The “Eternal City” Rome might not be as gay-friendly as the other cities in Italy such as Milan, but the number of gay hotels in Rome welcoming gay travelers to the city sure has shot up in the past few years. The “Gay Street” of Via San Giovanni in Laterano is home to most of the gay hotels and gay bars in Rome. This designated LGBTQ-friendly neighborhood in the city lies right behind the famed Colosseum. And even though the city is still a bit conservative, Rome still has a vibrant gay scene which includes everything from daytime gay cafes to fetish cruising clubs.
Apart from bars and clubs throwing exclusive parties for LGBTQ audiences, Rome even celebrates LGBTQ themed festivals. Sitting in the shadow of the Vatican, Rome Pride is one of the world’s largest LGBTQ pride celebrations. The Gay Village comes to Rome’s verdant parks every summer for three months, which is just a huge open-air party with food, music, and dance. There’s also the hugely popular leather-fetish party Catacombs, organized by the gay non-profit Leather Club Roma. However, one thing that LGBTQ travelers should note is that no matter how gay friendly the city is, they need to keep a discreet profile since Rome is still a traditional city with the Catholic Church being a big influence even now.
That being said, here’s presenting the top 11 gay friendly hotels in Rome for a gay-tastic vacation to this gorgeous, historic city. For a better good night’s sleep, spend your first or last night at one of the 11 Best Hotels Near The Airport In Rome.
B&B Second Floor
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B&B Second Floor is probably one of the most popular gay hotels in Rome Italy. Not only is B&B Second Floor right next to the gay bar of My Bar, but the B&B’s restaurant/bar is the fabulous Coming Out, one of the most popular gay bars in Rome. So, Rome’s gay nightlife literally begins from the steps of the Second Floor, which lies on the famous gay street of Rome. The B&B is a five-minute walk from the Colosseo Metro Station, from where the gay cruising bars and fetish clubs of Censured Club Roma and Company Roma can be reached in less than 10 minutes. What’s more, the quaint gay sauna Apollion is just a 10-minute walk.
The stunning B&B boasts of modern, sleek boutique-style rooms with modern living amenities. For the ultimate Roman experience, we recommend the Michaelangelo Rimabud Buonarroti rooms, which feature direct views of the Colosseum.
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Domus Valeria B&B
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The charming, gay-owned Domus Valeria B&B in the heart of Rome’s historic center is a proud member of the IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association). One of the most gorgeous gay hotels in Rome, this B&B is an intimate apartment housed in an 18th-century historical building, complete with a roof garden overlooking the spectacular Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps.
Located just five minutes from the River Tiber, the quaint B&B is just a two-minute walk from Spagna Metro Station. From here, the gay bars near Termini Metro Station are a four-minute ride, while Gay Street with its gay bars like Coming Out and saunas such as Apollion is just 15 minutes away as well. Domus Valeria B&b is also a great place to stay for exploring Rome’s gorgeous attractions. The Spagna Metro Station happens to be the meeting point for this highly recommended walking tour of Rome’s famous squares and fountains. One of them also happens to be the fabulous, Insta-worthy Piazza di Spagna!
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UNAHOTELS Decò Roma
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Located just a block away from Termini Metro Station gives UNAHOTELS Decò Roma great access to Rome’s very best attractions, as well as gay bars and saunas. However, Rome’s gay scene literally begins just two blocks from UNAHOTELS Decò in the form of the Company Roma gay cruising bar. The Censured Club Roma cruising bar is a five-minute walk. In fact, the biggest gay sauna in the whole of Italy, Europa MultiClub, is just a 15-minute walk away. Also, the gay bars and saunas near Gay Street are a three-minute metro ride away from UNAHOTELS Decò, making this hotel extremely popular with gay travelers.
UNAHOTELS Decò is also one of the best gay hotels in Rome to stay for those gays looking to delve into Rome’s history and culture. A four-minute walk from the hotel brings you to Piazza di Cinquecento, which is the pickup point for this fantastic LGBTQ tour of Rome’s best sights and attractions. In the company of gay/lesbian tour guides, you will have a fascinating insight into the city that was and is Rome. The modern hotel has art decò touches, with some rooms even having private terraces with views of Eternal City.
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Gran Melia Rome
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The luxurious gay stay comes to the streets of Rome in the form of Gran Melia, one of the most luxurious gay hotels in Rome Italy. Located on the banks of the River Tiber in Trastevere, the sleek five-star hotel is the zenith of luxury living that goes beyond just the spacious, deluxe rooms. The hotel even has a luxury spa with a sauna and a Turkish bath where you can book a romantic massage with your partner, making it one of the 11 Best Hotels In Rome. The Balinese beds by the pool are great for lounging around as well as for catching the eyes of fellow handsome men at the pool.
