2005 Readers' Choice Awards.You spoke, and we listened! Via our online survey, hundreds of you voted for your all-time favorite hotels, cities, bars, cruises, airports--even safaris and best-looking restaurant waitstaff. What emerged was a global picture that proved our readers to be savvy about the queer tourism market, voting gay-welcoming Liberty Travel as Best Mainstream Tour Operator, for instance--and sophisticated world travelers to pick the lesser-known Big Island of Hawaii as Best Island. Don't forget to vote in early 2006 for next year's awards on OutTraveler.com, where you'll find Web finks for our following winners. Congrats con·grats Informal interj. Congratulations. pl.n. Congratulations: sent him my congrats. to all! BEST DESTINATIONS Best Foreign Country GOLD Italy It surrounds the seat of the papacy in Vatican City Vatican City (văt`ĭkən), independent state (2005 est. pop. 900), 108.7 acres (44 hectares), within the city of Rome, Italy, and the residence of the pope, who is its absolute ruler. , refuses to embrace gay tourism like the rest of Western Europe Western Europe The countries of western Europe, especially those that are allied with the United States and Canada in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (established 1949 and usually known as NATO). has, and requires a membership card to visit most of its gay bars--but no matter! The sumptuous food, the chic population, and the monumental (and frequently homoerotic ho·mo·e·rot·ic adj. 1. Of or concerning homosexual love and desire. 2. Tending to arouse such desire. Adj. 1. ) art all make it one of the gayest places in the world, even if she doesn't know it herself. But Italy is still full of surprises: The Mafia-infested town of Gela in southern Sicily has an out (and Communist) mayor. Viva Italia! SILVER France Who could resist the country that gave us berets, Bordeaux, and Gigi? France offers only domestic partnerships, but 64% of French people support marriage equality. But of course--the French have never made a puritan fuss over people's sex lives. BRONZE United Kingdom A trailblazer in LGBT tourism Gay tourism or LGBT tourism is a form of niche tourism marketed to gay people who are open about their sexual orientation and who wish to travel to gay travel destinations in order to participate to some extent in the gay life of the destination area. , the United Kingdom has never been afraid of powerful queens and has grown into one of the most out-there parts of Europe. [BEST ISLAND] GOLD Big Island of Hawaii Even though the quiet, rural Big Island has the only gay bar in Hawaii outside of Honolulu, three gay-popular beaches, and nearly two dozen gay-owned lodgings, it's known more for its lava-bed landscapes, empty interior, and slow-as-molasses lifestyle. So forget the bright lights of Honolulu--to really get away from it all, this is your fantasy island This article has multiple issues: * It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. * It needs additional references or sources for verification. . SILVER Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (pwār`tō rē`kō), island (2005 est. pop. 3,917,000), 3,508 sq mi (9,086 sq km), West Indies, c.1,000 mi (1,610 km) SE of Miami, Fla. & Maul (tie) Out silver winners have both been gay getaways for decades, thanks to Maui's cosmopolitan "Californianized" lifestyle and Puerto Rico's efforts at marketing itself as a gay vacation destination in fact, Puerto Rico now boasts the largest gay scene in the Caribbean. BRONZE Bali In spite of the devastating dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. impact of the 2002 bombings that continues to affect the island's tourism numbers, Bali is one of the most dream like islands in the world. Its unique Hindu culture is an island of tolerance in the more repressive surrounding islands that make up the rest of Indonesia. Best Foreign City GOLD Paris Although lost its 2012 Olympic bid to ancient nemesis London, Paris has reached new heights since out mayor Bertrand Delanoe came into office in 2001, pouring new energy into high-profile arts and social events to carry on the tradition of the simply queer je ne sag quoi that the City of Lights has been known for since the Moulin moulin (m  lăN`): see pothole. Rouge-fueled turn of the 20th century SILVER London Now one of the trendiest (read: gayest) cities in the world, once uptight, slightly homophobic London is an international seat of style, architecture, nightlife, and (believe it or not) fine dining. BRONZE Amsterdam & Sydney (tie) One is known for tulips, the other for its opera house--how could these two not win gay travel awards? Both are rare global cities where no one hiccups Hiccups Definition Hiccups are the result of an involuntary, spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm