Welcome Home: 11 Queer Women-Owned Places to Stay and Play Around the World

Looking for a friendly place to feel at home away from home? These queer women-owned lodgings offer comforts, community and cool perks. You’ll find exactly what you’re looking for, whether it’s luxe relaxation or rugged activity. Book today, adventure awaits!

Bambú Resort, Benamocarra, Andalucia, Spain

Susanne Moffatt and Catherine Potter, Owners

bambu-resort.com

Susanne Moffatt and Catherine Potter Sunbathe at Bambu Resort Courtesy of Susanne Moffatt and Catherine Potter

The global market for gay men’s resorts is packed with options for nearly every budget and style. But getaways for gay women? Not so much. “We knew quite a bit about the lesbian and gay holiday market—and in particular the lack of dedicated holiday venues for lesbians,” says Catherine Potter, who, with partner Susanne Moffatt, is an avid world traveler.

So Moffatt and Potter decided to do something about it. The British couple, who often vacationed at their Spanish villa with their now-grown daughters, opened their all-women resort Bambú in Andalucia—“Spain’s most gay-friendly region”—in July 2010. “In our local village of Benamocarra, the two most popular restaurants are lesbian- or gay-owned,” Potter says. “To be lesbian or gay in Spain is just not an issue. Bambú is highly regarded as a great asset to the local economy. Our guests spend a lot of money in the local bars, restaurants and shops.”

A luxury resort and spa, Bambú offers seven studios in a renovated Andalucian farmhouse. Each is decorated in a different style—some with antiques galore, others with a more contemporary look. Each studio features a kitchenette and terrace for lounging or a siesta. Take part in yoga and massages or activities like guided hikes and horseback riding. The resort also hosts a regular writing retreat, hiking week and solo holidays for women traveling alone who want to meet new friends. “Each year we make many improvements to our facilities, to constantly raise the quality of the holiday environment we offer to our guests,” Potter says.

Guests can take day trips to Granada, Cordoba, Ronda and the coastal city of Malaga for sightseeing (don’t miss the Moorish and medieval architecture in Granada) or a big bowl of the local gazpacho. “Many guests just wish to relax under the Spanish sun, and enjoy the warm Andalucian welcome they receive,” Potter says.

Bambu’s visitors will be surrounded by a wonderfully international staff of women. While Potter and Moffatt enjoy their own vacation this summer, a German lesbian couple will manage the resort. “The intention is that by involving more people in Bambú, we will be able to keep Bambú fresh, vital and relevant,” Potter says. “It is fascinating and enjoyable meeting lesbians from different nations with very different cultural backgrounds and experiences. We all have so much to learn from one another. Sometimes Bambú feels like the United Nations of Lesbians! And this is when Bambú is at its very best.”


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