Treat your significant other to a trip somewhere very special. Here are some suggestions of the most exclusive and exciting world-wide romantic escapes.
The Langley, Buckinghamshire
This Valentine’s, you and your loved one can escape the hustle and bustle of the city and bask in the romance of the British countryside at The Langley, a luxury collection hotel Buckinghamshire. The Langley offers 41 sumptuous bedrooms, spread between the grand and historic former hunting lodge of the third Duke of Marlborough, and adjacent Grade II-listed 18th century Brew House. Boasting a vast subterranean spa, state of the art Matt Roberts gym and seasonally-driven restaurant, the hotel was meticulously restored and designed in partnership with the award-winning Dennis Irvine Studio.. The hotel’s luxurious Valentine’s Day package is comprised of two nights accommodation, a romantic couple’s spa treatment in the intimate double treatment room and a 5-course tasting menu in the show-stopping Cedar restaurant.
The Runnymede on Thames, London
Nestled on the banks of the Thames, The Runnymede is perfectly placed for those couples looking for some ‘us time’. In celebration of the most romantic day of the year, couples can choose to retreat for some serious rest and relaxation by unwinding at the hotel’s award-winning spa. The package also includes a delicious three-course dinner at the Leftbank Restaurant, complete with a complimentary glass of fizz and chocolate gift per couple, alongside breakfast for two. Or for the ultimate romantic private dining experience, why not treat your Valentine to an intimate three-course dinner in The Runnymede’s riverside Dome, between 14th-16th February. Create long-lasting memories this Valentine’s day with a romantic evening that includes a bottle of champagne per couple and canapes served in The Lounge, exclusive use of the riverside Dome, a bespoke three-course choice menu and a personal waiter for the evening.
University Arms, Cambridge
If you fancy a loved-up break in a city soaked with English history, take some time to explore the delights of Cambridge. The University Arms is a landmark hotel, dating back to 1834 and featuring literary-inspired interior design by Martin Brudnizki. Be sure to make time for a three-course meal at the hotel’s destination restaurant, Parker’s Tavern. Feast on an aphrodisiac menu with dishes such as oysters, cured salmon, roasted lamb and sharing passion fruit soufflés. By day, pay a visit to the famed colleges, try your hand at a punt down the River Cam and take a stroll through the botanical gardens, in a city truly conducive to romance.
The Perthshire Hills At Gleneagles, Scotland
For stunning hillside scenery and secluded Scottish beauty, it has to be The famed Gleneagles Hotel. Ideal for those who wish to combine old-world glamour with traditional country pursuits, activities including horse-riding, off-road driving, falconry, shooting and couples golf. Dress to the nines by night with drinks at the hotel’s 1920’s styles American Bar, followed by a meal at The Strathearn, featuring locally sourced produce from land and sea. Stay in The Royal Lochnager Suite, for unparalleled views, your own private marble entrance hallway, a refined sitting room and a large bedroom replete with a grand four-poster bed.
Escape To The Charming Victoria Inn, Holkham
Stay at the privately owned 25,000-acre Holkham Estate, edged by the picturesque North Norfolk coastline. The Victoria Inn has twenty bedrooms, all individually designed and elegantly decorated. Dinner is taken in a candlelit conservatory, overlooking the National Nature Reser, with dishes created using locally sourced food, much of which is grown within the grounds. As well as discovering charming local seaside villages, couples can take part in an exclusive National Nature Reserve’s Shorelarks and Snow Bunting Walk. Spot specialist bird and wildlife species on the dunes and saltmarshes of the reserve, in this unique countryside setting.
The Bloomsbury
Spend a night in a city suite, at The Bloomsbury, where fine dining, handmade treats from the hotel’s patisserie chefs and flowers from Wild at Heart await romance-seekers. The Coral Room is a convivial spot for a pre-dinner drink – its coral walls and live jazz music easily evoking and ambience of love. Dinner is served in Dalloway Terrace, known as one of London’s ‘most Instagrammable restaurants’ and includes two glasses of Perrier Jouet. Couples can snuggle under a canopy of seasonal décor, with fur throws and hot water bottles, before heading to The Bloomsbury Club Bar, where cocktails such as Forbidden Fruit, are designed to reveal and satiate guests deepest desires.
The Newt, Bruton, Somerset
If you’re seeking to combine the new with the old in rural surrounds, book a room at The Newt in Somerset, with your own personalized larder included. Recently opened, it’s set in what was once Hadspen House, surrounded by cultivated kitchen gardens, a cyder press, restaurants, farm, house and garden shops. The Newt’s 23 rooms include a Granary, Stable Yard rooms and Garden View rooms, while a high-end on-site spa provides outdoor and indoor swimming opportunities. Cyder lovers can enjoy a tasting experience at the Estate’s Cellar Master, before dining on local produce at the glass-walled Garden Café, or The Botanical Rooms.
