LGBTQ+ Travel Guides, Gay Bars & Hotels Worldwide

Hostal Boutique Khronos is proof that staying somewhere inexpensive in Barcelona doesn’t necessarily mean ending up in a characterless budget chain. This small gay-friendly guesthouse has just nine rooms and combines a genuinely personal atmosphere with a very useful Eixample location. Rooms are simple but stylish, with private bathrooms, air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi and safes; some also have balconies. There’s a pleasant communal rooftop terrace where you can sit outside with breakfast or a drink, and the small scale of the property gives Khronos a much more intimate feel than the larger hotels on this list. The location is on Carrer de Mallorca near Passeig de Gràcia, with La Pedrera and Casa Batlló easily walkable. The main Gayxample nightlife is a little farther away than from Soho or Leonardo, but still reachable on foot. GayMapper tip: a strong option for travellers who want something friendly and individual, and would rather keep more of the holiday budget for Barcelona itself.

Malmaison sits inside The Mailbox, putting restaurants, bars and Birmingham’s canals practically outside the door. It’s also well placed for New Street station and around a 10–15 minute walk from the Gay Village, so you can comfortably head out on foot in the evening. Rooms have Malmaison’s familiar dark, contemporary styling, with comfortable beds and plenty of space compared with many newer city hotels. Chez Mal is the current restaurant and bar, serving modern brasserie-style food and cocktails. There’s also a gym and a small spa offering treatments and relaxation facilities. Hotel guests currently pay £15 for two hours of spa access, and there isn’t a swimming pool, so it’s worth knowing exactly what’s included before booking. GayMapper tip: a good fit if you want something a little more stylish than a standard chain hotel while keeping the Gay Village and city centre easily walkable.

Space and views are two things you rarely get enough of in Manhattan, and The Dominick offers both from its 46-storey tower where SoHo meets Hudson Square. Large windows frame downtown and Hudson River views, while many of the suites provide genuinely generous living space. Wellness is a major part of the hotel, with Sisley Spa, a well-equipped fitness centre and the seasonal outdoor pool at Terrace on 7. The hotel also has Fendi Casa-designed suites and a contemporary art programme that extends into the surrounding neighbourhood. SoHo is outside the door, while the West Village’s historic LGBTQ nightlife around Christopher Street is within walking distance. GayMapper tip: Particularly good for a longer luxury stay when room size, skyline views and a proper spa matter as much as the neighbourhood itself.

Orlando gets much more interesting once you leave the theme-park bubble, and Hotel Beauden, Autograph Collection gives you a proper base for doing exactly that. The former Grand Bohemian has been reinvented with Art Deco-inspired interiors, local artwork and a prime Downtown location beside the Dr. Phillips Center. Upstairs, Altira Pool + Lounge combines rooftop swimming with skyline views; downstairs, Libra and Bar Libra handle dinner and cocktails. There are also nightly performances around the Steinway piano in the Garden Rotunda, giving the hotel an unusually sociable feel for a luxury city stay. This is also the GayMapper choice that makes the most sense if Orlando’s LGBTQ nightlife is part of your plans. You’re already downtown, with gay venues and queer-friendly neighbourhoods such as the Milk District a short rideshare away rather than a cross-city expedition from Disney. GayMapper tip: Stay here if you want to discover that Orlando is actually a city – not merely an airport attached to some theme parks.