In Brief: Royal Grand Resorts will open a clothing-optional gay resort in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, in November 2026, expanding targeted hospitality options for LGBTQ+ travelers and signaling increased investment in specialized resort concepts.
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Image Credit Royal Grand Resorts
The 30-room, adults-only property pairs upscale stays, a rooftop bar and a restaurant that turns nightclub three nights a week, without ultra-luxury pricing.
Royal Grand Resorts opens this November in Manuel Antonio with 30 rooms built for men who love men on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast. The idea is simple: upscale stays without ultra-luxury rates, in a beach town that has welcomed LGBTQ+ travelers for decades. Reservations are open now at royalgrandresorts.com.
“You should be thinking about who you want to meet, not whether you can be yourself,” said Wayne Taylor, COO of Royal Grand Resorts. “[Gay travelers are some of the most loyal guests in hospitality, and most hotels still treat us as an afterthought. We built Royal Grand for the guy who wants a great room, a great pool and a great night out, without paying ultra-luxury prices for it.]”
Days center on the clothing-optional pool, with a swim-up bar, a hot tub and a lounge with its own full-service bar. The rooftop bar has a second hot tub for sunset drinks. A steam room, sauna and third hot tub give guests somewhere quieter away from the main deck. Breakfast is included every morning.
The beach is a 3 minute walk away. At Playa Espadilla, the resort sets guests up in the gay section of the beach with chairs, towels, drinks and picnic lunches included.
At night, everything moves to Mango Tango Restaurant and Lounge: 14 tables and a 10-seat bar cut from a single live-edge slab, serving seafood, steakhouse cuts and international dishes built on local ingredients. Thursday through Saturday at 11 p.m., the tables clear and a DJ plays until 2 a.m. Dinner and the dance floor are in the same room, so nobody needs a cab home.
Rooms come in five categories, from the 290-square-foot Royal Queen Room to the 527-square-foot Royal Grand Suite, each with a private balcony, individually controlled air conditioning, robes, slippers, a mini fridge, a safe and a coffee maker.
Manuel Antonio National Park sits less than a mile from the property. The resort’s staff, known as the Royal Boys, book guided rainforest hikes, zip-lining, white water rafting, snorkeling, horseback riding, ATV tours to waterfalls and sunset cruises. Getting there is easy: a 30-minute flight from San José to Quepos, then a short transfer.