Brazilian Diogo de Sá (photo) is the host of The mansion, travel and accommodation service for gays willing to new experiences and friendships.
According to the creator, everything that a trip should provide, pleasant places and lots of fun, is part of the attractions offered by the service, classified by one of the guests as “a Big Brother where the only task is to have fun”.
24 people have already passed through The Mansion, from 15 different countries, including seven Brazilians. The service was already present at the 2013 edition of the Circuit Festival, in Barcelona, Spain, and is now preparing for the New Year's Eve in Madrid, where seven days of festivities take place.
Here in Brazil, The Mansion opens its doors during the month of February and March 2014, during the Florianópolis Carnival, in partnership with the We Party party. Next, check out Diogo Sá's interview with the website The Cape.
How did the idea for The Mansion come about?
The Mansion is the way I found to try to inspire more people to travel, which for me is one of the things that makes us feel most alive. In February, I arrived in Madrid from São Paulo to study. Due to the fact that I am in Europe, where the gay tourism industry is huge – mainly due to short distances, great accessibility between cities and countries and the number of parties –, I became a reference for tips for Brazilian friends who planned to travel to the Old Continent. This was essential to start the project. I also always thought that, for gays, in addition to the sense of getting to know new cultures and customs, going on the road has another special meaning: making friends. So I wanted to confirm my hypothesis.
What is the purpose of The Mansion?
Connecting gays with common interests and offering them a meaningful travel experience with as little effort as possible. For example: coming to a fashion festival circuit, staying in a super comfortable and well-located house with guys from all over the world and having a local host, with similar tastes, available 24 hours a day. The role of the host is essential. He is the one who brings the team together by announcing the new guests to the others, as they reserve a place in the house.
What are the other functions of a host?
As he knows the city well, he provides all the details. Healthy food, good and affordable gym, tickets to the best parties and contact with other places. There are always guests who want a local phone chip to facilitate communication with new and old friends or request a reservation for a trendy restaurant: services are promptly attended to. One of our guests said that 'The Mansion is a Big Brother where the only task is to have fun'. As our goal is to meet all the wishes of our guests, who want to make friends and make the most of their vacation days, I really liked the definition!
Are there any rules for participating?
I would say three basic behaviors: being willing to meet people, being tolerant and respectful of each other's privacy. A manual of excellent conduct sent before each edition and posted in the house helps reinforce our values. The common goal is to have fun, there have never been any problems. There is no physical, age or relationship status profile. What we try to do is bring tribes together based on their interests as much as possible, which is naturally a filter.
Tell us about a passage that you found incredible within this service offered?
There are several! An unusual thing was that the 21-year-old mother of a potential guest called me from Miami asking if her son would be “safe” at The Mansion Barcelona, during the Circuit Festival. He came, loved it, and I received a beautiful thank you email from her. There are also romantic ones: the formation of couples who, after The Mansion, remain together thousands of kilometers away.