followed by the closing of the throat. Description at seeing hand-holding me--although Amsterdam is working hard to maintain its liberal image and Sydney is trying to revive its once-huge Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (mär`dē grä), last day before the fasting season of Lent. It is the French name for Shrove Tuesday. Literally translated, the term means "fat Tuesday" and was so called because it represented the last opportunity for . But neither disappoints. Best U.S. City GOLD New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. No matter how often one visits the fabulously frenetic U.S. metropolis, the thrill of playing a part in New York's ever-mutating human experiment never fades. The nexus of the city's rich gay life continues to migrate away from Chelsea and into Hell's Kitchen Hell’s Kitchen section of midtown Manhattan; notorious for slums and high crime rate. [Am. Usage: Misc.] See : Poverty , Williamsburg, and even Astoria (yes, Queens). And though we mourn the passing of Chelsea's storied Big Cup coffee shop (another victim of rising rents), we cheer the reopening of Rockefeller Center's 70th-floor observation deck Ob`ser`va´tion deck 1. A room or platform at a high point in a tall building with a broad view of the surrounding area. It is often an outdoor platform, but is sometimes indoors in a room with large windows to accommodate viewing. It's always give and take in this city of extremes, but we keep coming back for another dose of culture, nightlife, and high-society thrills. SILVER San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden With the bold new De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park This article is about the park in San Francisco. For the US National Recreation Area just north of there, see Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park. At 1017 acres (4.1 km², 1. a fresh crop of mouthwatering mouth·wa·ter·ing or mouth-wa·ter·ing adj. Appealing to the sense of taste; appetizing: the mouthwatering aroma of a baking pie. restaurants, and a perennially powerful gay vibe, Babylon by the Bay is as wickedly delicious as it ever was. So much for the dot-bomb blues! BRONZE Miami it's easy to see why this hot-again getaway rated highly in our survey. Who can deny the tempting triple threat of sultry sandy beaches, playful deco hotels, and unabashed eye candy Images and animated graphics added to Web sites and interactive software that makes the information exciting. In other words, glitz, sizzle and pizzazz. See cornea gumbo. ? Best Gay Resort Town GOLD Provincetown Built on a tiny sliver of land at the tip of Cape Cod, Provincetown is New England's eccentric aunt--an overwhelmingly gay bohemian beach town that draws the likes of director John Waters, playwright Tony Kushner, novelist Michael Cunningham, and comedian Kate Clinton. But gentrification gentrification, the rehabilitation and settlement of decaying urban areas by middle- and high-income people. Beginning in the 1970s and 80s, higher-income professionals, drawn by low-cost housing and easier access to downtown business areas, renovated deteriorating is threatening P-town's freewheeling free·wheel·ing adj. 1. a. Free of restraints or rules in organization, methods, or procedure. b. Heedless of consequences; carefree. 2. Relating to or equipped with a free wheel. spirit: Chaser's, the town's last remaining all lesbian bar, will close on November I, and the owners of the creaky creak·y adj. creak·i·er, creak·i·est 1. Tending to creak. 2. Shaky or infirm, as with age; decrepit: creaky knee joints; a creaky regime. but lovable Boatslip hotel, center of P-town's gay social world since 1969, are redeveloping the properly into condos. See it in all its glory while you still can. SILVER Key West Mildly clipped by Hurricane Katrina, Key West is gearing up for a busy fall festival season--just in time for the cast of the next Red World to settle in. BRONZE Palm Springs It feels like a decadent oasis on the outskirts of the Roman Empire ... with 31 nude guest houses and a mid 20Lh century twit. How glamorous! BEST IN LODGING [BEST MAINSTREAM HOTEL CHAIN] GOLD W Hotels What's in a name? According to the corporate office, "W ... for warm, wonderful, witty, wired. W for welcome." In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently , we may never know what that W stands for, but we do know we love it. This proves our readers have excellent taste, since the W brand (part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which includes Sheraton, Westin, and St. Regis) is ultrastylish and ultrahip without skimping 'skimping' Managed care The delaying or denial of services to members of a prepaid or 'capped' health plan, to control costs–because the monies received by the health plan remain constant, providing 'extra' services