The San Vicente Inn, located in the heart of West Hollywood’s gay mecca, was the last clothing optional resort in the city CREATED by gays. It was a great place to catch a tan all natural, if one did not want to travel all the way to San Onofre or Blacks Beach to lounge in the buff. And yes, where there are nude gay men, there is sex. It’s a great part of our culture. However, gay hotel owner Jeff Klein just destroyed the gay icon, in a city that is fastly gentrifying and becoming less and less gay dominated everyday.
Klein who owns the Sunset Tower just up the street on Sunset Blvd, purchased the SVI for 11 million and plans a $30 million dolla face lift and stop advertising it as gay friendly and welcome straight people with families.
“At first, I just planned to keep it running how it was, which was basically a gay bathhouse, and then close for the refurbishment,” Mr. Klein said during a recent tour. “But then there was a near overdose. Seriously! It was like land of the missing teeth in here. I couldn’t bear it.” He also started to fret that the San Vicente could taint his other businesses, in particular his celebrity-filled Sunset Tower Hotel up the street. The Hollywood Reporter’s society columnist, for instance, incorrectly reported that Tom Cruise had been spotted at the San Vicente when he had actually been at the Sunset Tower.
“Tom Cruise was not roaming around a gay hotel,” Mr. Klein said. “How embarrassing.”
Um, would Tom Cruise spotted roaming around a gay hotel be so unbelievable and embarrassing? Come on Jeff, seriously with that statement? I always find it laughable when gay men try to act so proper and prissy. Girl please.
Employees now have to wear uniforms, how Martha of him and $300 grand has allegedly been spent on the finer things in hotel lodging. But most importantly the hotel is no longer clothing optional, the hot tub, steam room and sauna are gone and he gleefully says “We have a baby staying here now,” ….Barf….Leave it to a gay ruin a great aspect of our community.
Ok, truth be told. I have dined at the Sunset Tower numerous times and it is a great place. The hotel is A class all the way. So there is not doubt that Klein will turn the former Inn into a beautiful hotel experience. Although i do believe that nothing lasts forever and the LGBT community becoming “mainstream” is a great thing that we have fought for, I also believe in preserving the great things about our culture. Do we have to gentrify West Hollywood which was created by gays to make if “family friendly”? Why must EVERYTHING now a days be “Kid” first? We love families, “all families” and we love kids, no question, but we are the ADULTS here. Can we keep some places ADULT FRIENDLY only please…..
ps. Yes, i have many times frequented the San Vicnete Inn through my years living in WeHo…;)
via A Los Angeles Gay Landmark Buttons Up – NYTimes.com.
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