Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Whether you go on holiday for the suntan, new experiences, to blow off steam, or just to escape the daily grind, we’re willing to bet that you want to feel relaxed and free to be yourself. Thankfully the hotels and gay resorts in Hawaii allow you to do just that – to be 110% yourself, without a single double-take, all in the company of other open-minded folks.
Hawaii has long been one of the most popular travel destinations for people all over the world, due in large part to its fantastic climate and tropical island setting. It’s great in that it offers a taste of the exotic, yet it is still within the United States.
It is increasingly becoming popular with the LGBTQ crowd as well. And it’s no surprise. Hawaii has a generally open attitude toward visitors of all kinds.
There is a reason it’s called the Aloha state (for those who don’t know: Aloha is the Hawaiian word for both “Hello” and “Goodbye,” but it is also the word for love). It’s probably fair to say that the Hawaiian Islands are among the friendliest places on planet Earth.
In all, it is highly unlikely that LGBTQ tourists in Hawaii would face problems because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Same-sex marriage has been legal in the state of Hawaii since 2013, and while the Islands of Aloha may not quite be a match for places like San Francisco or Ft. Lauderdale in terms of gay-centric offerings (gay bars, clubs and such), there is one big exception in the island of Oahu, particularly Honolulu. This is where most of Hawaii’s gay nightlife is concentrated.
With that said, Hawaii lives up to its reputation as one of the world’s most sought-after destinations, with its wonderful weather, beautiful beaches and wealth of adventurous activities. It also has some fabulous gay and gay-friendly hotels and resorts, with something for LGBTQ travelers of all kinds.
In this article we will cover...
Hawaii Lalala Guest House
This hotel calls itself an “Exotic gay tropical paradise,” and who are we to disagree? It is located in the little town of Kalapana, on the Big Island, and offers a cozy experience.
The resort consists of two residential buildings and a Balinese hut. There is a heated Aqua Nirvana therapy pool and a massage studio. The resort has Wi-Fi and cell phone service, which might not sound like a big deal but is actually fairly uncommon in the hotel’s relatively remote setting.
Hawaii Lalala Guest House also features exotic tropical gardens in which guests can pick their own oranges, lemons, pineapple and passionfruit. There is also a waterfall fish pond and chaise lounges, in addition to an outdoor hot water shower.
Other amenities include free breakfast and the fact that the hotel is pet-friendly. It is also clothing optional throughout. The Tropical Room and Island Boyz Room offer basic accommodations and share a bathroom. The Paradise Suite offers a king bed and a private bathroom with a bathtub and shower. It also has a ceiling fan, mini fridge, and smart TV and DVD player. Free Wi-Fi, with USB charging outlets.
The Oceanfront Bali Hut is the crown jewel here and offers guests their own little private piece of paradise. Its highlights are a covered private patio and a fully stocked kitchenette. It also has a refrigerator, coffee maker, microwave, marble top buffet, burner and griddle. There is a garden with chaise lounges. The hut is a short stroll from a black sand beach.
Isle of You, Naturally
This fabulously-named gay resort encompasses 70 acres of beautiful “old Hawaii,” that is, Hawaii as it is supposed to be – unspoiled. The resort doesn’t stop being fabulous with its name, however. It is located on a gay-owned-and-operated working farm, and for all its seclusion, it is still only a 30-minute drive from Hilo. The quaint little village of Pahoa is nearer.
Whether they go with the yurt of the cabin, guests are in for an unforgettable retreat that is both eco-friendly and oriented toward gay and lesbian travelers. They will also experience a clothing-optional stay where they will be surrounded by some of the most spectacular nature to be found anywhere in the world.
And be prepared to unplug when guesting at the Isle of You, Naturally, internet and cell service are eschewed at this resort (although you can have these at nearby Pahoa if you absolutely must).
The cabin has a full-size bed and a queen-size futon couch. The deck has Adirondack chairs for guests to relax as they take in the magnificent ocean view. The Cabin also has a full kitchen with a gas stove, refrigerator, coffee maker and microwave. Cabin guests will also have a cooler, beach towels and mats, guidebooks and boogie boards.
