Let the sparks fly during 5 romantic getaways
Whether you want to stroll along a beach or cuddle next to a fire, these getaways prove that romantic accommodations come in many forms, including a new luxury resort in Mexico, an estate in the English countryside, newly opened cabins for stargazing in the Catskills, a ranch in California's wine country, and hotels with February discounts on the coast of Maine. Wherever you go, you'll find Valentine's dinner menus and activities for two, like couples massages and private yoga sessions. Although many rooms in these accommodations are so luxurious that you may decide to put your plans aside and stay indoors.
Hunter, NY
This month, you and your partner can escape to the Catskills and find refuge in one of 11 new private cabins, the Rounds. They are hidden in the woods and close to the Hunter ski slopes. They all have vaulted ceilings and an oculus that allows you to gaze at the stars without sacrificing warmth or comfort. Their almost round shape and uncluttered, contemporary décor are a departure from what you might think of when you hear the word “cabin.”
Choose a standard 12-sided Round suite, or one of the more spacious Round suites, with wet bars, sunken circular lounges and daybeds. There is also an accessible suite, which the property claims meets American With Disabilities Act regulations. All Rounds have fireplaces and outdoor cedar bathtubs that you can take a dip in even in winter.
Mingle with other guests in the Apex Lodge, a common area for the Rounds with a bar and fireplaces. You can also take advantage of the amenities, such as the barrel sauna, the Glice skating rink (polymer panels designed to look and feel like ice) and the restaurant. Expectation, in the 38 rooms and suites Scribner's Catskill Lodge, the redesigned 1960s motorcycle lodge at the same address. Prices from $450 per night.
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
If your idea of romance involves a white-sand beach, this new resort with 182 rooms and suites may be the sunny getaway you're looking for. Set amid a 620-acre nature reserve, the tropical plants and birds, mangroves and three kilometers of beach provide a romantic backdrop in a luxury resort community called Kanai. (Kanai is also home to the St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Mayawhich opened last year, and both hotels are part of Marriott International.)
You can hit the beach or relax at the spa, which features indoor and outdoor treatment rooms (including a couples suite), hydrotherapy pools, an outdoor pool and a Turkish hammam. A walk through the lush resort takes you past reflecting pools, a bamboo yoga room and a sandy path leading to the So'ol Beach Club, where you can swim in the pool and then enjoy seafood with the chef Tomás Bermúdez's casual restaurant, Sole, which according to the hotel takes its name from the Mayan word for “oyster.” Sample more regional flavors Ki'is (a Mayan word that the hotel translates as “peel”), a chef-owned restaurant Francisco 'Paco' Ruano.
There is also Kitchen at Editionwhere you can enjoy classic Mexican dishes and ceviches. Tequila, mezcal, regional wines and cocktails can be enjoyed at the Lobby Bar. And for healthy snacks like salads, hummus and fish, including bluefin tuna spring rolls, head to the Pool Bar next to the main lobby building.
Like the hotel's surroundings, the rooms are airy and light. They all have a terrace, and if you and your partner want to cool off without a crowd, you can get a room with a private plunge pool. Prices start at $637 per night, part of a special opening preview rate that also includes a $100 resort credit you can use for things like in-hotel dining, available until February 22.
Southern Maine
Some of Maine's southern coastal towns are best known as summer playgrounds and throw a Paint the village red party, hoping to entice lovebirds to brave the cold for deals in shops, restaurants and hotels. This year's participants include the Kennebunkport Resort Collection – several properties including the Boathouse Waterfront Hotel, the Kennebunkport Innthe Cape Arundel Inn & Resort and the Grand Hotel – where you can get a 10 percent discount on the standard nightly rate until February 29 if you book the LoveKPT package. Upon arrival, receive amenities meant to keep sparks flying, including champagne, macarons, and body scrub from Maine's Boom Spa bee Hidden pond.
