Black-Owned Hotels to Stay at on Your Next Holiday

As we navigate the ways we can fight for and support the Black Lives Matter movement, we also share the feeling with many others that it’s a time to amplify the black voices and perspectives that have been marginalized for so long. There are many ways we can, and intend to do that, but hotels are our specialty, and we wanted to start by highlighting some of our favorite black-owned / co-owned hotels around the world. As places around the world begin to re-open and people can once again indulge in travel, it’s worth making a stop at one of these places, not just to support black-owned businesses, but to experience the beautiful, charming, relaxing, and often opulent experiences they already provide.

Urban Cowboy, Catskills

Jersey Banks and Lyon Porter opened Urban Cowboy in Brooklyn, before taking it closer to its Western-inspired setting at their Nashville location. Last year they added a Catskills location, and it might be our favorite yet for a weekend getaway from New York. The aesthetic is so strong that you might feel the warmth of the hotel emanating from the pictures alone, with cozy textiles, fireplaces, and copper bathtubs overlooking the scenic outdoors.

Jnane Tamsna, Marrakech

More like a resort than a hotel, Jnane Tamsna is a favorite of the fashion set, with its nine-acre garden, a tennis court, 5 pools, and 5 houses. The scenic locale is made for warm nights under the Moroccan sun, day trips by camel-back, and decadent cuisine. It’s all courtesy of Meryanne Loum-Martin, who has designed the hotel to perfect harmony, resulting in the dreamiest stay in Marrakech you can imagine.

Los Enamorados, Ibiza

One of the first places we want to travel back to when travel is back on is Ibiza, and Losena Morados fits the bill for a return to fun. Founded by former pro basketball player Pierre Traversier and former editor Rozemarijn de Witte, the duo have brought their creativity and curatorial sensibilities to this charming boutique, which includes a beach bar, restaurant, and eclectic bazaar to boot.

The Ivy, Baltimore

Unlike many new hotels which stem from millennial owners expressing their creativity, college sweethearts Eddie and Sylvia Brown were married for 50 years before they acquired the property that would become The Ivy. Nonetheless, it’s become one of the most attractive boutiques on the East Coast, teeming with historic charm and a sense of lavish refinement that builds on the original 1889 mansion owned by banker and industrialist John Gilman.

Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada

Though Sir Royston O’Hopkin passed away this year, his legacy was already made clear. He helped bring tourism to the Caribbean and Grenada in particular, where his crown jewel Spice Island Beach Resort is located. His daughter Janelle is now in charge of the property, and while its esteemed founder is no longer there, the beauty of the Caribbean he helped reveal to the world remains.

Akwaaba Mansion, Brooklyn

Following her tenure as editor-in-chief of Essence magazine, Monique Greenwood opened a handful of bed & breakfasts across the East Coast, starting with the Akwaaba Mansion in Brooklyn. Contrary to the new wave of youthful Brooklyn hotels, the mansion makes use of its history dating back to the 1860s to create a sophisticated atmosphere.