The Best of the Best, Part 2 – Traveling in Our Fabulous Gay World

Gaslight Inn - Seattle Gay Inn

In our last travel column we listed 5 of our favorite 10 Gay accommodations where we have stayed. Over 18 years years we have traveled coast to coast and have stayed in over 100 Gay owned resorts, hotels, motels and Bed and Breakfasts. We are listing the second 5 here. Most of them have been very fine experiences and some were just ‘so so’ and a few have not been very good. It is like in the old days about Gay bars. All you had to do was open a Gay bar and you automatically had a lot of business. However Gay bars in the country are fading fast and over half of them closed in the past 10 years.

Over 40 of the Gay owned accommodations where we have stayed over the years are no longer in business. Most closed due to lack of business, some owners either retired or gone into another business or have died. 90% of the ones that have closed was due to poor management either by the owners themselves or by their staff. In today’s world Gays demand and are accustomed to a nice clean and safe place to stay. We have stayed in places that never changed water or put new chemicals in their hot tub, had ratty linens and no personalized service. And then they wonder why they did not have any returning customers and had to go out of business. Thankfully, there are those owners who respect their customers and want them to return again and again. Good for them! Below is a list of the other 5 of the best, where we have stayed and have stayed several time with them where we have always had a great experience.

PIKES PEAK INN, IN WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO

Pikes Peak Inn - Woodland ParkTo get way from it all, we highly suggest staying the Pikes Peak Inn in Woodland, Colorado. If you ever need to get away from it all, then head to the High Mountains in Colorado. Pikes Peak Paradise Bed and Breakfast is THE place to go. It is located just 18 miles west of Colorado Springs and just to the south of Woodland Park also known as “The City Above The Clouds”. Woodland Park is located at 8,465 feet above sea level on the north slope of Pikes Peak and is surrounded by over a million acres of Pike National Forest. Pikes Peak Paradise B & B is located on 4 acres of private land. The views of the mountains and of Pikes Peak are breath-taking. And they are over 9,000 feet in elevation. All of the rooms/suites face south towards Pikes Peak. You are surrounded by trees mountains and more trees and mountains. You can watch deer everywhere. A full gourmet sit-down breakfast is served each day. In all of our travels, they make the finest gourmet breakfast! Ron Pijut is the owner and is a fabulous host. Check out their website at www.pikespeakparadise.com and their toll free number is 800-728-8282.

BROWN STREET INN IN IOWA CITY, IOWA

Brown Street Inn - Iowa CityIt is owned by Mark Ruggeberg and Bob Brooks. They have operated the Inn for more than 12 years. It is located at 430 Brown Street which is just a short walk to downtown. It is located in a lovely two story old home and decorated to perfection. Casual elegance in Iowa City’s historic Brown Street neighborhood. It is a 1913 Dutch Colonial Style Mansion and located on a very quiet street and within walking distance to downtown as well as to the University of Iowa campus. Mark and Bob are fabulous hosts. Their website is www.brownstreetinn.com Their toll free number to make reservations is 319.338.0435. Their email is info@brownstreetinn.com They have 5 rooms and one huge suite. They have a computer for guests as well as WiFi for those who bring their laptops. These gentlemen do EVERYTHING the right way.

GASLIGHT INN BED AND BREAKFAST IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Gaslight Inn - SeattleThe Gaslight Inn B and B in Seattle is areal jewel. Their website is www.gaslight-inn.com and you can call them at (206) 325-3654. This Seattle bed and breakfast became a city-designated landmark 2015. Located on Capitol Hill, the city’s most exciting, convenient, walkable neighborhood – in the heart of gay Seattle. The Inn features great Northwest art, fireplaces in the lobby and in some guest rooms, and a heated seasonal pool in the back yard. Just minutes from downtown and Elliot Bay. Their address is 1727 15th Ave., Seattle, WA, 98122. Stephen Bennett is the owner and has owned it for many years. He has a lot of guests who return year after year. City bus stops are just a block away that will take you anywhere in the city that you would want to go. They have 8 furnished rooms in his magnificent Arts and Crafts home. This Seattle Bed and Breakfast became a city-designated landmark 2015.New Delhi Cafe - Eureka Springs

EUREKA SPRINGS IN ARKANSAS

(Donald and Ray with Mr. Bill, owner of the New Delhi Cafe)