Whichever accommodation you choose, you'll be close to restaurants and boutiques, as well as scenic winter hiking spots such as the Smith Reservation.
Do you have difficulty deciding? Think of the locations and views. The 36-room and suite Kennebunkport Inn, built in the 1800s, puts you right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the village; the 29-room and suite Cape Arundel Inn & Resort offers panoramic ocean views; the 25 rooms and suites Boathouse Waterfront Hotel has a lively restaurant and is located on the banks of the Kennebunk River; while the Grand Hotel has just 17 cozy rooms and is located in Kennebunk's friendly Lower Village neighborhood. Prices from $139 per night at the Boathouse Waterfront Hotel, from $189 per night at Kennebunkport Inn, from $129 per night at the Cape Arundel Inn & Resort, and from $119 per night at the Grand Hotel.
If you and your loved one love history almost as much as each other, you might want to stay a while at this estate with 41 rooms and suites. It's near the Hauser & Wirth Somerset gallery and approximately 45 minutes from the city of Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage place founded in the first century by the Romans who used the hot springs as a spa. You can tour the city's Roman ruins and beautiful Georgian buildings, then discover more of the area's history at the Villa Ventorum, a reconstruction of a Romano-British villa from AD 351 found on the Newt estate in Somerset. You can also explore the estate's gardens, woodlands and orchards, as well as exhibitions that delve deeper into the history of horticulture.
Valentine's Day dinner (85 pounds, or about $107, per person) at the inn Garden Café contains baked Bruton Brie with garden vegetables and pickles; butcher steak by British White estate-raised cows or a bowl of lion's mane mushrooms grown on the property; and your choice of mourvedre-poached rhubarb or dark chocolate and hazelnut cake; and to end the evening rosemary caramel truffles.
Throughout February, visitors will be tempted by other treats, including a 'morning walk' through the estate's gardens and woodlands (£45) and a fruit tree pruning course (£150). Or relax in the spa a full body exfoliation for couples (£190 for 60 minutes).
When you finally retire to your room, you will find contemporary décor in soothing colors and earth tones, whether you have chosen to stay in Hadspen House – the main house, built in the 17th century, and its redesigned stable buildings – or on the farmyard, a combination of former agricultural buildings and ornate furniture. (There is also a private two-bedroom cottage, the Gate Lodge.) Prices from £625 per night, including breakfast.
Close to the hustle and bustle of Sonoma County'S wineries, this 25-room inn offers an intimate retreat. Go to the Wellness shed with your counselor for guided forest bathing sessions ($200 for two), private yoga instruction ($200 for two), and side-by-side massages (from $215 per person for 60 minutes). If you're in the mood for playfulness, stroll into the courtyard for a game of croquet. You can take a walk together behind the inn, cycle through the area, or kayak or canoe on the nearby Russian River. Later, grab some roasting forks and homemade vanilla marshmallows and enjoy complimentary s'mores and conversations by a fire pit.
Of course you are in wine country and the concierge can arrange this wine tastings with the partners of the inn. Or sit back and take part in the free educational wine tastings that take place in the evening. At the inn Farm restaurant, a fireplace and candlelight provide the atmosphere to enjoy tasting menus and wine pairings with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. And if you want to go all out: a six-course menu Valentine's Day the tasting menu costs $300 per person (wine pairings cost an additional $150 per person).
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available at Farm stand, the inn's all-day restaurant, which also serves comforting farm-to-table fare, such as wood-fired pizzas, salads and desserts, poolside or, if you prefer, in your suite. All rooms are serene, with down comforters, organic beauty products made in Sonoma, complimentary snacks, and refrigerators (expect milk in your refrigerator in the evening and homemade, gluten-free, triple chocolate chip cookies at your bedside). For privacy and space, try a barn suite with double-sided fireplaces, or the newly renovated cottages with gas fireplaces, soaking tubs and radiant floor heating. Prices from $528 per night.
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