Isle of You Naturally offers a special kind of stay that will be hard to find anywhere else in Hawaii. Small, friendly, and ecologically minded, this little resort offers the perfect getaway for the right kind of tourist if you can handle the fact that it is off-the-grid and uses solar power, and has no internet or cell reception. It is the perfect resort for a chance to unplug, get naked, and reconnect with nature.
Horizon Guest House
The Horizon Guest House is a luxury bed and breakfast on the Big Island. It is set on 40 acres on the lower slopes of Mona Loa and on the Kona Coast, less than an hour south of Kailua-Kona Airport. It is adjacent to the historic McCandless Ranch.
The resort features 4 suites, all of which boast spectacular panoramic views. Each also has its own private lanai (patio) as well as a private entry. Three suites have a king bed, and the fourth – the Honeymoon Suite – has a queen bed.
Each suite accommodates 2 guests. The hotel is not for minors under 14, or for pets. Suites include a refrigerator and a coffee press, an electric kettle for making tea and coffee, also a ceiling fan.
The property was designed from the start to be an upscale B&B, and it has a solar-heated pool as well as an infinity pool and jacuzzi. These are all on the view side of the property. Free Wi-Fi is available in all rooms. The breakfast part of this bed and breakfast is something not to be missed.
Guests are treated to a generous buffet breakfast with fresh fruit grown right on the property – mangoes, oranges, papaya, dragon fruit, pineapple and more – and it can be enjoyed in the dining room, poolside, out on the main lanai or even in your private lanai. Or you can even grab a picnic cooler and take it with you on one of your island excursions.
Horizon Guest House is a great option for those looking for a stay on the Big Island. It offers a getaway removed from the hustle and bustle of Kailua-Kona without sacrificing anything in the way of luxury.
Aloha Guest House
This is an eco-friendly bed and breakfast on a 5-acre organic tropical fruit farm. A traditional-style B&B, the Aloha Guest House has been in operation for more than 20 years and has been reviewed by prestigious travel guides like Frommer’s and Lonely Planet.
Kealakekua Bay and Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park are both just minutes away. And the guest house welcomes everyone regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation. That is the spirit of Kakou, which means “all of us” a spirit of inclusiveness that is the spirit of Hawaii itself.
Rooms come with High-Def DirecTV satellite channels, and a mini fridge along with a hair dryer, guest robe and slippers. Homemade organic breakfast is served each morning on the upstairs lanai, and organic, 100% Kona coffee is also served.
Room amenities vary as do the rooms themselves, and include (alternately) daily room service, Wi-Fi, organic bath products, beach towels, chairs and coolers, private bathrooms with either tub or shower, and queen beds with premium linens.
Some rooms have king beds with memory foam mattresses. The Hona Guest Room, the hotel’s largest, has a private kitchenette and dining table. A nice amenity of this hotel is that it will lend you snorkeling gear free of charge.
With its super-friendly atmosphere, comfortable rooms, and great central location with everything within striking distance (Volcano National Park is only 90 minutes away), the Aloha Guest House is a great, affordable place to base your adventures on the Big Island.
Hilo Bay Hale Guesthouse
This hotel is located less than 4 miles from the Hilo International Airport, in downtown Hilo, and is set inside a beautifully restored 1914 plantation house. Guests love this B&Bs excellent central location to everything Hawaii’s second city has to offer, such as the Tsunami Museum and The Palace Theater.
Hilo Bay Hale also has a gay-friendly attitude which is a reflection of that of Hilo itself – as well as of Hawaii in general. Everyone is welcome here, and gay and lesbian guests can feel right at home and comfortable being themselves.
The guesthouse has a communal kitchen with a bamboo ceiling and monkey pod bar and features period furnishings and dishes. Guests are free to use the kitchen, and a microwave, rice cooker, and blender are made available. A buffet-style breakfast is served each morning in the kitchen, though guests are free to enjoy breakfast in their room or out on the lanai.
There is also a lobby in which guests can relax with a book from the guest houses’ collection of books on Hawaii, including guidebooks and maps. The front porch is another great place to relax, take in the views of Hilo town and Hilo Bay, and socialize with other guests. There is also complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the property. Other amenities include an outdoor shower and a laundry room.