Bless Hotel Madrid
BLESS Hotel Madrid is one of the city’s leading contemporary luxury hotels, opening just last year. It is the ideal setting for couples to enjoy the most romantic night of the year surrounded by luxury. To make the weekend one to remember they have passionate packages, an exclusive Valentine’s menu, spa treatments, extravagant rolltop baths with a Bathology ‘bath butler’, a sumptuous BlessedBed pillow menu and couples’ activities including rosé tasting and bowling in the stylish basement club. This new romantic package includes a hotel room, from a deluxe double to a Couture Suite, a delicious breakfast and unique features to enjoy as a couple including six roses, a bottle of champagne, an aromatic candle, essential oils and chocolate covered strawberries for two.
Les Fermes De Marie, Megeve
If it’s a ski and spa retreat you desire, look no further than Megève’s magical hotel, Les Fermes de Marie. Owned by the Sibuet family, the 70-room luxury resort was converted from traditional Alpine farmhouses and chalets. Balance some exertion on the slopes, with rejuvenating wellness treatments at the award-winning 10,000 sqft Pure Altitude Spa from Maisons & Hotels Sibuet. As 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the iconic hotel, a range of bespoke activities have been introduced too. Take a trip snowshoeing under the stars with your own private celebration feast, and sample the finest French cuisine at Les Fermes de Marie.
Deplar Farm, Troll Peninsula, Iceland
If the Northern Lights are on your bucket list, the long Icelandic winter nights will provide optimum conditions to see them. Stay on the remote Troll Peninsula, at the Nordic-designed Deplar Farm, surrounded by 3,000 ft snow-dusted, untouched mountains. Adventurous couples can try sea-side skiing or heli-skiing, sea kayaking, whale watching, Astro-touring and fat biking special trails, as well as relaxing in the wellness suite. Stargaze and watch the Northern Lights dance across the sky, as you soak in the lodge’s geo-thermally heated outdoor pool. A resident mixologist and private chef are on hand too, serving local delicacies.
Chateau Domaine Des Etangs, Massignac, South West France
Bring fairytale to life, with a two-night package this 11th-century chateau, surrounded by picturesque forests, grassland and lakes. The interiors have been tastefully renovated by Isabelle Stanislas (designer to the French president Emmanuel Macron) and feature significant contemporary art pieces. Sleep in one of the astronomy-themed castle suites, or book the secluded cottage on the chateau’s estate. Enjoy a five-course dinner – including paired wines – at the Michelin starred Dyades restaurant, or book a couple’s massage at le Moulin des Etangs, the hotel’s wellbeing centre housed in a converted watermill.
Couple’s Arctic Adventure To The Remote Swedish Lapland With Scott Dunn
Take an epic and romantic 7-day winter adventure. The itinerary begins with two nights in the Swedish capital, taking in the 14 islands of Stockholm’s archipelago and the city’s history. Couples then fly to Kiruna for a journey through the northern region of Lapland and experiences including husky sledding, visits to Sami villages, Nordic ski tours, ice sculpting, hovercraft and snowmobile ride on a frozen lake, ice fishing, snowshoe trekking a stay at the original Ice Hotel – and The Tree Hotel. Top it all off with an unforgettable three-course meal in a heated tipi on top of a frozen lake – and you may just catch sight of the Northern Lights while you dine.
Suvretta House, St. Moritz
Rub shoulders with the glitterati at this elite destination with a long reputation as a glamorous Alpine getaway. The ‘grand dame’ of the mountains, Suvretta House is one of Switzerland’s best hotels and a landmark in St Mortiz. With its own frozen lake, couples can skate under the stars, before warming up with decadent cheese fondue at Suvretta Stube. The ‘Fleurs et Coeurs’ four-course dinner is served at the Grand Restaurant, with live piano music, a special cocktail and heart-shaped cherries – a stay here will leave you feeling like a celebrity.
Milaidhoo Island, Maldives
One of the most popular honeymoon destinations on earth, the Maldives are all about couples. At Milaidhoo Island Maldives, you can spend the night sleeping under the stars as (luxury) castaways on your own private sandbank, accessed and services by private yacht. A romantic sunset dolphin cruise aboard either a luxury yacht or a traditional Maldivian sailing boat is included, with champagne served by your private butler. Cocktails and a bespoke four-course dinner follow, with after-dinner fireside drinks. Then retire to your a four-poster muslin draped bed, surrounded by candles and lanterns. And if you need anything through the night, your butler is on call. Start the following morning with a sunrise yoga session and breakfast by the water. It’s the ultimate secluded getaway.
