We hate packing, but we also hate unpacking too. In one way it’s nice to fill a new wardrobe with your bits and pieces – so you can see them clearly, but it’s the repacking malarky that really is bothersome.
Our travel Editor, Nick, just gave us packing goals…
Watch and learn… you know you want one…
I’m a big fan of exploring new cities, and when you book a trip to Germany there are a few cities that pop to the forefront of your mind. You may fancy the hipster-chic of Berlin, or the traditional beer-fest that is Bavaria, and so cities like Hamburg are often overlooked.
Amidst the melee of middle-class stag dos, I stumbled onto the soggy streets of Hamburg. Striving to slightly distinguish itself from the hipster-haven that is Berlin, Hamburg has a nautical history that is evident in most of its decor. Since 80% of the city was obliterated by bombings during World War II, the millennial-style spaces inhabit less-than-ancient warehouses and dockyards.
The gay scene is different in every city in every country around the world, so don’t expect Hamburg to be just like any other German city. Here are a few things you should not expect to be able to do whilst visiting Hamburg.
You can, of course, go day drinking, in fact, we would highly recommend that you do given the city’s excellent selection of beers. However, don’t expect there to be a bustling gay crowd during the day, even on the weekend. The Germans love to go drinking and they love to go partying, but unlike the Brits, they don’t start early. Bars won’t get busy until about 10 pm and the clubs won’t even tend to open until about 2 am. So while a casual day gay drink on Lange Reihe would be nice, it won’t be especially exciting.
Again, of course, you can go to one of Hamburg’s gay saunas at night, but the crowd is better during the day… I’ve been told. My sources say that the best time to hit up a gay sauna in Hamburg is Sunday afternoon when people have recovered enough from the night before. Getting in at 6 am means that it will be a few hours before many of the good gays resurface and head to the sauna to sweat out the sin from the night before.
Here our British modesty tends to be our downfall, but when in Rome (Hamburg), do as the Romans (Hamburgers). No one wears a towel in the sauna, whether it’s a gay sauna or the one at your hotel. And while you may not enjoy an eyeful of that old straight guy’s crotch, there’s no reason not to give him a sneaky peak of the goods while you can. You might just make his day.
While we are proud to support the LGBT-friendly hotels that have become a staple mark of Hamburg’s gay district, you don’t need to limit yourself to the hotels in St. Georg. There are plenty of cool, trendy, friendly, hipster hotels dotted around the city that are never too far away from the gay parties. I stayed at the adorably chic 25Hours Hotel in HafenCity, which wasn’t necessarily the closest location to the gay scene, but was easily one of the coolest hotels I’ve ever stayed in.
Designed with a distinctive maritime theme, it oozed millennial and was a great place to hang out (especially when your bloody Easyjet flight isn’t until 9:45pm and your checkout time was at noon). Free wifi, portable speakers you can take around town with you, and a short ride to St. Georg on the nearby 24-hour Meßberg underground.
Plus they make THE best soy latte that I’ve ever had!
Check out Hamburg Tourism for more information on Hamburg, and you can find out more about the Hamburg Lesbian and Gay scene here.
Low cost airline, easyJet, explained their hand signals after a passenger tweeted a video of cabin crew conversing using bizarre hand signals.
Virgin Radio DJ, Jamie East, posted the short clip of staff using a secret code to communicate with colleagues.
The video shows a cabin crew member doing a ‘chicken arm dance’ while serving up food to passengers.
Jamie East tweeted: “.@easyJet excuse me but please explain what ON EARTH is going on here?!”
The footage left social media users baffled, with people taking to Twitter to share their guesses on what was going on.
One user tweeted: “Got to be cabin crew playing charades right?!”, and another said: “It’s the birdie song!”
In response easyJet posted a video usually used for internal training purposes.
The clip revealed the crew member was signalling to a colleague that a chicken baguette had been ordered.
The instructional video is used to teach new cabin crew members the secret code.
