Attitude Hotels Offers Up-scale Options for Gay Travelers

Pedro Castro, a gay Portugese travel marketing professional, is trying to expand up-scale options for gay travelers. After many negative experiences at gay hotels, Castro decided to create a brand for high-end, design-conscious, gay and lesbian hotels around the world. Attitude Hotels is the result. Think Leading Hotels of World with a gay-lesbian focus.

"Gay hotels used to be part of the ghetto from the '70s and '80s," Castro said. "Many of them are run down, and once you get there, you're highly disappointed."

Comprising primarily small to midsize properties arranged in three categories -- value, comfort and premium -- according to price and amenities, Attitude Hotels sets out to guarantee gay and lesbian travelers an experience that is both gay and upscale.

Although some hotels and larger hotel chains already market themselves to the gay community, Castro made it clear that, generally speaking, these kinds of properties failed to understand or meet the needs of the gay traveler. Attitude Hotels are primarily are gay-owned or operated and so provide a more tailored experience for travelers.

"Most of the places are gay-owned or gay-managed," Castro said, noting that Attitude sidesteps conventional hotel chains that advertise themselves as gay-friendly.

"Saying something is gay-friendly is a straight perspective," he said. "It says, 'We accept gay people.'

"I wanted to do [a high-end brand] from the other end, to claim the gay perspective," he said.

A similar consortia, World's Foremost, already exists but primarily focuses on bed and breakfasts in the U.S. Attitude Hotels will be the first brand to represent gay boutique hotels on the international stage.