Rambagh Palace In The Pink City Of Jaipur, India
Live like a royal, in a real-life 19th-century palace. This was once home to the Maharaja Jai’ Swai Man Singh II of Jaipur and Maharani Gayatri Devi. Now Rambagh Palace makes for an exotic and romantic stay, just outside the UNESCO City of Jaipur. Choose to arrive at the palace in a vintage car, showered in rose petals as you and your partner climb the steps to the palace. Peacocks roam the grounds, musicians play on the verandahs and the interior design is suitably lavish, with rich fabrics, chandeliers, and embellished furnishings. Stay in The Suryavanshi Suite, with an in-suite butler served breakfast. You’ll also enjoy a private dining experience – arriving at dinner via horse-drawn carriage – accompanied by music and dance in the grounds of the palace. There are options for a guided palace walk and Ayurvedic couple’s treatments at the award-winning Jiva Spa too.
Ocean House, Watch Hill & The Inn At Hastings Park, Lexington
Why not head stateside for some one-of-a-kind hotel-hopping experiences? Relais and Chateaux’s ‘Route du Bonheur’ offers a combined stay in the Penthouse Suite at the Ocean House on Rhode Island, a night at the Osprey Suite at the waterfront Weekapaug Inn and The Barn Suites at The Inn at Hastings Park in Massachusetts. Drink Veuve Clicquot as you take a private helicopter ride, savour private chef dinners with wine pairings at each hotel and have a couples photography session, documenting your trip. ‘Sea the Love’ provides two nights in the Tower Suite at the top of the Ocean House, a romantic in-gondola dining experience at Fondue Village, and a Mercedes Benz 350e Plug-In Hybrid. Or for the ultimate romantic break shared with family and friends, tie the knot with exclusive use of The Inn at Hastings Park.
The Legian Seminyak, Bali
The Legian Seminyak, Bali enjoys an elevated location on one of the island’s best beaches. Book one of its 14 private pool villas or 67 sea-facing suites, and be sure to sample the delicious eateries during your stay. The Restaurant offers fine dining from Executive Chef Stephane Gortina, blending Asian and Balinese cuisine using organic and sustainable ingredients. The Pool and Ocean Champagne Bar provides light entrees and cocktails during the day, while The Lobby Lounge serves sophisticated drinks by night. The public areas also comprise a three-tier infinity pool and dreamy Indonesian spa, with products by Ila and Hommage – the Rama Shinta Ritual is perfect for couples seeking a shared wellness experience.
Silversands Grenada
Known as the spice island, Grenada’s Grand Anse beach is the home of Silversands Grenada. The resort fuses five-star luxury and intelligent design with authentic local hospitality. The aesthetic is minimal and chic, with architecture and interiors by AW2. Stay in an Ocean View Room, with champagne and Grenadian chocolate on arrival, evening turndown, a romantic bath ritual and late check-out. Unwind in the spa, with signature massage and canapes, then dine on a 4-course meal at the Grenadian Grill and Beach Lounge with Champagne and live music.
Baros Maldives
Named the ‘World’s Most Romantic Resort’ at the World Travel Awards for the sixth time this year, Baros Maldives was once a coconut plantation. Set in secluded tropical and house reef surrounds, with direct beach access, it was one of the first resorts to open to the public in 1973. It now boasts 45 Beachside and 30 Water Private Villas – each with its own host. Book the Romantic Moments package for champagne on arrival, a romantic in-villa bath experience with wine and chocolates, a sunset cruise with champagne and canapés and his/hers spa treatments using natural remedies with botanical ingredients from the earth and sea. Take your couples massage on the ‘Piano Deck’, a unique wooden deck shaped like a grand piano, floating in the middle of the lagoon.
Rediscover Sri Lanka
A trip with Teardrop Hotels takes couples on a journey through the island’s colonial history. Their properties include restored bungalows, a 17th-century townhouse in the legendary Galle Fort, and a former RAF base in WW2. Embark on a twelve-day Tea to Sea itinerary, beginning in The Wallawwa in Colombo. From Sri Lanka’s capital, travel by train through remarkable countryside landscapes, to the group’s newest residence Nine Skies, in the bio-diverse town of Ella. Here you can explore lush tea plantations, continuing to the stunning mountainous view of Little Adam’s Peak and the nearly 100-year-old Nine Arches Bridge. Finish your journey at the palm-fringed KumuBeach, for idyllic hand-in-hand sunset strolls on the powder-sand beach and a trip to Kosgoda turtle hatchery.
A Starlit South Africa For Nature Loving Couples
Take time out for city and safari adventures on a two-week Starlit South Africa itinerary from Ampersand Travel. Spend time in vibrant Cape Town before beginning a wine safari touring and sampling at new-age boutique wineries. Then travel to the unspoilt Western Cape and the Cederberg Mountains, where you’ll reach Bushmans Kloof. Here you can explore breathtaking scenic walks together and discover the ancient San rock art heritage sites. On your return, enjoy an alfresco couple’s massage at sunset, before a candlelit dinner beneath the African sky (the knowledgeable staff will be happy to guide you through the constellations). Complete your trip at the private Sabi Sands Dulini Private Game Reserve, spotting leopards and other wildlife. You’ll sleep in a secluded stone thatched casita in the bush, with your own private pool and staff on hand to cater for your every need.
Published by The Luxury Editor