In 2008, the website created to help people list, find, and rent lodging has grown exponentially. The comfort level of travelers to rent from AirBnB continues to grow as well.
Unfortunately, the website does not provide an option to filter by the sexual orientation of the hosts. It would be a useful feature for gay travelers, but would likely be a discrimination lawsuit waiting to happen.
For now, gay men looking to stay with a gay host have learned to search listings for clues. Some hosts proudly display their same-sex partners by their side in their profile pics and list their apartments as joint ventures. For other listings, the signs are more subtle: a Carmen Miranda poster, a stack of Reinaldo Arenas books, or maybe refrigerator magnet of Madonna. If your gaydar fails, you can have an equally good time with an open-minded straight guy or gal.
For travelers who have never tried AirBnB, click below to view some of the many excellent listings in Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Santiago Chile, and many more cities across Latin America.