Hand motions explained in the training video include food orders and signals for various scenarios including marriage proposals and stag parties.
Tina Milton, Head of Cabin Services said,
“With over six million passengers served each month, the ‘secret code’ has been invented to enable our cabin crew to deliver a speedy and efficient service, whilst keeping unnecessary crew noise to a minimum and provide passengers with a relaxing and enjoyable flight.
“easyJet flight attendants are trained in all aspects of customer service and air safety, and the secret hand signals are an integral part of their inflight knowledge.
“We pride ourselves on providing an excellent inflight food service over the past 21 years, and our ‘secret code’ helps us to ensure customer satisfaction in a timely manner.”
There are plenty of locations around the world that are looking to celebrate everything that is wonderful about being gay, without the onslaught of rainbows, banners, political undertone, and crowds so large that you’re about as likely to get to the bar as you are to score a wristie from Russell Tovey (ps if anyone knows how to do the latter, please get in touch IMMEDIATELY!).
So if you’re thinking about a gay vacay but don’t fancy packing your rainbow flag, here are a few fabulous festivals that you can book right now.
Slovenia is probably not one of the first places you’d think about when you consider gay festivals, and while Mykonos and Tel Aviv have plenty of obvious draw, Slovenia definitely has its own appeal. Slovenia boasts being one of the greenest countries in Europe, with breathtaking backdrops and lush green countrysides that put ours to shame. And while it’s a relatively small country, that could, in fact, be a big part of its appeal.
Now in its 4th year, Pink Week is an event that aims to combine cultural, culinary, and outdoor experiences with a healthy mix of events and parties for both visiting and local LGBT communities.
Pink Week, organised by local couple Matej and Mattej (matching names, totes adorbs), offers a variety of different packages that you can buy in advance, depending on the type of gay holiday you’re looking for. Have a browse and pick from highlights such as guided tours of the capital Ljubljana, gourmet dinners, a visit to Tiffany GAY Club, an afternoon of luxury at Lake Bled, and a champagne boat ride on river Ljubljanica.
Head on over to pinkweek.eu to find out more!
Another Pink-themed gay festival in Europe, hopefully featuring this guy wandering around handing out drinks … or weird pink hovering balls.
Set, as the name suggests, around a lake in the Wörthersee Region of Austria, Pink Lake is an LGBT celebration that revels in its small town charm. With so many big-scale LGBT events across Europe, Pink Lake’s appeal is it’s “off the beaten track” nature. No big city backdrop, no parades, no international celebrities, Pink Lake is more of an international get-together for all LGBT travellers. All taking place in a beautiful town in a magical countryside that’s straight out of a gay fairytale.
Find out more about this at pinklake.at
Hosted by men’s wedding magazine Men’s Vows, the Aspen Summer Holiday is the complement to its more established winter counterpart, Aspen Gay Ski Week. For its first year, Aspen Summer holiday has paired with notable charities such as the National LGBT Task Force and The Generation project to turn some well-earned fun into a good cause for the whole community.
The event is focused on all the amazing activities you can do outdoors in Colorado, giving gay men the chance to meet other people and bond while hiking, horse riding and river rafting. There are fashion shows, pool parties and event CrossFit sessions planned, so it looks to be a community event with a difference.
If you favour the idea of fresh air, exercise, and outdoor activities that don’t include underwear parades and dogging, then visit www.aspensummerholiday.com
Flying for any longer than an hour and you’ll most probably start feeling like a battery hen. If you happen to be on a plane that has its seating three abreast – so most short haul flights, or long haul flights that use the 747, 777, 787 or A380, there’s alway that tricky, non-verbal struggle for the armrests, especially if you’re in the middle.
So one Quora user has laid out the (unwritten, but totally sensible) law. The law entitles the middle seat user to have access to the two inside armrests. Well because…
“The window seat is entitled to a head-rest and to have a priority view of the outside world, obviously. This seat is great for long flights, since you can go to sleep by tucking up a pillow in the corner and looking over the clouds. That person is entitled to that.
