After traveling from Iceland to Italy for my honeymoon, these were the most fat-friendly hotels I stayed in.
When my wife and I started thinking about traveling to Europe for our honeymoon, I went to my favorite Facebook group, Fat Girls Traveling, for some investigating. It’s not the fun kind of research where you excitedly discover tours, experiences, and adventures, but rather, the kind of investigating you have to do as a “fat girl.”
The usual questions arose: How would I be treated? Would the beds be big enough? Would I be able to use the toilets comfortably? Would I be able to sleep without A/C? The results of my digging, initially, weren’t particularly promising.
In the United States, 67% of women are considered “plus-size.” Meanwhile, Europe is known for its small beds, smaller toilets, and uncomfortably cramped accommodations. As my wife and I are both plus-size, this makes finding a comfortable place to stay challenging, particularly an air-conditioned hotel with beds and toilets that fit. But that didn’t stop me.
Travel isn’t just for folks with socially acceptable bodies that fit into society’s view of how travelers should look. Fat people, like me, deserve to feel the joy, freedom, and rejuvenation that travel offers. And so, I planned a 23-day luxury European honeymoon that my wife and I deserved after being COVID-era brides and having a wedding ceremony with no in-person guests. After our travels took us through Iceland, France, Italy, and Switzerland, we found seven European hotels that—despite some problems—earned my unofficial “fat girl seal of approval.”