Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now
Slide Nr 1The secret to booking a couple’s holiday that you won’t soon forget? Look beyond the obvious. Nothing against famously romantic destinations, but there’s so much more to experience in the world. Just try to resist the appeal of these under-the-radar islands, alternative city escapes, charming countryside getaways and exceptional eco retreats.
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20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 2Vintage Cali Vibes – For a California getaway full of retro charm, look no further than Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa, tucked away in Napa Valley’s north end. The property plays homage to its origins as a 1940s roadside motel with a colourful, retro-chic design and playful amenities such as Polaroid cameras, hula hoops and lawn games. Local, geothermal mineral waters feed two pools and a jacuzzi, and are used in bath treatments at the property’s MoonAcre Spa. [Photo courtesy Calistoga Motor Lodge]
1/21
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20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 3Seaside Escape – Cobblestoned and steeped in history, the New England harbour town of Newport, Rhode Island charms in all four seasons. Local shops and restaurants, hotels and B&Bs, colonial landmarks and a lively marina anchor Newport’s walkable downtown district, while strolls along the Cliff Walk and harbour cruises on vintage sailing yachts offer stunning coastal views. Of Newport’s many sunset vantage points, the rooftop at the Grace Vanderbilt offers one of the best. [Photo courtesy Visit Newport]
2/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 4Virginia’s Wine Country – Home to more than 280 wineries across seven designated viticultural regions, wine production in bucolic Virginia State has never been more prolific or readily accessible through tours, events and festivals and bespoke hotel packages. Case in point: Lansdowne Resort and Spa’s The Good Life Getaway includes options for vinotherapy spa treatments, a guided winery excursion and golf and tennis lessons, too. [Photo: Barboursville Winery. Photo © Darron Franta/Franta Photography]
3/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 5Québec Calling – Montréal’s always-hot culinary scene is reason enough to book a weekend getaway north of the border. Do as locals do and head for The Plateau and Mile End neighbourhoods, where buzzy newcomers such as Japanese brasserie Kozu coexist with institutions including L’Express and Schwartz’s, which stay open until the wee hours of the morning to satiate hungry late-night crowds. Further north still, the elegant Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Québec City is celebrating its 125th anniversary all year long.
4/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 6Baja Style – Mexico’s northernmost state, Baja California, has long been known for its surf breaks, coastal towns, sunny days and seriously delicious eats – Baja gave the world the fish taco. In more recent years, a grassroots culinary movement has taken Baja cuisine to a whole new level. Decamp to eco lodge Encuentro Guadalupe or whimsical bubble hotel Campera Hotel Burbuja in Valle de Guadalupe, the epicentre of the action, for a gastronomic getaway with a distinctly Baja ethos. [Photo courtesy Encuentro Guadalupe]
5/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 7Caribbean au Natural – There’s something so very charmant about Guadeloupe and Martinique, sister island nations in the Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles, where days on end can be spent exploring pristine beaches, hiking scenic trails, and snorkelling and diving in protected marine reserves with few souls in sight. As the islands are French overseas territories, it’s a given that the local cuisine – authentic Creole, the freshest seafood, chef preparations with a French-Caribbean twist – is utterly delicious. [Photo: The Guadeloupe Islands, courtesy GITB]
6/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 8Chilean Immersion – There’s no better home base from which to explore Chile’s cosmopolitan capital of Santiago than Lastarria, the historic neighbourhood known for its cultural offerings, restaurants and boutique hotels. Get your bearings with an amble to the top of Cerro Santa Lucia, the hilly park that marks where Santiago was founded. Plot tomorrow’s activities – a museum visit, lunch at Mercado Central, a stroll through hip Barrio Italia, perhaps? – over a tasting flight at Bocanáriz wine bar, a local institution that’s dedicated to Chilean varietals.
7/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 9Bucket List Views – South America’s largest waterfall, known as Iguazú Falls or Iguaçu Falls, divides Brazil from Argentina with an awe-inspiring panorama that includes hundreds of cascades – the largest section is nearly 2,700 metres wide and more than 80 metres tall. After a day exploring the trails and scenic outlooks (there are helicopter and boat tours, too), indulge in a little R&R at Meliá Iguazú, where lush, jungle views and the thundering sound of the falls are omnipresent, even poolside.
8/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 10Lake District As Muse – Rugged landscapes marked by mountain peaks, glacial lakes and only the occasional signs of civilisation, it’s easy to see how England’s northern Lake District has inspired British writers, poets and artists for generations. Whether your idea of romance is getting lost in nature at the Lake District National Park or simply cosying up in a medieval castle, a getaway to the Lake District feels worlds away, without really being too far at all. [Photo Credit: VisitBritain/Joe Cornish]
9/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 11Overwater Retreat – Inspired by the neolithic stilt houses that once stood on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel, Hôtel Palafitte’s overwater bungalows were designed with 21st-century romantic escapes in mind. Views of Switzerland’s largest lake and the Swiss Alps are beautifully framed at every vantage point, from the hotel’s entrance pavilion and restaurant terrace to the deep soak bathtub and private balcony of your bungalow, which includes a ladder entrance to the lake. Leisure activities include swimming, cycling, SUP and sunset apéritifs. [Photo Credit: Erin Lindholm]
10/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 12By Boat, By Train – If a sojourn to see Norway’s fjords is on the list, what you might not realise is that it’s possible to transverse a large section in less than 24 hours with the classic Norway in a Nutshell tour, which can start or end in Oslo or Bergen. Your best bet? Add an overnight in a scenic fjord town such as Flåm or Gudvangen – or start your getaway even further away in Copenhagen, and book a premium cabin on the overnight DFDS Ferry to Oslo.