The aisle seat is entitled to a little bit more legroom than normal, the quickest allowed to get to the flight attendants’ attention and the easiest route to the bathroom. NEWS FLASH, if you know you need the restroom/toilet a lot while travelling, you should probably go here for the convenience of the other two people travelling on your row. That person is entitled to that.
Now we go onto the middle seat. Now honestly, I hate sitting in the middle seat, it probably has the least benefits and you’re being squashed in between two people. HOWEVER, it is by my and many others’ moral code that the middle seat is obligated to have priority of the armrests. If you are window seat or aisle seat, the armrests in the middle are morally owned by the person sitting in the middle. They don’t have head or leg room, they can’t tuck away a pillow, they’re most likely being squashed and they still have the inconvenience of squeezing past someone to go to the bathroom, so the damn least they could get is the two armrests in the middle. That person is entitled to that.
It just had to be said.
There you have it. Middle gets arm space.
Excessive alcohol consumption, failure to take recommended inoculations, reckless or illegal behaviour and travel paid for using loyalty schemes could all cost you dear
Gocompare.com Travel Insurance is warning people to read the conditions and exclusions in travel insurance small print to ensure that they buy the right cover at the right price and don’t unwittingly invalidate their cover.
Exclusions and conditions vary between policies but common ones include claims made as a result of excessive alcohol consumption, fighting (except in self-defence) and taking part in activities insurers deem ‘hazardous’ such as jet skiing, quad biking or diving.
Common conditions and exclusions
1 Pre-existing medical conditions
Failure to disclose an existing medical condition (including mental, nervous or emotional disorders).
2 Preventable or avoidable medical treatment/conditions
Failure to take prescribed medication or travelling against medical advice. Claims resulting from a tropical disease where the recommended inoculations and/or recommended medication for the country visited have not been taken; self-inflicted injuries; treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.
3 Claims arising as a result of ‘excessive alcohol consumption’
A common ‘catch-all’ – incidents occurring after you’ve consumed ‘an excessive amount’ of alcohol; claims arising from alcohol or drug abuse or solvent abuse.
4 Sports, adventurous activities
Standard policies typically exclude winter sports, jet skiing, bungee jumping, quad biking, rugby, paragliding, martial arts, cycling touring, diving (solo or beyond a certain depth), riding mopeds or motorcycles. Competitive and professional activities are excluded.
Where an activity is covered, you’ll be required to follow any safety precautions and conditions. If you’re planning an adventurous you may need a specialist policy.
5 Taking reasonable precautions
Another ‘catch-all’ – insurers expect you to take ‘all reasonable precautions to avoid injury, illness, disease, loss, theft or damage and take all reasonable steps to safeguard your property from loss or damage and to recover property lost or stolen’.
6 Reckless or illegal behaviour, including fighting and the unauthorised use of swimming pools
Claims arising from reckless behaviour or from taking unnecessary risks, e.g. ‘you sitting on any balcony railing; jumping from or climbing on or over any balcony railing, ledge or wall, regardless of its height, other than Artificial Wall Climbing listed in the Leisure Activities section’.
Some insurers preclude ‘any claim arising from the unauthorised use of a swimming pool outside the specified times of opening.’
7 Visiting volatile destinations
Cover for travel to destinations against Foreign & Commonwealth Office and/or World Health Organisation advice. Cover for war, civil commotion and terrorism. Last year the FCO warned LGBT visitors that visiting Russia could be potentially problematic given the Country’s anti-gay law.
8 Travel paid for using loyalty schemes or points
Some policies exclude ‘any claim for unused travel or accommodation arranged by using air miles, loyalty or points based ownership schemes, timeshares or similar promotions; management fees, maintenance costs or exchange fees associated with loyalty or points based ownership schemes, timeshares or similar promotions’.
9 Visas and other documents
Failing to get the visa or other documentation you require to visit your chosen destination.
