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 Australia allow you to do just that – to be 110% yourself, without a single double-take, all in the company of other open-minded folks.
Though it might not be talked about much as a great LGBTQ getaway destination, the Land Down Under has an incredible number of worthwhile things to experience for gay and lesbian travelers willing to give it a chance.
Just as an example, imagine joining a gay group sailing trip exploring the Great Barrier Reef and the islands of the beautiful Queensland Coast, with their world-famous beaches. Imagine seeing it all aboard an exclusively chartered catamaran with a skipper and cook on board.
And imagine experiencing all this with an all-gay group of folks who are just like yourself – fun, friendly and there to have a good time. Sounds like the makings of an unforgettable experience that you would likely cherish for a lifetime, when you picture it in your imagination, right?
Well, you don’t have to just imagine it, because it exists. And it’s out there right now, waiting for you. This is just a single, solitary sample of what Australia has in store for LGBTQ visitors. And there is so much more to match the experience just described.
It’s probably no secret that Sydney and Melbourne have thriving gay communities – the former, in fact, is said to have probably one of the largest if not the largest gay population of any city in the Southern Hemisphere.
Other bigger Australian cities such as Brisbane, Adelaide, Brisbane and even Canberra have lively gay communities and gay nightlife scenes. But there is much more to gay Australia than just these big cities, as you will see for yourself by reading on.
In this article we will cover...
Turtle Cove Beach Resort
Located in Cairns, the adults-only Turtle Cove Beach Resort is a little slice of heaven for gay and lesbian travelers. It claims to be Australia’s only LGBTQ+ resort. The resort describes itself as “a unique space for respectful adults,” and has been serving LGBTQIA guests since 1993.
Accommodations are available in a wide range. Garden View Rooms are downstairs, with a balcony overlooking the resort’s lush tropical gardens. These offer 1 queen bed and 1 single bed, as well as an en-suite bathroom and a bar fridge with coffee and tea facilities, and smart TVs. An extra guest can be accommodated for a charge.
This is a great option for two or three guests on a budget. The Coral Sea View Rooms are on the upstairs terrace with views of the resort and the Coral Sea beyond. Each room has a furnished private balcony. These offer all the same amenities as the Garden View Rooms.
Coral Sea View King Deluxe Rooms are also on the upstairs terrace and boast the same postcard-worthy views, though they offer more spacious accommodations with a king-size bed. Absolute Beachfront Suites are the top-of-the-line at the Turtle Cove Beach Resort.
These afford a private timber deck that opens onto the resort’s private beach, and phenomenal views of the sea and beach can be had from every room in the suites.
Not to be outdone, however, is the Apartment, which is downstairs and is a full, self-contained apartment with a fully equipped kitchen, living area, separate bedroom and a spacious bathroom. It has two balcony decks and is outfitted with a queen size bed.
All rooms, the Apartment no exception, include a free tropical continental breakfast daily. All rooms are non-smoking, though smoking is permitted out on the balconies and in some public areas.
There is a fitness center with a range of equipment including treadmills, elliptical cross trainers, spin bikes and more. The resort’s solar-heated pool, hot tub and rock pool are all open 2 hours a day. The recreation room has a large billiards table and a selection of board games, books and magazines. The message spa offers massage services on-site, with a local masseur when available.
The resort has a feature called the “Turtle Table,” which is a communal dining table that gives those feeling social or those traveling solo the chance to meet other guests. The on-site bar, the SandBar, offers an array of local and imported beers, wines, cocktails and mocktails. Besides the tropical buffet breakfast, a casual lunch menu and a la carte dinner service are offered.
With its focus on LGBTQ (and straight ally) visitors, fabulous location – which has been called the best in the world – private beach, and excellent amenities, the Turtle Cove Beach Resort is an unbeatable choice for gay and lesbian tourists looking for welcoming accommodations in Australia.
Pink Flamingo Resort
The Pink Flamingo Resort is an adults-only, pet-friendly hotel resort in Port Douglas that prides itself on being affordable and intimate, as well as gay-friendly. It is considered by many to be the finest hotel in Port Douglas.
