If you are looking for a romantic getaway I have a list of some of the most wonderful places on earth. Check them out and if you decide to go let me know how your trip was.
UNITED STATES
Massachusetts
Wheatleigh
www.wheatleigh.com
Built in 1893 in the grand European tradition, Wheatleigh is an especially refined country house hotel. Here, on 22 acres of parklands originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, this award-winning property occupies a bucolic knoll overlooking the Massachusetts Berkshires and a lovely lake. Its nineteen rooms and suites feature antiques and architectural furnishings with original, museum quality contemporary art. For an ultimate sense of romance, tuck yourselves away in the Aviary tree house suite whose glass enclosed circular staircase nestles in the branches of a century-old Norway spruce.
BRAZIL
Manaus
Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel
www.ariauamazontowers.com
At the confluence of Ariau Creek and the roiling Rio Negro, Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel is built entirely at the level of the rainforest canopy. This singular property, featuring aerial towers linked by miles of wooden catwalks, affords guests unique communion with the rainforest’s abundant flora and fauna while it leaves the fragile eco-system completely undisturbed. The two of you can get cozy inside Tarzan’s suite, set atop a castanheira tree approximately 80 feet above ground. Your totally private aerie beckons with the sensation of intimacy and adventure.
CARIBBEAN
Barbuda
The Beach House on Barbuda
www.caribbeanclubs.net
Celebrate your coupledom with a chic stay surrounded by near endless expanses of Caribbean Sea at The Beach House on Barbuda. This tranquil hideaway has only 21 oceanfront suites, each with its own service ambassador (think butler with bare feet) and a cell phone provided for summoning him or her. High, wood-beam ceilings, four-poster beds draped in gauzy panels, all-white furnishings and a private deck add to the sense of contemporary, casual elegance. Helicopter delivery to the property is recommended, as commercial flights to the island aren’t always on time—you can, however, count on the inspiring sunsets.
FRANCE
Paris
Ritz Paris
www.ritzparis.com
The world’s most famous hotel entered the 21st century with the latest in technology yet with the same character that won the Ritz its reputation. Even if nowadays you can make a telephone call without leaving your marble bath (Charles Ritz was the first to provide private facilities for his clients), nothing has altered the pleasure of being enveloped by an atmosphere so luxurious that a word (“ritzy”) for it had to be coined. The Cambon Bar, a Champagne bar with a private entrance, is the newest addition to the hotel—which already boasts the Ritz Club, the Hemingway Bar and the Vendôme Bar.
INDIA
Shimla
Wildflower Hall in the Himalayas
www.oberoiwildflowerhall.com
Wildflower Hall characterizes itself as a fairytale luxury resort, and indeed this former residence of a British Lord is an enchanting place—high in the Himalayas on 23 acres of virgin woods. Settle into a Deluxe Suite, with a separate living room and fireplace, featuring teak floors, hand-knotted rugs and rich furnishings that reflect the property’s colonial heritage. The views of the mountains and valleys are stunning, and The Oberoi Spa by Banyan Tree invites holistic healing. You’ll definitely be reinvigorated in this tranquil woodland setting, which should fan the flames of ardor.
IRELAND
Galway
Glenlo Abbey
www.glenlo.com
A stay in an Irish great house is one of the best ways to experience the romance of Western Ireland. At the Glenlo Abbey Hotel in Galway, you’ll enjoy the best of yesterday and today in the grand Conservatory Suite, overlooking a walled garden and brimming with antiques. Dine in an intimate atmosphere at the hotel’s Pullman Restaurant, a converted historic railway carriage. Be sure and visit the dramatic landscapes of nearby Connemara and the islands, where you can hear the Irish language in everyday use.
ITALY
Venice
Bauer Il Palazzo
www.bauerpalazzo.hotelinvenice.com
This Venetian-style palace facing Venice’ss Grand Canal astonishes with its Gothic facade and elegant interiors, while an enviable location behind St. Mark’s Square puts the hotel in the midst of the city’s smartest shops and best museums. Here, in your choice of 35 individually-styled guest rooms or 40 suites (most overlooking the canal), the intimacy is palpable. Bubble away your cares in the Jacuzzi and then dine on fabulous Mediterranean fare at De Pisis. Whether cliché or archetype, a gondola ride makes for an undeniably dreamy way to discover this resplendent city.
MEXICO
The Yucatan
The Hacienda Temozon
www.haciendasmexico.com
Where the great Mayan culture once flourished, Hacienda Temozon is a superb residence in the heart of the Yucatan Peninsula. Inside and out, this outstanding example of belle époque architecture impresses—beautiful gardens, vintage environs and modern amenities. Opt for a suite and you’ll be indulged with 18-foot ceilings, a massive iron bed, and a private plunge pool. The neo-classic pool area is gorgeous, and you can book a Maya couples massage tendered in the privacy of your room. Celebrate an evening of passion with a private outdoor dinner enhanced with twinkling candles and the calls of night birds.
NEW ZEALAND
North Island
Wharekauhau
www.wharekauhau.co.nz
Set in secluded beauty on the southern tip of New Zealand’s North Island, this 5000-acre working sheep station overlooks the spectacular Palliser Bay. Wharekauhau (pronounced “for-e-ko-ho”) invites romantic renewal in one of its self-contained cottages—complete with a four-poster bed and full bar—that are scattered throughout the estate. During the day, hop a helicopter for a tasting at a local winery or for 18 holes at the nearby championship Paraparaumu Golf Course. Come evening, indulge with four-course gourmet dining on a rich seasonal menu.
SOUTH AFRICA
Hermanus
The Marine Hermanus
www.marine-hermanus.co.za
Atop the cliffs of Hermanus, about an hour east of Cape Town, The Marine Hermanus boasts one of the most spectacular seascapes in the southern hemisphere. Treat yourselves to one of its 43 sophisticated, traditionally styled guest rooms or suites with eye-popping ocean views, and then set the mood with a private candlelit dinner complemented by a fine South African wine. In the hotel’s tidal pool, enjoy a bracing swim that puts you up close to the gentle giants of this renowned whale watching locale. Here, you’ll truly feel like the only two people on Earth.
