TRAVEL FOR SENSES NAMES TOP 10 FAVORITE ROMANTIC HOTELS

By: Christian Stan | 13 February, 2015

Forget the heart-shaped tub and ‘70s-style waterbed. Today, hotels celebrate romance with style and sophistication. If you’re lusting for a passionate getaway with chic amenities and tailored comfort, this list of 10 romantic hotels around the world will make you fall in love all over again.

 

When romance is on the brain, you want to find yourself in the right place. We’ve been compiling our lists of the World’s Most Romantic Hotels since we launched, a feature we consider a public service because love, as they say, make the world go round.

1. Four Seasons Bora Bora

Set upon Bora Bora’s surrounding coral atoll, away from the bustle of its mainland, the Four Seasons Bora Bora Resort is a vast tropical grove, replete with coconut palms and pandanus trees. Meandering channels of pure turquoise lead to the property’s main beach or to smaller lagoons, creating secluded private beaches waiting to be discovered.

Every vista is breathtaking, and all have been incorporated into the design of the Resort: views of the open water and its vast sky contrast with the lush green of the island’s mainland, capped by the towering monolithic peak of Mount Otemanu (727 metres/ 2,385 feet) and the domed summit of Mount Pahia (658 metres / 2,159 feet.) 

The Resort offers 100 overwater bungalows and seven beachfront villas, all designed with thatched roofs and decorated with indigenous artwork. Four restaurants, offering a vast selection of creative culinary experiences, from Polynesian to French to traditional favorites, are complemented by special open-air dining, from private oceanside dinners to Tahitian beach parties with musicians and firedancers. Read more about it… HERE. 

2. Nanuku Auberge Resort Fiji

Nanuku Auberge Resort Fiji is a new all-villa, boutique resort with private clubhouse that melds contemporary luxury with traditional Fijian design. Set in lush tropical gardens on the pristine waters of Beqa Lagoon, with personal butlers, private nannies and tailored experiences Nanuku sets new standards in terms of comfort, service and hospitality.

With their creative fusion cuisine, intimate private dining rooms and a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, Nanuku’s has everything on hand for whatever it is you happen to be celebrating. Nanuku offers a spa, hair salon and fitness centre, along with a complete package of services, to ensure you are pampered and looking your best for your special occasion. Read more about it HERE.

3. Conrad Koh Samui, Thailand

Conrad Koh Samui is a luxury pool villa resort located on the south western tip of the popular Thai island, designed to ensure each private pool villa enjoys glorious panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand and its astonishing sunsets.

Consisting of 81 private pool villas with one, two or three bedrooms, 3 innovative restaurants, 2 bars, a private wine cellar and destination dining, the resort provides the individualistic sense of luxury that Conrad has become known for. The award-wining spa combines international treatments and Thai spa techniques with distinctive design accents and world-class facilities to delight all of the senses. Read more about it HERE.

4. Aman Grand Canal, Venice

At the entrance, facing a jetty where boats and water taxis dock, a cozy vibe welcomes guests, who are “encouraged to treat this place like home,” says Olivia Richli, Aman Canal Grande Venice’s General Manager. “They must have the feeling of being at home, but better.”

Despite the sumptuous ambience, the atmosphere at Aman Venice is casual and guests can find many places to relax and spend time with friends, with two verdant gardens, a quiet roof terrace, a library and a living room with a piano. Balancing the opulent decorations on the walls and ceilings, the different spaces feature chic and minimal wengé wood furniture, all manufactured by Italian design company B&B, except for few pieces which were handmade by a carpenter. Read more about it HERE. 

5. El Palauet, Barcelona

The fabulous El Palauet  is located just north of the intersection of Passeig de Gràcia and a main artery called Avinguda Diagonal, where the boulevard narrows into a charming tree-lined street divided by a parkway with gardens and sculptures. Gaudi’s undulating Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera, is just three blocks south.

Similar in layout, the suites feature a fully-equipped kitchen, dining room, living room, stellar contemporary furnishing and state-of-the-art technology throughout. There are two suites to each floor with a common foyer off the elevator. Providing a sense of privacy and intimacy, El Palauet is a favorite among many celebrities visiting Barcelona. Read more about it HERE. 