If you can walk in a straight line, then Trastevere’s gay bars such as Freni e Frizioni, Beige, and Garbo Bar are just a 20-minute walk away along the River Tiber. One of Rome’s most spectacular sights, Castel Sant’Angelo is just a 10-minute walk away. For those who’re interested in an offbeat exploration of Rome’s culture, we highly recommend this detailed, 2-hour small-group tour of Castel Sant’Angelo.
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The Fifteen Keys Hotel
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The charming boutique Fifteen Keys Hotel is one of the most popular gay hotels in Rome and has even appeared in many high-end travel publications. Fifteen Keys is housed in a brick townhouse just four blocks from Termini Metro Station. The relaxing single and double rooms, some with even individual terraces, at this modern boutique hotel make for a great place to stay for both gay singles and couples.
The gay scene begins just two minutes from Fifteen Keys in the form of the gay cruising club Censured Club Roma. The gay bar of Company Roma is also just 10 minutes away. Easy metro access makes heading to some of the best gay bars in Rome such as Coming Out at Gay Street extremely easy. Italy’s biggest gay sauna Europa Multiclub is just a 15-20 minute walk from Fifteen Keys.
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Hotel Celio
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The gay friendly Hotel Celio literally is ‘Rome in a room”! The hotel features delightfully kitschy decor in the form of bright, vibrant wallpapers, mosaic tiles, classical paintings, and Roman columns. It even has a beautiful rooftop terrace which is a great place to mingle with fellow gay travelers as you sip on a glass of wine while taking in views of the city.
However, it is Hotel Celio’s location that makes it so popular with gay travelers to Rome. It lies right next to the Colosseum and Rome’s Gay Street. So, local gay meeting points such as Coming Out and My Bar is a mere two-minute walk away. The small but lovely gay sauna Apollion is a 10-minute walk away and is another great place for meeting gay locals.
Hotel Celio’s location next to the Colosseum also allows culture-driven gays for long explorations of Rome’s best sights during the day. We highly recommend dedicating a day to this offbeat 5-hour tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and Nero’s House.
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Appartamenti MarcoAurelio49
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If you’re gay and looking for a budget stay around Gay Street, then Appartamenti MarcoAurelio49 is what we’d recommend. The hotel features extremely vibrant, spacious apartments that even include a well-equipped kitchenette for whipping up quick meals. Free grocery delivery services mean that you don’t have to step out, and the hotel even provides in-room breakfasts.
Some of the most popular gay bars in Rome, Coming Out and My Bar, are a five-minute walk. The Apollion gay sauna, 10 minutes away, is a great place to meet gay locals. Censured Club Roma and Company Roma gay cruising bars near Termini Metro Station are a short metro ride away. Some of Rome’s best and must-see sights such as the Colosseum, the Basilica di Santa Maria, the Arch of Constantine, and Palatine Hill are all within walking distance of Appartamenti MarcoAurelio49.
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Hotel Lord Byron
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Hotel Lord Byron is one of the very few five-star hotels in Rome to underline their gay friendly policy specifically on their website. Nestled in the heart of the Parioli neighborhood just behind Borghese Gardens. Rooms at Hotel Lord Byron are luxurious, spacious, and refined. complete with spectacular views of the lush gardens of Villa Borghese and options for ordering breakfast in bed. In fact, staying here will allow you to explore what is the “green heart” of Rome on this lovely 3-hour Segway tour of Villa Borghese and the sprawling gardens.
Hotel Lord Byron might be situated away from the gay scene of Rome, but it has excellent public transport links. The Euclide train station is a 10-minute walk, from where after changing trains and metro, the Gay Street of Rome and its gay bars and saunas are just 15 minutes away.
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Generator Rome
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If you’re looking for an out-and-out party hostel in Rome and plan to get very less sleep, Generator is the place to be at! Part of the extremely popular European hostel chain of Generator, this stylish hostel is great for partying and mingling with other gay travelers. Housed in an elegant 19th-century townhouse, the hostel has both private rooms and dorms and an excellent bar with a great lively party vibe.
The hostel’s location close to Termini Metro station puts it close to Rome’s amazing nightlife at Gay Street. In fact, the gay cruising bars of Company Roma and Censured Club Roma are just 5-10 minutes from Generator hostel. The gay sauna of Apollion is 10 minutes in the direction of Gay Street. If you’re the party kind, make sure you’re in Rome on a Friday to attend Muccassassina, a very gay party held at Qube Disco. Walk for 10 minutes to the Porta Maggiore train station, from where its a 20-minute train ride away. And of course, bring the party back to Generator with you!
