The benchmark for professional, upscale, and inviting gay resorts in Fort Lauderdale, if not all of Florida, the elegant but unpretentious Royal Palms launched Fort Lauderdale as a top gay travel destination and remains a first-class operation. The management works hard to anticipate guests' every need, and the new owners continue to invest heavily in improvements and new amenities each year - no wonder the Royal Palms enjoys a phenomenal return-guest rate (i.e., book early during the busy winter months). The 12 smartly furnished suites and rooms surround a beautiful pool and spa abundant with lush flora.
- The staff is A-plus, on-the-ball, super-efficient, and just the right degree of solicitious
- The gay beach is just a 10-minute walk away, as are several good restaurants
- Lush grounds and exotic flora give this compound the feel of a truly secluded retreat
- Oodles of cool amenities: Frette linens, Bose CD players, daily cocktail hours, fresh-cut orchids
- A friendly, sophisticated, laid-back vibe prevails - it's perfect for a quiet, romantic getaway
- It's low-keyed and couples-oriented, fine for lying by the pool, not getting laid by the pool
- Rates are among the steepest of gay Fort Lauderdale properties
- Don't come here looking for twinks and boy-toys - the clientele skews toward 40 and up
- At 2901 Terramar St., 3 blocks west of beach, in Fort Lauderdale.
- The 12 rooms have WiFi, cable TV, DVD players, CD players, dual-line phones with voice mail, refrigerators, safes, and robes.
- Rates include a pleasant if simple Continental breakfast and a convivial early-evening cocktail social by the pool and spa.
- Bathrooms have glass-brick , marble, and tile accents, high-end showerheads, and fine Judith Jackson bath amenities.
- Common areas include a heated pool, 10-man hot tub, guest snack area and fridge, tiki bar with set-ups, and computer room.
- Book online or call 954-564-6444 or 800-237-7256.
- Rates are $199-$289 off-season (Apr.-late Dec.) and $249-$349 in-season (late Dec.-Mar.).
- The clientele is about 95% gay male, 5% lesbian, and the occasional stray hetero; it's generally professional and upscale.
- Request an upstairs rooms unit for more sunlight, a ground-floor room for more shade - all have similarly smart decor.
- The gay beach is 3-block walk, Wilton Manors gay businesses a 15-min drive, and Los Olas Blvd. cafe culture a 5-min drive.
The charming owner of the Royal Palms Resort, Richard Gray, began promoting the then rather down-at-the-heels Fort Lauderdale Beach area as a gay vacation destination long before it was fashionable to do so - in 1991, to be exact. That's the year he purchased a prosaic 1950s apartment complex three blocks from the beach and spent more than a half-million dollars and many hundreds of hours transforming it into an inviting, upscale gay resort. At this time, Key West was Florida's - and the nation's - leading winter gay getaway, with nearby South Beach quickly gaining traction. Gray's venture seemed highly ambitious, if not improbable, given the competition from nearby places.
Fast-forward about 15 years, and Fort Lauderdale has - in large part owing to Richard Gray's tireless efforts - emerged as a world-classs gay vacation getaway. The Royal Palms is no longer the only game in town (there are nearly 30 other gay properties), and Gray sold it to new owners in 2008, but it remains the cream of the crop. It's a reliable, carefully maintained gay lodging with a highly devoted loyal following.
The flamingo-pink compound comprising a dozen rooms and suites on two levels forms an L-shape around a lushly landscaped pool area, rife with towering palm trees and fragrant plants and flowers. In fact, it's not hard to imagine you're in Hawaii. Rooms have a classical aesthetic - tasteful framed prints, some with mildly homoerotic themes; ample use of mirrors; neutral tones; high-end linens and towels. It's not minimalist, but neither is it cluttered. And refrigerators and microwaves are standard.
The top-notch staff tend efficiently and warmly to guest requests, offering as much or as little interaction as is desired. In short, this handsome compound is a winner through-and-through - one of the best gay resorts out there.
