10 of the best LGBTIQ-friendly accommodations around the world

Queer travelers often have a daunting task when choosing accommodations. It’s hard to know if a guest house or hotel will be free of judgment when booking, so we’ve picked some of our favorite places for LGBTIQ+ travelers this season. All the accommodations listed below are LGBTIQ-friendly, many LGBTIQ-owned, but vary in style – from the ultra luxury to the party places for younger queer travelers. All those listed welcome members of the gay community, offering them a safe space with no fear of prejudice when traveling.

1. Hotel Twentyseven, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Best for plush design

Advertisement

At this luxe, queer‑owned boutique in central Amsterdam, suites are all about elegantly lavish interiors, canal views, and sensory rich plush fabrics (think regal curtains, textured wallpaper and designer armchairs). Grab a cocktail at the chic bar pre-dinner before dining at the in‑house Michelin‑starred Restaurant Bougainville, serving white tablecloth fine dining under the guidance of Chef Tim Golsteijn. Breakfast is served with a view of Dam and the Royal Palace. Experiences include in-suite massages.

Planning tip: Tables at Restaurant Bougainville can book up months in advance.

2. Almar Resort, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Best for LGBTIQ+ beach vibes

Claiming to be the only luxury LGBTIQ+ hotel in the Romantic Zone (the queer area of Puerto Vallarta), this sleek adults‑only beach resort is owned by queer entrepreneurs. It has dramatic ocean views from its Top Sky Bar and the fun Mantamar Beach Club is adjacent to the resort and the hotel’s Olympic infinity pool bar. The Eden lounge, serves daily sundowners. Expect DJs, drag shows, and special events like Brawny Bear weekends. 

Planning tip: Check the scheduled events suit the timing of your stay, as these can change the dynamic of the hotel.

3. Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa, Puglia, Italy

Best for modern chic design

Owned by a dynamic lesbian couple, Paragon 700 is a boutique hotel for travelers with refined taste. It’s located in Puglia’s gorgeous hilltop town of Ostuni, which is known as La Città Bianca (the White City) and has a well-preserved old town, 15th-century cathedral, and charming piazza. Paragon 700 fuses classic design with bold contemporary features, stone walls, vaulted ceilings, and curated modern art. It has only 11 rooms, plus a lush garden with a pool for lounging, but the most unusual feature is a candlelit spa hidden in an underground cistern.

Planning tip: This genteel place is about relaxation, don’t expect a party scene.

4. Revolver Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland

Best for young party crowds

Advertisement

One of Scotland’s first LGBTIQ+‑friendly hotels (and hostel), Revolver is set in the iconic Victorian Virginia House in Glasgow’s "gaybourhood" Merchant City, close to bars, cafes, galleries and restaurants. It’s actually above a queer club, so guests are never far from the scene. Rooms are playful and clean with wooden floors and poppy decor and there’s a rooftop gym, sauna and hot tub, plus games den.

Planning tip: It can get lively, so those who value quiet might want to ask for a room away from groups.

5. The QVEST Hideaway, Cologne, Germany

Best for literature and culture 

Set in the neo-Gothic former archive of Cologne, dating to 1897, this immersive design-led queer‑owned hotel in Cologne’s Old Town blends mid‑century charm with art library-style decor. Ideal for culture travelers, it’s close to Cologne Cathedral, riverside cafes, museums, and the Christopher Street Pride celebrations each July.

Planning tip: This is more of a cultured getaway than a party place, so come with a partner rather than a group.

6. Axel Beach Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, Spain

Best for never-ending Pride fun

Part of the most famous queer‑friendly Axel hotel chain, this three-star affordable adults-only beachfront resort in Playa del Inglés is especially lively during Pride (and there are two annually on the island, one in May and one in November). But rainbow flags are hung year-round here. One of the larger hotels on our list, it has more than 90 rooms, meaning plenty of people to meet around its huge pool (with regular pool parties), and in the spa, sauna and palm tree lounge garden.

Planning tip: Don’t forget to pay a visit to the nearby Yumbo Centrum, the world's only LGBTQ shopping center, which hosts various events for the rainbow community.

7. The Laird Hotel, Melbourne, Australia

Best for simple gaybourhood stays

Melbourne’s longest-running gay-owned-and-operated guesthouse in Abbotsford is one for those who want to be quite literally on top of the bars. The vibe here is simple and fun, with three relaxed bars downstairs with a lush beer garden and cozy, no-fuss rooms upstairs. Wander the artsy lanes of Abbotsford, or jump on a tram to nearby bohemian Fitzroy and Collingwood for more queer nightlife, boutique cafes and galleries.

Planning tip: Check the hotel website for upcoming parties before you book. These take place every night of the week covering various cheeky themes.

8. QASA, Costa Rica

Best for unique lodgings and wildlife

Nestled in the misty jungles near Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, where monkeys and toucans can be seen in the trees all around and the beaches are sprawled with soft white sand and iguanas, QASA (pronounced "KAH-sah") is the place to immerse yourself in the wild inside an atmospheric hand-crafted bamboo cabin. Guests can also meet at a bamboo bathhouse, a yoga studio overlooking a waterfall, and get involved with meditation workshops.

Planning tip: Sign up for one of the regular themed retreats that embody Costa Rica’s pura vida (pure life) – the relaxed, positive way of life many Costa Ricans live by.

9. Hazlitt’s Hotel, London, UK

Best for class and old-world charm

This queer-friendly boutique hotel in Soho, the center of London’s queer area, is hidden in a regal Georgian townhouse bursting with old-world charm. Stepping through its unmarked entrance feels like staying with an esteemed friend with extravagant taste. Expect antiques, chandeliers, wood-paneled rooms, claw baths and bookshelves stocked with literary greats from across the centuries. 

Planning tip: Book one of the four poster bed rooms for an extra level of opulence.

10. Portland International Guesthouse, Portland, Oregon, USA

Best for queer hipsters

With only five rooms with vintage-esque decor, this intimate low-cost gay-owned guesthouse occupies a charming timber-frame building on a leafy residential street in the vibrant Northwest District, the heart of uber liberal Portland. It’s a good social spot for recommendations about the city’s independent cafes, boutiques and galleries.

Planning tip: Self-cater to meet other guests in the guesthouse’s communal lounge and kitchen area.