8 Vacations for your Valentine
These hot spots for romance set hearts aflutter
By Jennifer Davoren
SuperClubs
No matter how you envision the perfect trip for two, a variety of romance-ready vacation resorts can help you set the right mood. We've profiled a few of our favorites below. Stretching from Canada to the Caribbean, they offer passion-enhancing perks ranging from vineyard views and couples massages to private seaside patios and 24-hour concierge service. The first three resorts are all-inclusive properties, combining food, lodging, alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, most water sports and a host of planned activities into one rate that's paid up front. The others are just as convenient, boasting on-site restaurants, spas and other amenities geared toward amore.
Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Get a jump on the holiday by calling (800) 998-6925 or visiting Vacations To Go to learn more about these getaways.
Excellence Punta Cana
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Active couples flock to this upscale, all-inclusive resort on the eastern coast of Hispaniola, where calm Caribbean surf laps at 30 miles of white-sand beaches and palm groves. The views are awe-inspiring, but other pursuits lure guests away from the waves -- dance lessons, horseback rides, snorkeling tours, volleyball tournaments and yoga classes are just a few of the activities included in the Excellence Punta Cana vacation package. Add-on services, including deep-sea fishing trips and guided scuba dives, are available for a fee. Two swimming pools, two Jacuzzis and a cardio-conditioning facility also keep couples content, while a disco beckons after nightfall.
The 452-room Excellence Punta Cana takes pride in its all-suite accommodations, as well as its kids-free guest policy -- the combination creates a sophisticated escape for the discerning couple. The resort's renowned spa adds to the relaxed ambience with Zen gardens, an assortment of massage techniques and outdoor treatment rooms. Eight a la carte restaurants, 10 bars and a Vegas-style casino round out the list of amenities here.
Sun Palace
Cancun, Mexico
Lively Cancun is the spring break capital of the world, drawing upward of 250,000 college students to its shores each year. It's a surprise, then, to find a retreat like the five-star Sun Palace tucked into the southern end of Cancun's hotel zone. There's no trace of the wild, noisy holiday crowd here -- instead, guests will find a tranquil, airy escape with plenty of room for relaxation.
A recent renovation transformed the 252-room Sun Palace into Cancun's first couples-only resort. Most rooms offer ocean views, and all boast king-size Jacuzzis and a choice of breezy balcony or garden-level terrace. Though the usual all-inclusive activities are available here, many guests are content to pair off and hit the warm, golden beach. Three infinity pools invite sunset dips, while a swim-up bar provides drinks to toast the coming night. For the evening, Sun Palace offers four dinner options, an assortment of cocktail lounges and live entertainment.
A new year ushers in a new level of service at the Sun Palace. For an additional fee, guests can now upgrade to a concierge-level vacation, which includes two massages, in-room espresso machines and a private seaside lounge area complete with waiter service.
Grand Lido Braco Resort and Spa
Runaway Bay, Jamaica
Acres of blooming botanical gardens envelop this SuperClubs flagship resort on the sunny northern shore of Jamaica. It's the architectural style of the Grand Lido Braco, though, that distinguishes the resort from its neighbors. Colonial Jamaica comes alive in the property's central village, where gingerbread trim adorning the structures recalls the island's Old World influences. Guests gather each evening at a replica of a 19th-century Falmouth courthouse for live entertainment, and the cobblestoned walkways of the resort's Town Square are often filled with vendors, musicians and the lively chatter of a weekly street festival. In October, an annual food event celebrates Jamaica's cuisine with a round-up of local dishes.
Grand Lido Braco guarantees a "super-inclusive" vacation, wrapping in-room dining, greens fees, wedding ceremonies and other premium perks into its basic guest package. Tennis courts, saunas, 84 acres of shaded hiking trails and an au naturel beach are just a few of the land-based amenities waiting for couples. An assortment of water sports are complimentary, too, from snorkeling to sea kayaking. The resort even claims to have one of the largest swimming pools in Jamaica, complete with waterfront bar.
The Breakers
Palm Beach, Florida
This elegant hotel, the brainchild of a 19th-century oil magnate, has graced the Atlantic Coast for more than a century. Winding along 140 acres of prime beachfront property, The Breakers represents the best of Palm Beach -- luxury and breathtaking scenery mark this distinctive property and the tony Florida enclave it serves.
Two 18-hole golf courses, 10 tennis courts and a 20,000-square-foot spa await, but couples will likely be drawn to the aptly named Ultimate Beachfront Experience, the result of a $15 million redevelopment of the property's seaside amenities.
