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London Gay Travel Guide
Blimey! London runs long on old-world ambiance, multi-cultural diversity, British charm, and stellar gay scene. Over 11 million people inhabit this, the largest city in Western Europe. That means a never-ending variety of things to see and do. If it’s your first time to London, you can’t miss Buckingham Palace. It’s where the Queen lives, and it’s also where you see that legendary Changing of the Guards. Can’t resist a man in uniform? The changing also takes place at St. James’ Palace and Windsor Castle! It’s customary to at least stroll by London’s famous buildings, the Tower Bridge, Parliament and Big Ben, the Tower of London (home to the priceless Crown Jewels!), and Westminster Abbey, the most beautiful Gothic church in London, and the most famous cemetery in the world where, among others, Isaac Newton, William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Darwin, George Fredrick Handel, and Winston Churchill are buried. The hideous London Eye, the world’s largest Ferris wheel, now sits beside the Thames River and provides a bird’s eye view of the city. The macabre London Dungeon has become a wickedly popular tour, with its explorations of the city’s gory history. If you’ve only got time for one London museum, it should be The British Museum, arguably one of the finest on the planet. If the urge strikes you, you can jump onto any of those big double-decker buses and ride for a few blocks. But London’s Underground (referred to as “the tube”) is the most efficient way to navigate the city, far preferable to a car or the expensive (though nostalgic) black cabs. Gay London is focused primarily in the Soho district, just a few blocks north of the Piccadilly Circus tube stop. There are a few other clusters, primarily near Covent Garden and Earl’s Court.
Gay London Bars, Restaurants and Clubs
London has over a hundred gay bars, and to find out which ones have special events, or happen to be popular during the time of your visit, grab a copy of Boyz or QX magazine, available free anywhere in Soho. We’ve included a few of the reliably popular spots here. In Soho, your first stop should be for an ale at the Admiral Duncan, a London institution, and the site of the infamous Soho nail-bombing in 1999. A few doors down, G-A-Y bar, not to be confused with the mega-club of the same name, attracts hordes of twinky boys and chic Soho guys. Compton’s is another large bar that’s always packed. Off Old Compton Street in Soho you’ll find Bar Code, a sprawling, two-storey joint with an insanely popular comedy show on Tuesdays. The Friendly Society is incredibly stylish in decor, but its mixed crowd is still very friendly. Ku Bar has a youthful, poppy following, just like G-A-Y. Village Soho has attracted a large, lively crowd for years. West Central is so large (three floors!) that they play showtunes on the top floor and graduate through all music styles down to hard techno in the basement. The Edge, also three floors, gets crowded around 11ish, when it’s still too early to make a stylish appearance at the clubs. The Yard, the happy-hour capital of Soho, and its lovely courtyard get busy right after work. Lesbians flock to Candy Bar, the only girlie bar in London open every night. In the Covent Garden area, First Out is a London institution for both boys and girls, and on Friday nights, it’s where all the local lesbians go. Site is an uber-chic cocktailery, where the crowds gather before partying down at Heaven, London’s premier mega-club. Over in Earl’s Court, Brompton’s draws the biggest crowds, especially on weekends, while leather fanatics favor Coleherne. And we can’t leave out Central Station near King’s Cross, a popular bar with a young, saucy crowd.
London offers what many believe is the best clubbing on Earth. If so, then Heaven must be the most famous club on the planet. Expect massive crowds and world-famous DJs, and don’t expect to leave until the sun comes up. Any weekend night is busy at Heaven, along with Mondays and Wednesdays. Almost as popular is G-A-Y, though the crowd at this cavernous mega-club tends to be younger and almost exclusively male. Saturday night is the time to dance here. If you’re looking for a serious clubbing experience that’s all about the music, we recommend Fiction, which takes place each Friday in a old warehouse. Also on Fridays is a wildly popular dance party at The Scala called Popstarz, with a more indie/alternative edge. Saturday brings Action, an intense (and cruisy) clubbing experience with an Ibiza-like scene, and Queer Nation, with serious House spinning out for the dancing masses. Sunday nights at Fabric is DTPM a legendary party with an eclectic variety of tunes on the turntable. Sound on Sunday draws the pretty boys (when else?) on Sunday nights. For something chic and posh, check out The Shadow Lounge. If you’re dressed well-enough to get in, you’ll likely spot a few top-tier British celebs, like Graham Norton, or even Elton John. The bearish crowd heads to XXL on Wednesdays and Saturdays. For girls, Cherries is the most popular lesbian dance party in England, held every first and third Saturday at Bar Med City.
Though the Brits aren’t renowned for their food, London is such a cultural melting pot that you can find superb restaurants of all varieties on virtually every block. The gayest restaurant in the city is Balans in Soho, with a moderately-priced Continental menu served by buff boys at virtually all hours of the day or night. If your wallet is growing thin (and after several days in this ultra-expensive city, it will be!) you can chow down for cheap at The Stockpot. Wilde About Oscar is a unique and very gay eatery in the Philbeach hotel. If you just have to have that traditional British cooking (cabbage and all) check out Steph’s. The kitchen at popular First Out Bar is also a great place to fill up.
Gay Friendly and Gay London Hotels
The Philbeach Hotel has been London’s most popular gay hotel forever. Close to the gay bars of Earl’s Court, the hotel offers small, clean rooms (some even have private showers, but who wants to shower alone?) and great student rates. The George Hotel, in the quiet district of Bloomsbury, is another small property, not exclusively gay, but nevertheless popular with gay patrons for many years. It’s easy to blow your budget on a hotel in London, and if that’s your primary concern, a great alternative is Spencer’s London House Gay Hostel, with dorm-style accommodations, an industrial kitchen, and rock-bottom prices. But it’s a bit out of the way. The Clone Zone offers apartments for rent right in the middle of gay Soho. If you’re an SM fan, DSLets has an extraordinarily unique apartment for rent, complete with its own dungeon.
Call an edirp.com gay travel specialist at 1-888-EDIRP-EZ (1-888-334-7739) or (214) 520-0345 (U.S.) to book any of the hotels mentioned above. Any hotels with links may be booked via our secure online booking system.
London Gay Pride and other Gay Events
London’s Pride celebration is called Mardis Gras, which takes place at the end of July and draws a massive crowd with many international visitors.
Travel guide by Benjamin Starr, a travel writer who claims the entire world as his home. When he's not at home, he can sometimes be found at a residence in Dallas, Texas. To contact Ben, email him at benjaminstarr@sbcglobal.net. |