is more costly to the plan. See Skimming, Capitation. on service, comfort, or convenience. Also winning Best Mainstream Property, Best High-Tech Hotel Chain, and Best Property in Australia, you could say the W has swept our first annual awards. And no wonder: Its gay ads and homo promos are simply the best. Call 888-625-5144. SILVER Four Seasons Founded in 1960 in Toronto, the Four Seasons now has 66 properties in 29 countries, with 20 more on the way. With unique destination-inspired hotels in historic and ultramodern buildings, no two properties are ever the same. No wonder Hollywood royalty and glam globetrotters refuse to stay anywhere else. Carl 800 332-3442. BRONZE Ritz-Carlton Marriott's upscale brand has long been synonymous with fancy pants, and it continue its luxury dominance with new digs opening in China, Russia, and other parts of Europe. Call 800 241 3333. Best High-tech Hotel Chain W Hotels With rooms Featuring unlimited broadband access and movie downloads to your laptop, W once again proves it is ahead of the futuristic curve. Best Hotel Chain for Comfort Four Seasons & Marriott (tie) The Four Seasons is known for its livability and "just ask how high to jump" staff, but Marriott is a winner too, sprucing up its once-dowdy image with deluxe spas and chic decor. Call 800-332-3442 and 888-236-2427 respectively Best Mainstream Property W New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of & Four Seasons Istanbul (tie) Of the three W hotels in New York City, this one on the upper east side is the most glamorously located. And have you ever stayed in a century-old neoclassic ne·o·clas·si·cism also Ne·o·clas·si·cism n. A revival of classical aesthetics and forms, especially: a. A revival in literature in the late 17th and 18th centuries, characterized by a regard for the classical ideals of reason, form, Turkish prison? No, it's not Midnight Express but the luxe luxe n. 1. The condition of being elegantly sumptuous. 2. Something luxurious; a luxury. [French, luxury, from Latin luxus. 65-room Four Seasons Istanbul, complete with towers, courtyards, tall ceilings, a spa, gardens, and a restaurant adorned with Turkish art. Call 212-755-1200 and 011-90212-638-8200. Best Lesbian Property Pearl's Rainbow, Key West After an expensive (and expansive) refurbishment, this ultimate lesbian resort looks better than ever, with 38 rooms in five historic Key West buildings, two heated swimming pools, and two hot tubs (all clothing optional), a poolside bar and grill, and the nicest B&B owners you will ever meet Call 800-749-6696. Best Gay Hotel Hotel Axel, Barcelona One of the most stylish and sophisticated gay hotels in Europe, this Spanish gem sports a chic rooftop bar, a swimming pool, a full-service spa, drag shows, tea dances, a boutique shop, gay fiestas, and more beautiful people than you can shake a tapa at Call 011-34-93-323-9393. Best Gay Resort Turtle Cove, Australia & Island House, Key West (tie) Both of these premier gay clothing-optional resorts enjoy lusciously warm, parts-chucking weather: The 29-room Turtle Cove Resort & Spa is on a beachfront beach·front n. A strip of land facing or running along a beach. adj. Situated along or having direct access to a beach: beachfront hotels; beachfront property. Noun 1. in tropical Queensland in a virgin rain forest, while the Island House is in a private compound with a health club, poolside cafe, and artfully decorated rooms, Call 011-61-7-4059-1800 and 800-890-6284 respectively, Best Gay B&B Big Ruby's, Key West With spacious wooden decks, cozy verandas, tropical foliage, a treetop walkway, a Jacuzzi, on-site bicycle rentals, and a mellow, social vibe, Big Ruby's has been a Key West favorite for decades. But it hasn't rested on its laurels, maintaining a rigorous upkeep and a gracious attitude. Call 800-477-7829. Best Clothing Optional Resort InnDulge, Palm Springs Of the scores of gay clothing-optional resorts in Palms Springs, InnDulge is one of the classiest, with a huge pool, 22 rooms with wrought iron and pine furnishings, a 12-man Jacuzzi, a fun cocktail hour, and awesomely friendly owners. Call 800-833-5675. Best Hotel in North America The Phoenician, Scottsdale Chichi Scottsdale (adjoining Phoenix) is full of hoity-toity spa resorts, but the Phoenician takes the desert cake, It's nestled at the base of Camelback Mountain next to a 27-hole championship golf course and has a $25 million dollar art collection, Call 800-888-8234, Best Hotel in Europe The Ritz, Paris Not to be confused with Ritz-Carlton, this opulent masterpiece, which opened in 1898, makes Versailles look like a Hotel 6. It has an elaborate Roman-style indoor pool, rich period furnishings, and a guest roster that has included every royal or celebrity you can think of. Call 800-223-6800. Best Hotel in Africa Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge, South Africa Who says Africa means roughing it? This five-star lodge on a private game reserve boasts 13 luxury suites (each with a private butler and plunge pool) sculpted sculpt v. sculpt·ed, sculpt·ing, sculpts v.tr. 1. To sculpture (an object). 