It\u2019s not a stretch to say the best reasons to visit Key West\u2019s Island House<\/a> need to be seen to be believed. The beloved all-male<\/a>, clothing-optional resort has long been considered the world\u2019s greatest gay<\/a> resort, offering gay<\/a> travelers a unique blend of community, relaxation and a surplus of good times.<\/p>\n We personally couldn\u2019t fully understand the magic of Island House until we spent our own wild weekend<\/a> there last year. But, thanks to the work of Island House\u2019s Director of Marketing Jeffrey Smead, travelers near and far can get a taste of the Island House experience via the resort\u2019s beautifully produced videos<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s so many untold stories that unfold at Island House, and we love to tell those experiences in a way that gay<\/a> men<\/a> can really identify with,\u201d Smead said. \u201cWe all have one thing in common, which is actually plenty enough to work with when thinking about what the next video<\/a> will be about.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s certainly no shortage of selling points to highlight. For starters, the Island House\u2019s clothing-optional atmosphere certainly provides ample opportunities to let it all hang out \u2014 literally. A premium open bar and charming hosts ensure a lively time at the raucous pool parties Wednesdays and Sundays. <\/p>\n In addition to the eye candy, there are feasts for the stomach as well as the eyes available at the on-site, 24-hour caf\u00e9, serving some of the best cuisine on the island. (We\u2019re big fans of the tuna tataki and conch fritters.)<\/p>\n Of course, lots of resorts can boast delicious cuisine, world-class accommodations and a relaxing atmosphere. However, it\u2019s the people at Island House that really make it special. The resort is a cornerstone of the local gay<\/a> community, and locals and guests mingle with ease by the pool, at the bar and in the hot tubs.<\/p>\n The welcoming atmosphere makes it easy to not only drop your swim trunks, but to drop your worries, too. More than the events and the amenities, it\u2019s what keeps guests coming back.<\/p>\n That was the inspiration for one of Island House\u2019s most recent videos<\/a>, titled \u201c50 Shades of Gratitude.\u201d<\/p>\n Smead described the vision for the video<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u201cThis was by far the most emotionally-charged video<\/a> we\u2019ve produced. We wanted to show how the Island House experience affects us all so differently. Every generation, every background, every relationship status, the list goes on. If you\u2019ve been to Island House before, you know darn well there\u2019s some aspect of that visit that you remain grateful for getting to experience, whether nostalgia driven, or perhaps a major life event. This video<\/a> really captures that emotion, and reminds us why it\u2019s so good to have a refuge like Island House available to us these days.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The sentimental video<\/a> is more than just marketing pathos. The stories featured in the video<\/a> are representative of the kinds of things you regularly hear from Island House visitors. <\/p>\n \u201cMy favorite memories of Island House all have to do with the people I\u2019ve met there,\u201d we were told by an Island House regular, John, from New York City. \u201cMy absolute favorite memory was a moment during a pool party when a several of us were just sitting around and chatting. The conversation wasn\u2019t particularly memorable but the group of people was \u2013 we were there with old friends that we had made on a past trip, new friends who we had just met on this trip, and some of our best local Judies who we look forward to seeing every time we visit. I just kept looking around in gratitude for the meeting ground that IH is and the way it provides a space to make connections that last well-beyond the last day of vacation.\u201d<\/p>\n We can personally attest. John is just one of many friends we\u2019ve made at Island House from all over the country. Fellow travelers, locals, couples<\/a>, young, old, bears, twinks<\/a>, you name it, we\u2019ve struck up unforgettable conversations over too many vodka-sodas poolside wearing sarongs or less. Cruising happens, sure, but it\u2019s the connection that feels truly magical.<\/p>\n Though romance is not off the table; just ask Smead which Island House memory he\u2019s most grateful for:<\/p>\n \u201cI met my (now) husband James here in 2012 after he just moved to the island from Provincetown. During that first week of dating, I remember the Island House management team was having cocktails together during happy hour. James showed up (looking like the quintessential newbie) and immediately the gang took him under their wing. He instantly found his new circle in his new city. I witnessed it happen over shots of Jose Cuervo, and amidst the obligatory \u2018Where did you move here from?\u2019 type of interrogation. Our GM, Steve Silva, looked at me at the end of the night when I was leaving with James, and he said, \u2018Jeffrey! I like this one! Tell him he\u2019s gotta stay.\u2019 And he did stay. That\u2019s my favorite, most special memory from Island House.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Give yourself something to be grateful for, and book your next trip to Island House<\/a> now.<\/p>\n The post Get a Glimpse at Why Guests Are So Grateful for Key West\u2019s \u2018Island House\u2019<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad Gay News<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
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