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Escape Resort Palm Springs – Our interview with Co-Owner Mark Hunter
Escape Resort Palm Springs – Our interview with Co-Owner Mark Hunter
By Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong
Escape Resort is a quality, clothing optional, gay resort with excellent amenities, a fantastic staff and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. We found the courtyard, heated pool and hot tub to be perfect for meeting and talking to our fellow guests. Each room also had a nice front porch where we sat and spoke to other guests as they strolled by.
We asked co-owner Mark Hunter to tell about Escape resort.
How would you describe your property in one sentence?
Escape Resort is a clothing optional oasis for gay men in beautiful Palm Springs, California!
What is special about your property and your guests?
Prior to buying this beautiful 1950’s property and making it the home of Escape Resort, my partner (Greg) and I (Mark) took every opportunity we had to visit resorts around the world that cater to a gay clientele.
At first, it was only for the fun and relaxing environments that allowed us to be comfortable as ourselves, but that slowly evolved. From the first property we visited on, we started keeping a diary of what each resort did right. There will always be physical, legal and financial limitations about what the owners of the gay resorts can do; but we wanted to focus on the creative ways they did things right to make the guest experience more memorable!
It didn’t take long before we had pages of notes and ideas of our own on how to create the type of environment we enjoyed the most. We found that of all of the places we visited, the ones that we met and befriended like-minded others are the places we remember best and look back fondly upon.
Jump forward several years and we decided to turn our vacation day dreams into reality. So, in July of 2010 we took the plunge and poured all of our ideas (and savings – LOL) into what is now Escape Resort. While there have been countless unforeseen hurdles, we are very proud to say that we have created the exact type of gay men’s resort that we always sought out in the past.
Escape Resort is housed in a 1950’s building with the mid-century charm of open beam ceilings and linear design; which we always try to remain true to in our design style. The property is a large lot with a tropical feeling courtyard, pool and very large 15-man hot tub, all under the backdrop of Mt. San Jacinto only a half mile away.
While all of the physical amenities are important, where we really are fortunate is the demographic of guests we were able to attract. We fondly refer to our guests and staff as “Escapees” and they are such a vital part of what makes Escape Resort great.
We get a wide variety of guys from many age groups, backgrounds and nationalities and we strive to create an environment in which everyone feels comfortable. Like similar properties, we are the place to go when you want more than just “gay friendly” but rather a place where you are truly free to be yourself in a comfortable and friendly oasis. Nothing makes us happier than when we see our Escapees making new friends and timing their vacations to correspond year after year.
One other item I would like to mention is: Clothing Optional does not equate a bath house. While there are properties out there that cross that line, the majority don’t. We offer a relaxed environment, for you to dress down as much as you are comfortable with. We’ve lost count of the number of times guests have told us they wish they would have tried us earlier, but they had a misconception of what the experience would be. Please know, you will always find a clean, comfortable and relaxing environment here at Escape Resort!
What accommodations are available at your property?
We have several room types to choose from here at Escape Resort. Our choices range from our “coziest” room we affectionately named the Closet Queen to our largest room type; the Deluxe Kings. The Closet Queen room is truly much larger than a closet at about 180 s/f with a Queen size bed and sitting area. There are two other options, the Standard Queen and Superior King rooms before the Deluxe King room which has a kitchenette, sitting areas, inside and outside dining areas as well as a private patio.
We are happy to offer a wide variety of room types to fit a wide budget range. We also offer an Active Military discount too for those that qualify. This discount is available to our ally countries as well with takers from Mexico, Australia, Canada and of course the U.S.
What activities and special events are available at your property?
At Escape Resort we let you choose your custom escape. If you are looking for something a little more active, we have many trails to hike (some as close as a half mile) bikes to scoot around town on, and downtown just a few blocks away.
If you fancy dining and nightlife; the heart of Palm Springs’ gay entertainment is a short mile away with options in between. For those more adventurous it is just a short drive to the Tram, Museums, the Outlet Mall, Casinos, Pioneer Town and Joshua Tree National Park.
For those less adventurous it is just a few steps from your room to the pool lounge chairs, pool floats, hot tub or covered outdoor seating to enjoy the view or soak up the sun and relaxation.
Why are gay resorts important?
We often get the question, “Why are gay resorts still needed?” or “Isn’t the concept of a gay resort dying out?” While we are very optimistic about the accepting and open-minded views the millennial generation exhibit, that is not enough. Sadly, homophobia is still very present in our society, and the majority of us live in areas where it is not comfortable or even safe to openly show affection to the ones they love.
There has been a lot of progress and many hotel chains offer a “gay friendly” options; however, we all know some of the other guests are not going to be as progressively friendly if you give your partner a kiss by the pool or share a romantic evening in public.
When you go on vacation it is a completely different and more relaxing experience when you don’t even have to think about those things. It is such a relief to truly relax and just be yourself.
Ideally, we all should be out and proud to show the world who we are and what we stand for. But I also know that isn’t reality and it gets exhausting! That is why a getaway to a gay resort can be such a special vacation, and a great way to meet other like-minded people, make friends and just recharge your soul.
Escape Resort is located at 641 E San Lorenzo Rd., Palm Springs, CA 92264.
Phone 760-325-5269
Visit their website at EscapePalmSprings.com
By Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong
Escape Resort is a quality, clothing optional, gay resort with excellent amenities, a fantastic staff and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. We found the courtyard, heated pool and hot tub to be perfect for meeting and talking to our fellow guests. Each room also had a nice front porch where we sat and spoke to other guests as they strolled by.
