3* Grand Resort and Spa

Casa Hermès puts you right in Wilton Manors but takes a very different approach from the larger clothing-optional resorts. It’s an intimate, design-conscious gay guesthouse with just a few rooms and particularly hands-on hosts. Wilton Drive and its bars, restaurants and cafés are just steps away, so evenings couldn’t be easier. Back at the house there’s a clothing-optional saltwater pool, hot tub and peaceful garden, while the homemade Mediterranean-style breakfast gets plenty of attention from returning guests. The small scale makes it feel more like being welcomed into a very stylish private home than checking into a hotel. GayMapper tip: a great splurge for couples who want Wilton Drive on the doorstep but prefer personal service and a calmer atmosphere at home.

Worthington is one of Fort Lauderdale’s long-standing gay men’s resorts and now forms part of a large interconnected complex with The Grand, Alcazar and Villa Venice. That gives the place a genuinely sociable resort feel, with multiple clothing-optional pools, hot tubs and courtyards shared across the different buildings. It attracts plenty of repeat visitors and a good mix of couples and solo travellers, so meeting people tends to happen naturally around the pools. The Atlantic is only a few hundred feet away and Sebastian Street gay beach is around five minutes on foot. Wilton Manors is a short rideshare when you want the bigger bar scene. GayMapper tip: ideal if your perfect Fort Lauderdale day involves gay beach, pool, drinks and very little logistical planning.

Pineapple Point is where you go when you want a gay men’s resort but don’t particularly want to compromise on service or surroundings. Spread across two lush acres in a residential part of Fort Lauderdale, it feels more like a private tropical compound than a conventional guesthouse. It’s clothing optional and very sociable, but the atmosphere is more pampered than party-heavy. Breakfast, snacks and an evening happy hour are included, and the staff have a particularly strong reputation for looking after guests. Las Olas is relatively close, while Wilton Manors and Sebastian Street beach are short rideshares away. GayMapper tip: one of Fort Lauderdale’s best choices for a romantic or indulgent gay getaway where the resort itself is part of the holiday.

The Ritz-Carlton has one very GayMapper-friendly advantage over plenty of luxury beach hotels: Sebastian Street gay beach is just a few minutes away. You’re also right on the main oceanfront strip, so it’s easy to walk out for drinks, dinner or a day on the sand without planning transport. When you want Wilton Manors, it’s a straightforward rideshare inland. The hotel itself is polished rather than flashy, with excellent service, ocean-facing balconies and a large elevated pool deck that feels nicely removed from the crowds below. GayMapper tip: the serious splurge if you want five-star beachfront comfort and still want the gay beach close enough to wander over in flip-flops.

Cabanas gives you the gay-resort experience in Wilton Manors without putting you directly on the bustle of Wilton Drive. It sits beside the water in a lush, private setting, with the bars and restaurants of the gayborhood only a short trip away. There are two distinct pool areas — one more sociable, the other deliberately quieter — so you can choose the mood rather than having it chosen for you. The clothing-optional setup, hot tub, tiki bar and men’s spa make it easy to spend an entire day here without getting bored. Staff get particularly warm feedback from repeat guests, which suits the friendly, unpretentious feel. GayMapper tip: a good match if you want both the social side of a gay men’s resort and easy access to Wilton Manors nights out.

Fantasy Island Inn is tiny — just a few rooms — but that’s part of the appeal. You’re almost on Wilton Drive, yet once you’re back behind the gates the atmosphere is relaxed, private and tropical. It’s men only and clothing optional, with a heated pool and a friendly bed-and-breakfast feel rather than the busier atmosphere of a large resort. Then when you want dinner, cocktails or a proper night out, Wilton Manors is right outside and there’s no need to worry about transport home. The excellent location also makes it appealing if this is your first Fort Lauderdale trip and you want the gay scene to be ridiculously easy. GayMapper tip: particularly good for couples or solo travellers who want somewhere intimate but still want Wilton Drive almost outside the door.