Gay Clubs in Wellington

Although Auckland is widely considered to be the gay capital of New Zealand’s North Island, Wellington is also renowned for extending the warm hand of friendship to it’s gay residents and visitors. Spread out over a slightly larger area than Auckland, the gay bars in Wellington are nevertheless close enough to visit several in one night to get a taste of all the capital has to offer.

S&M’s is a street level cocktail bar that is decorated in an Egyptian theme. There is music playing in the background at a level that makes conversation easy. The plush surroundings and relaxed atmosphere make it the ideal place to catch up with friends over a couple of beers or a glass of wine.

The Ivy is the only gay dance club in Wellington, and they pride themselves on their customers having a great time every time. The owner, Alan, is very proud of the reputation of The Ivy and has worked hard to make this into one of the coolest bars in the capital. They have special nights with different offers, such as Mad Wednesdays which is student night with free tapas are on offer until 7pm and great deals on drinks.

Mighty Mighty is a gay friendly club that welcome gays, bis and straights equally,  and a great time is had by all. DJ’s such as Luke Rowell, AKA Disasteradio, appear regularly and the crowds really go mad. Known locally as a Kitsch Heaven, Mighty Mighty is open from Wednesday-Saturday 4pm ’til late. There are various house specialities in the food and drink sector, and is the perfect place to eat, drink and be merry.

The Hawthorn Lounge on Tory Street takes you back in time to the roaring twenties. The bar welcomes a mixed clientele and gay men are particularly well catered for.  Open from Wednesday-Saturday 8pm ’til late, the Hawthorn actively encourages its clientele to dress up in keeping with the essence of the bar.

The Motel is another gay friendly establishment that welcomes all preferences. This smart and sophisticated bar with its cosy booths has been deemed as one of the top 100 bars in the world, a testimony that the owners are rightly proud of. It is also the place if you enjoy spotting as its a regular haunt for actors filming in the area, and the Lord of the Rings cast treat The Motel as their local.