The Nautilus in the Maldives.
Photo: Courtesy of the Nautilus
12 Dreamy Hotels Perfect for a Valentine’s Day Getaway
These breathtaking properties offer sumptuous suites, decadent restaurants, and adventurous activities couples will enjoy
Dining on the terrace at Caldera House.
1. Caldera House
This alpine resort in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, has added a new Japanese restaurant, Shin Shin, where chef Josh Neiman has cultivated a menu of sushi staples and decadent plates like bluefin tuna topped with osetra caviar, Wagyu beef tartare on crispy rice, and octopus with kimchi puree. Visitors to Caldera House can ski the Tetons and unwind in the spa, before retreating for the evening to one of the hotel’s luxuriously appointed suites that boast deep soaking tubs, home theaters, and private patios with fire pits.
Villa Nureyev at Le Toiny in St. Barth's. Photo: Courtesy of Le Toiny
2. Le Toiny
St. Barth destination Le Toiny recently introduced Villa Nureyev, a four-bedroom private suite with an expansive outdoor area overlooking the Caribbean coast. Once the home of famed dancer Rudolf Nureyev, the villa has 180 degrees of unobstructed views. Enjoy breakfast on the terrace, but head to the main hotel for the impeccable dinner service, where Chef Brenton Styles’ mouthwatering menu of entrees like mahi mahi with cauliflower, caper, and raisin purée or the signature black truffle risoni have made Le Toiny Restaurant one of the most acclaimed on the island.
25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino, Florence . Photo: Dario Garofalo
3. 25Hours Hotels Piazza San Paolino, Florence
25Hours Hotels has opened its first location in Italy, located in the heart of Florence’s Santa Maria Novella district. Milan-based designer Paola Navone drew inspiration from Dante’s Inferno for the interior that features scenes of heaven and hell in the guest suites, a number of which are built into the site’s original monastery. Guests can spend time in the Negroni bar, sauna, or Cinema Paradiso film lounge, or explore the town using the property’s fleet of Schindelhauer bikes. Couples looking for the ultimate experience should check into the private Casetta del Giardino apartment—tucked into the hotel’s secluded garden, it features its own terrace, pool, and kitchen, complete with pizza oven.
Photo: Courtesy of Miraval Berkshires
4. Miraval Berkshires Resport & Spa
This popular wellness resort in Massachusetts is welcoming wellness-minded couples for an exclusive Valentine’s Day retreat that includes everything from wine tasting and fine dining to fitness programs, meditation, and Chinese astrology. Attendees will want to take home a copy of Miraval’s inspiring new coffee table book, Mindful by Design with Clodagh, that celebrates Clodagh Design’s thoughtful interiors, crafted around her four Cs: “contemplate, cleanse, clarify, and create.”
Photo: Courtesy of Nayara Tented Camp
5. Nayara Tented Camp
Escape to the treetops at Costa Rica’s Nayara Tented Camp in Arenal National Park. Each of the elevated luxury safari-style suites boasts a sweeping view of the volcano and rainforest. Guests can wake up to coffee made using locally grown beans then learn to create their own custom blend, or try some restorative yoga in the clouds. The resort also offers bird watching and nature tours through the on-site sloth sanctuary as well as other adventurous excursions. Wrap up the evening with a tropical cocktail and an indulgent plunge in one of seven hot-springs pools.
Ashford Castle.
6. Ashford Castle
Live like a royal at this 800-year-old estate situated on 350 bucolic acres in Ireland’s County Mayo. Take a romantic cruise in a traditional handcrafted wood boat, try your hand at clay shooting or falconry, or just sit with a Waterford crystal of Midleton whiskey in the Prince of Wales bar, however the decadent eight-course tasting menu in the George V dining room is not to be missed. Then retire in regal style in one of the estate’s appointed suites, including rooms named for two of the property’s notable visitors, Senator Ted Kennedy and President Ronald Reagan; meticulously curated spaces, they’re located in the most historic wing of the castle and tout an exceptional array of antique furnishings.
Xigera Safari Lodge.
7. Xigera Safari Lodge
Rustic meets refined at the Xigera Safari Lodge in Botswana. Constructed in collaboration with Southern Guild gallery, the hotel is a dynamic showplace for a spectacular collection of African art and artisan-made furnishings. Enjoy breathtaking views of the wildlife by land, sea, or air; dine beneath the stars; unwind in the award-winning spa; or partake of a wine tasting experience in the hotel’s vast wine cellar. The truly wild at heart will be enchanted by the new Baobab treehouse, a sculptural three-story accommodation soaring above the floodplain that can only be reached by glass-bottom mokoro.
Cara Cara at Downtown L.A. Proper hotel. Photo: Courtesy of Proper Hotel
8. Downtown LA Proper Hotel
This recent Kelly Wearstler hospitality project is brimming with the designer’s creative touches, including 100 different kinds of tile, global accents, and site-specific installations ranging from murals to stained glass work. Previously a private club that once boasted Cecil B. DeMille as a member, the location has a hip atmosphere fitting its South Park District neighborhood, which is also home to the Staples Center, Grammy Museum, and other music venues. Before you take in the nightlife, enjoy a decadent meal in the hotel’s two restaurants—Caldo Verde, helmed by James Beard Award-winner Suzanne Goin, and rooftop boîte Cara Cara, where celebrated sommelier Caroline Styne oversees a stellar cocktail menu.
The Nautilus mansion with private pool. Photo: Courtesy of the Nautilus
9. The Nautilus
This breathtaking resort on the Baa Atoll in the Maldives is partnering with award-winning wellness retreat Ananda in the Himalayas to offer a truly transformative experience. Available through March, the program includes meditation in the overwater yoga pavilion and gourmet cuisine made using natural foods in line with Ayurvedic principles. Guests staying in one of the 26 ocean and beach houses can also partake of the Nautilus’s three gourmet dining destinations or unique amenities like big-game fishing from a luxury yacht, swim with the manta rays, or movie under the stars.
10. St. Regis New York
This New York landmark is hosting a pop-up with Flair Chocolatier for a truly decadent Valentine’s Day. Enjoy a tasting of the confectioner’s treats and truffles (including a ruby chocolate bar created specifically for the St. Regis) followed by cocktails in the neighboring Cognac Room before sitting down to a special romantic meal in the Astor Court featuring Caviar Russe osetra caviar, champagne, and other succulent morsels.
11. Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Rejuvenate in San José del Cabos, Mexico, at this upscale destination overlooking the picturesque Sea of Cortez. Stroll the resort’s 20 landscaped acres which are dotted with 42 individual two-story villas, while the new residential-style suites offer unparalleled service from a private attendant. Couples can while away a day in the 30,000-square-foot Spa Alkemia, golf the three courses designed by Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus, or take on the role of explorer as part of the Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program that offers everything from whale watching to diving amongst the coral reefs.
Islas Secas.
12. Islas Secas
Travel far off the beaten path at this secluded hideaway in Panama. A privately owned archipelago in the Gulf of Chiriquí, Islas Secas accommodates just 24 guests, who can explore the undisturbed beaches and massive coral reefs of the Gulf of Chiriquí National Marine Park and Coiba National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Take in the humpback whales that migrate through the area until April, soak in your private plunge pool, or enjoy a gourmet meal of locally sourced ingredients in the open-air terraza.
Cover: The Nautilus in the Maldives.
Photo: Courtesy of the Nautilus
