Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
February 04, 2026
Casa Cupula Named HIP Hotel, Celebrating LGBTQ+ Hospitality Excellence
TLDR
- Casa Cupula's HIP Hotels recognition provides LGBTQ+ travelers a competitive edge by offering exclusive, world-class luxury accommodations that stand out from standard resorts.
- Casa Cupula earned HIP Hotels status through its unique architecture, personalized service, and commitment to creating an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ guests since 2002.
- This recognition celebrates Casa Cupula's mission to create a welcoming sanctuary where LGBTQ+ individuals can feel at home and truly belong.
- Casa Cupula offers guests elegant dinners with performers, lively pool parties, and a new Bistro Gallery featuring Latin American art in Puerto Vallarta.
Impact - Why it Matters
This recognition matters because it elevates standards for inclusive travel while validating the importance of safe, welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ travelers. In a world where many destinations still present challenges for LGBTQ+ visitors, Casa Cupula's success demonstrates how hospitality businesses can create environments where people can fully be themselves while receiving exceptional service. The HIP Hotels designation brings international attention to Puerto Vallarta's LGBTQ+ tourism sector, potentially inspiring other destinations to improve their inclusivity. For travelers, this means more verified options for authentic, welcoming experiences where they don't have to compromise on quality or comfort. The resort's community involvement through the Vallarta Gay+ Community Center shows how tourism businesses can positively impact local LGBTQ+ populations beyond just serving visitors, creating a model for socially responsible hospitality that benefits both tourists and residents.
Summary
Casa Cupula, Puerto Vallarta's iconic luxury LGBTQ+ resort, has achieved a prestigious international recognition by being designated as a HIP Hotel property. This honor from HIP Hotels (Highly Individual Places) celebrates the boutique resort's uniqueness, soul, and deep sense of place rather than conformity, placing it among the world's most distinctive and inspiring accommodations. The designation validates the original vision of owner Don Pickens, who created Casa Cupula in 2002 as a sanctuary where LGBTQ+ travelers could truly feel they belong and are at home, making it not just a place to stay but a destination in its own right.
The recognition serves as a testament to the exceptional team that brings Casa Cupula to life daily, from guest services and events teams to the Gym & Spa, concierge, and operations staff who consistently uphold standards of excellence rooted in care, pride, and authenticity. The resort has built its reputation on refined hospitality, deeply personal service, and architectural individuality, offering an atmosphere that feels both luxurious and genuinely welcoming. As a gay-owned and operated property since its inception, Casa Cupula has become renowned as the best gay-owned boutique resort in Puerto Vallarta, providing everything from elegant 5-course dinners with internationally recognized performers to vibrant pool parties and a new Bistro Gallery featuring Latin American art.
Beyond its hospitality excellence, Casa Cupula demonstrates deep community commitment through its owner's involvement in founding the Vallarta Gay+ Community Center, which has assisted over 800 community members and supports distribution of PrEP, STD testing and treatment, and community programs for both residents and visitors. This combination of exceptional service, inclusive environment, and community engagement has consistently earned Casa Cupula recognition as one of the world's best LGBTQ+ properties, now further validated by its inclusion in the internationally respected HIP Hotels collection of highly individual places that inspire meaningful travel experiences off the beaten path.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by 24-7 Press Release. Read the original source here, Casa Cupula Named HIP Hotel, Celebrating LGBTQ+ Hospitality Excellence