11/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 13Atlantic Outpost – Located roughly 1,300 kilometres west of Portugal, the Azores Islands are poised to become the next Iceland: a stopover destination between Europe and the Americas that’s also a getaway destination in its own right. This temperate, mid-Atlantic archipelago of nine primary islands offers everything from surfing to hiking, biking to bird watching, deep-sea fishing to canoeing – and let’s not forget the vineyards, lava pools and grottos, hidden beaches, hilltop castles and hearty local cuisine. [Photo Courtesy: Azores Getaways]
12/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 14Croatia’s Northern Charms – Far closer to neighboring Italy than Croatia’s popular Dalmatian Coast, the peninsula of Istria is a singular destination along the Adriatic Sea in that it offers the best of a few worlds. Beaches, islands and sparkling blue waters, sure, but there’s also striking Roman ruins, picturesque medieval hill towns and Italian-influenced cuisine that’s often finished with shavings of freshly foraged truffles, an Istrian specialty. The coastal towns of Rovinj and Poreč are an ideal home base for exploring the region by land and sea.
13/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 15Hot Springs Hotels – From springtime’s cherry blossoms to winter’s otherworldly, snowy landscapes, Japan’s Tohoku region offers more than a few sights to behold. Some of the best views can be had from the vantage point of your own private onsen – an open-air bath fed by the waters from local hot springs. Hop on a bullet train north from Tokyo to reach hot springs hotels across Tohoku’s six prefectures, including Wabizakura, Yunushi Ichijo, Oirase Keiryu Hotel and Onyado Kawasemi.
14/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 16Temples & Sanctuaries – Making the journey to spiritual Chiang Mai, once the capital of the Lanna Kingdom in Thailand’s mountainous interior, has long been a worthy couple’s pilgrimage. Trade in your tank tops and beach coverups for loose, flowing pants and breezy, shoulder-covering tees – in Chiang Mai you’ll find plenty of hippie vibes, seriously cheap and delicious Thai eats, easy access to some of Thailand’s most important temple sites, and numerous opportunities to hang out with elephants in their natural habitat at local elephant sanctuaries.
15/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 17Nature Meets Design – Located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, with mountain views as far as the eye can see, Queenstown, New Zealand is a go-to destination for action sports lovers and outdoor enthusiasts any time of year. Now, with the opening of QT Queenstown, the newest darling from Australia’s design-centric QT Hotels & Resorts, you can have as much fun at your après-ski as you do hitting the slopes — or après boating, hiking or biking, as the case may be during Queenstown’s summer months. [Photo Courtesy: QT Hotels]
16/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 18Island Life, Down Under – A crescent-shaped paradise measuring less than 11 kilometres end to end, located in the temperate Tasman Sea off the coast of New South Wales, Lord Howe Island is everything that unspoiled island fantasies are made of. A protected World Heritage site, the remote island allows just 400 visitors at a time, but that doesn’t mean you have to rough it – accommodations range from self-catered apartments and beach houses to luxury lodges. [Photo Courtesy: Destination NSW]
17/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 19Cape Town’s Winelands – For a wine-centric getaway that’s equal parts charming, cosy and rustic, you can’t get much closer to the source than by booking an Airbnb that’s actually on the grounds of a working vineyard in Cape Town’s Winelands. Ask your hosts for the local’s scoop – no doubt they’ll be delighted to share suggestions for tasting rooms and restaurants, even some of their favourite local shops. After a leisurely day touring the region, there’s nothing quite like coming home to those incomparable vineyard views.
18/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 20Moroccan Coastal Retreat – Featuring just 12 rooms and suites on the grounds of a modern Moorish fort overlooking the Oualidia Lagoon on Morocco’s Atlantic Coast, days at La Sultana Oualidia move at an unhurried pace. A morning surf lesson or round of golf may be followed by afternoons spent lounging poolside, or nature walks to spot flamingos and other local birds. Ask and you shall receive: The staff can handily arrange such romantic experiences as picnics on the beach, couple’s spa sessions and sunset dinners, too. [Photo Courtesy La Sultana Oualidia/SLH.com]
19/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
Slide Nr 21Sky High 007 – While superlatives for Dubai roll off of the tongue with ease, there’s something undeniably “James Bond” about checking in and being whisked by an elevator to dizzying heights. The JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai currently holds the record as the world’s tallest hotel, while the Rose Rayhaan, which has a rooftop pool on the 72nd floor, is a close second. Splurge on a dinner date at Nathan Outlaw at Al Mahara, which features spectacular floor-to-ceiling aquariums. Bond-worthy, indeed.
20/21
Travel
20 Unexpected Romantic Getaways To Book Right Now.
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