Tropical foliage frames the Mediterranean-style beach club, home to a half-mile of golden sand and three swimming pools, including one designated as a peaceful "relaxation" pool. Those looking for seclusion near the sea appreciate the deluxe poolside cabanas and beach bungalows available for daytime rental. These little retreats come with cushy furnishings, flat-screen televisions, fluffy robes and personalized concierge service, while private patios and sheltering screens guard against prying eyes.
Accented by the soft pinks, blues and yellows of tropical Florida, The Breakers' 540 guest rooms offer similarly stylish escapes. Eight on-site restaurants and 24-hour room service add to the hotel's appeal.
Bellagio
Las Vegas, Nevada
It might share the Strip with gaudy, neon-festooned gambling resorts that are typical of modern Las Vegas, but Bellagio recalls a more romantic era in the city's history. Its facade is certainly a local icon -- the hotel's dancing fountains are a favorite stop for camera-wielding tourists. The interior is just as eye-catching, and it's well-suited for an intimate, elegant version of a Vegas getaway.
Nearly 4,000 rooms and suites are available here, ranging from one-bedroom hideouts to 8,000-square-foot villas fronting private swimming pools. Cirque du Soleil presents one of its most popular shows, "O," in Bellagio's immense performance hall. The casino has a Vegas address, but the atmosphere takes its cues from Monte Carlo's exclusive gaming halls. The world's elite players are known to meet in Bobby's Poker Room, an enclave reserved for high-stakes contests.
Bellagio guests can take advantage of the ardent atmosphere and get married at three on-site wedding locations. Two chapels and a breezy terrace overlooking the Strip are available for ceremonies; the latter option includes a special water show, courtesy of the hotel's mesmerizing fountains, that accompanies a couple's first kiss as husband and wife.
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa
Sonoma, California
Named for the quaint mission-style design of its accommodations, the Fairmont Sonoma is a rural escape wrapped in the verdant, rolling hills of a world-renowned wine region. The inn offers a quiet alternative to the busier, tourist-heavy lodgings of Napa Valley next door, making it much more conducive to stolen moments with a significant other.
More than 200 rooms and suites sprinkled around the property offer king-size beds, and many have fireplaces. At hand are an 18-hole golf course, a poolside cafe and two restaurants, including Sante, the only restaurant in the Sonoma Valley to receive a four-diamond rating from AAA.
The recently renovated 40,000-square-foot spa and health club offers several couples activities, including "relationship readings" and a "wine and roses" bath and massage. Hiking trips and biking tours of the region are complimentary for guests, and the hotel's staff organizes daily wine tastings (some require a nominal participation fee). Natural hot springs are within easy reach, too, offering a unique spot for an afternoon soak.
Kaanapali Alii
Maui, Hawaii
This condominium resort property, perched near Lahaina on the western coast of stunning Maui, offers an attractive alternative to traditional hotel accommodations. Four towers hold 264 condos that range from 1,500 to 1,900 square feet, with views of the sea, the West Maui Mountains or the ground-level gardens bursting with plumeria. Each boasts fully equipped kitchens, washers and dryers, private patios and high-speed Internet access (for a fee) in each unit, so you'll have your own private Hawaiian homestead -- but without the housekeeping, thanks to daily maid service.
Guests will find a number of perks at their disposal. A heated swimming pool, fitness center, tennis courts and beachside barbecue grills are available on the property, as is a beautiful beach and views of Maui's sister islands, Molokai and Lanai. You also can greet the sunrise each day at a seaside yoga class.
Just a few minutes from downtown Lahaina, Kaanapali Alii is close to shopping, golf and restaurants. This part of the island is popular with whale-watchers and other wildlife lovers. Deep-sea fishing is another option, thanks to a range of charter companies operating in the area.
Fairmont Banff Springs
Banff, Canada
It's like something out of a fairy tale: a turreted castle surrounded by the evergreen forests and snowcapped peaks of the Canadian Rockies. The stunning Fairmont Banff Springs was indeed styled after an aristocratic home, taking its design cues from a Scottish stronghold. Yet, somehow, the hotel's stone facade seems right at home in the wilderness, perched above Alberta's Bow River.
The royal treatment continues inside the Fairmont Banff Springs, where rooms as large as 1,500 square feet offer unparalleled views of the mountains. Six restaurants, four lounges and a gift shop celebrating Canadian wines also await. A golf academy and 27 holes of golf are open during the summer months, as is a heated outdoor pool.
Though the region welcomes a riot of color during wildflower season, Banff is also one of Canada's best ski destinations. Three major ski resorts are a short shuttle ride away. After a tough day on the slopes, couples can head back to the Fairmont's 38,000-square-foot Willow Stream Spa to soothe aching muscles with European-style treatments.
The information in this story was accurate at the time it was published in January/February 2009.
Please visit Vacations To Go or call (800) 998-6925 for current rates and details.