Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Next stop on our search for the best gay hotels of all time – Tampa! Tampa is the perfect holiday location for those that are looking to enjoy the tropical reputation of Florida without the hyper-urban bustle of Miami, and if that sounds like a scene that you’re craving a bit more of in your travels, then you’ll be constantly surprised by the level at which Tampa serves as an undiscovered gem.
Indeed, the city’s culture is a much less commercial mix of local trends and traditional experiences, setting it aside from other nearby tourist cities and the more metropolitan areas of the state. The traffic is lighter, the tickets are cheaper, and the atmosphere is much more relaxed, and that’s quite a substantial list of reasons why Tampa is just different.
If location isn’t king for you, and if you’re still on the lookout for things to do while you’re on holiday, then you’re set to learn that Tampa has that factor in spades too.
Tampa is famous for its amusement parks and zoos, meaning that no matter which kind of unit you travel in – be it alone, as a couple, or with a family – you’re sure to find something to do when you’re not sampling the local cuisine or spending your time at any of the city’s fine and respectable clubs, bars, and discos.
Speaking of those last locations, and of Tampa’s night scene as a whole, their night scene of the city melds perfectly with its queer environments and neighborhoods, with several hotspots such as the infamous cigar capital Ybor City and the surrounding Downtown area truly making clear just how gay-friendly and open Tampa is.
Aside from the nightlife, there are also calming beaches and riverwalks to bring a more peaceful edge to your you-time, not to mention Gulf Bay cruises which are quite possibly one of the most romantic activities that a traveler could dream of having access to.
Although – and we stress this again – the queer scene in Tampa is quite amazing given the size of the city and its generally underrated reputation amongst travelers, our usual disclaimer still applies, just so that we make clear what exactly to expect from here on out!
Obviously, in most cases, there aren’t going to be hotels out there marketed directly towards gay people or queer people in general. We know that, and therefore we’d like to note that the hotels on this list follow the same logic. Most of them have been listed as accommodating, friendly, and unjudgmental to, for, and by queer people in general, as well as being highly rated in general.
So, if you’re ready to jet on down to the Caribbean-side coast of the sun- and sometimes hurricane-soaked Florida, this is the list for you! Get your bags packed, start browsing plane tickets, and get ready to discover exactly how much Tampa puts on the table of adventuring with eight of the city’s best gay hotels!
In this article we will cover...
The Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
The Hyatt Hotel franchise is a shining beacon of top-tier reputation – calling to mind images of luxury, decadence, all-needs-catered service, and – unfortunately, as life goes – quite sizable room rates most of the time. This is without even bringing into this hotel’s specific title, which gives an even higher impression of exclusivity.
The good news is that the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay isn’t that expensive, even if you don’t dig further than the price on the tin of a basic room package. What lies beyond, however, is sure to sweeten the deal even more, especially when it comes to the sheer amount of money and extra fees that guests are set up to save by staying here.
The Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay is nothing short of a paradise away from home – including luxurious, all-needs-catered rooms with hot tubs and separate living areas, as well as common spaces that feel like they belong to elite social clubs for the rich.
Individual rooms don’t disappoint guests aesthetically either, thanks to their modern design, comfortable furniture, and wonderful views. No matter what your preferences in accommodation are, there is sure to be the perfect suite for you available at this hotel – you must only ask the helpful staff!
The hotel is also home to two separate restaurants with entirely different styles. One is the Oystercatchers seafood joint, and the other is ‘1823 Kitchen and Bar’, which serves grilled specialties as an incredible accompaniment to its casual social atmosphere.
There’s also a breakfast bar on site, a large outdoor pool to spend your afternoons relaxing by, wheelchair-accessible rooms for those with special movement needs, and – last but not least – a fitness center to enable those with regimes to keep their flow on a roll!
Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel
As its name might imply, the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel is right up against the banks of the Hillsborough River, allowing it to have a different perspective on the city than most of the other gay hotels on this list.
Indeed, this is true also when it comes to price, as it is a lot more affordable than the first entry here and the last few. All of that means that if you’re looking to make good choices in location and fashion while remaining a little gentle in your pocket, this is the place for you.
But what special things are there about the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk to note? Plenty! An excellent connection to the heart of the city, for one, as well as its included fitness center and spic-and-span approach to fashion and maintenance, is quite impressive for a hotel of its affordability and size.
The Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel is also one of the few locations on this list that are marketed as queer-friendly, which is a massive benefit for gay travelers looking to stay here on their tour through the city or even the state.