2. To shape, mold, or fashion especially with artistry or precision: within the landscape and a cellar serving up top-tier meals. Call 800-524-7979. Best Hotel in Asia The Oriental, Bangkok This stunning 393-room tower astride a·stride adv. 1. With a leg on each side: riding astride. 2. With the legs wide apart. prep. 1. On or over and with a leg on each side of. 2. Bangkok's Chao Phya River is one of the crown jewels crown jewels Ornaments used at the coronation of a monarch and the formal ensigns of monarchy worn or carried on state occasions, as well as collections of personal jewelry consolidated by European sovereigns as valuable assets of their royal houses and the offices they of the Mandarin hotel chain, with a Thai spa, two outdoor pools, a Thai cooking school, eight restaurants, and impeccable Asian hospitality throughout. Call 011-66-2659-9000. Best Hotel in Australia & South Pacific W Hotel, Sydney So hip it hurts, with a deeply colored lobby and an indoor pool, the W is located on a wharf within walking distance of the opera house and features bilevel loft rooms with mezzanine bedrooms. Call 011-61-2-9331-9000. Best Hotel in Latin America Le Meridien, Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, city, Brazil Rio de Janeiro (rē`ō də zhänā`rō, Port. rē`  thĭ zhənĕē`r Towering 37 stories over the white sands and Speedo-clad men of Copacabana, Le Meridien is the tallest hotel in the area, blending French cuisine and service with Brazilian mellowness. It even has a private section of the beach. Call 011-55-21-3873-8888. Best Casino Hotel Bellagio, Las Vegas You've seen the trademark fountains burst in the air in Ocean's Eleven. But this Strip megaresort lives up to its hype, with 928 rooms added late last yea;, an expanded spa, and an impressive fine art gallery of European masterpieces.Call 888-987-3456. Best Hotel for Architecture & Design Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix Opened in 1929, this work of genius is the only existing hotel in the world with a Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced design (he worked on it as a consulting architect), using bold geometric patterns, brick towers, and stone quarried from the local landscape. Call 800-950-2575. Best Eco-lodge Maho Bay Camps, U.S. Virgin Islands Consisting of 114 roomy tent-cottages hidden in the lush foliage of the Virgin Islands National Park Virgin Islands National Park, 14,689 acres (5,949 hectares), St. John, Virgin Islands; est. 1956. The park, with beaches, coves, and headlands, is rich in tropical-plant, animal, and marine life. Bordeaux Mt., 1,277 ft (389 m) high, is the highest point on the island. the innovative and groundbreaking resort is connected by elevated walkways on a hillside perch over a secluded beach. Call 800-392-9004. Best Ski Lodge Chateau Whistler, Canada. With ski-in and ski-out access, this grande dame Fairmont property includes steep Blackcomb Mountain views and tony Old World design. Call 604-938-8000. Best Spa Four Seasons Hualalai Where A-list celebs sey when in Hawaii, this bungalow-style resort includes a killer spa with a lap pool, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, and cold plunges-not to mention outdoor Hawaiian massage--all set amid tropical gardens. Call 800-332-3442. [CRUISES] Best All-Gay Cruises GOLD Atlantis Since 1990 the boys (and girls) at Atlantis have been offering all-gay resort vacations on land. Then in 1995 they dipped into the all-gay cruise business--now they run the world's largest all-LGBT cruise every winter on the 3,200-passenger Navigator in the western Caribbean. They've also broken new ground with the first all-gay cruises to Alaska and South America (both available in 2006), as well as adding new destinations like Croatia to their existing itineraries. Their ships attract big gay-icon performers like Rosanne and Deborah Gibson, and there are flamboyant theme parties and tons of other activities. Call 800-628-5268. SILVER RSVP (ReSerVation Protocol) A communications protocol that signals a router to reserve bandwidth for real time transmission. RSVP is designed to clear a path for audio and video traffic, eliminating annoying skips and hesitations. The first gay big-ship organizer in 1985, RSVP now runs six cruises a year, including a Princess Cruises charter for Halloween 2006 and intimate river cruises on the Danube, as well as land-based tours in Ireland, Peru, and Thailand. For families, seniors, couples, and singles, RSVP emphasizes inclusiveness of all