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MEININGER Roma Termini
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Cinema buffs will love the cool vibe at the gay friendly party hotel/hostel of MEININGER located just next to the Castro Pretorio station. Gay travelers to MEININGER will love the spacious private rooms and dorms done up in colorful tones and hues. The modern guest kitchen is great for whipping up meals and even for hostel meet-cutes. MEININGER also has an extremely fun bar which is a great place to meet gay locals and gay travelers.
The MEININGER’s proximity to the Castro Pratorio station makes Rome’s many gorgeous sights and attractions very accessible. The Colosseum, Palatine Hill, as well as the Gay Street of Rome with its many clubs and bars is just a four-minute ride away.
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Hotel Capo d’Africa
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Stay right next to the Colosseum just a street away from Gay Street at the luxury boutique Hotel Capo d’Africa. Housed in an elegant, high-walled townhouse, the hotel is infused with foliage and couches with cushions, inspiring romance. In fact, its a great way to meet fellow gay travelers at the hotel. While the rooms are well-designed, it’s the outdoor rooftop-bar with sweeping views of Rome that is the highlight. Gay couples looking for romance close to Rome’s historical center won’t find anything better than this!
Hotel Capo d’Africa is a short walk from the Colosseum, as well as other famous attractions. These include the Piazza Venezia, Palantine Hill, the Arch of Constantine, and the Roman Forum. Some of the best gay bars in Rome like My Bar and Coming Out are just one street from the hotel, making the Hotel Capo the best place for gays to stay.
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Just So You Know:
- In 2018, the people of Rome celebrated Roma Pride with all the more pomp and splendor. This happened only days after Italy’s then-new family minister said that homosexual families don’t legally exist.
- Ironically, Rome has some of the wildest gay party events in Europe – and also one of the largest in number! Right from G I AM @ Planet Roma and Cox to Amigdala and Men2Men Party, gay parties and celebrations in Rome go all out.
- One of the best gay saunas in Italy, Europa Multiclub (EMC), rather hilariously lies on the same street as a key Vatican department!
Get Some Culture in Rome:
- Gay Village – During the weekends in summer for three months. a massive section of a park close to Rome’s historical center transforms into somewhat of a massive outdoor party place known as Gay Village. The space features live entertainment, street food trucks, bars, and two open-air dance-floors! Plus, there’s a Bear Village!
- Glamda – Held at an outdoor club during the summer, Glamda is a weekly gay/straight-friendly party with tons of drinks, an amazing music set, and a great gay club atmosphere.
- Roma Pride: Having begun more than 50 years ago, Roma Pride is Rome’s annual celebration of the LGBTQ community. It celebrates the beginning of gay pride and asks for equal rights for LGBTQ people. It also campaigns for laws against LGBTQ+ discrimination. The parade is held on June 9th, the center of which is Gay Street.
Best Gay Bars / Clubs in Rome:
- Coming Out – The aptly named “Coming Out” is probably Rome’s most popular gay bar and an institution of sorts. Located on Rome’s famous Gay Street, the bar opens for breakfast. It then stays open for lunch and dinner, and is open till very late for drinks and afterparty fun!
- My Bar – This quaint bar and café on Rome’s Gay Street is open during the day for meals, and late into the night for drinks, dance, and music fun. You might even find a sing-along or two going on here if patrons get into the mood.
- Garbo Bar – This quaint, old-fashioned bar outside the Trastevere neighborhood was a horse stable once upon a time! Today, you’ll find gay men and women of all ages enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail here.
- Beige – The only gay bar in the Trastevere neighborhood’s, Beige is known to serve some of the best cocktails in Trastevere.
- Freni e Frizioni – For a younger, alternative gay crowd, Freni e Frizioni is where you need to head to. The lovely ambiance and the vintage furniture and decor make it date-worthy.
- Muccassassina@Qube Disco: People wait for hours in a queue to get into the long-running gay party that is Muccassassina. The Qube Disco where the party is held has three separate dance areas playing pop music, techno, and house. So, if you want to dance hard, save your Friday evening in Rome for heading to Qube.
- Censured Club Roma: Two-level gay cruise club with a dark room, a red playroom, and a glory hole. The place also has a large shower room a lounge with a dressing room, and a well-stocked bar.
- Company Roma: Late-night basement Roman bear bar and gay cruise club and the choicest of destinations for a throng of Roman bears and their admirers
Best Gay Saunas in Rome:
- Europa Multiclub – This is Italy’s largest gay sauna – and it’s in Rome! This is your usual sauna and sex club with a small gym, Jacuzzi, steam and sauna rooms, and a Turkish style bath as well.
- Apollion – This small, but quaint, gay sauna close to Gay Street is great for meeting local gays. The property even offers massages.
