Rainbow Mountain Resort Still Has It: 5 Stars

This one’s for you, John Higgins

“What I’ve always liked about Rainbow Mountain is that it attracts an older crowed. I’ll be 60 this year, and even though you’ll find plenty of young Qs there, it’s still a comfortable place to be older or, if you dare, old, and not feel like you’re on a gay cruise with thongs fluttering everywhere among a sea of pecs.”

I used to do restaurant reviews on my blog about a decade ago, giving them a ‘Yum’ rating (5 Yums was a must go, 2 was a stay away, 1 was a call an ambulance). I’m not crazy about stars, but I like them just a little better than thumbs. When I resume my restaurant reviews, look for those Yums to make a comeback.

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That said, I’m giving Rainbow Mountain 5 stars, up, sideways, in the rearview mirror, whichever way you approach it. This LGBTQ-centric resort has been around since 1981 and, along with its fascinating history, it has a spirit you just can’t keep down.

In their own words:

Rainbow Mountain has been serving the LGBTQ community and our friends since 1981. Located high up in the Pocono mountains, our 25 acres of land offers our guests a wide variety of amenities and spectacular views of the surrounding mountain range.

Whether you want to relax at the pool, go for drinks at the club, hike some beautiful trails, or just hang out and chill in the hotel, you’re going to enjoy and make memories with old friends and new.

They don’t have a Wikipedia page, so the history of the resort is, with my telling, based on what I’ve been told, including a bit of lore. Originally a general public (“family”) campground, the property was purchased by a lesbian couple in 1981 and turned into the first of its incarnations as an LGBTQ resort. Sometime after that it was owned by a man named Angelo, who was the proprietor when my husband Frank and I first went there. He’d been to the club and restaurant before, having once owned a cabin not far from the resort with his late partner Michael, but he’d never stayed there.

Early in our perpetual courtship (as enduring relationships ought to be), I wanted to get away from New York City and invest our time and dollars in a gay place while we did it. Up pops Rainbow Mountain in my online search, and off we go.

We’ve been there probably ten times in those ten years, some years more than once and, recently, a two year hiatus, mostly because my job ended, we moved to our house in rural New Jersey, and I just couldn’t justify spending the money. Well, guess what changed? Not my income! The newest owners have spruced things up and changed the rate plans, most significantly eliminating the “meals included” plan. The effect is that a stay there seems much more affordable. You still end up spending plenty for food, either in the resort’s restaurant, or at local eateries, but we can now go there for a much more attractive price.

We’ve always stayed in the king rooms, which are located in a (could be) charming row of rooms that look like a small motel just down the road and across from the large pool. In-season, we just paid $95 for a Monday, and $105 for a Tuesday night. I work weekends, so this was great for me. And these are the most expensive rooms they have.

What I’ve always liked about Rainbow Mountain is that it attracts an older crowed. I’ll be 60 this year, and even though you’ll find plenty of young Qs there, it’s still a comfortable place to be older or, if you dare, old, and not feel like you’re on a gay cruise with thongs fluttering everywhere among a sea of pecs.

We met Diego, one of the new owners (after Rich and Ray sold it, after Angelo sold it to them), and he is lovely. He told us they’ve completely renovated the rooms in the Cherry House, and the king rooms are next, sometime in the spring.

I love this place. Once, about seven years ago, we were their during the cold months and the pool was empty. Looking into it (I was a bit of a photographer then), I snapped a great photo I called “Empty Blue Pool.” I said to Frank, “This would be a great place to set a murder mystery,” and, nine months later, the Kyle Callahan Mysteries were born, with the first, Murder at Pride Lodge, being set at a gay resort remarkably similar to Rainbow Mountain.

It’s not for everyone, especially people who like their accommodations high-end. They can go to a spa, or Paris, or a 5-star hotel. This place is for those of us who define comfort differently. For me that includes being with people my own age, in a rustic setting, where serenity and relaxation are the highest currency. You’ll find them at Rainbow Mountain. Look for me by the pool reading a book.