walks of gay life. Call 800-328-7787. BRONZE Olivia The world's biggest lesbian travel company, Olivia Cruises and Resorts has proved that there is a huge market in women's travel. Offering a safe, fun environment for women and their families, Olivia not only does far-out destinations like the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica but also attracts top talent such as LilyTomlin, Melissa Etheridge, and k.d. lang. Call 800-631-6277. Best Mainstream Cruise Line GOLD Royal Caribbean A family-friendly brand with great youth programs and even onboard surfing! Call 866-562-7625 SILVER Celebrity Slightly higher-end than most cruises, Celebrity focuses on service, food, spas, and spacious accommodations. Call 800-647-2251. BRONZE Holland America A vanguard of the industry, Holland America is over 130 years old, running a dozen five-star ships. Call 877-724-5425. Best Small-Ship Cruise Windjammer It calls its jaunts "Barefoot Cruises" and means it, with all-gay nudist trips on its bona fide [Latin, In good faith.] Honest; genuine; actual; authentic; acting without the intention of defrauding. A bona fide purchaser is one who purchases property for a valuable consideration that is inducement for entering into a contract and without suspicion of being seaworthy sea·wor·thy adj. sea·wor·thi·er, sea·wor·thi·est Fit to traverse the seas: a seaworthy freighter; a seaworthy crew. tall-ship sailing vessels. Call 800-327-2601. BEST IN EVENTS Best Gay Event in the United States GOLD San Francisco Pride The San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration, usually known as San Francisco Pride, is a parade and festival held in June each year in San Francisco to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people and their allies. For most queer citizens of the world, attending the gayest week in one of the gayest U.S. cities is like making a pilgrimage to Mecca pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) journey every good Muslim tries to make at least once. [Islamic Religion: WB, 10: 374–376] See : Journey . Preparing for its 36th anniversary on June 24-25, 2006, San Francisco Pride kicks off-with an afternoon festival near the resplendent re·splen·dent adj. Splendid or dazzling in appearance; brilliant. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin resplend City Hall, where encounters with Radical Faeries, two-spirit Native Americans, homo hip-hop artists, and cable cars full of gay San Franciscan cops are the norm. Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair SILVER New York Pride Is it any wonder that the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement celebrates gay pride in a massive way? During Pride Week (June 18-25, 2006), the entire isle of Manhattan seems to be bathed in lavender--including the lighting of the Empire State Building and a lavender line down painted Fifth Avenue, where an estimated 250,000 marchers and 350,000 spectators attend the annual Pride March. BRONZE Gay Days at Disney World Gearing up for its "Sweet 16" Anniversary in 2006 (May 30 to June 4), Gay Days is the perfect excuse to don crimson and let your inner Disney queen act out! Best Mainstream Event in the World GOLD New Orleans Mardi Gras Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana is one of the most famous Carnival celebrations in the world (also see Mardi Gras). The New Orleans Carnival season, with roots in the start of the Catholic season of Lent, starts on Twelfth Night (January 6). It's still unclear how many people will celebrate Mardi Gras 2006 in post-Katrina New Orleans, but judging from the handful of diehards who turned out for Southern Decadence less than a week after the hurricane hit, we're sure that at least a few beads will fly from French Quarter balconies, SILVER Olympic Games The ancient Olympians may have shown more skin, but all eyes remain glued to the triumphs and tragedies of the Olympics. Turin hosts the 2006 Winter Games and Beijing the 2008 Summer Games. BRONZE Carnaval in Rio From February 26 to March I, 2006, this Brazilian city's streets will once again surrender to churning masses of feathered dancers, shirtless revelers, and rowdy musicians. This drag show to end all drag shows isn't even an officially gay event! SILVER Amsterdam Pride The floats in this Dutch city's dazzling pride parade actually float. With around 250,000 spectators (for a town of 750,000), the annual Canal Parade is Amsterdam's third-largest event. The pride festivities fes·tiv·i·ty n. pl. fes·tiv·i·ties 1. A joyous feast, holiday, or celebration; a festival. 2. The pleasure, joy, and gaiety of a festival or celebration. 