Post Ranch Inn’s Tree House
Photo Courtesy of Post Ranch Inn
This year, Valentine’s Day falls on Saturday, which means you have a whole weekend (or longer) to pamper a loved one or even yourself. Instead of taking a table at your local go-to restaurant, book a trip to prolong the celebration at one of these seven luxury hotels:
Auberge Saint-Antoine
There’s no need to fly to Paris for an ultra-romantic setting when you can jet to charming Quebec, where this Forbes Travel Guide Recommended hotel’s restaurant, Panache, will debut a unique twist on the traditional, six-course tasting menu. Scallops, sole, venison and other dishes at the Four-Star eatery will be prepared two ways — one manner for men (with more robust flavors) and another for women (with simple, gentle tastes). In between bites, you’ll get a chance to check out the newly refurbished décor, too.
Post Ranch Inn
Head to Big Sur for a rustic-chic California retreat for two at this Four-Star resort. The Romance at the Ranch package is ideal for the holiday weekend: It includes three nights in a luxurious treehouse-like guest room with tender touches (a fireplace, big soaking tub), two dinners at onsite Four-Star Sierra Mar Restaurant, two one-hour treatments (or a single couple’s session) at the Four-Star Post Ranch Spa and bubbly with keepsake crystal flutes. The Pacific coast couldn’t be more cozy.
Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, Photo Courtesy of Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
Nice weather is practically guaranteed in San Diego — even in February. All month long you can book the La Jolla Love Story package at the 10-acre seaside resort. The deal comes with an overnight stay plus a $160 dining credit to any of the three onsite dining options. Our pick is the Valentine’s Day three-course, prix fixe dinner at Adobe El Restaurante. The meal will feature options like seafood bisque, pan-seared Scottish salmon and crème brûlèe with blackberries and strawberries.
The Cloister
Booking a room at this Five-Star treasure on Georgia’s beautiful Sea Island over Cupid’s favorite weekend is smart. Why? Because you and your significant other deserve something different this year. On February 13 and 14, the resort will host its second annual Creativity Conference, a two-day program for thinking trekkers that includes talks and Q&As with professors (Dr. Rodney Brooks of MIT), photographers (Mark W. Moffett) and Pulitzer Prize winners (Rita Dove). Cerebral stimulation is sexy, too (plus, you can take breaks at the Five-Star spa to boot).
The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou, Photo Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou
The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou
At any time of year, guests at this Chinese gem don’t lack for dining choices, but come February, several of the onsite restaurants will provide over-the-top epicurean experiences with a pinch of passion. At Italian eatery Limoni, for instance, indulge in a special cheese and chocolate fondue spread. The Valentine’s Day menu at Lai Heen, the property’s authentic Cantonese restaurant, will include delicacies such as king prawn with black truffles and two glasses of sparkling wine. A selection of prime entrées from Paris (beef café de Paris, frog legs in herb butter) will be available at popular buffet spot Foods as well.
The Jade Hotel
Greenwich Village offers the type of amorous ambience not easily found in other cities. Most men know this much. Where things get a little dicey for some fellows is in actually expressing these qualities to their significant other. Thankfully, Forbes Travel Guide Recommended The Jade Hotel’s Man Proof package does all the heavy lifting by supplying a well-appointed room, a bottle of Moet and a dozen roses. All that’s left for the guy to do is grab his lady’s hand for a walk around the neighborhood’s cobblestoned streets and a few photos in front of the endlessly charming buildings.
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
While the world of Disney may not be the first thing to come to mind in early February, perhaps a stay at this fun-filled resort should be. Though Mickey might be a mere three miles away, these opulent digs have a side that’s unapologetic in their maturity. There’s an adults-only pool, romantic rooftop Sky-High Steakhouse overlooking the nightly fireworks at Magic Kingdom, and luxe treatments available in the couples’ spa suites. During the day, head out for a round of golf or, if you want to let out your inner tyke, visit one of the Disney theme parks — perhaps Epcot where you can have dinner in “Paris” and dessert in “Morocco”?
