Today might celebrate a certain St Valentine, but you needn’t pour your heart and soul into just 24 hours in some mad Jason Statham-paced courtship. We’ve shortlisted some of the most romantic hotel rooms around the world for more leisurely love-ins over the other 364 days a year. Read on for chic treehouses, heritage hideaways and secluded nests…
UK
The Twenty Two: The Terrace Suite
No catches – except your sweetheart – at the Twenty Two, a Mayfair stay that has hotel lovers buzzing like the bees St Valentine is also patron saint of. This suite is a bankable contender for most romantic hotel room in the UK, saucily flaunting designer Natalia Miyar’s 18th-century-inspired decor, with theatre-curtain-red velvets, gilding and checkerboard tiling. Its terrace is a rare piece of London real estate and its clawfoot tub inviting enough to Tetris yourselves into.
Why we love it so
– Butler on call (or simply dial ‘22’ for whatever you wish)
– An expansive emperor-size bed
– Views across gracious Grosvenor Square
Boys Hall: Bishop’s Quarter
Forget what the butler saw – Kent stay Boys Hall has spared no plushness for the bishop’s 16th-century quarters. Alongside fabrics you’ll want to lovingly pet, there’s original wood-panelling and stone mullion windows, wood beams, a nook with leafy views for penning odes in, and a copper bath tub for sparkling soaks. And, this room once bedded a king (Charles I, as he – less romantically – fled Cromwell’s forces).
Why we love it so
– Historic pedigree
– Laden drinks trolley
– Antiques gifted from Windsor Castle, no less
FRANCE
Toile Blanche: Suite du Bon-Vivant
Petite South of France village Saint-Paul-de-Vence is majestically mediaeval, but thanks to patronage from Picasso, Sartre, Chagall and other cultural icons over the years it’s become a modern-art haven too. In this suite, Toile Blanche brings picturesque rusticity and post-Internet creativity together, punching up earthy hues and organic shapes with the Leroy Brothers’ bold digital works and burnished furnishings. While the terrace and private pool give you the region’s time-old, happy-as-the-day-is-long summer living.
Why we love it so
– Best of past and present
– Spa-style bathing
– Leafy lounging
ITALY
La Foleia: Villa Ottagonale
La Foleia’s a hop from Milan, but feels like strolling hand in hand into a Monet, with Giverny-esque gardens and a waterlily-padded lake. Amid maples and cypresses are two villas (a tiny take on nearby Lake Maggiore), which bring romance like an aroused Romantic poet, with frescoes, vine-braided pergolas, day-beds to faint on when it’s all too much… You’ll fall for both, but blush-hued Ottagonale wins out for its glasshouse and light-filled day room.
Why we love it so
– Stepping off your terrace into the hotel’s painted rowboat
– Neoclassical styling
– A bathroom ceiling studded with stars
Faro Punta Imperatore: Maestrale
Lighthouse-keeping was gruelling work, so Faro Punta Imperatore might be a curious choice for one of the most romantic hotel rooms in Italy. But, settle on this Ischian hideaway’s God-aspect clifftop perch, take in the tumult of the waves and be wooed by the song of the sea, and you’ll get it. There are four rooms, but Maestrale sees the most sea (which is why you’re here) and maybe even a glimpse of sundown’s rare ‘green flash’ phenomenon.
Why we love it so
– The sea, the sea
– A thrilling cliff-hanger
– A look into old-school island living
SPAIN
Vestige Son Vell: Grand Suite
Centuries-old Menorcan agricultural estate Vestige Son Vell has teased citrus orchards, olive groves and a kitchen garden out of its grounds, but it’s love that blooms eternal here. This suite is large enough to practically be your own farmhouse, but less roll in the hay, and much more clinking wine glasses by the flickering candles in the fireplace, playfully splashing about in the plunge-pool-size bath tub, and dreaming together under chandelier light.
