9 Spectacular Hotels For A Romantic Getaway

Exquisite El Fenn, in the heart of the Marrakech medina, is a sumptuous and art-filled riad, bursting with a kaleidoscope of jewel-toned colors. There are three swimming pools (most bewitching when illuminated by candlelight as dusk falls) and a beautiful, vibrant rooftop with sublime city vistas, while the interiors boast a magnificent art collection. The bedrooms are particularly alluring, saturated in rich hues and showcasing standout features including four-poster beds, stained-glass windows, double-headed rain showers and silver roll-top tubs.

Lake Como still earns its place on any romantic list, but Passalacqua is where those in the know now linger. A restored 18th-century villa and former home to opera composer Vincenzo Bellini, this intimate, sibling property to Grand Hotel Tremezzo has heroically rejected many of the large resort tropes. With just 24 rooms spread across the main villa and two garden buildings, Passalacqua is layered and deeply seductive, with plenty of secluded areas to whisper sweet nothings in. And with frescoed ceilings, silk-lined walls and gardens that tumble theatrically down to the lake, there’s plenty of old-world grandeur too. The most romantic rooms feature roll-top baths positioned for lake views, while evenings unfold over candlelit dinners on the terrace, the water lapping gently below. It’s the impact of Lake Como, but with familiarity and soul.

For a romantic foray in the English countryside, it doesn’t get much more picturesque than Lime Wood. Close to the charming town of Lyndhurst in the New Forest National Park, wild ponies roam the sweeping drive to the wisteria-garlanded manor house. With roaring fireplaces and sink-into sofas aplenty, this is the perfect place to hole up, leaving the sumptuous bedrooms only to indulge in the locally sourced, Italian-inspired delights at Hartnett Holder & Co and unwind at the steamy and serene Herb House Spa. The two-storey Pavilion, with its freestanding bathtub in the bedroom and majestic domed ceiling, and the Lake Cabin on its own private little island, with an alfresco tub, are the most romantic rooms.

For couples drawn to drama, as well as complete seclusion, Cap Rocat delivers romance with a healthy dose of theater. Carved into a former military fortress on a private peninsula overlooking the Bay of Palma, this adults-oriented hotel feels excitingly clandestine. Suites are hewn out of the cliffside or punctuate the stone ramparts. Many have private terraces, plunge pools and candlelit outdoor baths overlooking the sea. The torchlit tunnels are positively medieval, and yet sunset dinners to the evensong of seabirds will keep the pair of you rooted in a perfectly serene present.

If your idea of a romantic night in involves books, boardgames and endless cups of tea, Goatfell could be your perfect match. Situated in Sri Lanka’s lush, undulating Hill Country, this quietly luxurious four-bedroom bungalow on a tea estate offers the ultimate home-from-home experience, with sublime views, an infinity pool and some of the best curries you’ll ever eat. Temperatures are considerably cooler here than the more tropical neighboring regions, providing ample opportunity to cozy up by the log fire in the evenings. Alfresco breakfasts in the pretty manicured gardens are a leisurely affair, leaving you feeling like there’s all the time in the world to soak up the vistas over a pot of the very finest Ceylon.

If, to you, romance means putting the rest of the world at a total remove, then Kisawa Sanctuary is hard to beat. Set on a protected stretch of Benguerra Island in the Bazaruto Archipelago, this wildly low-density retreat comprises vast, standalone residences scattered between forest, dunes and ocean. Each comes with a private infinity pool, open-air decks and a generosity of scale that give you the sense of being deliciously alone, even when the hotel is at full capacity. Spend your days drifting between near-deserted beaches – a precious commodity in the era of endless travel – and sunset boat cruises, before retreating to your residence for a private dinner with the Indian Ocean as your backdrop. It’s barefoot luxury with serious intellectual and environmental intent.

The spectacular resort of Nirjhara melds into its lush Balinese surroundings of forest, waterfall and rice fields, inviting guests to immerse themselves in its secluded sanctuary. The beautiful suites and villas are decked out in relaxing earthy hues and champion Indonesian design and works from local artisans. The Canopy suites are wonderfully designed for couples, sitting high amid the coconut trees, with their own rooftop decks complete with a large freestanding tub. But the River and Jungle Pool Pavilion villas, with their private infinity pools, might be the most show-stopping of all.

If you’re looking to add an air of Dangerous Liaisons to your getaway, it doesn’t come more thrilling than a safari sleepover. The majority of a stay at the Lion Sands Game Reserve takes place in its elegantly appointed lodges and villas; however, a next-level experience comes from a night spent in a lantern-lit treehouse surrounded by the wilderness. Bring your overnight bag for a picnic at sunset, before snuggling up in a king-size canopy bed under the stars. If rustic romance isn’t really your thing, have no fear: there are luxury rain showers built for two. And who needs Wi-Fi when you have the wildlife in the surrounding bush to watch?

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