3. every August go well beyond the parties and parades, with film festivals, art exhibitions, sports events, and music concerts galore, And worry not--Amsterdam is as queer-friendly as ever, despite bad press about growing conservative forces in the country. BRONZE New York Pride (see Best Gay Event in the United States on this page) [BEST ALL-GAY EVENT IN THE WORLD] GOLD Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras is an annual gay pride parade and festival for the LGBT community in Sydney, Australia. It is one of the largest such events in the world. Despite its name, it is not held on Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday) or indeed, on a Tuesday at all. Starting the first Friday of every February (just when the winter doldrums move in for the kill in the Northern Hemisphere), the fab folks Down Under kick back for a monthlong summer celebration of art, music, sports, dance, and film--culminating in an outrageous street parade and party (next year's is on March 4, 2006). What started in 1978 as a march to commemorate Stonewall stone·wall v. stone·walled, stone·wall·ing, stone·walls v.intr. 1. Informal a. has turned into the wildest queer party on the planet. After a few poorly attended years, Sydney Mardi Gras is back on track In 2005 over 19,000 people crammed onto seven different dance floors for the sold-out main party. And the straights get as crazy as the queers. [TRANSPORTATION] Best Airport GOLD Schiphol, Amsterdam This gleaming gateway to The Netherlands puts U.S. airports to shame, starting with its impressive art collection. Modern pieces can be found throughout the airport's public areas while masterpieces from the Dutch golden age The Golden Age (1584-1702) was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. This article focuses on social and cultural history. are housed here in a branch of Amsterdam's National Museum. More jet lag jet lag Period of adjustment of biological rhythm after moving from one time zone to another, experienced as fatigue and lowered efficiency. It reflects a delay in the synchronization of changes in the level of blood cortisol, the major steroid produced by the adrenal cortex relief can be found in giant overstuffed o·ver·stuff tr.v. o·ver·stuffed, o·ver·stuff·ing, over·stuffs 1. To stuff too much into: overstuff a suitcase. 2. To upholster (an armchair, for example) deeply and thickly. chairs, a meditation room, and even a casino. SILVER Newark, N.J. When it's time to escape New York City, no airport is better suited to get you in and out without giving you a migraine. Just take a 20-minute train ride from Penn Station and fly away. BRONZE Heathrow, London Despite a strike in August that resulted in the cancellation of 700 flights, the world's busiest international airport continues to serve over 180 destinations in 90 countries. Best Airline GOLD American The gold standard U.S. carrier for hospitality and service, American Airlines was the first in the industry to implement domestic-partner benefits for its employees (though United was the first to announce its decision to do so). SILVER United The first major U.S. airline to target the gay market with advertising (in June 1997), United is the nation's second-largest carrier even after suffering huge post-9/11 losses. BRONZE JetBlue There are so many things to love about this discount airline, we'll just name a few: leather seats, more legroom leg·room n. Room in which to stretch the legs while seated. legroom Noun space to move one's legs comfortably, as in a car legroom n → , live satellite television, and those addictive blue potato chips. Oh ... and consistently cheap coast-to-coast prices. Best Rental Car Agency GOLD Avis For no additional fee, Avis includes a domestic partner as second driver as long as both partners have the same address. SILVER Hertz Second driver added as long as both partners are AAA AAA: see American Automobile Association. (Triple A) A common single-cell battery used in a myriad of electronic devices of all variety. Like its double A (AA) cousin, it provides 1.5 volts of DC power. When used in series, the voltage is multiplied. members. BRONZE Enterprise Following Avis's lead, Enterprise has a policy to include domestic partners as second drivers if they show the same address. [TOUR OPERATORS] Best All-Gay Tour Operators GOLD Atlantis In terms of sheer numbers, no one beats Atlantis. Over 15,000 gay and lesbian travelers hook up with Atlantis annually, and although mostly known for its cruises, Atlantis also offers all-inclusive all-gay resort weeks in Puerto Vallarta and Cancun where parties, sports, room, meals, and drinks are all had for one reasonable package price. It also runs smaller customized tours, such as Kenyan safaris. Call 800-628-5268. SILVER RSVP Another gay tour operator famous for its cruises, RSVP also serves up relaxing resort weeks in places like French Polynesia and land-based small-group tours in Ireland, Peru, and Thailand. Call 800328-7787. BRONZE