With an ever-increasing deluge of hotels, tourism brands and even destinations announcing their gay-friendliness, it’s never been a better time to be an LGBT traveler, but Hotel Gaythering in Miami Beach isn’t just a gay-friendly property; it’s a friendly gay property.
Ideally located in a Miami Beach gayborhood surrounded by restaurants and shops, Hotel Gaythering caters exclusively to LGBT travelers (and allies), so you don’t need to wait for LGBT weekends or search for other special gay packages—the whole package is gay. The ethos here is inclusivity, so whether you’re dressed to impress or just strolling in off the beach for a drink, all are invited to connect and appreciate the hotel’s welcoming motto: No red velvet ropes. No guest lists. No smoking.
With Miami Beach Pride just around the corner (April 1 to April 7), it’s no surprise that Hotel Gaythering is nearly sold out, but the hotel, like much of Miami Beach, itself, is gay year-round, so there are plenty of reasons to check it out any time (and still some reasons to pop in during pride, even if you didn’t score a room).
The Bar
If the heart of the home is the kitchen, the heart of the hotel is the bar, and Gaythering Bar is always thumping. Local craft beers and a carefully curated cocktail list featuring vintage classics punched up with local flair are the fare here, but this bar may be better for your ego than most gay bars thanks to the inspirational message board that helps keep the vibe ever-positive. Don’t miss drag karaoke on Mondays ($5 margaritas will provide plenty of liquid courage) or trivia on Wednesdays if you know your stuff, but daily happy hours have you covered all week long.
The Sauna
This one is specifically for the boys. Beyond Hotel Gaythering’s red doors lies a speakeasy-style clothing-optional sauna catered to gay men, featuring an aroma therapy steam room, dry sauna, massage jet Jacuzzi and, of course, lockers, showers and changing rooms. Guests of the hotel can enjoy the sauna any time, but outside visitors can purchase day passes for $18 or month passes for $49, including towels, a locker and a lock.
The Rooms
For the more traditional traveler, three room categories await (petite king, studio king and large king), but Hotel Gaythering also offers more communal, dormitory-style shared accommodation in the form of its two crate categories. And yes, they mean crates. Billed as the “un-hostel” at Hotel Gaythering, crates contain 7-foot partitions for some privacy, and feature shared bathrooms. These are men-only accommodations, and, for the “size queens,” there’s an XL Crate option available, featuring 70% more private space and a king size bed. This one also shares a bathroom, but with fewer crates. If you’re down for extra socialization and more of a party-vibe accommodation atmosphere, crates are for you.
The Absolut Pride
Hotel Gaythering may be almost sold out during Miami Beach pride week, but the Absolut Pride event on April 6 is open to guests, locals and visitors, so it’s a fab time to pop in and enjoy the space even if you aren’t staying there. Featuring a 4-hour open bar and Absolut giveaways, the party will also be hosting Absolut’s famous 8-foot Absolut Colors bottle. The giant rainbow bottle will be displayed along with a massive swath of the 25th anniversary Gilbert Baker flag that covered 1.25 miles of Duval Street in Key West in 2003, providing plenty of Instagrammable moments for all.
The Community Support
Hotel Gaythering sponsors periodic events to provide support and health resources for the LGBT community, and hosts monthly Pillow Talk lectures and workshops on a variety of LGBT themes. Pillow Talk takes place on the third Tuesday of each month, and recent topics have included “The 5 Languages of Love” and “So I’m on PrEP, Now What?” with April’s them to explore faith within the community. Hotel Gaythering also sponsors free STI testing on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
