Hermitage Bay.
Photo: Courtesy of Hermitage Bay
12 Romantic Hotels Perfect for a Valentine’s Day Getaway
From volcanic hot springs to desert riads, these design-forward properties cater to discerning couples seeking together time in unparalleled environments
The label “romantic hotel” has become a little run of the mill, reduced to rose petals and butler-drawn baths, particularly around this time of year. But truly intoxicating resorts work more like gravity—invisible but impossible to ignore. It shows up in precise moments: when a door swings open to reveal a view you didn’t expect, or a drink appears exactly when the light hits that sweet spot between day and night.
February, despite its Hallmark reputation, actually matters in certain places. Not for the packages (though many exist), but for when natural phenomena align: aurora-painted skies, desert sunrises, or winter stars that make conversation optional. The properties that understand this share certain qualities. They nail timing. They realize privacy isn’t about isolation. They know when to perfect a moment and when to leave it alone. This is romance by design, not by checklist.
Guest accommodations. Photo: Courtesy of Hermitage Bay
Beach bar. Photo: Courtesy of Hermitage Bay
1. Hermitage Bay | Antigua
Some moments are better measured in footsteps to the sea than feet above it—a truth Hermitage Bay embraces with quiet confidence. November 2024’s renovation peeled away Caribbean clichés to reveal the property’s true charm: 30 villa-suites that turn privacy into an art form without sacrificing connection. Dark hardwoods meet hand-stitched leather in spaces that whisper rather than shout, while wraparound verandas frame views meant to be shared with someone who matters. At the property’s heart, the new Tree Bar serves as theater for mixologist Rodrigo Tartaglia, fresh from redefining cocktail culture at London’s Artesian. Here, he orchestrates botanical stories that dance with whatever emerges from Antiguan chef Desroy Spence’s kitchen. Romance is fostered naturally: candlelit dinners on the sand, treatments in a Garden Spa floating in the forest canopy, intimate voyages on private boats that know the secret coves, and picnics curated for two on beaches where footprints disappear with the tide.
El Fenn guest accommodations. Photo: Kasia Gatkowska
2. El Fenn | Marrakech, Morocco
What began as a six-room experiment from Vanessa Branson—sister of Virgin Group entrepreneur Richard and founder of the Marrakech Biennale—has bloomed into a mosaic of intimate spaces: 41 chambers flowing through 13 interconnected riads like chapters in a love story. Here, color becomes emotion: fuchsia walls transform morning light into rose-tinted revelation, honey-toned archways capture the day’s last gold, and canary doors part to reveal pools that hold the deep teal of ancient secrets. February 2025 marks a new chapter with Curated Art Weekends, where cultural cognoscenti gather for exhibitions and guided wanderings through the hotel’s collection. Contemporary works by William Kentridge, Hassan Hajjaj, and Yto Barrada create a dialogue between Africa’s artistic past and future. And those legendary ginger margaritas? They arrive precisely when needed—often as the muezzin’s call ripples across terracotta rooftops.
Ballroom at Faena Hotel. Photo: Courtesy of Faena Hotel
3. Faena Hotel | Buenos Aires
In Puerto Madero, Philippe Starck has written a love letter to Argentine passion in his native French, rendered in red brick and theatrical flourish. The designer, famous for rewriting luxury’s rules, lets velvet run Mendoza-wine red while rooms play white and gold against crimson in a game of hide and reveal. Swan-necked chairs that would make Dalí bite his lip hold court over spaces where every detail feels like subtle seduction—and that’s before you attend a tango show at El Cabaret. Above, Bistro Sur serves paella beneath unicorn heads, while below, a 4,000-bottle cellar—Luis Barraud’s legendary collection—catches candlelight. The hotel’s signature romantic experiences include welcome cocktails in The Library Lounge, Skyline View suites provide the perfect backdrop, and synchronized spa treatments ensure the story maintains its rhythm.
Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge. Photo: Courtesy of Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge.
Guest accommodations. Photo: Courtesy of Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge
4. Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge | Vancouver Island, Canada
The term “glamping” doesn’t quite cover it. Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge has turned 600 acres of Vancouver Island’s ancient rainforest into something entirely new. Twenty-five canvas tents spread across the property might sound basic, until you notice the heated floors and the outdoor showers angled perfectly to catch afternoon light through a cedar canopy. Black bears work the shoreline at low tide as bald eagles do their thing overhead. Recent upgrades reflect smart evolution: the whole operation now runs on solar, while their three Michelin Keys nod to executive chef Ben Godin’s talent for turning foraged ingredients into something worth flying in for. The day’s schedule writes itself. Maybe a helicopter drops you at an alpine lake with champagne, or you spend the morning watching sea otters float around like they’ve figured something out about life that we haven’t.
Takefue. Photo: Courtesy of Takefue
5. Takefue | Kyushu, Japan
Twelve lodges at the edge of Mount Aso’s caldera—one of Earth’s largest volcanic craters—reveal how Japan does romance. The approach tells you everything: a drive through Kyushu’s sulfurous grasslands before the bamboo forest takes over, thick enough to mute your cell signal. Each lodge nails the details that matter: earthen walls play against traditional yukata obi patterns and private rotemburo baths tap directly into volcanic springs. Come February, winter light cuts through bamboo while onsen-heated rooms blur the line between inside and out. Your nakai-san (room attendant) handles timing like a pro, making sure kaiseki dinners appear when you want them, either in the restaurant or your room. No manufactured romance required—just volcanic water, stars, and the kind of silence that makes you forget what day it is.
Posada del Faro. Photo: Courtesy of Posada del Faro
6. Posada del Faro | José Ignacio, Uruguay
Since 1991, when José Ignacio was nothing more than a fishing village with salt-air dreams, La Posada has provided respite for those fleeing Punta del Este’s overcrowded and often gaudy scene. Fifteen whitewashed rooms perch above Playa La Mansa like a meditation on essential things, each different but united by wood-slat floors and the kind of minimalism that comes from three decades of careful editing. But the hotel’s magic lies in its constancy: breakfast served at sunset if you wish, house-baked muffins appearing like clockwork, an honor bar that trusts your ability to mix a proper drink. Room 12, with its sunken bedroom and sea-facing terrace, proves most compelling for couples, though the ground floor’s garden suites have their own following among São Paulo and Buenos Aires’s creative set.
The Retreat at Blue Lagoon. Photo: Courtesy of The Retreat at Blue Lagoon
7. The Retreat at Blue Lagoon | Iceland
Architect Sigríður Sigþórsdóttir’s award-winning design lets slate-grey basalt and glass hover over lava fields like a modernist dream. February delivers optimal aurora viewing (staff monitor solar activity with scientific precision) and 100-degree waters blur the line between pleasure and therapy. The spa’s “Blue Lagoon Ritual” guides couples through silica and algae chambers designed by Johannes Torpe, using the same geothermal seawater that burst through a power plant in 1976 and launched Iceland’s wellness revolution. Take advantage of a two-night romantic getaway package that distills the essence of Icelandic luxury: morning yoga sessions, afternoons dedicated to the subterranean spa’s float therapy or in-water massages, and culinary offerings from Icelandic coffee service to a seven-course wine-paired experience at the Michelin-recommended Moss Restaurant.
Soneva Secret. Photo: Stevie Mann for Soneva.
8. Soneva Secret | Maldives
The Maldives has no shortage of luxury resorts, but Soneva’s newest outpost on Makunudhoo atoll redefines the concept entirely. Sonu and Eva Shivdasani—the duo who pioneered barefoot luxury in the ’90s with their “No News, No Shoes” philosophy—have created 14 villas that reject standard overwater tropes. Instead of glossy modernism, they’ve opted for reclaimed driftwood and clever engineering that allows entire walls to disappear into the framework. Each villa operates as its own micro-resort, complete with a chef pulled from notable kitchens worldwide and a pair of butlers who understand the art of invisible service. Getting to dinner involves a zipline ride to Out of This World, where Brazilian chef Henrique Lork’s obsessively perfected sourdough accompanies sunset views.