Each of the four guest rooms is unique and features private baths, air conditioning, cable TV, and ceiling fans, as well as hair dryers, irons, and futon beds for extra guests. Snorkeling and beach gear can also be provided. Hilo Bay Hale Guesthouse is an excellent gay-friendly choice if you are planning to base your Hawaiin adventures in Hilo.
Hotel Renew
Oahu’s first designer boutique hotel is located just steps from glamorous Waikiki Beach. It offers both sophistication and serenity with its 72 tastefully furnished rooms. It also offers comfortable accommodations within the heart of Honolulu’s fabulous shopping and dining experiences.
Best of all, it affords LGBTQ travelers unbeatable luxury lodging with excellent service and an open, friendly atmosphere.
The hotel has a long list of amenities: daily housekeeping, free high-speed Wi-Fi, in-room fitness equipment rentals, a mini fridge, a filtered water station, beach and snorkeling gear availability, yoga mats, boogie boards, surfboard storage, daily newspaper, and so on. Also, it is a pet-friendly establishment. 24-hour front desk service, too.
Rooms come in a range of options, with a variety of amenity packages. Some rooms have ocean views, and the rooms have either 1 or 2 beds and sleep 2 or 4 guests, respectively. Highlights are premium cotton bedding and luxe bath goodies.
All this together with a great location in hip Waikiki, and an open-minded, inclusive setting make the Hotel Renew one of the best Honolulu accommodation choices for LGTQ travelers.
The Royal Hawaiian
Also known as the “Pink Palace of the Pacific,” or more commonly just The Pink Palace. Opened in 1929, the five-star Royal Hawaiian is one of the most recognizable landmarks of the Waikiki Beach area, with its rose-pink stucco exterior.
It is also one of the most popular gay-friendly hotels with LGBTQ travelers in Honolulu. The style of this oceanfront hotel is what is known as upscale-personal, meaning that despite the Royal Hawaiian’s size (over 500 rooms), guests can count on top-notch service.
Hotel amenities include a welcome bag with Royal Hawaiian Signature banana Bread muffins, Wi-Fi access, morning yoga sessions, intro to stand-up paddle boarding, and daily cultural activities on-site such as lauhala weaving, flower lei making, ukulele lessons, and so on.
As you might expect from such a large hotel, there is a wealth of accommodation styles. Some rooms have awesome views of the garden or of Waikiki Beach.
All rooms feature flat-screen TVs, also refrigerators, coffee makers and curated snacks and beverages, as well as luxury bedding and the full line of Malie Organics toiletries, so guests are in for quite a luxurious experience at the Royal Hawaiian regardless of what room type they go with.
The upgraded rooms of the Mailani Tower feature more spacious rooms and suites, as well as a private lanai.
The best amenity of all, however (well, besides having Waikiki Beach at your doorstep), is the accepting attitude you’ll find here, and that is why the Royal Hawaiian is such a hit with LGBTQ visitors to Honolulu.
Volcano Eco Retreat by Heart Core Hotels
Volcano Eco Retreat used to have a different name and was an exclusive gay men’s resort located near Pahoa, but it has now changed to open-to-all. It still provides a safe, open-minded setting where gay men can relax and be comfortable in the presence of like-minded people while enjoying the splendid tropical scenery of Hawaii. Cozy island vibes are the order of the day here.
The retreat boasts a luxury spa and a common lounge space where guests can mingle. The property sits on 4 acres of the secluded native Hawaiian forest and is squarely halfway between Hilo and Volcano National Park.
Rooms feature a refrigerator, fireplace, extra-long beds, and whirlpool bathtubs. Breakfast is included. The bungalow-style buildings have bamboo exteriors, and the interiors feature classic Polynesian décor. There are barbeque facilities on the property, as well as a hot tub. The retreat is for adults only, though pets are permitted.
Previous owners Scott and Robert had created a gay men’s resort that manages to be eco-friendly without compromising luxury, and their original vision of openness is still largely adhered to today. That, along with the retreat’s great location as a central base for exploring the Big Island, makes this one of the best choices out there for gay travelers exploring the best of Hawaii.