It is situated in a secluded setting, a haven from the bustle and noise of the city, yet it’s only a few minutes away from Four Mile Beach. The intimate environment is highlighted by stunning award-winning gardens. For those looking for a unique private retreat, the entire resort can be hired as a venue for a very special occasion.
Located on one of the most picturesque properties in Port Douglas, the Pink Flamingo has a nice list of resort facilities highlighted by the heated outdoor swimming pool, with its poolside honor bar, shady palms and loungers, and there is barbeque area.
The resort also has a library with books and DVDs, a pool table and table tennis, an outdoor bath in your own private courtyard, on-site parking, bike rentals, a guest laundry room, tour bookings at the reception desk, an outdoor exercise area, and 24-hour on-site management.
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. A limited number of the villas are pet friendly and include dog blankets and bowls.
Accommodations include two Studios and ten Private Garden Villas. Rooms are air-conditioned and also have ceiling fans, and the villas include kitchenettes. Tea and coffee are available to guests in the main kitchen. Rooms also have balconies, microwaves, kitchenware, flatscreen TVs, and refrigerators.
The Pink Flamingo is an excellent gay-friendly resort, where gay and lesbian guests can enjoy a safe and comfortable environment that also offers an intimate stay experience offering at once a great location and seclusion and privacy, for a relaxed stay.
Amaroo Water Gardens B&B
This gay-owned bed and breakfast sits on 20 extraordinarily scenic acres overlooking Adelaide’s beautiful Amaroo Water Gardens. It’s a splendid location, with historic Willunga, McLaren Vale Wineries, Kuitpo Forest, and a host of galleries, restaurants, and beaches all nearby, not to mention the finish line of the Tour Down Under.
The guesthouse is a rammed earth building and can guest up to four people. Amenities include a double spa and shower, king bed and double sofa bed, separate living room, full kitchen, and large patio and barbeque area overlooking the lake.
But the real draw here for most will be the absolutely stunning setting, with its pristine gardens and Lilypad-littered lake. It’s no wonder the water gardens are such a popular venue for weddings and other events.
Owners Nick and John are almost as popular as the gardens themselves, and visitors – gay, straight, or otherwise – are unlikely to find more gracious hosts anywhere in the Land Down Under.
Seems to be closed indefinitely – please reach out to us if you have further information.
Noosa Cove Adults Only Retreat
This adult-only LGBTI holiday retreat is located in the beautiful seaside town of Noosa, at the northern end of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. And with such a locale as its setting, how could the retreat be anything but fabulous?
The Noosa Cove Adults Only Retreat has been in operation for nearly three decades and began as a fun, safe and comfortable destination for adults-only clientele of all lifestyles, particularly LGBT.
A unique boutique hotel with nothing else quite like it in Noosa or anywhere else, it is within walking distance of Alexandria Nudist Beach. Little Cove Beach and Noosa’s main beach are also just minutes walk away, and the area of Noosa where the retreat is situated adjoins the Noosa National Park.
The big attraction in Noosa – that is, other than its famed tropical setting and white sand beaches – is Hastings Street, with its fabulous restaurants and boutique shops. And all of this is entirely walkable: automobiles are more of a luxury than a necessity in Noosa.
As for Noosa Cove itself, the retreat offers a Poolside Studio and 1- and 2-bedroom apartments. The former offers a queen bed and can sleep 2 guests. It has a kitchenette with a microwave and utensils, and a private bathroom. Includes HD flat-screen TV and DVD player. The studio is outfitted with a ceiling fan. Guests love the private poolside patio setting.
The Apartments offer more spacious accommodations and have a lounge and dining room, and balcony. Separate kitchen with dishwasher. The second bedroom in the 2-bedroom apartment has a queen bed and its own TV. Apartments also feature laundry facilities with a washing machines.
The small, cozy retreat has a secluded pool, sun deck and barbeque area. With its spectacular setting and focus on making itself a gay and lesbian paradise destination, the Noosa Cove Adult Only Retreat presents an LGBTQ Australian getaway destination that is mighty hard to top.