10 Work: paid, unpaid and voluntary
Undertaking paid or unpaid manual work or physical labour of any kind. If you’re planning to work abroad, including voluntary charity work or you are undertaking a business trip, then you will need to choose a policy which specifically covers these activities.
“Travel insurance is designed to protect you against the unforeseen, not careless or reckless behaviour. Insurers generally require you to take reasonable care of yourself to guard against injury and illness and to safeguard your belongings from loss or damage. So, for example, you won’t be able to claim for a stolen wallet or iPhone left under your towel while you went for a swim in the hotel pool or claim back the cost of medical treatment you needed as a result of injuries sustained from a fall while drunk. Likewise, insurers are unlikely to pick up the bill for medical treatment for a tropical disease where you’ve not had the recommended vaccinations or completed any recommended course of medication a course of anti-malarial tablets for the country you are visiting.” Caroline Lloyd from Gocompare.com Travel Insurance commented, “When you buy travel insurance, take the time to read the small print, rather than waiting until you need to make a claim and finding out, too late, that you’re not covered. The policy wording will also contain details of the procedures and paperwork, such as police or medical reports, and helpline numbers which may be required to make a valid claim, so don’t forget to take a copy with you.”
“Medical cover is one of the most important elements of travel insurance because treatment abroad can run into thousands of pounds. So, on the application, be honest about your health – particularly if you have a pre-existing medical condition, even if it’s mild and under control. If, while on holiday, you suffer a related illness without declaring an existing condition or any referrals or investigations you have received, there’s a good chance your claim will be rejected. While some insurers specifically exclude pre-existing conditions, there are specialist insurers who will cover you for even the most serious illnesses.
“Another common area of exclusions and conditions relates to activities which insurers consider adventurous or hazardous. These include a range of things from taking part in winter sports, jet skiing, bungee jumping, quad biking to riding mopeds or motorcycles. So, if you like a bit of a holiday adventure, you’ll need to make sure that all the things you want to do are covered and follow any required safety precautions and conditions outlined in the small print. Insurers do update these lists from time to time, so if you are worried about a specific activity our advice would be to contact your insurer directly.”
Located in the centre of Birmingham, Hotel Du Vin is perfectly placed for access to the theatres, restaurants and shopping centres, including the City’s famous Bullring complex, which houses the ever-popular Selfridges. The hotel itself is actually situated in Birmingham’s financial district, in an old Victorian eye hospital, lovingly and rather expensively restored to excellent standards. A true icon in the heart of the hustle and bustle.
Birmingham’s gay scene is just under a mile away and around a 20-minute walk, but don’t let that hold you back from booking one of their extraordinarily appointed and super cool rooms, which ooze continental European-style embellishments throughout, giving the overall vibe of French romance and Italian passion.
There are 66 rooms in total and are all named after premiere wine houses and their products, because of the building’s heritage and its former usage as a hospital, the rooms are large, the ceilings are high and the huge windows look down onto the back streets of central Birmingham.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hdv-gallery/6910504499/in/album-72157629403657749/
As standard, rooms are fitted with monsoon showers over its baths, Nespresso machines and Egyptian linens. The room we stayed in was Penfolds, which boasted the biggest bed we had ever seen.
Lux is the first and last word at Hotel Du Vin, with every need perfectly executed. Here you’ll find all the standards of modern living, good strong WIFI, room service, laundry, fitness centre, sauna and steam room.
Make sure you take a bite to eat in the Bistro for a truly superb meal, read our full review here.
Staff were very friendly and very helpful and perfectly handled our check-in and check out and with prices from £89 your stay won’t make your eyes water.
CHURCH STREET, BIRMINGHAM, B3 2NR UNITED KINGDOM 01217943005
If you’re looking for a weekend break then you’ll find plenty to do here from the bountiful shopping malls and markets, home to some of the best-loved retailers, to the small market traders offering a wide range of household, clothing, and party goods, to the fully charged nightlife. With nine gay bars and clubs to choose from, a few of which serve great food, you’ll be pressed not to find a place to enjoy a cosy pint, watch some cabaret or dance till the early hours.
