Northeast Getaways: From Luxury to Affordable
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The Somerset House Inn, Provincetown, Massachusetts
New England's fave gay playground, P-town, can be pricey come summer, when the place buzzes with vacationers. One queer-popular resort where you can find downright chic rooms for just $150 during the high season is Somerset House, which has three snug but perfectly charming units starting at this rate. Off-season, rates sink as low as $75 nightly, and even the inn's fanciest accommodations run for under $150 (consider staying in Room 5, where you can enjoy your own Jacuzzi tub, gas fireplace, and expansive bay views). All the rooms at this whimsically decorated property have high-speed Internet access, phones with voicemail, CD player/clock radios, mini-refrigerators, and DVD players.

Journey Inn B&B, Hyde Park, New York
Plenty of gay travelers fed up with crowds, traffic, and high costs have begun avoiding the Hamptons and even Fire Island in recent years, and instead vacationing in the mellower Hudson River Valley, an hour or two north of New York City. A favorite accommodation in these parts is the Journey Inn B&B, which makes an idyllic base for exploring this scenic, cultured region. The gay-friendly inn lies just across from the Vanderbilt Mansion and close to both the Franklin D. Roosevelt Home and Presidential Library and the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site. It contains six smartly appointed guest rooms with decorative themes based on such far-flung places as Mombasa, Kyoto, and Tuscany. The least expensive unit, the Roosevelt Room, has a pair of twin beds (a comment on Eleanor and Franklin's married life, perhaps?) and costs $130 per night; all rooms have private baths, some en-suite and some reached through the hallway. Another advantage to staying in Hyde Park: you can dine at one of the three well-priced restaurants operated by the Culinary Institute of America, which is just down the road.

Cordials, New Hope, Pennsylvania
In the heart of New Hope, one of the Northeast's most gay-popular small towns, Cordials draws a predominantly gay and lesbian clientele but welcomes everybody. The contemporary white house contains six guest rooms, all of them immaculately kept with modern furnishings - the look is more functional than quaint, but accommodations are comfortable and reasonably priced (starting at $85 on weekdays, $140 on weekends) - they also come with fresh flowers, snacks, and crystal stemware. This is a great choice for social butterflies who want to be close to New Hope's lively nightlife. Also, the town's many antiques shops and quirky boutiques are just a short drive away. Useful amenities include a spacious deck overlooking a flower-filled yard. And you can get to know your other guests during a wine-and-cheese social held on Friday and Saturday afternoons.

Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor's Gay Guide to the USA and as well as numerous other guidebooks.