Given that Florida is one of the more southerly states in the US, and given these areas’ reputation, it is rather unsurprising that fewer hotels are explicitly LGBTQ+ friendly than in more open regions, and also more pleasant that this hotel breaks away from the trend!
Although there are more than enough options in the nearby streets if you’re looking to reach out into the local culinary culture, there are also a bar and restaurant within the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk’s walks, meaning that you don’t even have to leave the hotel to get a bite to eat, mood permitting!
Best Western Wesley Chapel
The Best Western name might be a little tired for those of our travelers that live in the United States and are looking for an inter-state getaway, but we promise that this one is right in the center of where you’re going to want to be, and packed with loads of other advantages as well. It may only have three stars, but the Best Western baseline reliability is a godsend when traveling away from home and unfamiliar with the area.
There’s free parking if you arrive in the state by car or if you’re hired a car to make transport a little easier, and if not, the hotel also has a wonderful connection to Tampa’s public transport system in the form of the Oakley Blvd & Wesley Grove Blvd bus stop just opposite its front entrance.
This is extremely helpful considering that the Best Western Wesley Chapel isn’t exactly in the center of the city, and although this is a benefit when it comes to the quiet and more relaxed atmosphere surrounding it, some travelers looking to immerse themselves in the heart of Tampa could see that as a negative. That isn’t to say that the hotel’s district doesn’t have its charm, which would be far from true thanks to the nearby suburban streets and gardens.
The hotel breaks Best Western tradition by having a pool on its property – perfect for relaxing – and also has a fitness center on hand. Long story short, if you want to turn your impression of Best Western Hotels around, and if you’re looking for an affordable stay right in the heart of Tampa that is sure to bring you within perfect distance of all of the important tourist destinations, then this is the hotel for you!
Le Méridien Tampa
Known in full as Le Méridien Tampa, The Courthouse, this four-star luxury location may depart from the budget-level swing that we’ve been going at for the last few entries in this list, but its merit in doing so truly pays off in every possible way.
Straight off the bat, the location of this hotel is excellent, thanks to the fact that it finds itself right between the Hillsborough River and the city’s main center, opening up both the trendy port scene and the heart of all of Tampa’s goings-on and night scene.
The building itself is also impressive enough to warrant mention, thanks to the fact that it truly takes up its namesake thanks to the fact that it is built up within an old courthouse building which has now been transformed into a palace of luxury and refined sense.
Registered as officially LGBTQ+ friendly and backed up by an impressive log of positive reviews from satisfied customers of the past who have enjoyed their stay here, the Le Méridien Tampa shows no signs of letting up now – persisting with modernizations and keeping itself up-to-date with the accommodation standards of the hotels around it almost constantly to ensure that it remains as one of the premier options in the entirety of Tampa.
This fact is grounded even further in stone thanks to the hotel’s included connection to public transport and its dedication to offering other helpful services such as free airport shuttles, daily breakfast bars, and remaining pet and child friendly for those traveling through Tampa with miniature-sized companions.
The Le Méridien Tampa is also the home of the Bizou Brasserie, a five-star-rated American restaurant with a cult following of loyal customers who can’t get enough of its delicious food.
The Westin Tampa Waterside
Located a four-minute walk away from the central and bustling mass of the Tampa Convention Center – a perfect hotspot for those coming to stay on business trips or to check out something happening in the city – the Westin Tampa Waterside is a four-star hotel that specializes in balancing the elegant and the practical that turns out just as useful in the end as the more budget options on this list.
There’s no need to lose out on comfort or aesthetics thanks to being a little more affordable and in a good spot for no-nonsense use!
The Westin Tampa is yet another hotel on this list to be marked as LGBTQ+ friendly, which is just as much of a benefit for this location as it is for all of the rest. It’s always nice to know that the hotel in which you’ll be spending the better part of your time abroad has your back, and this is a dedication that the Westin Tampa Waterside keeps to like a motto in operation.
Aside from this social factor, the Westin Tampa Waterside’s pride and joy is its pool and relaxation area, but it also does an excellent job of showcasing its attached golf course. A golf course might not be at the front of your list when you’re looking for a gay hotel in Tampa, but we can assure you that it is excellent to have plentiful options while abroad on holiday.
Who knows – you might take up the sport and find that it is the perfect way to relax and put up your feet while remaining active! And, after all, there’s always the in-house restaurant and bar ensemble if you’re looking to put on a bit of bulk rather than work it off!
Tampa Marriott Water Street
Luxury doesn’t have to be needlessly complicated and stiff, and this way of operation is something that Marriott Water Street pulls off perfectly. ‘Water Street’ is the perfect name for this location, too, thanks to the fact that the front of the hotel runs directly along the Garrison Channel, which is one of the largest bodies of water in Tampa before the city breaks out into the Tampa Bay and the sea beyond it.