Hideaway Noosa Men’s Beach Resort
Here is another gay men’s resort in Noosa where the dress code is, shall we say, extremely relaxed. This one is but a short walk away from Peregian Beach, on Australia’s Sunshine Coast.
In addition to the fine white sands of this beautiful and famous beach, visitors in Noosa also have fabulous Hastings Street to explore, with its cafes, galleries, restaurants and boutique stores, and its generally cosmopolitan vibe – such an unexpected treat in this smaller seaside town of under 50,000 residents.
Noosa National Park is only an 8 minutes drive away, and 15 minutes drive away is the Mount Coolum Golf Club. In spite of everything, there is to do in Noosa, many guests at the Hideaway Noosa Men’s Beach Resort choose to check in and strip down in the resort’s salt pool (which includes an outdoor spa).
This is surrounded by lush tropical gardens, so there is no need for guests to worry about privacy at this clothing-optional resort, where “feel free to feel good” is its motto.
4 room types are available here. All rooms feature free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, flat-screen TV, coffee and tea-making facilities, and a BYO refrigerator and mini bar. The Budget Studio, at 226 square feet, has a comfortable bed and garden views. It shares a bathroom with the similarly appointed Queen Studio, which (unsurprisingly) has a queen-sized bed.
The Suites have 280 square feet of space and their own private kitchenettes equipped with toasters, microwaves, and electric kettles. The Suites also offer en-suite private bathrooms. The Deluxe Suite offers a view of the courtyard, while the Premium Suite – with 344 square feet of space – has views of the pool.
With a focus on creating a paradisical men’s only stay experience and a phenomenal location, Hideaway Noose is an excellent choice of accommodation for gay men looking to find fun and relaxation on the Sunshine Coast.
Marrakesh Resort Apartments
This Moroccan-inspired boutique resort has been called a Gold Coast icon, and with its incredible worldly ambiance that keeps visitors coming back year after year, it’s not hard to see why. Best of all, Marrakesh is a gay-friendly establishment where everyone can feel comfortable enjoying the world-class service on offer at this four-star resort.
With a prime location that joins the best of Surfer’s Paradise and Broadbeach, Marrakesh Resort Apartments boasts 2 heated pools (one indoor, one outdoor) and both indoor and outdoor spas, poolside barbeque area, a gym, tropical gardens, and a rooftop sundeck with a barbeque area, not to mention spectacular views of Surfer’s Paradise and the ocean beyond.
For on-site dining, Marrakesh offers the independently owned and operated Rudy’s Real Foods Café & Restaurant. Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks the restaurant’s motto is “let your food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” It offers healthy, organic fare, and has a mission of providing its guests with the tools to make healthier eating choices.
All accommodations here are apartment-style. Standard and Superior Rooms are available, each in 1- and 2-bedroom options.
1-bedroom Standard Rooms are 59 square meters and offer private balconies. These have queen beds and blackout curtains and sleep two. The sofa bed can be used for an extra guest at an additional charge.
2-bedroom Standards have 99 square meters of space and offer more spacious balconies. These accommodations easily sleep 4 people with a queen bed and two single beds, and as with the 1-bedroom standard apartments, the existing sofa bed can be used to accommodate another guest.
The 1-bedroom Superior options have 70 square meters with updated furnishings, while 2-bedroom Superiors boast an impressive 115 square meters and sleep 4 easily.
All apartments have separate living and dining areas, air conditioning, fully equipped kitchens with full-size refrigerators, kettle with complimentary coffee and tea, ensuite private bathrooms – come with both a tub and shower – in addition to laundry facilities with a washer and dryer, direct dial telephone, 40” smart TV and free Wi-Fi access.
All this and a sensational locale in Surfer’s Paradise make the Marrakesh Resorts Apartments a fabulous choice for discerning gay and lesbian tourists looking for great accommodations on the Gold Coast.
Vibe Hotel Sydney
This hotel offers an excellent location central to Sydney’s fabulous gay nightlife and a plethora of gay and gay-friendly bars, clubs and eateries. Hyde Park, Chinatown, and Sydney Tower are also close by.