What can be said about this beautiful hidden town in the Arkansas. It is truly the Gay Mecca in the entire Midwest! Travelers come from all over the Midwest and points beyond to visit there. Their are 26 listings on purpleroofs.com find the perfect B and B just for you. Eureka Springs has a population of just over 2,000 with most of the business Gay owned. Mayor Robert “Butch” Berry has done an outstanding job at bringing thousands of tourists throughout the years. This is a very laid back town where everybody gets along with everyone. While dining you might be sitting next to a black leather motorbike guy and on the other side a lady in a fur coat. We have visited Eureka many times over the years and it is always a very unique experience. When visiting BE SURE and go to the New Delhi Cafe located right downtown. Mr.Bill is the owner and a REAL Prince of a guy! https://newdelhieureka.com/styled/index.html. They have fabulous food, drink and a huge patio. Anyone who is somebody goes there!Check out purpleroofs.com for a complete listing on all the Bed and Breakfasts. Also check out https://www.eurekasprings.org/tag/lgbt/

Don and RayAlways remember to have fun when traveling, meet new people and talk to everyone!

TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD is written by Donald Pile and Ray Williams, Award-winning, Celebrity travel columnists who write for gay publications from coast to coast (And now legally married).

Proud members of the IGLTA. You can email them at gaytravelers@aol.com and visit their website at http://gaytravelersataol.blogspot.com/

TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD: Hotel Pattee, Perry, Iowa – A Destination Unto Itself

hotel-pattee- good front shot Sometimes we want to go to a resort and spend some time whether it is in the mountains or seaside or desert and other times we want to go to a destination just to enjoy that particular destination. Earlier this year we stayed at the HOTEL PATTEE in Perry, Iowa which is more or less in the middle of Iowa. Perry is actually located about 35 miles northwest of Des Moines and has a population of about 7,000. The very historical HOTEL PATTEE was built in 1913 and the interior is from the Arts and Crafts movement of that era and it is still the same. The lobby and all the rest of the interior of the hotel brings you back when grandeur was what it was all about. pattee hotel jaySince the beginning of the HOTEL PATTEE the hotel has gone thru a few owners. Jay and Denise Hartz from St. Louis purchased the hotel in 2013 and have done a truly remarkable job. They really enjoy the hotel business and are extremely professional. They live in the town and are there everyday to see that everything is done properly. hotel pattee lobbyThey offer 22 Classic Rooms, all with different themes like the Gustav Stickley Room, Needlework Room, Irish Room, Quilting Room, Russian Room, Southeast Asian Room, Welsh Room, Williams Morris Room, Woodworking Room, Bohemian Room, Marching Band Room, plus a large variety of other ‘themed’ rooms. pattee suite12 Premier Rooms, all with different themes like Perry, Iowa natives and former residents, VT Snick Hamlin, (Creator of the popular comic strip, ‘Alley Oop), Bill Bell, (who was in the John Philip Sousa band and later the Principal Tubist for the New York Philharmonic), Barry Kemp (Television writer and produce known for Newhart, Taxi and Coach) and other motifs like Swedish, Mexican, King’s Daughter, Japanese, Dutch, Chinese, American Indian, Amana Colonies and 1913 Farm House Room. 6 Full and Junior Suites (including the Louis Armstrong Suite, D.J. Pattee Suite, Earl & Virginia Green Suite, Travelers Suite, David Ahmanson Suite for Kids and the George and Agnes Soumas Suite.) pattee trainThey have a wonderful restaurant, called David’s Milwaukee Diner. It was named for David Jackson Pattee, the gentleman in whose honor the hotel was built, and for the Milwaukee Railroad which for over 100 years was the the main employer in Perry. The Diner takes you back to the era when the train was King! The Arrow Room, named for a Milwaukee passenger train is a recreation of an early 20th century railroad dining car, complete with coffered ceiling, wood paneling, and murals showing the countryside near Perry. The Challenger and Hiawatha Rooms, also named for Milwaukee trains are designed in the Arts and Crafts style frequently found in depot hotel restaurants and railroad hotel dining rooms. Their Inter-Urban Lounge, named for the electric trains that shuttled travelers back and forth between Perry and Des Moines through the early part of the 20th Century. The lounge is decorated in the style of the Midwest’s best known Arts and Crafts designer, Frank Lloyd Wright. Known as Prairie Style, Wright’s designs dot the Midwest. Photos of the Inter-Urban, Perry’s railroad history and the people who made the town line the walls. Relax and enjoy drinks while enjoying the nostalgia. They have live music on weekends. In addition they have a wonderful outdoor patio that is within the hotel grounds. They offer a large variety of places for weddings, anniversaries and all types of private parties. This is one of the most LGBT friendly hotels in the country. They offer many amenities including over 130 pieces of original art by more than 30 artists which are on display honoring noteworthy native sons and daughters of Iowa. Your experience will feature oversized beds, wireless Internet access, spacious bathrooms, oversized bath towels and plush robes. Spa and wood-burning fireplaces are available in selected rooms. During your stay, take advantage of their fitness center with sauna, steamroom and hot tub. And believe it or not, they have a bowling alley on the lower lever of the hotel. It has two full-functioning lanes with automated scoring. EVERY member of their staff is extremely professional and friendly. The owners certainly have taught them well. Our favorite staff member, for his ultra professionalism was Josh Riviera, Front Desk Manager. But all of the staff was perfect both in the hotel as well as in the restaurant. Thank you to the owners, Jay and Denise Hartz for returning the historical HOTEL PATTEE to its original grandeur. You and your staff are to be commended for a wonderful job on making the hotel a 5 star stay for your guests. Whether staying just for a couple of days or a week or more, we guarantee that you will be in for a very special experience. In all of our travels from coast to coast, this is the most unusual and interesting hotel we have visited. Check out their website at: www.hotelpattee.com Most hotel websites do not give a lot of details however their website tells you everything about the hotel including photos of all the rooms so before you check in, you can choose exactly which ‘themed’ room you want. They are located at 1112 Willis Avenue in downtown Perry. The phone number is 515-465-3511. The HOTEL PATTEE truly is a destination unto itself! Don and RayAlways remember to have fun when traveling, meet new people and talk to everyone! TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD is written by Donald Pile and Ray Williams, Award-winning, Celebrity travel columnists who write for gay publications from coast to coast (And now legally married). Proud members of the IGLTA. You can email them at gaytravelers@aol.com and visit their website at http://gaytravelersataol.blogspot.com/

