Why Gay Travelers Love Axel Hotels
Axel Hotels is the world’s most popular gay hotel brand. It’s true…staying at an Axel property is pretty much a guaranteed good time! They’re thoughtfully designed, packed with amenities, and perfectly tailored for gay travelers in so many ways.
Most of us have at least heard about Axel Hotels. But did you know there’s a total of 10 properties spanning 8 international locations? That’s not all, either. The Axel chain is opening 3 new hotels in the next few years.
Friendly staff, sexy interiors, and fun “please disturb” door signs are just a few things Axel Hotels are known for. Find out what gay travelers love about each of Axel’s international locations below, along with essential property information and photos.
AxelBeach Miami
Rating:
Rooms: 160
Cost: Mid-Range
Amenities:
Outdoor Pool, Jacuzzi, Restaurant, Bar, Parking, Lounge, Steam Room, Sauna, Gym
AxelBeach Miami opened in 2020, marking Axel Group’s first property outside of Europe. And with a total of 160 rooms, it’s the largest Axel hotel yet! It’s beautifully designed and has quickly become quite popular.
The pool area is the star of the show at the Miami Axel. Everything is perfectly positioned for casual social interaction. Lounge beds are spaced just right, room terraces overlook the pool, and there’s an awesome jacuzzi area at the far end of the pool area.
Gay travelers love their balcony views too, conveniently able to see what’s happening around the pool all times of day. A few other hotel perks are the jet-black tiled steam room, lots of outdoor lounge space, and easy beach access.
Depending on when you visit Miami, the Axel can tend to draw a mixed crowd as opposed to a predominantly gay crowd. After all, the hotel is proudly “hetero-friendly!”
Book AxelBeach Miami
Axel Hotel Berlin
Rating:
Rooms: 87
Cost: Affordable
Amenities:
Rooftop Terrace & Jacuzzi, Restaurant, Bar, Lounge, Steam Room, Sauna, Gym
Berlin’s Axel Hotel is one of the city’s best gay hotels. Gay travelers love staying here for easy access to many of Berlin’s gay bars in the local gay district.
The rooftop jacuzzi with panoramic views of Berlin’s skyline is one of the most memorable amenities. Everyone raves about how beautiful it is.
The hotel also has a ground floor outdoor patio area as well as a chic restaurant, bar, and lounge. They’re all fantastic areas to meet friends or meet new people.
While the Axel Hotel Berlin has been around for quite some time, they still maintain a modern feel. And as you may have heard, the hotel is known to be more of a cruisy location. Don’t be surprised if you encounter guys cruising in the steam room or sauna. This is Berlin, after all!
If it’s within your budget, book one of the hotel’s suites. They’re super spacious and even have small terraces, which is hard to come by in a big city like Berlin.
Book the Axel Berlin
TWO Hotel Berlin
Rating:
Rooms: 86
Cost: Affordable
Amenities:
Restaurant, Bar, Rooftop Terrace, Lounge, Steam Room, Sauna, Jacuzzi, Gym
TWO Hotel is the second of two Axel Hotels in Berlin. Its interior design isn’t as erotic as the red and black rooms in the main Berlin Axel, but TWO Hotel still has all the stylish and modern elements that will contribute to a sexy experience.
Right next to the hotel’s modern fitness center, you’ll find all sorts of spa facilities including a sauna, steam room, large jacuzzi and relaxation room. Don’t miss the sexy, red-lit sauna! Gay travelers always talk about how much they enjoy using the hotel’s spa facilities.
I particularly like TWO Hotel’s rooftop, which has a bar and restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. You can enjoy the space year-round, but when it’s warmer, sitting outside is so refreshing.
Another great thing about TWO Hotel Berlin is how affordable it is. This property is actually one of the most inexpensive Axel hotels, which is fantastic for those on a tighter budget who still want a standard gay hotel experience.