We asked co-owner Mark Hunter to tell about Escape resort.
How would you describe your property in one sentence?
Escape Resort is a clothing optional oasis for gay men in beautiful Palm Springs, California!
What is special about your property and your guests?
Prior to buying this beautiful 1950’s property and making it the home of Escape Resort, my partner (Greg) and I (Mark) took every opportunity we had to visit resorts around the world that cater to a gay clientele.
At first, it was only for the fun and relaxing environments that allowed us to be comfortable as ourselves, but that slowly evolved. From the first property we visited on, we started keeping a diary of what each resort did right. There will always be physical, legal and financial limitations about what the owners of the gay resorts can do; but we wanted to focus on the creative ways they did things right to make the guest experience more memorable!
It didn’t take long before we had pages of notes and ideas of our own on how to create the type of environment we enjoyed the most. We found that of all of the places we visited, the ones that we met and befriended like-minded others are the places we remember best and look back fondly upon.
Jump forward several years and we decided to turn our vacation day dreams into reality. So, in July of 2010 we took the plunge and poured all of our ideas (and savings – LOL) into what is now Escape Resort. While there have been countless unforeseen hurdles, we are very proud to say that we have created the exact type of gay men’s resort that we always sought out in the past.
Escape Resort is housed in a 1950’s building with the mid-century charm of open beam ceilings and linear design; which we always try to remain true to in our design style. The property is a large lot with a tropical feeling courtyard, pool and very large 15-man hot tub, all under the backdrop of Mt. San Jacinto only a half mile away.
While all of the physical amenities are important, where we really are fortunate is the demographic of guests we were able to attract. We fondly refer to our guests and staff as “Escapees” and they are such a vital part of what makes Escape Resort great.
We get a wide variety of guys from many age groups, backgrounds and nationalities and we strive to create an environment in which everyone feels comfortable. Like similar properties, we are the place to go when you want more than just “gay friendly” but rather a place where you are truly free to be yourself in a comfortable and friendly oasis. Nothing makes us happier than when we see our Escapees making new friends and timing their vacations to correspond year after year.
One other item I would like to mention is: Clothing Optional does not equate a bath house. While there are properties out there that cross that line, the majority don’t. We offer a relaxed environment, for you to dress down as much as you are comfortable with. We’ve lost count of the number of times guests have told us they wish they would have tried us earlier, but they had a misconception of what the experience would be. Please know, you will always find a clean, comfortable and relaxing environment here at Escape Resort!
What accommodations are available at your property?
We have several room types to choose from here at Escape Resort. Our choices range from our “coziest” room we affectionately named the Closet Queen to our largest room type; the Deluxe Kings. The Closet Queen room is truly much larger than a closet at about 180 s/f with a Queen size bed and sitting area. There are two other options, the Standard Queen and Superior King rooms before the Deluxe King room which has a kitchenette, sitting areas, inside and outside dining areas as well as a private patio.
We are happy to offer a wide variety of room types to fit a wide budget range. We also offer an Active Military discount too for those that qualify. This discount is available to our ally countries as well with takers from Mexico, Australia, Canada and of course the U.S.
What activities and special events are available at your property?
At Escape Resort we let you choose your custom escape. If you are looking for something a little more active, we have many trails to hike (some as close as a half mile) bikes to scoot around town on, and downtown just a few blocks away.
If you fancy dining and nightlife; the heart of Palm Springs’ gay entertainment is a short mile away with options in between. For those more adventurous it is just a short drive to the Tram, Museums, the Outlet Mall, Casinos, Pioneer Town and Joshua Tree National Park.
For those less adventurous it is just a few steps from your room to the pool lounge chairs, pool floats, hot tub or covered outdoor seating to enjoy the view or soak up the sun and relaxation.
Why are gay resorts important?
We often get the question, “Why are gay resorts still needed?” or “Isn’t the concept of a gay resort dying out?” While we are very optimistic about the accepting and open-minded views the millennial generation exhibit, that is not enough. Sadly, homophobia is still very present in our society, and the majority of us live in areas where it is not comfortable or even safe to openly show affection to the ones they love.
There has been a lot of progress and many hotel chains offer a “gay friendly” options; however, we all know some of the other guests are not going to be as progressively friendly if you give your partner a kiss by the pool or share a romantic evening in public.
When you go on vacation it is a completely different and more relaxing experience when you don’t even have to think about those things. It is such a relief to truly relax and just be yourself.
Ideally, we all should be out and proud to show the world who we are and what we stand for. But I also know that isn’t reality and it gets exhausting! That is why a getaway to a gay resort can be such a special vacation, and a great way to meet other like-minded people, make friends and just recharge your soul.
Escape Resort is located at 641 E San Lorenzo Rd., Palm Springs, CA 92264.
Phone 760-325-5269
Visit their website at EscapePalmSprings.com
Article by Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong
Copyright 2019 Sunny Harbor Publishing Sunny Harbor Publishing, PO Box 560318, Rockledge, FL 32956 Phone: 321-252-9874 Email: [email protected] Website: www.SunnyHarborPublishing.org |
Gay Travelers Magazine
the best cruise & travel news, tips & reviews for the sensible gay traveler
the best cruise & travel news, tips & reviews for the sensible gay traveler