It’s not all just about shopping and clubbing though, Birmingham has a wide range of restaurants offering celebrity branded eateries, favourite chains and a whole global cuisine on offer including the famous Birmingham curry – Do check out the Hen and Chickens, 0121 236 3121 which serves not only the best curry in town (TripAdvisor) but also a range of Asian, barbecue, pub and grill for those friends who prefer something different.
Birmingham is also the home to a number of theatres including the REP, with a wide season of plays, comedy and drama and the Birmingham Hippodrome bringing you the best of the UK’s national tours such as Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, One Man, Two Guvnors and Wicked.
If you’re looking for something a little more cultured then do pay a visit to the delightful Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. There’s a wide varied collection to see dating back 200,000 years to the present day, including Pre-Raphaelite art, wrapped Mummies and a detailed look at the history of Birmingham and how over the years it’s grown into one of the UK’s best-loved cities.
Recent facelifts have ensured that Birmingham is a fresh city to eat sleep and play in. The only question is, can you fit it all in with just one weekend?
Editor’s choice in gay bars:
SIDE WALK bar and restaurant is located on the busy Hurst Street and serves a wide variety of great affordable food for lunch and dinner. Their vegetarian burger deserves a personal nod of appreciation as does the friendly helpful bar staff who all help to make Sidewalk a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere during the day with the party tunes picking up the pace in the evenings. With walls stripped back to brick and wooden floors there’s a cool pop-up club vibe about the place. Certainly worth a visit.
THE LOFT LOUNGE is another venue for good food at reasonable prices. Table service is on offer both in the main dining area to the rear or if full, as we found out – which is always a good sign, then the helpful staff will happily find and serve you at any of the comfy sofas or tables around the rest of the bar. A great place to meet friends for both everyday and special occasions with a more relaxed atmosphere during the daytime before the party starts in the evenings.
Other bars:
Equator Bar Address: 123 Hurst Street, B5 6SE Telephone: 0121 622 5077 Website: equatorbar.co.uk Twitter: @EquatorBar
Eden Address: 116 Sherlock Street, B5 6NB Telephone: 0121 622 1953 Website: TheEdenBar.co.uk
Bar Jester Address: 42 Holloway Circus, B1 1EG Telephone: 0121 643 8344 Website: BarJester.co.uk
Missing Address: 48 Bromsgrove Street, B5 6NU Telephone: 0121 622 4256 Website: MissingBar.co.uk Twitter: @MissingPartyBar
The Wellington Hotel Address: 72 Bristol Street, B5 7AH Telephone: 0121 622 2592
Club DV8 Address: 16 Kent Street, B5 6RD Telephone: 0121 622 1060 Website: ClubDV8.co.uk
Nightingale Club Address: Essex House, Kent Street, B5 6RD Telephone: 0121 622 1718 Website: Nightingaleclub.co.uk Twitter: @Nightingale Club
Fountain Inn Address: 102 Wrentham Street, B5 6QL Telephone: 0121 622 1452 Website: TheFountainInn.com
The Village Inn Address: 152 Hurst Street, B5 6RY Telephone: 0121 622 4742 Website: VillageBirmingham.co.uk
ASTON HALL Trinity Road, Aston, Birmingham, B6 6JD Tel: +44 (0)121 675 4722
Entry: Charges apply to house only. Gardens, grounds and visitor facilities are free to all visitors.
Adults £4
Concessions £3
Children under 16 FREE
Free entry on the first Sunday of the month.
Opening Times: Aston Hall opens again on Saturday 12 April 2014.
THE REP Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EP
Tel: +44 (0)121 236 4455
BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME Hurst Street, Birmingham, B5 4TB
Tel: +44 (0)844 338 5000
BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM & ART GALLERY
Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH Tel: +44 (0)121 303 1966
Entry: Free entrance.
Some exhibitions and events may charge.
BBC BIRMINGHAM TOURS Do you fancy yourself as a TV presenter? Visit BBC Birmingham’s Public Space at The Mailbox and have a go at presenting the news and a weather forecast. Take a look through the window into the television gallery. This is where the BBC Midlands Today team choose shots, cue the studio and keep everything on air!
If you’d like to get inside the television gallery and see it up close, a studio tour is for you.
Guides will take you into BBC Birmingham and show you around the state-of-the-art studios.
Tours last approximately 1.5 hours and give you a fascinating insight into the world of broadcasting. Do Visit: bbc. co. uk/tours for more information BBC Birmingham The Mailbox Birmingham B1 1RF Tel: +44 (0)370 901 1227
SHOPPING If you’re the kinda guy that just loves to shop, then Birmingham has it all from large retailers like Selfridges and Harvey Nichols to small market stall owners selling a wide variety of household goods, pet foods and party supplies.
The shopping areas are well planned out, open and pedestrian friendly so you get a good chance to explore the city by foot.
There’s plenty of opportunity to stop for a bite to eat. With over 150 restaurants and coffee shops you’re bound to find something to fuel the next round of shopping and with bus and rail transport close by you’ll soon have the bags home.
Be sure to also check out Chinatown just the other side of the markets nestled in Southside close to the gay scene.
BULLRING This much-photographed part of the building with its circular disk covered curved walls is the home to Selfridges. Explore the rest of the building and you’ll find over 160 retail shops and restaurants. This modern art of the city blends with the old St Martin church perfectly without even looking out of place. A real treat for shoppers in the heart of Birmingham.
THE BULL RING MARKET is a large indoor market with traders calling out for you to buy their goods. There’s plenty of bargains to be had and a wide selection to see from fabrics, pet foods, cosmetics, CDs and DVDs, old console games, and a personal highlight of ours – the party shop. Every coloured wig, mask, costume, make-up is all here for Pride events or your usual weekend party outfit
We can recommend:
Hotel La Tour and the Hotel Du Vin
When the winter months arrive, and mini-breaks to beaches become an implausible option, then the best gay vacays to be had are hurtling down a mountain. Yes, skiing holidays remain a popular getaway, as snow bunnies head to higher altitudes to bomb down mountains, strapped into wood and wrapped up in Lycra. Sounds ideal.
But if Courchevel has lost its appeal, and St Moritz is feeling a bit overcrowded, then the idyllic Swiss town of Adelboden may be just what you’re looking for. Not an especially gay travel destination, the core elements of gay travel are there if you look for them: luxurious spas, 4-star hotels, great food, plenty of apres ski indulgence, and incredible scenery that will take your breath away, whether you’re skiing down it or not.
We travelled to Adelboden from London City Airport, flying with the small yet comfortable Skywork, who operate two flights daily from LCY to Berne-Belp (return flights cost from £190). We stayed at the insanely beautiful and luxurious four star plus Parkhotel Bellevue & Spa in the heart of the resort (room rates start from £115 per person sharing a double room on a half board basis).
Nestled in the heart of the Bernese Oberland, Adelboden-Frutigen captures the true Alpine culture and is host to a wide array of snowsports, as well as plenty of indulgent pampering.The Engstligen Valley was the home of the very first British package ski holiday, dating back to the 1930s. It is now the home of the Ski World Cup, with runs suitable for every level of skier, including the wobbly “get down a mountain without dying” kind such as myself. Coming about as close to traditional Swiss cabins as you can get, the village is built almost entirely in chalet style, and the long main street is lined with shops housed in chalets. Fairly compact, there is some effort required in getting to and from the slopes, but there are buses to the satellite ski areas of Engstligenalp and Elsigen-Metsch.
The small Swiss-German town’s biggest drawback is also, quite possibly, its biggest strength. Unlike larger ski resorts and busier winter destinations, there are no direct flights or large-scale transfers in place. The closest city you could fly into would be Bern, which is then roughly 45 minutes from the town by car. However, this being Switzerland and all, public transport is impeccable, and the trains run like clockwork (not surprisingly so). You can easily hop on a train to Frutigen and catch a connecting bus that will take you straight into Adelboden; a town which can then be easily navigated on foot.
While Adelboden is apparently equally beautiful and popular during its summer months, the main reason most international tourists will be heading there is the skiing. There are seven ski sub-regions accessible from Adelboden, all with really long and very German sounding names. You can now ski in all of these sub-regions with one ski pass and by paying one tariff:
Adelboden-Lenk is one of the largest snow sports regions in Switzerland, with over 210 km (130 miles) of international-standard pistes, boasting guaranteed snow on 60% of the main areas. Now I’m not much of a skier but the conditions were amazing. And while the different areas were spread out over some distance, each location offered a good variety of runs on beautiful snow-kissed mountains.
It didn’t hurt that we were insanely lucky with our weather when we went towards the end of January, just before the start of the peak skiing season. The snow was soft and plentiful, and the skies were bright and blue.
Skiing isn’t the only thing that makes a great skiing holiday, and this quaint little Swiss village offers plenty of other ways to spend your time if your ski boots start to chafe.
Ok, it’s pretty close to skiing, but comes without any requirement of skill or self-control. After spending days attempting to perfect my snowplough, a morning spent bombing down a mountain on a cannibalised single-ski with a bicycle seat was just what I need to vent my frustrations. SchlittelPark has 14 km of sledge runs that criss-cross Tschentenalp. And as you pause to catch your breath and clear out the kicked-up snow from your beard, the “Mountain of Views” is true to its name, with some of the most spectacular scenery I’ve ever seen.
If the weather lets you down, you can keep active while indoors. The Leisure and Sports Arena Adelboden offers ten-pin bowling, ice skating, ice hockey, curling and climbing/bouldering. A cheesy alternative but still a fun day if skiing isn’t an option.
Eating an entire bucket of melted cheese would be frowned upon at home, but when skiing it’s more than acceptable, some would say even a prerequisite of a good trip. With several dining rooms each decorated in a different motif, hand-carved out of the man-made igloo, this is a must-see during your stay. Whether a romantic candlelit dinner for two or a pack of your closest mates, I’d definitely recommend a rendez-vous with some fondue in an igloo.
Let’s face it, after skiing, the best reason to go to a mountain resort is the spa. Parkhotel Bellevue & Spa Adelboden is not only a modern and luxurious hotel, they also offer a wide range of spa treatments at not ridiculous prices. If you’re a guest of the hotel, you can enjoy the spa facilities without charge, such as the Turkish spa, the pool, and (most impressively) the incredible outdoor hot tub.
Seriously, watching the sun set over the Alps while bubbles massage your butt and snowflakes land on your nose. You couldn’t craft a more fairy-tale setting.
If you’re not a guest of the hotel, you can obtain a day pass and make full use of the luxurious facilities. Have a swim, a steam, and then soak up the stunning view. You deserve it.
So for a classier trip to the pistes, consider the perfect little slice of Swissness that is Adelboden. You can find more information about Adelboden on their website, or feel free to tweet me with questions about my trip!
Hipster, designer and gay travel blogger extraordinaire Adam Groffman put together a list of some of the Best Places for Gay Travel in 2016 on his Travels of Adam site that he has kindly shared with THEGAYUK. Read on to get your inspiration for amazing gay travels for 2017.
Here’s the thing about gay travel—you can pretty much do it anywhere. If you’re gay and you travel, guess what!? You’re gay travelling 😉
But, still… there are some places which are just so much more welcoming, more friendly and more fun for gay travellers. Some travel companies make concerted efforts to court LGBTQ travellers, while others just naturally become hotspots thanks to their location, their creed or their clientele. Finding gay places when travelling can sometimes be a challenge—a lot of it depends on word of mouth (whether that arrives to you from friends, friends of friends, or through a gay dating app). But then there are also a handful of gay websites which make finding gay places easier. Probably the biggest international directory of gay cities is, predictably, GayCities.com. Their mix of user-generated content, stories, photos essays and events is all-encompassing.
Each year, GayCities.com puts out a survey of the best gay cities, places, hotels and other travel things. It’s a fun survey where you can vote for your favourite gay places (I’m always voting for Berlin, hoping that it will win!).
As my adopted home, Berlin makes it to the top of every one of my lists—it’s great for foodies, for budget travellers, for luxury travellers, for sex tourism, for hipsters and for film fanatics. The other options on GayCities’ list of best cities are decent, but honestly: Berlin has a bit of something for everyone. New York City and Chicago are probably at the top of my list for best USA gay destinations, but with early closing times for the nightlife, it’s hard to really top Berlin.
Chicago, nestled in the middle of America, is one of America’s most surprising cities. Unlike NYC and LA on either coast, Chicago sits right there in the middle, with the best of both worlds but its own distinct identity. When I last visited Chicago, I quite literally ate all the food—from fried pickles and pancakes to hipster donuts and BIG brunches. If ever there was a city designed for foodies, it is Chicago.
I think there are a lot of rising stars among the most gay-friendly cities. I’m currently writing this from Texas, where some of the Texan cities are surprisingly gay and—actually!—cool. But, in Europe, Stockholm’s pull makes it one of the coolest places to visit today. Stockholm doesn’t usually make it immediately on most USA tourists’ first-time trips to Europe, but with new budget airline connections, it’s only going to get more cool.
New York City is an absolutely overwhelming city—it’s no wonder that it’s one of the world’s most popular cities. There are millions of things to see and do in NYC, from world-class museums, historic buildings and shopping—so much shopping! This year, the U.S. National Park Service even recognized the historic gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, as a historic monument. And don’t even get me started on Broadway—so much of the great theater and musicals originate here. Creativity and culture are bursting out of every pothole in this amazing city.
Read more: Cheap and Free Things To Do in NYC
As a Oneworld alliance member, American Airlines is at the top of my preferred airlines. (It also helps that I grew up flying in and out of DFW airport in Texas—their hub.) While some frequent fliers might find AA more stuffy and business-oriented than other airlines, it’s surprisingly cool for being—literally—the world’s largest airline! Their Instagram is a fun sneak peek into the company culture—and it always goes rainbow each LGBT pride month.
★★★★★ | Santiago Resort
The Californian TREAT in RETREAT
Located in a highly desirable neighbourhood in Palm Springs, California sits a quaint resort that is the recently refreshed Santiago. The friendly and attentive staff welcomes you to this gaysclusive 24 room – awe-inspiring resort. Most rooms boast landscape views of the towering mountains that surround this swim suit optional resort. The long list of amenities includes TV, DVD, fridge, microwave, king size beds, ceiling fans, housekeeping, WiFi, heated oversized pool, and Jacuzzi that are all a stone’s throw away from the tropical exotic surroundings that light up this resort. Santiago is one of the very few resorts that also offer both complimentary continental breakfast as well as a healthy light lunch that varies daily. As this resort sits proudly near downtown Palm Springs you will be neighbours with the bustling areas that will cater for your retail, wining, dining and dancing needs.
Sometimes when we travel we think that we have to go out and explore or else we feel as though we are missing out on something and Santiago has this natural pull to the resort that even though the area is waiting to be explored…so are the hammocks, the fire pit and the views that come with both. OK so one might think that there is only so many views that one can take – I stayed here in January and back home in London it’s not very often you get to look at a backdrop of snow-capped mountains behind a canvas of clear blue skies whilst drinking English Breakfast tea (of course). When dusk starts to creep in and you are backstroking in the warm pool it’s difficult not to get carried away with a number of stars that twinkle away from any light pollution. I left thinking is Palm Springs closer to the moon – it seems that way.
Santiago is the treat in retreat!