Book TWO Hotel Berlin
Axel Hotel Barcelona
Rating:
Rooms: 101
Cost: Mid-Range
Amenities:
Rooftop Pool & Terrace, Jacuzzi, Restaurant, Bar, Lounge, Steam Room, Sauna, Gym
The Barcelona Axel is the original Axel hotel, which opened back in 2003. It has since become an iconic gay hotel that LGBT travelers around the world still love to this day.
You can’t take a trip to Barcelona without at least grabbing a cocktail on the Axel rooftop! Once tourists stop by the Axel for the amazing rooftop parties, they always wish they had chosen to stay here.
Barcelona’s Axel may have been the first, but considering how modern this property is kept, you would never know! It’s kept a classy, high-end vibe.
Gay travelers are also obsessed with the hotel’s enormous “urban spa”, which features a reflection pool, steam room, sauna, and central glass shower.
Some rooms are on the smaller side, but with the gorgeous rooftop terrace and Barcelona’s epic gay nightlife, you probably won’t be spending too much time in your room anyway!
Book Axel Barcelona
TWO Hotel Barcelona
Rating:
Rooms: 87
Cost: Mid-Range
Amenities:
Rooftop Pool & Bar, Lounge, Steam Room, Sauna, Gym
The highlights of TWO Hotel Barcelona are definitely the bright pink sky bar and pool deck area. You also can’t miss the ostentatiously pink rooftop gym. It’s gloriously gay.
Two Hotel is located in the heart of Barcelona’s Eixample gay neighborhood. Considering this great location, the beautiful rooftop, and updated rooms, I’d say you get quite a bit of value for your money.
If you are sensitive about privacy, make sure to book a room on one of the hotel’s higher floors since some rooms have pretty direct street views. That is of course unless you prefer to keep your shades drawn all the time, in which case a lower-level room would be perfect (not to mention cheaper).
Book TWO Hotel Barcelona
Axel Hotel Madrid
Rating:
Rooms: 88
Cost: Affordable
Amenities:
Rooftop Pool, Restaurant, Bar, Parking, Lounge, Steam Room, Sauna, Gym
The Axel Hotel in Madrid is easy to recognize—just look for the iconic stripe-patterned rooftop pool! Gay travelers are always posting pictures on Instagram of themselves enjoying the pool.
You’ll find two types of rooms in Madrid’s Axel hotel. Standard rooms of all different sizes have a funky and modern vibe with decorative neon wall signs. Some of these also have little terraces.
Booking a gold deluxe suite is the most upscale option. Staying in one of these is epic. It feels like you’re living in a palace. The suites have metal frame canopy beds, tall mirrors all around, plush furniture, and regal décor. Some even have bathtubs alongside the bed!
Guests love the top-floor fitness center for inspiring views of the city. The rooftop pool and lounge area are also popular for grabbing drinks and socializing in the evening.
The Axel Madrid is also a convenient 12-minute walk to the Chueca gay neighborhood, making Madrid’s gay nightlife super accessible.
Book Axel Hotel Madrid
Axel Hotel San Sebastián, Spain
Rating:
Rooms: 100
Cost: Mid-Range
Amenities:
Rooftop Pool & Terrace, Restaurant, Bar, Lounge, Parking, Steam Room, Sauna, Indoor Pool, Gym
The Axel Hotel San Sebastián is one of the brand’s largest properties with a total of 100 rooms. It’s an incredibly chic hotel with a ton of amenities, including both indoor and outdoor pools.
There’s so much space to relax. Sunbathe on the roof deck, grab a drink at the sky bar, or hit the spa. I love the glass-front sauna and steam room, as well as how they both face the indoor pool and relaxation area.
The room layouts are probably the most impressive design element of the Axel San Sebastián. Many rooms have beds tucked behind dividing walls, creating a cozy yet open feeling. I also love the rooms with full-height windows that open onto private terraces.
Book Axel San Sebastián
AxelBeach Ibiza Suites
Rating:
Rooms: 96
Cost: Mid-Range
Amenities:
Pool, Jacuzzi, Restaurant, Bar, Lounge, Steam Room, Sauna, Gym
AxelBeach Ibiza is an apartment-style gay hotel located directly on the beach of San Antonia Bay. It’s highly rated for its large and spacious suites, which are popular with groups of travelers.
