improvising with indigenous Aussie ingredients, great shopping, a lively arts community putting on fascinating exhibitions and performances, and gay nightlife that rivals anywhere else in the world.” And if you need a break from all those urban pleasures, “it’s close to the beautiful Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley wine region.”
The 40-room Kirketon Hotel Sydney is set in the Darlinghurst district, home to many gay bars, but is also close to the Kings Cross rail station and buzzy Oxford Street.
GET THE PACKAGE: The “Ultimate Romance” gets you a complimentary room upgrade, Champagne, flowers and chocolates on arrival, breakfast for two at Le Petit Creme each morning, a massage and aroma spa bath for two at Zen Day Spa, and late checkout. (From $260/night, based on a two-night stay; www.8hotels.com)
TORONTO
Maybe the descriptions “comfortable,” “clean” and “nice” make our northern neighbor seem a bit dull, but Logo’s John Polly prefers to see the upside. “I find Canada in general so darn nice; it’s clean, the folks are kind, it’s completely stress-free.” And very gay-friendly; same-sex marriages have been legal nationwide since around 2003.
Its largest city, Toronto, is “groovy, smart, and arty,” thanks in large part to the Ontario College of Art and Design, says Polly. “King West Village has good shops and cool cafes [as well as the new Thompson hotel]; there’s great shopping around Queen Street West, and it’s also where you’ll find the Beaver Café, a hub of hipsterdom, with young folks coming for live music and artsy events.” He notes that the traditional gay neighborhood is around Church Street, “but you see people walking down the street holding hands all over the city.”
The Drake Hotel on Queen Street West exudes that coolness, with a restaurant, lounge, raw bar, year-round rooftop patio and the “Underground,” which hosts eclectic programming and live bands like MIA and Grizzly Bear.
GET THE PACKAGE: The “Shared Experience” includes one night’s accommodation, a one-hour, in-room couples’ massage, a bottle of wine and breakfast in bed. (From $509; www.thedrakehotel.ca)
BARCELONA
Entertaining expert Shawn Rabideau — a contributor to Celebrations.com and Bethenny Frankel’s wedding planner — is taking his skills overseas to Barcelona, staging a wedding for a newly joined NYC gay couple later this year. (Spain has allowed same-sex marriage since 2005.) “It’s such a forward-thinking city, with tons of stuff to do. It’s full of amazing art and architecture, along with incredible food,” he says. Oh yes, and it’s got a great beach scene.
In fact, sun-worshippers might want to check out the oceanfront W Barcelona, situated near the famous gay stretch of sand Mar Bella. Book a Spectacular Suite, with a spacious private terrace, for panoramic (and very romantic) Mediterranean and cityscape views. There’s also a Bliss spa and rooftop pool and bar. (From $378; www.w-barcelona.com)
Rabideau bunks at Hotel Axel Barcelona (a well-known gay-friendly European chain), in Gaixample (a nickname for the gay part of town). “It’s got lovely details and I adore [the] look, the feel, the style of it. And gays love to be pampered. This hotel is it.”
GET THE PACKAGE: The “I Feel Loved” at Hotel Axel gets you a “welcome ritual” at the spa, a free upgrade to a premium room, in-room breakfast and dinner, a “romantic” in-room bath, a bottle of Champers with strawberries and late checkout. (From $395; www.axelhotels.com)
CATSKILLS
Now that gays can get married in New York, why shouldn’t they celebrate their honeymoon here, too? Just 2½ hours from the city in the Catskills, in the township of Roxbury, the Roxbury hotel offers a romantic, if a bit quirky, way to commemorate the occasion. “Being a gay couple ourselves,” says hotel co-owner Greg Henderson, “we understand you want to go somewhere that you are going to feel comfortable and accepted.”
Rooms in this former motor lodge were designed with cinematic or television icons in mind, and two are particularly suited to romance. There’s the Golightly-a-Go-Go, awash in Tiffany blue — from the walls to the bedding to the blue-tiled bathroom — and the Amadeus’ Bride suite, which, Henderson notes, was “purposefully designed for honeymooners.” The dual-level room features 20-foot ceilings, 18k gold leaf moldings, 27 mirrors reflecting an enormous Austrian crystal chandelier and a two-person soaking tub.
The surrounding area is teaming with outdoor activities: kayaking, hiking, skiing and horseback riding among them. Or, just wander among the rustic Adirondack-style bridges and gazebos of Roxbury’s 11-acre Kirkside Park any time of year.
GET THE PACKAGE: “Rad Romance at The Roxbury” includes a bottle of Champagne, fresh flowers and a gourmet cheese platter upon welcome; a couples massage at the on-site Shimmer Spa; and full tasting menu dinner at the gourmet Peekamoose Restaurant for $454 on top of any room rate. (Rates start at $99; www.theroxburymotel.com)