While Pride Month serves as a good way to remind guests, locals and employees of how hotels support the LGBTQ community, making all feel welcome is a year-round commitment that extends to on-property offerings and hotels' social media presentation.

The Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills looks at Pride Month as an opportunity to remind employees, locals and guests that it is a hotel that welcomes everyone and promotes equality, inclusivity and respect, Eric Lemaire, general manager at the hotel, said via email interview.

He said it's also a great opportunity to invite guests to support the local LGBTQ community when staying at the hotel, which has been done through "support activations" at each step of the guest journey.

Guests are encouraged to donate to the Los Angeles LGBT Center at booking that's then matched by the Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, Lemaire said. A special Pride cocktail is available at the hotel's Riviera 31 bar with a portion of proceeds given back to the local LGBTQ center. Special promotions are even available for same-sex couples who get married at the hotel.

The Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills also ensures its LGBTQ guests feel welcome at the hotel outside of Pride month by showcasing visuals of same-sex couples for the hotel's activations outside of Pride month, Cécile Sandral-Lasbordes, director of public relations and marketing at the hotel, said in an email interview. The hotel also partners with The Trevor Project, which is an nonprofit organization that focuses on suicide prevention among questioning youth and the LGBTQ community.

Sandral-Lasbordes said the hotel also trains its staff on pronoun usage and has gender-neutral bathrooms.

"All of these elements ensure that we are a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community that are really a part of our everyday welcome and service DNA, not just some thrown-together actions done during Pride," she said.

Aside from making all guests feel comfortable on property, the hotel also promotes inclusivity and equality on social media and in its email marketing efforts, Sandral-Lasbordes said.

She said it's important for the Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills' social media platforms to reflect its diversity and inclusion policy "not only during Pride month, but all year long."

"This is true for our hotel ... but also within our hotel group, Accor," she said. "This is done with simple but impactful things like using various gender-neutral terms like newlyweds instead of bride and groom, making sure our photos reflect the diversity we have at our hotel as we welcome guests from all around the world, and by giving our guests the opportunity to ask their questions, voice their concerns on social media and showcase their experience at our hotel."

Many Pride celebrations were canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so guests are eager to celebrate it this year, Jamison DeTrolio, regional director of sales and marketing for West Hollywood Hotels Collection, said in an email interview. West Hollywood Hotels Collection includes Chamberlain West Hollywood, Montrose West Hollywood, Le Parc Suite Hotel and The Grafton on Sunset.

Hotels that are a part of the collection have seen a boost in food and beverage revenue from its rooftop pools in the last couple months, which is expected to continue throughout Pride month, he said.

"Our rooftop pools offer beautiful outdoor environments that are safe for those concerned about social distancing, but they also provide a relaxed public setting reminiscent of pre-COVID travel life," he said. "We're looking forward to welcoming all to celebrate at our properties."

West Hollywood has long been known as Los Angeles' center for the LGBTQ community, which is why West Hollywood Hotels Collection has made it a point to serve as a good representation of the local community and "create experiences and messages that are inclusive and accepting of all," DeTrolio said.

He said one way Montrose West Hollywood has shown support of the local LGBTQ community is by hosting recurring gay pool parties this spring and summer, and Le Parc Suite Hotel recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation with a design focused on love and inclusivity.

Given the packed agenda for June Pride events in New York City, the Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown Manhattan experienced a pickup in demand for the month, general manager John Beck said via email.

Each year, the hotel offers a Pride Package in June that consists of a curated gift bag and a donation to The Trevor Project, Beck said.

The hotel's restaurant will also "run signature drinks with the Pride theme and will typically offer a special on the weekends to attract guests for a fun and delicious brunch," he said.

When it comes to supporting LGBTQ guests, employees and locals, DeTrolio said it's important for hoteliers to fully commit.

"If you plan to show support to the LGBTQ community during Pride Month, you should also show support all year long," he said. "It doesn't appear authentic if you only post a rainbow during Pride Month and then show no other support the rest of the year."

He said it's also important to hire diverse employees and make them valuable members of the team.

"Your team is the best reflection of your hotel's personality and values," DeTrolio said.

Lemaire said hoteliers can support the local LGBTQ community by reaching out to local organizations to find out what they need and asking how to show support.

By doing this, Lemaire's hotel decided to do a donation drive with the Trans Wellness Center in Los Angeles.

"With the pandemic, the trans community in Los Angeles really needs our help, so we jumped at the opportunity to be of service," he said.

Lemaire's other recommendation was to "listen first, then act."

"We did a training to be Proud Certified through Booking.com with Accor, and it was really eye-opening on a lot of topics on how to make sure our hotel is truly a welcoming and safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community," he said.

He added that it's OK to admit that you are not an expert on the LGBTQ community.

"But we need to listen to the experts, we need to listen to our community, and we need to listen to our LGBTQIA+ guests and consider their feedback and recommendations and use all of this to make their experience even more inclusive," he said. "Having an open dialogue is key in the success of making our service inclusive for everyone."