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TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD: Iowa City, Iowa Part 2

iowa city capitol Iowa City is a real gem to find. Being a University town, it has everything that most towns do not have.  We experienced  things that one would only expect to find in Chicago or New York or any other major city in the country.  Coralville, Iowa is their sister city and abuts the city limits so be sure and visit both cities when you are there. iowa  univsityTheir downtown area is where it is happening and you can walk everywhere which is great!   You can walk to the University and take advantage of everything that the University of Iowa has to offer. iowa city downtownBe sure and visit all of their museums and galleries as well.  There is a wonderful bookstore downtown that is located in a very old stone building that has thousands of books, The Haunted Bookshop, www.thehauntedbookshop.com/shop/haunted/index.html There are dozens of places to visit in and around Iowa City. Some of our favorites were:

iowa herbert hooverBe sure and visit the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and  Museum as well as  his boyhood home in West Branch, Iowa which is only about 12 miles east of Iowa City.  It is extremely interesting to visit and has a lot of memorabilia about the President and is really a great history lesson. Their website is:www.hoover.archives.gov/ The University of Iowa is one of the finest in the nation.  The Master of Fine Arts-a graduate degree based on creative work rather than an academic thesis-was born at there as the nation’s most celebrated creative writing program.  Also is the home to renowned visual arts programs and boundary-crossing work in music and theatre. iowacity brick streetsThere are a lot of great restaurants in Iowa City serving all types of food and of course we love food. Our favorites were
  • Devotay, a tapas restaurant and artisan cocktail bar.  It is the finest tapas restaurant in the Midwest. Check them out at www.devotay.net/
  • The Atlas Restaurant and Bar, www.atlasiowacity.com/ is another great restaurant and next door to them is:
  • Basta, www.bastaiowacity.com/ an Italian restaurant which is a very interesting place to dine.
  • About a half a block away is the Pullman Diner and Bar, http://pullmandiner.com/ that is a very fun place.
All of these restaurants are located right downtown and each is packed all the time.    We highly suggest that you dine at each of these restaurants when you are staying in Iowa City. iowa city signBut as they say about Iowa City, “Nothing can take the place of walking their streets, experiencing their scenic landscapes, meeting their people, engaging in their culture of their community and visiting their downtown shops and restaurants and bars.” Before going, sure and visit  www.iowacitycoralville.org  and be sure to stay at the Brown Street Inn B and B when you go there.  It truly is the BEST place in town to stay.   Their website is:  http://brownstreetinn.com/ Don and RayAlways remember to have fun when traveling, meet new people and talk to everyone! TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD is written by Donald Pile and Ray Williams, Award-winning, Celebrity travel columnists who write for gay publications from coast to coast (And now legally married). Proud members of the IGLTA. You can email them at gaytravelers@aol.com and visit their website at http://gaytravelersataol.blogspot.com/
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TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD: Iowa City, Iowa, Part One

