NEW YORK—For romantics looking for an
intimate hideaway this Valentine’s Day that stretches beyond
chocolate, champagne and dinner for two, luxury travel site
globorati.com has come up with the top 10 hotels for couples.
The list was prepared by globorati.com and is
not endorsed by Reuters.
1. Las Ventanas al Paraiso: Los Cabos, Mexico
Cabo’s celebrated beach retreat takes its
loving so seriously it’s hired a director of romance. Pick from
a menu of amorous experiences, including "cinema on the beach
for two," "sea & stars massage for two," and the "men in white"
program - where male guests learn how to prepare a meal.
2. L’Hotel: Paris, France
A "Pavillion d’Amour" in the early 1800s,
L’Hotel is now among the most seductive Small Luxury Hotels in
Paris. Its six-story atrium leads off to 20 lavishly designed
bedrooms, while the original cellar is home to a private steam
room and Roman bath that can be booked for couples’ private use.
3. Nam Hai: Hoi An, Vietnam
Nam Hai’s private villas are set on a
secluded stretch of the famed China Beach. If a private butler,
outdoor shower and ocean-view vistas aren’t enough, couples can
slip into the spa and have a specially prepared Love Bath, laced
with "love potion" (a blend of essential oils) and flowers,
topped off with champagne and canapes.
4. Maxim Bungalows: Cofresi, Dominican
Republic
The magazine that gave us "Secret Sex" and
"Celebrity Bastards" has, improbably, opened one of the hottest
resorts in the Caribbean. To get your blood pumping, Maxim
marries high luxe with high adrenaline (think kiteboarding and
couples yoga). Alternatively, you can charter their 55-foot
yacht for a private sunset cruise.
5. Tides Zihuatanejo: Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Terracotta-tiled suites with personal plunge
pools kiss this exclusive patch of Pacific shoreline. But it’s
the resort’s private isle in an azure lagoon that sets the scene
for a romantic candlelit dinner. After reaching your table by
canoe, dinner begins with champagne and a menu delivered in a
bottle.
6. Mykonos Grand: Mykonos, Greece
Perched above the beach where "Shirley
Valentine" was filmed, the white sugar-cube boxes of Mykonos
Grand offers a romantic package: Book a suite with a private
pool and the hotel will throw in a personal chef, a rose petal
turndown service and a Kamasutra Seduction box — which includes
naughty delights like vanilla creme body souffle and sweet
honeysuckle dust.
7. The Fairmont Orchid: Big Island, Hawaii
After a massage in Fairmont’s waterfall
gardens, retire to your oceanview suite for a special "Make Room
for Romance" turndown. Then follow a trail of orchids leading to
a floral heart on the bed. Champagne and chocolate-dipped
strawberries prep you for a steamy bath laced with salts,
bubbles and floating candles.
8. Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire: Hampshire,
England
Reenact Darcy’s love for Elizabeth at this
Georgian manor presiding over gorgeous heritage gardens. Couples
can tour the estate by horse-drawn carriage or drift down wooded
canals in the hotel’s own cruiser. Pause for a picnic lunch, or
better yet, learn to make "a romantic meal for two" from the
executive chef in a private demo.
9. The Rania Experience: Maldives
The ultimate fantasy-island experience where
couples stay on their own private atoll in a three-bedroom villa
serviced by 30 hosts (including chefs, butlers, spa therapists
and scuba instructors.) The $12,000-per-night package also
features exclusive use of an 86-foot yacht with a jacuzzi and
cinema.
10. Jade Mountain: St. Lucia
Only 24 three-walled "sanctuaries" compose this exclusive
hillside resort. With open floor plans, you can slip straight
out of bed and into your couple-sized chromotherapy tub — or
into your glass-tiled infinity pool with views of St. Lucia’s
green-peaked Pitons. —Reuters