Kauai Beach Resort & Spa
Here is a world-class resort sitting on 25 tropical acres of prime real estate on the Garden Isle, squarely situated between Kauai’s northern and southern shores. Kauai Beach Resort & Spa embraces the spirit of Aloha like few other hotels do, with industry-leading service that is exemplary of Hawaiian hospitality.
Room amenities include wide-screen TVs, an in-room safe, a mini fridge, a hair dryer, an iron and ironing board, toiletries, towels and linens, free Wi-Fi, cable channels, and food delivery service in the evenings from the on-site restaurant. All rooms have their own private lanai. Extra guests can be accommodated with rollaway beds for a fee.
The property can boast 4 swimming pools including a sandy bottom oceanfront pool with a poolside bar. There are also 2 waterfalls and a water slide. 2 hot tubs are available, and there is a fitness center.
Lawn games include cornhole, along with several others, and the resort can proudly boast a Hawaiian Rainforest Spa and Hair Salon. Other services are daily beachfront yoga classes and cultural activities. There is also nightly live entertainment. Car rental is offered through Hertz on weekdays.
With 350 guest rooms and suites, the Kauai Beach Resort & Spa is quite a large hotel, but that doesn’t mean guests have to sacrifice anything in the way of great service and attention. And the resort is LGBTQ friendly, with a relaxed, inclusive vibe that is the hallmark of the Hawaiian Islands.
Halekulani Hotel
Halekulani Hotel is one of the first and finest hotels in Hawaii and has been welcoming guests with unbeatable hospitality for almost a century. Needless to say, it is a real hit with everyone, gay and lesbian visitors included. The world-class, award-winning hospitality that Halekulani is known for includes a gay-friendly setting where everyone is welcome to be themselves in comfort.
Room styles vary in this 450-room-plus establishment, with guestrooms, suites, and premier suites. There are also rooms that are handicap accessible, for mobile-impaired and hearing-impaired individuals.
The property boasts access to both beach and pool, the latter of which overlooks Waikiki with impressive views. The 82-foot-long pool has a bottom that is made of 1.2 million glass tiles, in a beautiful orchid mosaic design. You are almost guaranteed to have seen nothing like it.
There is also personalized poolside service available. Not to be outdone is the fitness studio, which offers complimentary fitness classes – some held on the beach – and has the latest equipment. The registered personal trainers are also available for one-on-one sessions.
Daily surf demonstrations are held in the mornings, with complimentary surf or stand-up paddleboard demonstrations. Spa services employ authentic Polynesian therapeutic rituals along with the purest products.
Dining at Halekulani is as varied as it is splendid. It is no exaggeration to say the cuisine on offer at Halekulani is world-famous, and there are likely people who come here for that reason alone. House Without a Key offers casual fare, and al fresco, while Orchids has an open-air dining room along with a menu that specializes in coastal Italian.
La Mer is Hawaii’s only restaurant to have both the AAA Five Diamond status in addition to the Forbes Travel Guide 5 Star award. So it’s needless to say that Le Mer has something special going for it, and what that is, is a spectacular fusion of French and Hawaiian cuisines.
Three wonderful restaurants deserve three wonderful bars to compliment them, and Halekulani delivers on this front as well. Lewer’s Lounge is an intimate cocktail lounge with live light jazz performances.
(It should be noted that elegant attire is required here). L’Aperitif Cocktail Bar is a sophisticated bar and lounge within La Mer and is a great place to enjoy some after-dinner drinks. Located inside Orchids is Cattleya Wine Bar, with an impressive selection of wines from all parts of the world, by the glass or bottle, and Mediterranean tapas.
Across the street from Halekulani is the Halekulani Bakery & Restaurant. This establishment offers a unique gastronomic experience that pairs select beverages with their signature baked breads, with sommeliers and distillers on hand to provide insights. The bakery also offers iced coffees and lattes.
All this is just a sampling of what this wonderful Hawaii hotel has to offer for guests of all stripes, colors and sexual orientations and gender identities. For discerning LGBTQ tourists who expect the very best in a luxury hotel along with a gay-friendly setting, this is a clear choice.
