Suite Dreams: New Hotel, North Beach, Miami

New Hotel outdoors

By Paul VanDeCarr

North Beach is perhaps not the first area that springs to mind for LGBT travelers to Miami. But it’s got a lot to offer, thanks partly to the hip and homo-friendly New Hotel.

Each of the hotel’s 10 guestrooms has an easy-on-the-eyes minimalist design that encourages lounging and late sleeping. But you won’t want to stay in your room. There’s low-key fun to be had out by the poolside at Lou’s Beer Garden, on the hotel premises, where guests and neighborhood residents alike mingle. Lou’s offers dozens of wines and beers, and a nice selection of tasty foods—cheese plates, wings, pulled pork, salads, crab cakes to die for, and more.Weekend brunches, regular art shows, and full-moon parties with live music and fire-dancers make for a festive atmosphere. Even with the activity at Lou’s, the guest rooms are quiet, and the feel of the place is intimate and relaxed. For the environmentalist in all of us, it’s good to know that the hotel sports a green roof, low-flow water, and energy-saving lighting systems. Guests also get free use of hotel bicycles, making it that much easier to venture out into the neighborhood (known both as “Little Buenos Aires,” and as the “MiMo District” for its Miami Modern architecture).

Within just a few blocks, you’ll find Latin American cuisine—including a Mexican restaurant, a Cuban café, an Argentine steakhouse, the pleasingly spacious café Manolo’s, and more. The hotel is just two blocks from the ocean, and only a few miles down the road from the clothing-optional Haulover Beach, where both straight and gay visitors disrobe. South Beach is about a 30-minute bus ride. The queer traveler looking for a place off the beaten path would do well to stay at the New Hotel.

THE NEW HOTEL: http://www.thenewhotelmiami.com/

LOU’S BEER GARDEN: http://www.lousbeergarden.com/

MONK IN THE TRUNK: http://www.inletbrewing.com/About.html

MANOLO’S: http://www.churrosmanolo.com/

PHOTO: The New Hotel patio, and Lou’s Beer Garden — a lazy morning before things have picked up. By Paul VanDeCarr.

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.

Deal of the Week: LGBT Romance Package in Maui

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In celebration of Hawaii’s recent announcement of same sex civil unions, the Hotel Hana-Maui has introduced a romantic “His & His; Hers & Hers Hawaiian Journey for Two” getaway package designed exclusively for the LGBT community.

Couples will stay in beautiful Hana at the property’s intimate Sea Ranch Cottage, which boasts scenic views of Hawaii’s lush tropical greenery and dramatic ocean coastline while incorporating authentic elements of the Hawaiian culture.

The all-inclusive package includes all meals, non-alcoholic beverages, daily spa treatment or activities credit, service fees, gratuities and tax all for $525 per night, per person (20% off the regular rate).  Travel must be booked by June 1 with travel dates no later than June 30, 2011. Book by calling 800-321-4262.

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.

San Francisco Celebrates Gertrude Stein

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This spring, the Contemporary Jewish Museum debuts the first major museum exhibition to fully investigate this fascinating visual legacy and life of Gertrude Stein, May 12-September 6, 2011.

Seeing Gertrude Stein: Five Stories is an art-filled biographical exploration of Stein’s identities as a literary pioneer, transatlantic modernist, Jewish-American expatriate, American celebrity, art collector, and muse to artists of several generations.The exhibition also features Alice B. Toklas (1877-1967), Stein’s life-long partner, and explores the aesthetics of dress, home décor, entertainment, and food that the two women created together.

The Contemporary Jewish Museum is located at 736 Mission Street (between 3rd & 4th streets), San Francisco.

Our San Francisco guide.

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.

Suite Dreams: Hotel Durant, Berkeley, Calif.

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By Jenni Olson

The smartly designed, green-certified Hotel Durant is a terrific Berkeley getaway, immediately adjacent to the UC Berkeley campus and just steps away from colorful Telegraph Avenue (come on a weekend for the street vendors, people watching and great funky shops). It’s plenty gay-friendly and an obvious choice for visiting Cal sports fans — the stadium is just up the street.

Playful vintage collegiate décor is a theme throughout the property — from the desk clerks in their striped ties and Glee¬-ful Warbler-esque frat boy suits to the rooms with their handsome metal desks and bong-style table lamps (and all the way down to the faux college ID room keys).

The blue and gold décor is calming and classy. The lobby combines a display of Berkeley’s legendary activist history (featuring great 1960s protest photos) with a touch of boutique hotelier Joie de Vivre’s signature style — including whimsical over-stuffed chairs. In a unique singular touch, the rooms are all named after famous Berkeley alumni ranging from Patty Hearst to openly gay Star Trek star (and marriage equality activist) George Takei!

Amenities include free Wi-Fi, high-end linens, iPod docking station, in-room coffee maker and mini-bar, 24-hour business center, plus an HD TV. Guests on the “Graduate Floor” also get access to a Blu-ray disc library. We were thrilled to see the in-room recycling bins (social responsibility is another great detail that sets apart the Joie de Vivre properties and makes us feel good about staying with them). The historic Durant is a non-smoking, pet-friendly property and also features wheelchair accessible rooms.