Iowa City Town Hall - Donald and Ray Iowa City has often been referred to as the “Athens of the Midwest” because of it’s rich cultural and educational offerings. Two of Iowa’s certified cultural and entertainment districts are positioned in the heart of Iowa City. The University of Iowa campus, intertwined with Downtown, showcases the Old Capitol Museum, the Pentacrest Museums and other cultural attractions throughout their community. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized Iowa City as the world’s third City of Literature joining Edinburgh, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia. It is THE only city of Literature in North America! That designation provides additional international luster to the community and serves to validate the area’s long history of nurturing the literary arts and those who appreciate them. Pound for pound, this area constitutes the most literate community in the world! Iowa City - Donald and RayNaturally we were very interested in visiting Iowa City and it really is a tremendous place! We were welcomed to the city by Joshua Schamberger, the President of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. In our travels from coast to coast, this gentleman was the most professional director of any Convention and Visitor’s Bureau that we have ever encountered. His assistant, Clarissa McPheron, Director of Creative Services at the CVB assisted in our scheduling and was extremely professional. Brown Street Inn Bed and Breakfast - Donald and RayOur first stop was to check into The Brown Street Inn Bed and Breakfast. It is owned by Mark Ruggeberg and Bob Brooks. They have operated the Inn for more than 10 years. It is located at 430 Brown Street which is just a short walk to downtown. It is located in a lovely two story old home and decorated to perfection. Casual elegance in Iowa City’s historic Brown Street neighborhood. It is a 1913 Dutch Colonial Style Mansion and located on a very quiet street and within walking distance to downtown as well as to the University of Iowa campus. Mark and Bob are fabulous hosts. Their website is www.brownstreetinn.com Their toll free number to make reservations is 319.338.0435. Their email is info@brownstreetinn.com They have 5 rooms and one huge suite. Brown Street Inn Bed and Breakfast - Donald and RayThey have a computer for guests as well as WiFi for those who bring their laptops. This is one of the finest B and B’s where we have ever stayed. These gentlemen do EVERYTHING the right way. While we were there we met other guests who had stayed there several times in the past. We can certainly understand that once you stay at their Inn that you would want to stay there again and again and again. The first morning when we were there we met two delightful guests from eastern Iowa who were celebrating their anniversary…. Linda and Henry Neuman, both attorneys from a city in Eastern Iowa. She was the first woman to serve as a member of the Iowa Supreme Court in it’s 150 year history. She and her attorney husband were extremely interesting to talk with over breakfast and both are full of stories of their past. We need more people like that! Congratulations on your Anniversary! Another couple staying at the B and B were Kirsten and Ross Smith from greater Indianapolis. Since we had just been to Indianapolis the month before we had a lot to talk about. That is just one of the many reasons why we love staying at a B and B is that you get to meet such wonderful, exciting and interesting people and many times we run in to them again in our travels. We have stayed in over 100 B and B’s and The Brown Street Inn is one of our very favorite ones. In Part Two of our travel columns on Iowa City we will tell you about the many things to do and see and the wonderful dining opportunities that the town has to offer. For a city this size it is really remarkable how much they have to offer. No wonder so many people from coast to coast love to visit Iowa City! Before going, be sure and visit www.iowacitycoralville.org Don and RayAlways remember to have fun when traveling, meet new people and talk to everyone! TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD is written by Donald Pile and Ray Williams, Award-winning, Celebrity travel columnists who write for gay publications from coast to coast (And now legally married). Proud members of the IGLTA. You can email them at gaytravelers@aol.com and visit their website at http://gaytravelersataol.blogspot.com/

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Hotel Pattee – Gay Friendly Hotel in Perry, Iowa

Hotel Pattee Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay.

Welcome to the Historic Hotel Pattee located in Perry Iowa, just North of Des Moines. The hotel was built in 1903 and renovated with over $14 Million Dollars. As an Arts and Crafts designed property, it is a “Destination unto Itself” as it boasts a full service restaurant, Frank Lloyd Wright themed Lounge, a two lane bowling alley, library, self-service and full service Spa, and more!

See the Hotel Pattee Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in Iowa

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