Jade Mountain, St. Lucia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The romance factor of most intimate hideaways rarely stretches beyond chocolate on the pillows and a candlelit dinner for two. But we’ve scoured the world for the top hotels that raise the temperature on the luxuries of love. That means your own glass-mosaic infinity pool overlooking the lush landscape of St. Lucia. Or a private steam room in a Parisian love pavilion. Or a Kamasutra “seduction box” in Mykonos. You can file them all under Fantasy Fulfillment.

Las Ventanas al Paraiso
LATIN AMERICA | MEXICO | LOS CABOS
Cabo’s celebrated beach retreat takes its loving so seriously it’s hired a Director of Romance. Pick from a menu of amorous experiences, including “cinema on the beach for two,” “sea & stars massage for two,” and the “men in white” program – where male guests learn how to prepare a meal for their sweethearts. Under the guidance of a real chef, of course.

L’Hotel
EUROPE | FRANCE | PARIS
A “Pavillion d’Amour” in the early 1800s, L’Hotel is now among the most seductive Small Luxury Hotels in the world. Its six-story atrium leads off to 20 lavishly designed bedrooms, while the original cellar is home to a private steam room and Roman bath that can be booked for couples’ private use.

Nam Hai
ASIA | VIETNAM | HOI AN
Nam Hai’s private villas are set on a secluded stretch of the famed China Beach. If a private butler, outdoor shower and ocean-view vistas aren’t enough, couples can slip into the spa and have a specially prepared Love Bath, laced with “love potion” (a blend of essential oils) and flowers, topped off with champagne and canapés.

Maxim Bungalows
CARIBBEAN | DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
The magazine that gave us “Secret Sex” and “Celebrity Bastards” has, improbably, opened one of the hottest resorts in the Caribbean. To get your blood pumping, Maxim marries high luxe with high adrenaline (think kiteboarding and couples yoga). Alternatively, you can charter their 55-foot yacht for a private sunset cruise.

Tides Zihuatanejo
LATIN AMERICA | MEXICO | ZIHUATANEJO
Terracotta-tiled suites with personal plunge pools kiss this exclusive patch of Mexico’s Pacific shoreline. But it’s the resort’s private isle in an azure lagoon that sets the scene for a romantic candlelit dinner. After reaching your table by canoe, dinner begins with a menu delivered in a bottle.

Mykonos Grand
EUROPE | GREECE | MYKONOS
Perched above the beach where Shirley Valentine was filmed, the white sugar-cube boxes of Mykonos Grand offers a romantic package: Book a suite with a private pool and the hotel will throw in a personal chef, a rose petal turndown service and a Kamasutra Seduction box — which includes naughty delights like vanilla crème body soufflé and sweet honeysuckle dust.

The Fairmont Orchid
US & CANADA | US | HAWAII
After a massage in Fairmont’s waterfall gardens, retire to your oceanview suite for a special “Make Room for Romance” turndown. Then follow a trail of orchids leading to a floral heart on the bed. Champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries prep you for a steamy bath laced with salts, bubbles and floating candles.

Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire
EUROPE | ENGLAND | HAMPSHIRE
Reenact Darcy’s love for Elizabeth at this Georgian manor presiding over gorgeous heritage gardens. Couples can tour the estate by horse-drawn carriage or drift down forest canals in the hotel’s own cruiser. Pause for a picnic lunch, or better yet, learn to make “a romantic meal for two” from the executive chef in a private demo.

The Rania Experience
ASIA | MALDIVES
The ultimate fantasy-island experience where couples stay on their own private atoll in a three-bedroom villa serviced by 30 hosts (including chefs, butlers, spa therapists and scuba instructors). The $12,000-per-night package also features exclusive use of an 86-foot yacht with a jacuzzi and cinema.

Jade Mountain
CARIBBEAN | ST. LUCIA
Only 24 three-walled “sanctuaries” compose this exclusive hillside resort. With open floor plans, you can slip straight out of bed and into your couple-sized chromotherapy tub — or into your glass-tiled infinity pool with views of St. Lucia’s green-peaked Pitons.