The other day I was having a look at some reviews on TripAdvisor when a pop up from Expedia appeared on another window.
 

This internet-based travel website company is actually very useful and so is its sister website HotWire, where they offer a list of secret hotels that you can choose from and it doesn’t reveal which one it is until you’ve paid. It might sound risky but it’s actually a great idea to end up paying 2 star rates for a grand luxury hotel. I’ve tried it in Brussels and got a beautiful suite for the price of a B&B.
 

Anyhow, I already got carried away planning on booking a trip to Iceland when I came across an extra option I haven’t seen before: The Gay Travel Guide.

It had a filter of destinations and hotels that were LGBT friendly. I did some little research about it and found out that some time ago Expedia created a partnership with International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA), the foremost organisation that specialises in finding suitable businesses for the LGBT tourism industry and affiliate member of the UN World Tourism Organisation.

I didn’t count how many hotels there were but there was plenty to choose from. It might sound slightly over the top to plan your trip and book your hotel according to your sexual orientation – but – if I stop and think about it, it is not too hard for me to imagine how frustrating it would be to come down for breakfast with a same sex partner and be stared at by reception, concierge, the waiters and the cook who’ll drop your pancakes halfway through flipping them over if you start kissing.
 

I thought it was a pretty good option for LGBT couples as it also gives advice on where to go for drinks or what’s the current situation in terms of tolerance towards homosexuals in that specific city. Maybe it’s not a fundamental tool to use every time you jump on a plane but it’s good to know it’s there, the more possibilities the better!

Recently, they also placed a beautiful promotional video on their homepage about a conservative man who travelled across the country to celebrate his daughter’s same sex marriage, click here to watch.

All in all, is great to see how businesses are becoming more tolerant towards the gay community and hopefully, sooner than later, discrimination will be left behind in the lost property room - to never be found again.
 

Have a safe journey (and carry one)!