FIVE STAR GAY HOTEL LAUNCHED

A new five star gay hotel – said to be the first in Latin America – opened in Buenos Aires this week, helping to cement the Argentinean capital as a global gay tourism destination.

The stylish five-storey Axel Hotel, which cost around £3.5million and is located near the historic and bohemian San Telmo neighborhood, is the sister establishment to a Barcelona branch.

It features a transparent roof pool, which is visible from inside the hotel, a cocktail bar, gym, health bar and rooms boasting designer furniture by Charles and Ray Eames, Mies van der Rohe and Eileen Gray.

General manager Nacho Rodriguez told Associated Press that, “…many gay hotels and places are closed off and can’t be seen from the street. We wanted our hotel to be open and visible. Why should we try and hide ourselves.”

The 48 room hotel is described as being “hetero-friendly” on its website. Approximately a quarter of the guests are expected to be heterosexual.

In September, Buenos Aires hosted the 10th International Gay and Lesbian Football Association World Soccer Championships, which featured 500 amateur players from 28 teams from countries around the world.