Why we love it so
– Classic countryside courting
– Verdant island views
– Soft lights and peaceful nights
Grand Hotel Son Net: Grand Suite Antonio Torrandell
Mallorcan nobility of the 17th century had a more-is-more, ‘look at my wealth’ approach to decor, which may be a touch braggy, but does make for some of Spain’s most romantic hotel rooms. In coral-hued castillo Grand Hotel Son Net, this suite named for a celebrated Mallorquin composer reaches a crescendo of pattern, colour and accentuation in recreating it as it was in its past palatial life.
Why we love it so
– Far-reaching views of Puigpunyet’s village and valley
– As-they-were architectural flourishes
– Residence-style layout
CROATIA
Zori Timeless Hotel: Cloud Residence
And now, a romantic hotel room for minimalists (who need love too), on teeny, car-free Croatian island Sveti Klement. In Zori Timeless Hotel’s stone-and-glass stays, spareness sparks joy, whether it’s clean lines, the play of light, the odd sculptural curve and a burnt-sienna hue on walls to enliven things. But quiet decadence rules, with a veiled bed, private pool and a Jacuzzi on the roof.
Why we love it so
– Low-key luxury and uncluttered calm
– Hammocks and cushioned nooks
– Views of Vinogradišće bay
MOROCCO
Olinto Atlas Mountain Retreat: Pavilion with Private Pool
Head to the roof of these very secluded pavilions at Olinto Retreat and you’ll get Atlas Mountain panoramas that’ll have you spinning ecstatically around in dervish style. A dance you may well carry out through the garden terrace and private pool, into your cocoon of zouack-ed woods, mashrabiya screens, twinkling lanterns and objets handpicked by the music-loving founder with impeccable taste, Prince Fabrizio Ruspoli di Poggio Suasa.
Why we love it so
– Well away from prying eyes
– Astonishing scenes
– Rare antiques and artworks
ZIMBABWE
Victoria Falls River Lodge: Starbed Treehouse
Dreamy by name, and the place for dreaming by nature, Victoria Falls River Lodge’s treehouse-style suites hang out over the Zambezi’s waters from leafy enclaves of Kandahar Island, which can only be reached by boat, so you’re guaranteed alone time. And, with all this privacy, you don’t need walls, so most have been taken out to maximise the view and let you dine, snooze and bathe almost entirely alfresco.
Why we love it so
– ‘Swalk’ on the wild side
– Clothes-free candour
– Rooftop reveries with a second bed up top
INDONESIA
Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape: Above The Waterfall Pool Bale
Balinese retreat Buahan already won the ‘location, location, location’ lottery – surrounded by Ubud’s stadia worth of palms rolling out to mountainous peaks. But this bale, set – as its name suggests – above the waterfall, has the added benefit of soothing rushing-water sounds and elevated aspects, while expansive terraces, a private pool and treehouse-style gazebo offer ample opportunity for marvelling at it all.
Why we love it so
– Magically misty mornings and fireflies dancing after dark
– Flower-strewn open-air baths
– Do-not-disturb setting
Stone House Bali: Farmhouse
At Stone House, follow a wooden bridge and paths strewn with marigold petals to find tropical tranquillity – and what might be Bali’s most romantic hotel room – at this traditional limasan dwelling, which has been relocated here and given some luxury touches. These include a veil-swathed four-poster bed, indoor-outdoor bamboo-lined bathroom, and treasures from the owner’s travels throughout Asia, alongside Javanese finds.
Why we love it so
– Swoonsome and sustainable
– Rice-paddy views (and maybe even glimpses of local farmers tending their animals)
– Copper-lined barrel tub to wallow in
UNITED STATES
Casa Cipriani New York: Premier River View Suite with Terrace
A private terrace is the holy grail of New York’s most romantic luxury hotel rooms, especially one that overlooks both Lady Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge, more than earning this suite the ‘premier’ in its name. Sprung from the Italian dining and drinking dynasty and hosting a very exclusive NYC members’ club in the Battery Maritime Building, Casa Cipriani’s rooms add Continental refinement to old-school Manhattan.
Why we love it so
– Big-deal Italian names: walls lined in Loro Piana cashmere, Rivolta Carmignani linens…
– Club access
– Cocktails with iconic views
Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel: Landscape Reflections Atrium
Looking for spiritual connection in somewhere remarkably scenic? Get caught up in Sedona’s energy-swirling vortexes, crystal charges and healing therapies. And magic in its earthly form comes cube-shaped at Ambiente, whose standalone dwellings have window walls for gazing over Red Rock formations and the Coconino National Forest from either your bed or fire pit-warmed terrace.