This means that this is the perfect spot to stay and enjoy yourself if you’re looking to get your hands down in the trendy, modern port scene that fills the seaside edge of the city.
This hotel is the third in a row to be officially LGBTQ+ friendly, according to its Google listing, and it is truly inspiring on behalf of queer travelers to see that the hotels in the region are taking up so much effort to ensure that gay holidayers feel welcome. However, the location isn’t just appealing to queer people looking to escape the buzz of working life.
The Tampa Marriott is famed amongst the traveling community in general thanks to its excellent location and dedication to great service, and that is without mentioning the nearby night scene of the Ybor City district that we spoke about earlier. This hotel may not be directly in Ybor City, unlike the Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa Ybor City, which comes up next on this list, but it certainly has a solid connection to the area, both when it comes to public transport and culture.
Some of the nearby specialties include the Tampa Art Museum, the opera at the Stranz Center, and several other cultural sites with great importance to both inhabitants of Tampa and international art communities.
Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa Ybor City
There are several instances of the Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa within the border of the city, with some catering to guests closer to the airport and others brushing right up against the bay, but there’s something special about this particular location, and that is its proximity to Ybor City itself.
As we mentioned earlier, this famous cigar-manufacturing neighborhood is renowned for its close ties to the queer community, and although the days of the industry in the area may be long over, it suffices to say that the gay influences in the district aren’t going anywhere.
If anything, Ybor City stands stronger under the rainbow flag today than ever before and serves as the very center of Tampa’s nightlife as well as a hotspot for all those looking to let their hair down, be free, and express themselves.
The Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa itself is like The Westshore Grand in the sense that it has fewer stars than we feel it deserves – though the number is three in this case – but, once more, that does little to deter the hotel’s determination in providing good service to guests and sound maintenance to its rooms. There’s also free breakfast every morning, parking available on all ends of the hotel if you come by car, and an event center open for hire if you’re looking to host an event or get-together.
If the queer nightlife isn’t what you’re looking to explore while in Tampa, you’ll be thrilled to know that Ybor City is also famous for its strong Cuban influence and connection to Cuban culture, which means that there are more than just a few Cuban bars and restaurants in the area to immerse yourself in for a different feel and a different angle on the city than you might expect.
The Westshore Grand
This hotel may only have four stars rather than the ultimate five, but if this fact were not displayed alongside The Westshore Grand’s advertising, we wouldn’t have guessed that fact in a million years. There’s something truly impressive about the structure and the outside appearance of The Westshore Grand, especially regarding the hotel’s impressive inner courtyard and lobby structure.
It goes without saying that if you’re looking for a hotel that is as stylish as it is useful and functional, this is the place for you. Your eyes are sure to be treated to an amazing array of fashionable sights while you’re staying here, and that’s without discussing the comfortable furniture and layouts of the individual rooms.
Speaking of the rooms, if you’re willing to spend just a little more to upgrade to a suite, you will be treated with a separate living space and even a dining room, which is a lot of space to put up your feet and truly enjoy yourself. Room service is readily available to ensure you always have something to eat, and there is a breakfast bar in the main hall in the mornings to sate your early hunger!
But wait – there are still some noteworthy advantages to go over yet. One of the best factors about The Westshore Grand is that children are completely cost-free when they stay with a parent, and the hotel offers free airport shuttles between the hotel and the nearby Tampa International.
Saving money while abroad is always a wonderful thing to invest in, and – coupled with the luxurious setting of the hotel itself – there was never a better place to do it than here within the wonderful spaces of The Westshore Grand!
Gay Hotel Map Of Tampa
Feeling a bit lost while planning your journey to Tampa? No worries, darling! Our detailed LGBTQ+ tailored map is here to guide you. We’ve pinpointed all the vibrant gay-friendly bars, exhilarating clubs, extravagant parties, cozy hotels, relaxing saunas, and soothing massage parlors to ensure you find the perfect spot.
And these aren’t just any spots; we’re talking about the creme de la creme of locations in the heart of the city’s vibrant gay scene. Think panoramic views, easy access to nightlife, and all the amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
But hold on to your feather boas! These hot spots are so fabulous they vanish quicker than a drag queen’s five o’clock shadow. Don’t delay; book now to secure the best deals and locations. Remember, the early bird catches the best deals in Tampa! So, pack your rainbow flag, and get ready to experience the ultimate gay-friendly holiday in Tampa.
