5 Grown-Up Hotels That Are Great For A Group Of Couples

A ski trip is perhaps the ultimate group vacation – some snow-dusted romance for the loved-up, plenty of thrill-seeking for the adventurers and an indulgent and lively social scene. But it’s always important to ensure a mixed-ability vacation that also caters for those who’d rather spend a day in the spa than on the piste. While a private chalet tends to be the most obvious choice when traveling en masse, a well-chosen hotel can offer the same level of service and space. Experimental Chalet Verbier is an elegant boutique hotel, with 39 rooms gazing out over the mountains – some with their own balconies and hot tubs. Exuding alpine charm from every crevasse, great après-ski options are right on hand – from the convivial Le St Bernard restaurant to the signature Experimental Cocktail Club and the intimate, long-established Farm Club, where you can party until you’re ready to roll straight into bed.

Sitting at a beach bar, soundtracked by gently crashing waves, sipping on a mezcal, surrounded by close friends… It’s the kind of vacation memory that will sustain you long after you get home. Renowned for immersing its guests in awe-inspiring sceneries, Our Habitas hotels are centered on experiences that foster community, making them ideal for a group vacation. The flagship property in Tulum lies between the Mayan jungle and the Caribbean Sea, with the 42 guest rooms – each with its own outdoor terrace and rain shower – connected by pathways surrounded by verdant trees and lush vegetation. Yoga, sound baths, hiking, swimming (both in the pool on the hotel’s private beach and in nearby cenotes), spa treatments and guided visits to ancient ruins are just some of the pastimes that people can immerse themselves in – with loungers on the sand and hammocks suspended from the trees for those moments when some solo chill-out time is needed.

Teetering at an impressive altitude of 1,550 meters (so out-of-the-way that it is only accessible by cable car), Eriro is a majestic but boutique sanctuary with just nine sublimely designed suites and an inviting ‘home from home’ atmosphere. Clad in local wood and wool, with vast picture windows, the interiors allow the surroundings (of mountains blanketed by dense forest and velvety snow) to sing, while fires roar inside for unparalleled snugness. Opportunities for group bonding span guided barefoot hikes, outdoor meditations, mountain biking, skiing, local craft workshops, expert-led wellness retreats and even trying the traditional practice of yodeling. The large communal table lends itself perfectly to dining together, where the chef serves Tyrolean-inspired dishes rooted in the ever-changing landscape.

Florence is for the romantics, making it a steadfast and much-loved choice for a couples trip. With a superlative perch above the city skyline, and views spanning from the Duomo di Firenze to the rolling Tuscan hills, Auberge Collection’s new opening, Collegio alla Querce, celebrates the storied allure and architecture of its setting – and offers plenty to keep everyone enamored. The renaissance-era villa was once an educational institution (consider this the most stylish and sophisticated school trip of all time, perhaps?) and now features 83 guest rooms, an original chapel and theater, and glorious gardens where olive and oak trees encircle a beautiful outdoor pool. Everyone can choose exactly how they wile away the time, with experiences including pasta and pastry cooking classes, insider tours of Florence, and Ferrari driving through the Tuscan countryside – before coming back together in the evening for aperitivo in the bar, which was once the principal’s office.

For a walk on the wild side, a safari vacation is sure to be one of the most memorable collective experiences you can have – and an expertly laid-out itinerary means little effort is required from the planner of the group. Under the renowned Singita umbrella of luxe lodges and camps, Milele has opened as a remote and exquisite hillside villa in the Tanzanian Serengeti. It is ideal to take out in its entirety – 10 guests sleep across the five suites named after the collective nouns for the region’s most famous residents: giraffe, lion, cheetah, zebra and rhino (Journey, Pride, Coalition, Dazzle and Crash). Days are spent between once-in-a-lifetime game drives in the bush and unwinding in the villa’s infinity pool, spa, lounges and cozying up in the movie room.

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