Dining tip:

  • Venture out for dinner at one of the numerous restaurant options in the neighborhood. Although the hotel restaurant (Henry’s) is billed as a “gastropub” the menu is mostly basic sports bar fare (though the breakfast is worth a try).

Tourist tip:

  • Berkeley has an abundance of historic architecture. Design your own tour by visiting the Berkeley Heritage historic landmarks page (which includes the Hotel Durant).

Rooms start at $129 (weekdays) and $149 (weekends) for queen, king and double rooms. On up to $280 (weekdays) and $360 (weekends) for 2-room suites. For reservations call 1-800-238-7268 or visit http://www.jdvhotels.com

<strong>Hotel Durant</strong> 2600 Durant Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704; 510.845.8981; www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/sanfranciscoeastbay/durant

More info: http://berkeleyheritage.com/berkeley_landmarks/landmarks.html

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.

Tour of the Week: Rio with Orpheus Travel

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It may seem a long way away, but tours to Rio for New Year’s — one of the sexiest and hottest gay events on the calendar — get booked up fast.

Celebrate New Year´s Eve in the South America’s main gay holiday destination. Witness the biggest New Year´s party in the world, visit one of seven world´s wonder, enjoy the sun, beaches, Brazilian hotties and endless parties with the South American LGBT travel experts at Orpheus Travel.

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.

Suite Dreams: Edgewater Hotel, South Beach, Miami

Edgewater roof

By Paul VanDeCarr

It was a hotelier—Conrad Hilton—who emphasized the importance of “location, location, location” in real estate. The folks at the brand-spanking-new Edgewater Hotel (it opened up in February 2011) must have taken that injunction to heart, as they occupy a fantastic spot right across the street from Miami’s South Beach, at Ocean and 14th.

That means it’s far enough from the bustle just down the street as to be quiet, but close enough that you can put on your flip-flops for a jaunt into the action. That includes the gay Palace Bar (which has an open-air counter facing the sidewalk, making cruising rather easy), and the gay section of the beach, both at 12th Street.Plenty of other nightspots, like Twist, are within a short walk. And what of the hotel itself? The newly renovated building retains its handsome art-deco façade from 1939, and its 45 rooms each have a kitchenette, and a simple, attractive design that accentuates the light and views. (Rooms can be decorated in advance for birthdays and romantic getaways, including in “Adam and Steve” and “Oprah and Gayle” themes.)

For a small extra charge, the “Spoil Me Plan” gets you beach chairs and towels, wireless service, and a continental breakfast and daily happy hour on the rooftop terrace. Those gatherings, as well as the attentive staff, give the Edgewater the personal feel of a boutique hotel, even as it has the hum of a mid-sized place. Barely a month old as of this writing, the Edgewater does not yet have a defined personality, but that’s sure to change as its amenities—including a hotel restaurant, planned for summer 2011—increase. In any case, there is that fabulous location. (The Edgewater is a member of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association.)

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.

Events for Gay Women in America’s Gay Resort

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Provincetown is a terrific place to visit any time of the year for women. It’s safe and comfortable and for many women it’s the only time they can hold her partner’s hand without worrying about being harassed. Go any time but you may want to consider attending during these 5 special annual women’s events:

Single Women’s Weekend May 20 – 22, 2011

Memorial Day Weekend May 26 – 30, 2011

Women of Color Weekend June 2 – 5, 2011

Girl Splash: The Women’s Summer Party July 20 – 24, 2011

October Women’s Week October 8th – 17th, 2011

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.

Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Flaunt the Gay in Vegas

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Super gay-friendly (and sumptuously luxurious hotel resorts in Las Vegas), Wynn Las Vegas and Encore are changing the concept of the gay getaway with the introduction of Flaunt at Wynn Las Vegas April 21-24.

This exclusive weekend event features some of the resorts’ hottest amenities, from the muscular performers of Le Rêve to the sizzling dancers of SINATRA Dance with Me and the tanned bodies at Encore Beach Club. Flaunt will change the way gay visitors look at a weekend in Vegas.

For more information on the Flaunt package from Wynn and Encore, click here.

Attend the Royal Wedding in New York

Your invitation to the “Royal Wedding” not yet appeared in your mail box? Fret not! Our friends at the Jumeirah Essex House have you covered.

On Friday April 29 starting at 6 am and repeating every 2 hours on the hour, the hotel will be broadcasting the wedding on a 25-foot wall projection in South Gate, their cool restaurant. You can grab some English pub classics or a three-course luncheon at a commoner’s price! ($24.07).

They’ve concocted a few royal libations: Middleton Mimosas and Buckingham Bellinis. For reservations in the restaurant, call 212-484-5120 or visit 154southgate.com.

Download your South Gate royal wedding. (And feel left out no longer!)

Mr. Gay Competition in Philadelphia in November

Picture 2 What are you doing November 4-5, 2011? How about going to watch the U.S. Mr. Gay Competition in gay-friendly Philadelhia?

This is the second consecutive year that Philadelphia will welcome contestants from all over the country fighting to be named the new 2012 U.S. Mr. Gay titleholder.  The competition is scheduled for November 11th and 12th.  As they did in 2010, the national committee enlisted Bruce Yelk’s Nightlifegay.com – Philadelphia’s premier LGBT event promotions company – to plan and execute the competition weekend.

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.