6. Rajmahal Palace, Jaipur

In 1821, Rajmahal became the official residence of the British Resident Political Officer of Rajputana and in 1958 HH Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II – the celebrated and dashing ‘Jai’ – chose it as his private residence.  Over the decades this remarkable ‘Grande Dame’ has hosted Her Majesty the Queen & the Duke of Edinburgh along with several other members of the British Royal Family. Celebrated personalities such as Jackie Kennedy, Lord & Lady Mountbatten and many of the international ‘jet set’ have been part of the history of the Palace.

SUJÁN reopens the palace in its latest avatar, completely redesigned and refurbished with vigorous flair by the highly acclaimed and accomplished designer Adil Ahmad. Specially commissioned for this unique task by The Royal Family of Jaipur, Ahmad has been inspired by the City Palace, the inner sanctum and current residence of the erstwhile royal family of Jaipur. Read more about it HERE. 

7. Four Seasons Hualalai

Located on a stunning one-half mile stretch of beach on the Northwest Kona Coast, Four Seasons Resort Hualālai is a tropical oasis that captures the essence of Hawai‘i as it once was. The contrast of ancient black lava rock with towering coconut palms, white sand beaches and azure sea creates opportunities for memories and photographs at every turn. With the Hualālai volcano behind it and the island of Maui in the distance in front, the Resort is situated on sacred grounds on one of the world’s most beautiful and mystifying islands.

Surrounded by lush vegetation, sparkling ocean waters and stunning white-sand beaches, the comfortable and spacious accommodations at Four Seasons Resort Hualālai are housed in intimate two-story bungalows arranged in small crescents along the beachfront and golf course. Read more about it HERE.

8. Viceroy Anguilla

The gracefully landscaped Viceroy Anguilla resort is designed to preserve and enhance the beauty of its natural surroundings, with abundant use of indigenous materials and attention to cultural detail.

With sophisticated and contemporary interiors by Kelly Wearstler, the imaginative eye behind other Viceroy properties, Viceroy Anguilla showcases a relaxed chic sensibility and a unique sense of place. Organic elements such as driftwood lamps, petrified-wood tables and travertine marble floors add a tasteful contrast to the geometric lines of the architecture and grant the property a distinct singularity among its Caribbean neighbors.

Owners and guests enjoy full resort privileges, including restaurant access, concierge services, a wealth of recreational amenities, twice daily housekeeping and room service. Every element of the Viceroy experience is wrapped in a visionary blend of sophisticated design and intuitive, personalized service delivered by a team of natural hospitality professionals. Read more about it HERE. 

9. Kayumanis Jimbaran, Bali

Kayumanis Jimbaran Private Estate & Spa is an exotic and idyllic retreat virtually hidden amongst the hypnotic sway of groves of coconut trees and the romantic embrace of the Jimbaran bay nearby. Set amongst a wide expanse of coconut trees, every villa is the most spacious and is masterfully juxtaposed in a harmonious dance among every tree.

Complemented by an exclusive 24-hour butler service that will make every effort to fulfill your every whim without being obtrusive, Kayumanis Jimbaran Private Estate & Spa is the perfect setting of pure serenity, utmost privacy, and unrivalled luxury.

The entire estate is attuned to the climate through the use of the very finest indigenous materials where a collection of 19 contemporary villas have been purposely designed to emulate the Balinese style of open living. Located just meters from a traditional fisherman’s beach, Kayumanis Jimbaran Private Estate invites the elements of nature to penetrate the body, mind and soul. Read more about it HERE. 

10. Hotel Le Toiny, St Barths

Privacy and exclusivity have remained the defining characteristics of Hôtel Le Toiny since its 1992 opening on St. Barts’ quiet and intimate southeastern coast.

The property’s 15 pastel bungalows, called Villa Suites, are located on a gentle slope overlooking an island lagoon and the Caribbean Sea. Each accommodation is surrounded by lush vegetation, and enjoys its own gated entrance and red mailbox flag that serves as a “Do Not Disturb” sign. It is this emphasis on seclusion that has attracted the rich and famous since the hotel first opened its doors. Read more about it HERE.