Las Vegas’ only LGBTQ hotel to bring ‘sense of community’

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Las Vegas’ only LGBTQ+ hotel is set to open in downtown Las Vegas this summer, with a mission to welcome all and bring “the sense of community and friendliness and intimacy” in a diverse space.

The property off 11th Street, once the Moonlight Hotel in 1965, will open as The Bent Inn and be operated by owners Mark Hunter and Greg Kafka, partners in love and in life.

The forthcoming property will be the only LGBTQ+ property in the Las Vegas Valley. The Blue Moon Hotel closed in 2014 after a twelve-year run at the location off the I-15 and Sahara Avenue.

Hunter and Kafta previously owned and operated Escape and Desert Paradise properties in Palm Springs. The couple relocated to Las Vegas, and were surprised that there was no LGBTQ+ property in existence.

“Las Vegas in general and hotels specifically have done a wonderful job of creating a welcoming environment for everyone. However, you can’t always count on your fellow guests to exude the same kind of welcoming. That’s where The Bent Inn experience thrives. There’s something very special about having a place to call your own,” Kafka said.

The property will have a bar and restaurant, pool, hot tub, outdoor food truck, and 33 rooms with balconies and patios. The property will offer weekend brunch.

The couple plans to preserve the “Vintage Vegas” vibe and have been researching historical details of the property. They join a number of other entrepreneurs in the revival of old motels along Fremont Street and surrounding neighborhoods, with a rainbow-colored light that exudes an homage to neon signs.

“Everything is going to have a mid-century vibe that ties well together, and in a very playful, unique and Vegas ‘fun’,” Hunter said.

The property could open in late-August 2023.

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