I’m famous! 😉 I am mentioned in this week Gay Key West blog update: http://www.keysvoices.com/lgbt/
I’m Mentioned in Gay Key West Blog
A Shiny New(ish) Hotel Graces Boston’s Waterfront
Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com
InterContinental Boston has been open since late 2006 and is popular with the business crowd during the week. As a former Bostonian, I don’t think this fabulous hotel has gotten its due.
Most new buildings are like most old buildings in the city: staid and made of brick. Right away The InterCon Boston explodes that old-fashion notion with its curving glass façade. The lobby is grand and airy and begs you to walk from busy Atlantic Avenue entrance to right out to the back patio and walkway facing Fort Point Channel and the old converted factories of South Boston. (In fact this area is considered the ‘New Boston’ and features hot restaurants, stores, condos and lofts.)
This is so not your grandma’s Boston!There are three terrific dining options. Miel Brasserie Provencale is their fine dining choice with crisp attentive service in a relaxed atmosphere. It’s priced incredibly reasonably, especially during lunch. The RumBa is a Caribbean-infused bar/lounge with lots of rum drinks and great nibblies and a strong raw bar selection. Boston is known for its seafood, of course.
My favorite choice is Sushi-Teq and the more intuitive of you may have guessed correctly that that refers to its rather unique sushi-tequila pairings. There’s a diverse menu of a la carte items but for $65 you’ll get a multi-course meal of delicious sushi choices paired with a wide arrange of skillfully curated tequilas, which contrary to popular belief are not meant as a shot drink. There’s a lot of complexity in some of the higher-end tequilas you will try.
The rooms are light filled and airy. One of the nicest lines in the building is the “02” line. I was in room 802, a corner suite with an angular bedroom with two entire walls floor-to-ceiling glass offering stunning views of South Boston. The fitness center is much larger and better equipped than most and boasts a pool and a steam room.
To get to Boston from New York, I took LimoLiner, which is a luxurious alternative to some of the cheap but cramped bus lines offered these days. It’s not that much more expensive than MegaBus or Bolt but you also get free WiFi, much more space per passenger and the attentions of a bus attendant as well as lunch and unlimited beverages.
NY Times Travel Show Goes Gay
Well, the New York Times Travel Show is not exactly spontaneously turning queer.
I’m actually bringing some of the gay to the NY Times Travel Show along with the IGLTA, gay and gay-friendly businesses, my fellow panelists on the LGBT travel session (click on the link to the left and scroll down. The panel will be held Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 4pm-5pm).
Deal of the Week: Lufthansa’s Twitter Contest
Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com
Lufthansa German Airlines is celebrating the launch flight of its sixth A380 — the world’s largest aircraft – which is coming to New York’s JFK on Monday, February 28. The “Big Apple” is the very first U.S. destination for Lufthansa’s A380, and they want to share our excitement with New York area residents by giving away some tickets.
catchtheA380crew
On one day only — Monday, February 28 — Lufthansa is sending 23 “crew members” into SoHo and only one real crew member will be holding a pair of roundtrip Business Class tickets to Europe. To find the official cabin crewmember holding the prize, follow @Lufthansa_USA on Twitter.com for clues (which begin on Feb. 25) on the crew’s whereabouts in SoHo. One needs to find 10 crew members before you’re led to the real one with the tickets.
Saba’s Other Gay-Friendly Hotel
Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com
Back in December we wrote about a gay-friendly hotel property on the diver’s paradise island Saba. (Click here to read that story.) We were remiss in leaving out of our story an actual gay-owned property on that very island, the Shearwater Resort. Here’s a note from the owner, Paul Cizek:
I enjoyed reading the article on Saba and Queens Garden but disappointed that the only gay owned and operated resort wasn’t mentioned. Saba is a fantastic island and most likely will be the first to recognize gay marriage given the recent change in our government.
Copenhagen’s Hotel D’Angletere
By Jeffrey James Keyes; above from the Hotel D’Angleterre; originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com
Hotel D’Angleterre, like Copenhagen does everything better.
Denmark‘s leading five-star hotel rises above the stunning King’s Square like an empress on her throne. With over 250 years of decadent history, this knockout is the personification of elegance and antiquity.