Venture Out Eight years old, Venture Out refers to itself as the "smooth operator," emphasizing casual cultural and easy adventure tours in France, Italy, Alaska, New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. , Bali, and Peru. For independent travelers there are escorted day trips and overnight excursions in the San Francisco Bay area “Bay Area” redirects here. For other uses, see Bay Area (disambiguation). The San Francisco Bay Area, colloquially known as the Bay Area or The Bay and other parts of Northern California. Call 888-431-6789. Best Lesbian Tour Operator Olivia Offering much more than just great lesbian cruises, Olivia also provides fun resort vacations for landlubbers in the Caribbean and Mexico, and in 2006, a dude ranch kids-and-family trip in Montana as well as its first-ever African safari. Call 800-631-6277. Best Mainstream Tour Operator Liberty Travel This mainstream travel agency offers great deals around the world, from tropical resort packages to ski weeks, as well as a smorgasbord of "Rainbow Product"--mainstream hotels that offer gay-friendly packages. Call 888-271-1584. Best Adventure Tour Operator Alyson Adventures Now celebrating its 10-year anniversary, Alyson in 2002 merged with the pioneering Hanns Ebensten Travel (founded in 1973). Alyson specializes in European bicycling tours, but it offers the whole gay adventure world, including rafting down the Grand Canyon, hiking the Swiss Alps, snorkeling in Australia, and Antarctic cruises. In 2006 it's offering new trips that include camel rides in Morocco and hiking glaciers in Alaska. Half the trips are happily mixed men and women. Call 800-825-9766. Best Luxury Tour Operator & Best Safari Outfitter Abercrombie & Kent Winner in both our luxury and safari tour categories, Abercrombie & Kent (not to be confused with Abercrombie & Fitch!) is a la-di-da luxury outfit offering not only upscale tours of the world but private jets, customized escorted tours, five-star ships and trains, and the most exclusive safaris in eastern and southern Africa. Call 800-554-7016. BEST NIGHTCLUBS & RESTAURANTS Best Gay Bar/ Nightclub in the World Heaven, London Though its celestial sea of gay patrons has been diluted in recent years by slumming straight tourists (much like Paris's Queen), this three-story labyrinth of dance floors, bars, secret alcoves, and soaring catwalks is still London's club crown jewel Crown jewel A particularly profitable or otherwise particularly valuable corporate unit or asset of a firm. Often used in risk arbitrage. The most desirable entities within a diversified corporation as measured by asset value, earning power, and business prospects; in takeover . Call 011-44-20-7930-2020. Best Gay Bar/Nightclub in the U.S. Sidetrack, Chicago & Roxy, New York City (tie) Either invite 1,200 of your closest friends over for a night of trash TV or meet them all at Sidetrack, Chicago's sleek, supersize supersize or supersized Adjective larger than standard size Verb [-sizes, -sizing, -sized] to increase the size of (something, such as a standard portion of food) video bar (with37 television screens). Call 773-477-9189. And for years Roxy has remained Gotham's hottest spot for shirtless dancing studs. Call 212-645-5157. Best Lesbian Bar/Nightclub in the World Wild Rose, Seattle & Sue Ellen's, Dallas (tie) Women-owned since 1984, Wild Rose is the only lesbian bar in Seattle's gay Capitol Hill neighborhood. Call 206-324-9210. In Dallas, Sue Ellen's outdoor patio is the prime place to strut your stuff, big Texan hair or not. Call 214-559-0707. Best Gay Restaurant Chain Hamburger Mary's Billing itself as a "family establishment for a new kind of family A New Kind of Family was a short-lived Emmy Award nominated tv series which starred Janet Jackson, Rob Lowe, Eileen Brennan and Telma Hopkins. Despite receiving a 1980 Emmy nomination, the show was cancelled the same year. ," the original Hamburger Mary's opened in San Francisco in 1972. Now the low-fat burger chain boasts 14 franchises nationwide. Keep those bottomless mimosas coming! Best Restaurant for Great-Looking Waitstaff & Clientele Food Bar, New York City The physical ideal of the flawless "Chelsea Boy" reaches its apotheosis apotheosis (əpŏth'ēō`sĭs), the act of raising a person who has died to the rank of a god. Historically, it was most important during the later Roman Empire. at this 15-year-old gay eatery. We promise the eye candy won't spoil your brunch--so go ahead and gawk while you gobble 1. gobble - To consume, usually used with "up". "The output spy gobbles characters out of a tty output buffer." 2. gobble - To obtain, usually used with "down". "I guess I'll gobble down a copy of the documentation tomorrow." See also snarf. . Call 212-243-2020. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion