New York’s First Gay Hotel Finds a Home

With marriage equality hitting New York City it seems like the entire city is welcoming gays with open arms. And it's true that if you're traveling to New York—to get married, attend a wedding, or just have a gay ol' time that has nothing to do with the big event—you'll find plenty of places to stay. The gay dollar is always a welcome sight.

But why not slap down your gay green with a business that's not just interested in your money but in your life as well?

Right now the best option in the city is the Chelsea Pines Inn, but this is an LGBT guesthouse in New York City— more like a bed & breakfast than an actual hotel. For hotel options The Out NYC is the prize destination everyone is waiting for. It's labeled as "a Gay Urban Resort" and it's set to open on 42nd Street between 10th and 11th Avenues in Hell’s Kitchen.

When? Well, that's another story.

The Out NYC is actually planned as a complex for LGBT locals and travelers alike. It will include a 105-room boutique hotel, the 11,000 square foot XL Nightclub, lounge & cabaret, a 24/7 café and restaurant called Kitchen, three courtyards, a business/conference center, function space, and a wellness center. The first phase is the opening of XL Nightclub, lounge & cabaret—and that's set for this fall. It comes from gay nightlife impresarios John Blair and Beto Sutter (of the legendary Saturday night party at The Roxy), and party promoters Brandon Voss and Tony Fornabaio of FV Events. It's slated to be open seven nights a week, and it's the first nightly gay dance club to open in New York City in the last 15 years. The space will feature an LED wall, two dance floors, and a full stage.

Unfortunately, the boutique hotel itself, as well as Kitchen (from the team behind the already-successful Hell’s Kitchen favorite, Eatery Restaurant) and the wellness center don't have opening dates yet. All we've got for you are these design renderings, but they still look mighty cool.

While gay resorts are nothing new, this will be the first time a complex of this scope has been created in New York. It's also significant in that—if successful—it will show the larger tourism industry the power of the gay dollar on a larger scale than ever before.

Here's hoping it opens sooner rather than later.