From plush beds and sybaritic spa treatments to private dining and even more private pools, these 10 romantic hotels serve up the perfect blend of intrigue, alone time and remoteness from everyday life. If you’re looking to rekindle the fire, grab your valentine, check in, and get ready for sparks to fly.
Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve – Thailand
With jumbo king beds, suggestive Lanna artwork and private plunge pools, villas at Phulay Bay are built for intimacy. On a day trip to Hong Island aboard a traditional Thai longtail boat, hold hands while admiring the rocky outcrops that dot the Andaman Sea. Later, a dedicated butler will draw a bath in your villa’s quatrefoil-shaped tub while you’re dining at Sri Trang restaurant.
Likuliku Lagoon Resort – Fiji
Play Cast Away like Tom Hanks — only at adults-only Likuliku Lagoon Resort, you’re with your sweetie, not a volleyball named Wilson. On a morning island-hopping excursion, you’ll stop at MonuRiki Island, where the movie was filmed, for swimming and snorkeling à deux. On Monday evenings, join the resort’s traditional Fijian kava ceremony; drinking this mild narcotic is a harmless thrill.
Viceroy Riviera Maya – Mexico
In each Royal Villa at Viceroy Riviera Maya, couples steal away to their private sunbathing deck for bonding in the plunge pool, crochet hammock and outdoor shower. On your last night, treat yourselves to a tequila and ceviche tasting for two before returning to the villa for a special turndown. Spoiler alert: It involves lanterns, rose petals and burning incense.
Jade Mountain – St. Lucia
Legend has it one visiting couple didn’t leave their “sanctuary” (room) at Jade Mountain for five days. En suite massages, room service, a private infinity pool, and a box-seat panorama of the twin Piton mountains could entice you to do the same. If you do venture out, steal a smooch on a sunset charter aboard the resort’s yacht, Searenity.
AYANA Resort and Spa – Bali
With 11 pools to choose from, you could take a dip somewhere different at AYANA Resort and Spa every day. For kid-free bliss, stake out a pair of chairs at the Ocean Beach Pool, hovering over Kisik Beach. Late night, people-watch at Rock Bar, where a DJ booth is carved right into the cliff. After the hubbub, retreating to a sumptuous four-poster bed never felt so good.
Post Ranch Inn – Big Sur, California
At adults-only Post Ranch Inn, hearts race during guided hikes, daily yoga and stargazing. Turn up the heat — literally — with your wood-burning fireplace and private outdoor hot tub, perched on a cliff with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. The Hideaway Package adds treats like a champagne picnic lunch among the redwoods.
Travaasa Hana – Maui, Hawaii
At Travaasa Hana, an Old Hawaii-style resort, rustic-chic cottages are TV- and AC-free, which means couples unplug to reconnect. Cool off with mai tais on your private lanai, or gaze at the Pacific from the resort’s garden hot tub. Throwback pastimes keep the focus on relaxing and relating. Learn to string your own leis, and exchange them to extend your aloha (love).
Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora – Tahiti
Overwater bungalows have been around for 50 years — now shack up in one already! We suggest the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, where you can swim in your private plunge pool, sway on your overwater double hammock, and lounge in bed while breakfast is delivered by canoe. At sunset, Polynesian drums, fire dancers and mango martinis set a dreamy mood.
Little Palm Island – Florida Keys
Thatched-roof bungalow. Gauze-draped king bed. An outdoor bamboo shower and a hot tub. It may sound exotic, but U.S. citizens don’t even need a passport to escape to Little Palm Island, a 6-acre private-island resort. Arriving by boat or seaplane, you’ll start your romantic rendezvous before even checking in. Want to feel butterflies? Soar over the Keys’ 1,700 islets on a helicopter tour.
Editor’s Note: Little Palm Island was damaged by Hurricane Irma. The resort is scheduled to reopen early 2019.
Amanyara – Turks and Caicos
At secluded Amanyara, sleek villas and “pavilions” blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living. Choose your pleasure from overwater deck, infinity pool and direct beach access. After dark, share popcorn in a private cinema, or escape onlookers with dinner for two in a hidden beach cove, where torches and lanterns epitomize mood lighting.
