Saturday, May 18, 2024
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Dreamers Welcome: New LGBTQ+-owned Hospitality Group

Real estate entrepreneur Stephan Watts and his partner, Roy Delgado, a film and photography set and hospitality interior designer, have joined forces to create DREAMERS WELCOME! The new LGBTQIA-owned hospitality group invites guests to indulge in meaningful getaways in North Carolina and Puerto Rico. Guests can stay in more than 60 accommodations in and near San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Wilmington, North Carolina. The LGBTQ+-owned brand introduces a new voice in hospitality that promotes inclusivity and a nuanced high-design ethos that permeates all its individually curated properties. 

So, let’s start with getting to know the two people behind this inclusive hospitality group. German-born Stephan Watts holds dual degrees in hospitality management and applied media services. After moving to New York, Watts acquired a real estate license and began his own apartment-staging company, gaining over two decades of hands-on real estate and hospitality experience. Along with Puerto Rican-born artist and partner Roy Delgado, the pair learned the important nuances of contemporary design and the needs of today’s travelers. 

Stephan Watts and Roy Delgado, Founders of Dreamers Welcome (Photo Credit: Dreamers Welcome)
Stephan Watts and Roy Delgado, Founders of Dreamers Welcome (Photo Credit: Dreamers Welcome)

DREAMERS WELCOME is touted as having an “effortless luxury sensibility through discrete, impeccable service and unexpected yet elevated design including locally and internationally sourced artwork, custom-made furniture, and unique vintage finds that are sure to delight and captivate.” 

The new hospitality brand features intimate boutique hotels, sun-drenched apartments with hammock-laced terraces, spectacular homes, and sequestered rainforest villas featuring exclusive collaborations with local artists and hospitality experts. In addition to the brand’s hotel properties, the homes and “apartments plus” concept offers more than just a turnkey, self-check-in rental, but a full spectrum travel experience through high-design environments, modern amenities and services, and access to engaging excursions. 

In addition to accommodations, the hospitality group anticipates the needs of modern travelers and offers progressive amenities such as dog-friendly stays, vegan-forward cuisine, eco-conscious properties with reduced paper and single-use plastic, bespoke organic toiletries, and much more. Guests also have access to an array of off-property excursions led by local experts that showcase the destinations and are bookable through a virtual concierge. 

Dreamers by DW - Parlor Dining (Photo Credit: Dreamers Welcome)
Dreamers by DW – Parlor Dining (Photo Credit: Dreamers Welcome)


DREAMERS WELCOME: PUERTO RICO

Making stylish tropical dream vacations come true, guests can choose from a variety of exceptionally designed accommodations including a vegetarian boutique hotel, an eclectic mix of design-forward homes and apartments, and sprawling villas nestled in the rainforest. In addition, all rental guests in San Juan have access to Dreamcatcher Hotel’s full amenities. 

Dreamcatcher by DW: An award-winning, full-service vegetarian boutique hotel. Situated in San Juan’s charming Ocean Park neighborhood, Dreamcatcher features 19 uniquely designed rooms and suites located steps from the beach. Guests can indulge in its popular vegetarian and vegan cuisine for weekly breakfast, and weekend brunch and dinner made with locally sourced organic ingredients. Travelers can lounge in the serene light-filled courtyard, go snorkeling off Escambron Beach, unwind with an in-room massage, chase hidden waterfalls with a local guide, or end the day with a yoga session under the stars. 



Duna by DW: Tropical vibes and elevated design in Santurce. Where Caribbean nostalgia meets a modern sensibility, Duna’s seven apartments transport guests to a chic paradise located in San Juan’s trendy Santurce neighborhood, close to hip shopping and nightlife. The property features a shared salt-water pool, a spacious backyard, elaborate floral installations by renowned NYC florist Marcos Toledo and unexpected design details like hammocks and oversized soaking tubs thoughtfully placed on sunny terraces.



Selva by DW: Jungle luxe in El Yunque’s emerald rainforest. This stunning three-bedroom, three-bath home in Luquillo is the epitome of laid-back luxury sprawled between a heated saltwater pool and seven acres of El Yunque’s emerald rainforest including a private hiking trail. With expansive picture windows framing mountain views and lush jungle, Selva feels deliriously sequestered but is under an hour from San Juan, and is the perfect home base to explore Vieques, midnight paddles in the famed bioluminescent bay, and catamaran snorkeling trips to uninhabited beaches. 



Mood Haus by DW: Fabulous 70’s retro-vintage designed apartments. Centrally located in Santurce, these four funky diva-inspired units flaunt private outdoor terraces, full kitchens, and rain showers complete with a record player, vinyl collection, and glittering disco balls perfect for an impromptu dance party. 

Other Puerto Rico properties include Wald Haus by DW, a four-bedroom ocean-view rainforest villa in Naguabo; Rosa by DW, featuring two eclectic, design-forward studio lofts; the eight magically minimal and centrally located APT by DW, a three-bedroom art deco dream house, Casa Frida by DW; four avant-garde apartments at Dada Jaja by DW, and the four sun-drenched apartments at Tropicalia by DW



DREAMERS WELCOME: WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

Guests can get to know the unexpected charms of this southern city including incredible beaches and a historic downtown area, it’s also one of Hollywood’s best-kept secrets for film and TV productions. Experience two wholly distinctive properties, a cozy bungalow home rental and a stunning boutique hotel that are infused with DREAMERS WELCOME’S signature style, modern amenities, and elevated whimsy.  

Dreamers by DW: Southern charm is reinvented at this five-bedroom boutique hotel in Wilmington’s Historic District. A favorite of Jamie Lee Curtis while filming the latest installments of the Halloween franchise, DREAMERS by DW offers all the amenities of a boutique hotel with the privacy and independence of a home rental. All spaces have been cultivated with a focus on design including custom artworks from all over the world, and carefully sourced vintage and modern lighting fixtures mixed with restored original details. All individually designed rooms and suites come with en-suite bathrooms, a complimentary vegan breakfast, and optional yoga classes for an additional fee. 



Drift Away by DW: A cozy Nordic-inspired three-bedroom bungalow. Situated in Wilmington’s Sunset Park neighborhood and minutes from Dreamers by DW, this sun-filled home is perfect for getaways with friends and family. Unexpected details include a spacious upstairs lounge area complete with a vintage record player and vinyl collection, a full kitchen, and an oversized backyard deck with multiple seating areas. 


All DREAMERS WELCOME properties offer an array of thoughtful conveniences including WIFI; smart TVs; workspaces; air conditioning; some with dedicated outdoor spaces, swimming or plunge pools; 24/7 check-in; laundry/housekeeping, and all the modern amenities today’s traveler has come to expect. 

Rates start from $200 for Rosa’s curated loft apartments accommodating two guests and range up to $1,500 for the one-of-a-kind Selva rainforest villa accommodating up to six guests. For more information and bookings, please visit www.dreamerswelcome.com.

Vacationer Staff

Vacationer Magazine's writing staff works hard to bring you all the latest LGBTQ travel articles to help inspire and inform.

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