The Vibe Hotel has the best of both worlds with this convenient location, with so much of the city’s best right at its doorstep, yet being surrounded by parks giving a certain degree of seclusion.
Accommodations range from standard guestrooms to family rooms, to junior suites and executive suites. All 198 total rooms offer spacious and comfortable lodging.
The Vibe Hotel also boasts a rooftop pool, a sauna, a gym, and the on-site Sydney Central Café and Bar, located on the ground floor. It offers barista coffee, wholesome meals, and delicious drinks, including a room service menu.
LGBTQ tourists in Sydney could do much worse than this gay-friendly establishment, with its top-notch service and friendly, helpful staff, not to mention a great location and proximity to one of the best gay scenes in the whole country.
Rainbow Retreat Wilderness Eco Lodge & Cabins
A more rustic and back-to-nature sort of gay-friendly experience is on offer with this entry, located in Tasmania with Freycinet National Park, Wine Glass Bay, Ben Lomond National Park, and Douglas Apsley National Park all nearby.
Itself a Private Nature Reserve, the Rainbow Retreat Wilderness is a popular local holiday destination among Tasmanians and is home to some of the island’s most famous wildlife like the Bennetts Wallaby, Tasmanian Bettong, Eastern Pygmy Possum, and the Tasmanian Devil, among others.
As this is a nature-based retreat, five-star luxury amenities are not to be expected. But what guests can expect is a memorable experience that allows them to reconnect with nature. But that’s not to say that there aren’t comforts to be had: in fact, guests will stay in cabins, and not just any cabins, but solar-powered eco-cabins with queen beds and fold-out double futons.
These self-contained cabins have full kitchens with fridges, and en suite bathrooms, and run on 12-volt solar power. Also included are pot-belly stoves, dining suites, and LED TVs. Meals are made by the resident chef and delivered fresh to your cabin, or guest can prepare their own if they prefer. A range of Tasmanian and Australian wines are also available.
The retreat is also just minutes away from some of Tasmania’s most beautiful beaches, and there are numerous walking and hiking trails on the property. Gay and lesbian adventurers and nature lovers are in for a real treat when they book a stay on this unique and friendly Tasmanian eco getaway.
Seems to be closed indefinitely – please reach out to us if you have further information.
The Crowne Plaza, Alice Springs
The Crown Plaza is located right smack in the middle of the country in the town of Alice Springs. This hotel may already be familiar to any LGBT movie buffs out there: it appeared in the movie Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (a road comedy about two drag performers traveling across the desert as they take their act on the road).
Amenities include a swimming pool, spa and sauna, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. The fitness includes free use of treadmills, weights, and cardio equipment. Group exercise classes are also available for a fee. Spa services include a message, facials, waxing, beauty treatments, and manicures and pedicures. There is also a salon on the property.
On-site dining options are abundant, with hotel restaurants including Tali, which provides an a la carte dining experience that is second to none. It has seating for up to 180 people inside as well as outside on a shaded deck. There are also two private rooms for parties or meetings. Splash Poolside Café offers everything from healthy protein smoothies to beer and cocktails.
The Crowne Point has a casino on its premises, Lasseters, which includes drinking and dining choices of its own. Casbah is arguably foremost among them, a café and bar offering light meals and snacks in addition to beer, wine and cocktails. Also in the casino area are the Juicy Sports lounge bar, the Tempo, The Juicy Rump, and the Goat & Bucket. In-room dining is also optional.
The four-and-a-half-star Crowne Plaza boasts 205 guest rooms, five of which are handicapped accessible. Well-appointed and tastefully furnished rooms offer free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, housekeeping service, flat screen TV, minibar, a safe, fridge, and some private balconies.
Other amenities include a 24-hour front desk, concierge, laundry service, taxi service and airport transportation, dry cleaning, shuttle service, and more.
With such a fabulous list of amenities, world-class, top-of-the-line service, and all of it a welcoming, gay-friendly atmosphere, you’ll feel like a queen of the desert yourself if you’re lucky enough to guest here at the Crowne Plaza.
