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World Rainbow Hotels Gay and Lesbian Friendly

World Rainbow Hotels are a brand of certified gay and lesbian welcoming hotels. In the 15 months since World Rainbow Hotels launched there are more than 500 hotels participating in this travel market. In coming months the site will expand to include more gay-owned and gay-operated smaller independent hotels.

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What does it mean to be a certified World Rainbow Hotel?

The World Rainbow Hotels acceptance criteria analyzes:

  • the hotel’s location
  • the hotel’s characteristics and category
  • the hotel’s knowledge of the local gay scene
  • the hotel’s current involvement with the LGBT community
  • the hotel’s compliance with non-discrimination policies and same sex benefits for their hotel staff.

Glancing through the list of World Rainbow Hotels shows Hyatt Hotels are one of the major hotel brand participants. While Hyatt stands out for widespread participation in World Rainbow Hotels among the major chains, there are plenty of other name brands including Marriott, Hilton, Carlson Rezidor, Best Western, Wyndham, Fairmont, Kimpton, and Four Seasons with listed hotels on the World Rainbow Hotels site.

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World Rainbow Hotels exhibit at ITB Berlin 2013.

One of the features of booking with World Rainbow Hotels is knowing the hotel will have information about the local gay and lesbian scene. Each World Rainbow hotel member has a welcome Out & About Gay Travel Guide packet of information for guests.

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The World Rainbow Hotels website provides information on more than hotels.

Lesbian and Gay events around the world are provided on a calendar.

Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride 2013 May 17-19 is adjacent to the Hyatt Regency Long Beach. My wife and I were staying there in 2010 during the festival and the city was a happening place with packed street cafes and clubs.

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Prague Pride August 12-18, 2013

LGBT Iconic Hotels

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World Rainbow Hotels blog mentions ITB Berlin in its most recent post. The post before that is about a road trip through California.

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Vienna LGBT exhibit at ITB Berlin 2013.

About Time

Yesterday I heard the U.S. Supreme Court arguments for the California Proposition 8 case. Today the Court hears arguments for repealing the Defense of Marriage Act that allows the federal government to not legally recognize the 133,000 same sex couples who have legally married in one of nine states. Yet, these marriages are not legally recognized by the United States federal government.

I was disappointed and somewhat in disbelief when voters of California narrowly banned same sex marriage in November 2008. The 9th Circuit Court in California in 2012 overturned the people’s choice banning gay marriage as an  unconstitutional act.

That is why this case is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Equal rights, including those rights granted through legal marriage in the United States like health care benefits, insurance and pensions, are now in the hands of the Supreme Court justices.

It’s time to do the right thing and give equal rights for the LGBT community.

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16 Comments

  • Gene March 27, 2013

    @Ric — Thanks for your support!

  • Cindy March 27, 2013

    Ditto what Gene said! My partner and I travel with our kids all the time and it’s awesome to get support from the travel community that we love.

  • Sergio March 27, 2013

    Thank You!

  • Shayna March 27, 2013

    Thanks for this post and for throwing your support behind something so important.

  • william March 27, 2013

    The majority of those who disapprove of gay marriage are older than 65

    …. fortunately they’ll die soon.

    And I wont feel bad at all.

  • Megan March 27, 2013

    Thank you!!

  • alastairdeacon March 27, 2013

    @William, disappointing comment from you. Hateful is never good. I support gay marriage and so does my 84 year old mother in law.

  • DW March 27, 2013

    Ric– Thanks for this post today

  • DaninSTL March 27, 2013

    I don’t support gay marriage as it is against my religion. I don’t hate people who are gay and I certainly wouldn’t wish death to an old person because they don’t support a cause I believe in. To me the issue is states rights, not gay marriage.
    As far as the hotels go. I’m sure they would sell their grandmother if it meant more bookings.

  • Jordo06 March 27, 2013

    I don’t support religions who are against equal marriage, but I also would never want a state to be able to prevent those individuals from practicing any aspect of their religion. To me it is an individuals rights issue, not religious persecution.
    I am so thankful we live in a country that allows freedom of religion and not endorsement or enforcement of any religious belief. Freedom of individuals is an important part of our history, and giving states more power that individuals is a slippery slope!

  • Ric Garrido March 27, 2013

    @William – the lowest percentage of voters are people under 30 years old. Laws might change more quickly if younger people voted.

    @DaninSTL – In a country where health insurance is tied to your job, and your job is often tied to your willingness to relocate wherever the company wants you, then marriage in the USA should not be restricted by the definition of marriage in individual states.

    That is the constitutional aspect of the same sex marriage laws. Can the rights of legally married same sex couples be limited to those persons residing in a handful of states and those same married couples do not have the rights of marriage in other states where they may later in life need to live and work?

  • Kevin March 27, 2013

    @DaninSTL, because what you don’t believe, you are willing to take away other people’s well deserved right? Maybe you should review your belief, is it a good one?

  • DFW Steve March 27, 2013

    I do not select hotels based on their social or political leanings. Instead, a property must be clean, have a knowledgable concierge (if a full service hotel),a good executive lounge and convenient location. Kind of like buying wine—I don’t care if it is biodynamic, sustainable, etc. So long as it tastes good.

  • Bruce March 27, 2013

    Thanks for your post and for your support. It’s difficult to express just how much it is appreciated.

  • Hotel Loyalty Promotions April 2013 - Loyalty Traveler April 8, 2013

    […] World Rainbow Hotels Gay and Lesbian Friendly(March 27, 2013). […]

  • ESW April 8, 2013

    Thank you. This hobby(I’ll call it) has an obviously very diverse group, and recognizing the intricacies takes leadership to command a quality following.

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