10 best gay resorts and gay hotels in Key West

01

Alexander's Guesthouse

Gay and Lesbian guesthouse • clothing-optional

What makes Alexander's unique is that there is a mix of both men and women, staying here, which makes it feel less cruisy. It's proudly gay-owned and operated, but also welcoming to straight friends. It's super friendly. That was our main takeaway – an easy place to quickly make new friends.

Alexander's has large bedrooms with king-sized beds and private balconies. Communal areas include several sunning decks, a pool and Jacuzzi. Some of the communal spaces are clothing optional as well. They also have a cocktail happy hour at their aptly named inhouse bar: the Pink Monkey Bar. If you're visiting Key West as a group of friends, we recommend renting out one of their larger apartments.

02

Island House

men-only • clothing-optional

There is a large outdoor Jacuzzi as well as a heated pool with its own poolside bar, both open 24 hours a day. Happy Hour takes place between 5-6:30pm where free drinks are available for guests. Upstairs overlooking the pool is a large sundeck area, perfect for working on your tan or perving on the talent below. Indoor facilities include a gym, steam room, sauna and another Jacuzzi, all of which are available for guests to use at any time. 

Island House has a variety of basic rooms, some with private bathroom, others shared. In addition, they have more lavish suites and apartments to rent with a group of friends. If you don't want to stay the night, you can still come to one of the pool parties or purchase a Day Pass to use the facilities. An exciting gay man's paradise to say the least!

03

New Orleans House

male-only • clothing optional

While the guesthouse is not the most luxurious, you do have free access to the facilities of the Bourbon Street Complex, which includes a 15-man Jacuzzi, gym, swimming pool and a clothing-optional private sun deck area. A continental breakfast is included for guests and served on the huge balcony overlooking Duval Street, perfect for watching the world go by.

If you've come to Key West to party till the early hours and want to be based right in the heart of the gay scene, then this is the ideal place to stay, especially on weekends when the gay scene here really comes alive!

However, if you just want to chill and relax, then avoid staying here as the parties downstairs go on until 4am. As a result of the high noise levels, the New Orleans House is a cheaper option compared to the other gay resorts of Key West. 

04

Equator Resort Key West

NOTE: Equator Resort has announced that from January 2025 they will cease operating as a gay male venue due to change of ownership.

male-only • clothing optional

There is a ground floor pool with sunken Jacuzzi, a small bar and an area for sun lounging. Upstairs there is a larger sundeck area, which we found to be more private and better for sunbathing. They also have a complimentary happy hour every day, which is perfect to socialise with other guests and make new friends. They is even an onsite masseur available for, er, consultations(!) offering a range of treatments including specials for couples.

If you want to stay in an exclusively gay, clothing-optional resort, but not as large and overwhelming as Island House, then this is the place for you. Also, if you want more privacy, we recommend asking for a room near the front of the building, away from the pool area.

If, however, you're a social butterfly and want to be at the heart of all the action, we recommend you book one of the rooms near the pool or on the upper-level sundeck.

05

La Te Da Hotel

Gay and straight friendly • adults-only

There are just 15 rooms at La Te Da, which makes it super personable and friendly. The more high-end rooms feature marble baths, vaulted ceilings and hardwood flooring. The communal relaxation area includes a large pool and sundeck. On Sundays, La Te Da hosts a gay tea dance party in the afternoon, which is a fun alternative to the more boisterous pool party over at Island Gardens.

We love La Te Da because it's ideal for couples, no screaming loud children and minus the cruisy atmosphere you tend to get from the male-only resorts. The restaurant/bar is a popular gay hangout, part of the Key West gay scene. Look out for the very charismatic and hilarious owner Chef Christopher, who may even let you touch his crown! The food is also divine, so make sure you come for a meal even if you're not staying here.

06

The Gardens Hotel

Gay friendly • adults-only

Although the crowd is mixed, we felt extremely welcome as a gay couple. The rooms are spacious and beautifully decorated. All rooms have a shared balcony or patio. The hotel has a private parking area for guests, which is a big deal in Key West – parking is getting harder to find and more expensive each year!

The buffet breakfast is excellent – one of the best we've had from all our hotel stays in Key West. We always had ours by the outdoor pool which is surrounded by beautiful gardens, a bird aviary and fountains.

The main highlight of The Gardens Hotel, which it is so famous for locally is the wine gallery. They have a smart card system for wine tasting so you can do it yourself at any time of the day, or, join one of their wine-tasting evenings. The Gardens Hotel is perfect for gay couples who want to be close to the gay scene but far enough from it to have a break from it when needed!

07

Kimpton Ridley House (Cypress House Hotel)

Gay friendly • adults-only

There are 23 spacious ensuite guest rooms at Kimpton Ridley House, some of which have private balconies or access to decks/common balconies. The common areas of the hotel include a large outdoor lap pool, landscaped sun lounging area and kitchen area. Also note: they are pet-friendly, unlike many other hotels in Key West!

Kimpton Ridley House is well known for being a gay friendly hotel in Key West. The majority of the staff are gay (and super cute!), so they obviously have no problems allowing gay couples to share a bed. We love that it's set in a charming historical conch-style building, which gives it so much character. Also, the fact that there are only 23 rooms available means it's more personable compared to some of the larger commercial chain hotels in Key West.

08

Southernmost Beach Resort

Gay friendly • adult only areas

There are 261 elegantly furnished rooms, suites and luxury private guesthouses to book. Each room is decorated in a modern style, spacious, with plenty of storage space. They have three different swimming pools, including an adult-only zone.

There are no fewer than four tropical bars to enjoy either beside the pool or the beach. There's also a private section of beach here for the exclusive use of guests, which includes an attached tanning pier. Sunsets on that pier are gorgeous!

Other perks of this gem of a hotel include a large fitness centre, outdoor yoga classes and the deluxe Petite Spa for massages and beauty treatments. We recommend the Southernmost Beach Resort to couples looking to splash out and celebrate a special occasion. Visually, we rate this as our favourite gay friendly hotel in Key West!

09

Simonton Court Historic Inn and Cottages

Gay friendly • adults only

The rooms are spacious, decorated with many of the original features still in place. The beds are extremely comfortable, or as Seby put it – “it felt like I was sleeping in a cloud!”. In terms of communal spaces, there are no fewer than 4 pools here and a pretty brick courtyard area where breakfast is served. Depending on which type of accommodation you choose, you may even have a pool right outside your door.

This is a slightly more intimate resort than the Southernmost Beach Resort and full of charming history dating back to the late 19th century when the cigar industry was booming in Key West. We loved the flowering vines and palm fronds, which made it seem like we were on our own tropical island. The Simonton is an ideal option for couples looking for a unique, serene and peaceful stay in Key West.

10

NYAH Key West

Gay friendly • adults-only

NYAH stands for Not Your Average Hostel, and NYAH Key West is definitely that! With a Build Your Own Room concept you choose all the add-ons you want – kinda like booking a flight with JetBlue or Spirit Airlines! There are 36 rooms to choose from, each sleeping between 4-6 people. For couples, we recommend booking one of their private bungalows. A continental breakfast is provided daily free of charge.

The NYAH has three outdoor swimming pools, two Jacuzzis and multiple deck areas for sunbathing. There's a bar with a daily happy hour every afternoon. It's super sociable here, perfect for meeting other travellers and quickly making new friends. In terms of location, the gay scene of Key West is on your doorstep – just a few minutes walking down the street!