Kahanda Kanda. Photo: Jiri Lizler
9. Kahanda Kanda | Sri Lanka
Sometimes the best hotels start as accidents. Take George Cooper’s venture into hospitality—the British interior designer simply wanted a villa in Sri Lanka’s tea country. That private refuge has evolved into 12 suites through years of focused collecting: hand-hewn teak furniture, blue-white china that tells tales of Asian trade routes, and gardens that have been nurturing herbs and inspiration since 2004. The property’s masterpiece is the Dubu Suite, an antique Javanese joglo that Cooper had dismantled, shipped, and meticulously reconstructed above Koggala Lake. In a floating pavilion that seems to hover above the tea fields, local chefs transform Cooper’s garden bounty into curries that capture Sri Lanka’s spice-route heritage. Recent inclusion in Small Luxury Hotels has brought international attention, but Kahanda Kanda retains the cozy feel of its origins—still more private estate than hotel, exactly as Cooper first imagined it.
Treetop room. Photo: Courtesy of Meadowood.
10. Meadowood Napa Valley | California
Some love stories begin with loss. When the 2020 Glass Fire swept through Meadowood, claiming its three-Michelin-starred restaurant, the valley held its breath. But William Harlan’s wine country sanctuary is reborn, with 36 cottages that capture the essence of wine country romance more perfectly than ever. Local architect Howard Bracken has crafted spaces that feel both timeless and lived-in—high-beamed ceilings soar above private porches designed for twilight wine tastings; oversized bathrooms stocked with Flamingo Estate products invite long soaks after vineyard wanderings. Through Harlan’s deep valley connections, guests still enjoy privileged access to legendary cellars, while executive chef Alejandro Ayala’s menus at Forum transform wine country bounty into occasions worth remembering.
Boca de Agua. Photo: Courtesy of Boca de Agua
11. Boca de Agua | Bacalar, Mexico
Along a lagoon that shifts through seven shades of blue like nature’s mood ring, architect Frida Escobedo has created Mexico’s most intriguing new romantic retreat. Fresh from being tapped for The Met’s modern wing renovation, she’s designed 22 treehouse-style sanctuaries that float four meters above the jungle canopy. Her signature latticed walls blur the line between inside and out, channeling Japanese wabi-sabi principles that celebrate perfect imperfection. At Flora, Chef Carlos Bordonave practices his own kind of romance through family recipes—like his sous chef’s grandmother’s cochinita pibil—serving fine dining experiences that retain their generational soul. Every detail feels like a love letter to the location: furniture crafted by local artisans from reclaimed wood, organic latex mattresses chosen for dreamier nights, and a stargazing deck positioned precisely where ancient Mayans once read these same stars.
Hôtel Madame Rêve. Photo: Jérôme Galland
12. Hôtel Madame Rêve | Paris
In a city synonymous with romance, Laurent Taïeb has spent 13 years crafting something extraordinary: converting La Poste du Louvre into a love letter to Paris past and present. Twenty-five-foot ceilings and 1888 marble columns create the city’s most dramatic first impression, while vintage Henryot & Cie chairs—twins to those in the Eiffel Tower’s restaurant—whisper tales of timeless elegance. Eighty-two rooms on the new third floor embody Andrée Putman’s belief that “life must be golden,” each one a perfect stage for Parisian romance. Views sweep from iconic monuments (Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Coeur, Notre-Dame) to the sky garden; telegram-patterned rugs and an inspired collection of postal-themed works by 700 artists honor history with modern flair.
Cover: Hermitage Bay.
Photo: Courtesy of Hermitage Bay