In a city where it’s easy to kick up your heels and feel as though you are a kid again it’s ideal to rest your head in an accommodation that spoils you like an adult, and a very extravagant one at that. The Hotel is the result of Jean Marchal and Maria Coppy’s passion for taking good care of the privileged in the middle 1700’s. In 2011, some things haven’t changed. Be sure to book ahead and ask for a Suite that overlooks King’s Square.Imagine waking up each morning as if you were on the set of an extravagant Vanity Fair photo shoot, only without Annie Leibovitz and better tea. Enjoy the view off your terrace, and try to catch a glimpse at who is reading the paper next door in the Royal Suite. If their name is on the tip of your tongue, you might be able to find it on the Wall of Fame in the lobby. Everyone from Grace Kelly to Kylie Minogue has stayed at the D’Angleterre. Outside, and just around the corner, the vibrant Copenhagen fans out like a force of nature.
Catch a glimpse of the Little Mermaid sculpture before skipping over to the Tivoli Gardens, the obvious inspiration for Walt Disneyworld. Enjoy an exquisite Danish and French dinner at the famous Divan 2 Restaurant before joining the crowds of cute boys at Oscar bar café. If you feel like bar hopping before heading home, don’t miss the crowded Masken, Jailhouse, and Centralhjornet. It’s okay if you decide to stay out late; the D’Angleterre automatically makes you feel as though you’ve had a full night’s rest.
Tour of the Week Guatemala with Zoom Vacations
Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com
Surprsingly gay-friendly Guatemala City, the ruins of Tikal and colonial Antigua are just some of the highlights of this incredibly diverse and beautiful Central American country.
Guatemala has a history of re-discovery and re-invention and as a result, modern-day Guatemala is a fascinating collage of cultures: full-blood Mayan people, the descendants of mixed unions between the Maya and the Spanish colonizers, the Afro-Antillean ancestry of the Garifuna people who settled in the Caribbean coast of Central America from the Caribbean islands about three centuries ago, and all the way down to the European immigrants from Germany, England, Italy and beyond.
Sociologically, it’s a unique blend that gives the country a special imprint, a mix of urban sophistication, fine gastronomy, outstanding arts and crafts and textiles, and exotic indigenous customs. These and other cultural traits transcend the early Maya, the days of the conquistadors, the colonial era and the pre- and post-war immigration patterns of the 20th century.
Lending more shades to this cultural mosaic is the eco-diversity of this fascinating destination, with its eclectic mix of mountains, volcanoes, scenic coasts, rivers and lakes. In short, Guatemala offers gay travelers an exotic experience coupled with a geographical sense of a faraway place just a few hours from home—the ultimate vacation destination.
Zoom Vacations‘ exploration of Guatemala gives you the best of this incredible destination! Visit unbelievable ancient ruins, explore the romantic city of Antigua, taste some of the world’s best cuisine, and more! Like always, this trip features enough free time to relax and do your own thing.
More info:
http://www.zoomvacations.com/guatemala.htm
Starts at $1,999.
Suite Dreams: Clarion Hotel Sign, Stockholm
By Jeffrey James Keyes; above from the Moderna;
Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com
Clarion Hotel Sign is the perfect launching pad for a cultured adventure in Stockholm, the gay capital of Scandinavia.
Rad on for your “suite” stay.Continue reading “Suite Dreams: Clarion Hotel Sign, Stockholm”
A “Wynn-ing” Way to Spend President’s Day
Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com
By Dennis Hensley
Even chief executives need to cut loose from time to time.
The Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas understands this so they’re throwing their first-ever gay dance party, “All the President’s Men,” on President’s Day Eve, February 20. The setting is the Hotel’s intimate Blush nightclub. But why stop there? There’s enough to see, do and eat at the Wynn to make an entire weekend of it. Our correspondent Dennis Hensley offers this video sneak preview.
To learn more about Presidents Day Weekend at the Wynn—including room specials–visit www.wynnlasvegas.com/pride
Read on to see the video!Continue reading “A “Wynn-ing” Way to Spend President’s Day”
Gay Golf – Who Knew?!
Golf is not exactly the first sport that comes to mind when you think gay. But this sport is becoming more and more popular with lesbian and gay men.
So much so that the island of Gran Canaria is hosting its first ever Gay Golf Event during Maspalomas Gay Pride. Intrigued? Read on!
Gran Canaria is one of the islands of the Spanish Canary Islands located off the coast of Africa. Long popular with European gay holiday makers, the island makes for an offbeat gay getaway for American LGBT travelers. This year during Maspalomas Gay Pride May 6-15.
The LGBTQ Travel Expert. Educator. Speaker. Author. 