Suites come in six types, but the most coveted ones are the Axel Junior Suite, the larger-sized Axel Suite, and the glorious Sunset Suite. These all have the best ocean views!
The entire hotel is incredibly modern—almost futuristic in a way. Bright light fills all areas of the hotel from the poolside fitness center to the chic whitewashed pool deck. And by the way, the gay scene around the pool deck is fantastic. Bring your best sexy gay swimwear.
Gay travelers also love AxelBeach Ibiza’s spa facilities. The colored lights of the indoor sauna, steam room, and jacuzzi tub have such a sexy vibe.
Book AxelBeach Ibiza
AxelBeach Maspalomas
Rating:
Rooms: 92
Cost: Affordable
Amenities:
Pool, Jacuzzi, Poolside Bar, Parking, Steam Room, Sauna, Gym
AxelBeach Maspalomas has an unbeatable location in Playa del Ingles, the center of Gran Canaria gay life. It’s another one of Axel’s apartment-style hotels, which is also quite common here in Maspalomas. All rooms have a well-equipped kitchen, dining area, double bedroom, and terrace.
The property has an enormous pool and lots of outdoor green space known as the “Lounge Garden.” There’s also an on-site spa and a cruisy jacuzzi area.
While the Maspalomas Axel Hotel isn’t one of the brand’s shiny new properties, it is both well-located and incredibly inexpensive. Close to Yumbo Centre, it’s a popular place to stay for local gay events in Maspalomas as well as the two yearly pride festivals.
Book AxelBeach Maspalomas
The Newest Axel Hotel: Telégrafo Havana, Cuba
Rating:
Rooms: 63
Cost: Affordable
Amenities:
Rooftop Pool & Terrace, Restaurant, Bar, Lounge, Sauna, Gym
The Axel Hotel Telégrafo is the chain’s newest property in Cuba’s capital of Havana. You can bet this place is absolutely gorgeous. The ground-level restaurant and bar corridor is awesomely unique.
Axel Group’s standard of amazing amenities has continued with the Havana location’s gorgeous rooftop pools and lounge area, dry sauna, and overall modern design.
The rooms have a sleek minimalist feel with high ceilings and bright white walls. While renovating the original property, Axel Hotels installed modern elements and fixtures, while keeping many of the building’s historic elements.
Beautiful Axel Hotels Coming Soon
The Axel chain is expanding quickly. Who else is ready to book a holiday at one of these soon-to-open Axel hotels?
Axel Hotel Valencia
The Axel Valencia will soon be the newest addition to our favorite gay hotel chain, expected to open in early 2023. The hotel will feature 72 rooms, a swimming pool with a terrace, a bar, and a wellness center.
If you’re planning gay travel to Valencia, you absolutely have to stay here and be among the first to experience it. Plus, Valencia is a gorgeous and gay-friendly summer destination that I absolutely love.
Axel Hotel Madeira, Portugal
Axel Hotels will soon be opening their first property in Portugal in 2024—on the isolated Portuguese island of Madeira, in fact! The Axel Madeira will be located in the heart of the island’s capital city of Funchal on Rua Bela de São Tiago.
Along with a convenient location, this 88-room hotel will feature all the typical Axel amenities like a gym and spa, restaurant, bar, lounge, and rooftop pool and terrace.
Axel Hotel Bilbao, Spain
With a planned opening in the Fall of 2024, the Axel Hotel Bilbao will be perfectly situated in the city’s gay area of San Frantzisko.
The hotel will have a fitness and wellness center, a restaurant, a bar and lounge, and a pool with terrace views. So, if you’ll be along Spain’s northern coast, make plans to stop in Bilbao to stay at the Axel!
Curious about more gay hotels around the world? Check out these top gay resort destinations. Or, discover where to stay during your next destination with wolfyy gay travel guides.
And if you want to experience the utopia of gay hotels, check out these clothing optional gay hotels in Palm Springs California.
