My partner and I certainly felt pampered and comfortable where we were staying. But although the sparkling turquoise waters of the Caribbean felt so romantic, we had to squelch our urge to express affection.
We noticed when we ordered room service, the waiter always looked a little surprised when he set the tray down on a bed with two women in it. We are too old to care what other people think. But we are also peaceful people who value our privacy. We know if we stay in gay-friendly inns, we can see other couples like us, and, even if we order room service in our jammies, we will not invite weird looks.
Some representatives of the travel industry are smart enough to realize that people like us are among a growing group of travelers with deep pockets. Collectively, gays and lesbians spend $54.1 billion a year in travel. It should come as no surprise some hotels are courting gay travelers. The Four Seasons and Westin hotels allow same-sex weddings on their premises. Certain rental car companies are aiming their advertisements at gay travelers. The gay rainbow flag waves next to the American flag over the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Gays and lesbians are naturally going to gravitate to the inns where we feel the most welcome and pampered. So take a trip with me down the Rainbow Road to some of my favorite inns.
Hartstone Inn, Camden, Maine
The drive along Maine's coast is spectacular, and the Hartstone is the perfect place to rest your weary bones. The owners, Michael and Mary Jo Salmon, are not gay, but they welcome all gay guests and offer an atmosphere that combines the charm of an old New England mansion with incredible romance. I visited this inn as single woman, but I would return with my partner in a heart beat because Mary Jo decorates the rooms with a loving attention to detail. This stately but cozy B&B has a library and rooms with fireplaces, fluffy duvets on the beds, chocolate truffles and soft robes.
Husband Michael is a gourmet chef, who serves elegant, multi-course meals. Michael makes all of his sauces, breads and entrees from scratch. Every course he serves in the intimate, candle-lit dining room is a work of art. Definitely, arrive hungry!
Drinking in the view of Mount Battie and the crisp blue horizon from the skylight in my room, I felt completely rested when I woke up the next day, enjoyed a gourmet breakfast and then went sailing in Camden harbor. I thought it couldn't get any better than this, and then I saw baby seals playfully diving in and out of the water.
Gray Goose Inn, Chesterton, Indiana
I remember getting plenty of rest and romance at the Gray Goose Inn. The wooded setting -- the fresh flowers - the fluffy robes made my companion and I immediately feel warm and cozy.
Just three miles from the rugged Lake Michigan dunes, this English-style inn combines elegance and comfort. We were offered home-baked cookies and shown our room, which was decorated with authentic antiques, but also had all the modern conveniences, including a television, a bathroom that sparkled it was so clean, and a bed that made us feel like Dorothy in the poppy fields because the moment we hit it, we felt like we were in la-la land. If it hadn't been for the honking geese - the Gray Goose Inn's official alarm clock - we would have missed out on the delicious coffee cake and pancakes we scarfed down for breakfast.
Hotel Saint-Andre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
This is a perfect opportunity to visit a city with an international flavor, and hang out in the very cool and very Bohemian gay neighborhood of French Canada. A great example of an older European hotel that has been nicely restored, Hotel Saint-Andre is a quiet, pleasant place with decent-sized rooms and stylish décor. You wake up, after a night of partying, to the aroma of fresh croissants and coffee.
Holly's Place, Lake Tahoe, California
I stayed at Holly's Place as a single woman and didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable. I went home with several telephone numbers from friends I met there. Was it the mountain air? Holly's exceptional coffee - a French roast blend she brings in from San Francisco? The lush surroundings?
I simply loved everything about this place - the warmth of the management, the comfort of the cabins, and the feeling of peace I had in this serene and spectacular mountain setting. Lake Tahoe is surrounded by mountains and pine forests and picks up its emerald green color from the reflections of the beautiful trees.
This place seemed more like a retreat than an inn. They have barbecues, where the guests can mingle, and even have a library, where you can check out gay books and films.
The Kirby House, Saugatuck, Michigan
You feel the ambience as soon as step inside the Kirby House, a grand, old home with a parlor, prism windows, original moldings and a wrap-around porch. Owners Ray and Jim have taken an old home on Saugatuck's historical registry and breathed warmth into it with candle-lit breakfasts served on China with fine linens. The bacon-and-cheddar-rolled omelet will make you feel like you died and went to breakfast heaven.
The Kirby House is one of the few B&B with an outdoor heated pool. It is minutes from a spectacular beach with towering sand dunes and quaint shops and galleries.
The Parker Guest House, San Francisco
The Parker House is the ultimate in gay decadence. This bed-and-breakfast - a magnificent example of Edwardian architecture - boasts dark woods, a parlor with a fireplace, a grand piano guests can play and lovely gardens. This first-class hotel even has sherry service and the ultimate perk for us computer junkies - modems in our rooms.
I felt myself moving really slowly in the morning because the Parker House kept pampering me. I loved the down comforter. The trip to the steam room was quite refreshing. They even had an extended continental breakfast for us lazy bums. Oh, yeah, Castro Street, the bustling gay neighborhood, was something else, too.
Land's End Inn, Provincetown, Massachusetts
For sheer romance, the setting of Land's End is unbeatable. Perched at the top of a hill, Land's End, a restored bungalow, overlooks Cape Cod, Provincetown and its harbor.
Provincetown has become the gay capital of New England. But this one scores high on romance because of its crackling fire place, the hillside setting and its fragrant gardens. The wrap-around porch offers amazing views of the ocean and a horizon so crisp it took my breath away. The beaches sparkle because you are right on the tip of Cape Cod - away from pollution and industry.
You can feel the history of this place that was once owned by a Boston merchant. I love its quiet grace. The home is decorated with beautiful antiques, oriental wood carvings and stained glass. You know you are staying in a place with true class, but its hominess is what you remember.
Terry Loncaric is a Chicago freelance writer. Her stories have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Chicago Tribune, Girlfriends and other publications. She has also provided the photographs.
You can email her at:
Artsimmersion@aol.com