Why we love it so
– Adults-only peace
– Sparkling Dark Sky nights
– Imax-style window walls
The Georgian: The First Lady Suite
Pack your pillbox hat and perfect your Transatlantic accent: the Georgian’s penthouse suite will make you come over all Jackie O; or – after revels at the discrete Georgian Room bar – Marilyn Monroe, who was rumoured to have stayed with the latter’s husband. Complicated affairs aside, this room embodies easy-breezy Cali-of-old coolness (scalloped headboards, mid-century furnishings, a glinting personal bar) set for glamorous goings-on.
Why we love it so
– Buttons to press for champagne, dessert, book club, or ‘the usual’ (a more tailored treat)
– A turntable with vinyl and Polaroid Instax camera to play with
– Ocean vistas
ECUADOR
Hacienda La Danesa: The Garden Cottage
Go the extra mile (or several) beyond that box of chocolates, and whisk your loved one to an Ecuadorian cacao and sugar-cane plantation at Hacienda La Danesa, where you’ll handcraft your own. That’s a small part of the rural frolicking to be had on this ethically run farm estate, where you sleep in verdure-buffered hideaways made from restored teak and found river stones, where you’ll sway in crochet hammocks, admire local crafts and maybe even tap out a hand drum solo.
Why we love it so
– Free tropical fruits to feed each other
– Wake-up calls with rich Ecuadorian coffee
– Binoculars for bird-spotting
MEXICO
Coqui Coqui Casa de los Santos: Convent Suite
Set in cheer-bringing ‘Yellow City’ Izamal, this Mexican perfumería-with-one-room Coqui Coqui Casa goes all in on it, hanging candelabra and chandeliers, installing side-by-side freestanding bath tubs, laying floral floor tiles and setting up an elegant bed with a wrought-iron frame. You’ll feel extra special. And, it may be called ‘the Convent’ and sport a few crucifixes, but we’re pretty sure him upstairs will turn a blind eye to some bad habits here…
Why we love it so
– Your own terrace and plunge pool
– Utter exclusivity
– Styling with story-book romance
Boca de Agua: Master Pool Treehouse
Japan’s wabi-sabi concept embraces the idea that ‘life is fleeting’ in its impermanent organic designs. So, you may as well enjoy them and each other in the now, especially at Boca de Agua, where its deployed with heart-racing deft, in treehouses where slatted walls let in the many colours of the jungle and Laguna de Bacalar, and you’re surrounded by Mexican Modernist furnishings and artwork by native artist Marina Silva.
Why we love it so
– Grown-up treetop retreats
– Extremely eco-friendly attitude
– Spider-monkey sightings
CARIBBEAN
The Aerial BVI: Dream
Set on an island dedicated to wellness, where there’s a ranch for rescued ponies, zebras and tortoises, all-inclusive stay the Aerial BVI encourages flights of fantasy. And the Dream suite is its strongest conduit, where – before you hit its eponymous state – you’ll idle evenings away on the star-gazing deck, play peekaboo in the stone bath tub, and cosily tangle together in a circular bed.
Why we love it so
– Mindful luxury
– Panoramas from a high perch
– Evergreen honeymoon feel
BRAZIL
Kenoa Resort: Kenoa Villa
Quality time might be measured by the company, but we’re sure any couple will agree some of that judgement is directed towards where it’s spent. Kenoa Resort may have a just-next-door nature reserve to explore, but really, its signature villa is where you close the door and forget all about that, as you lower yourself into the seagrass garden’s solar-heated plunge pool with something rummy in hand and sunbathe together by the shore.
Why we love it so
– Fragrant soaks in the Japanese ofuro tub
– Breakfast, lunch and dinner-ing in bed with the bluest of views
– Thoughtful eco-chic
And lean further into the romantic hotel room fantasy with open-air hideouts, suites with private pools and the hottest honeymoon retreats… Or, get a room for someone you love.
