Top Romantic Hotels for Couples Getaways

Before she had even left, Tiffany Dowd was planning her next couples escape to The Brando, an exclusive resort on its own private atoll in the South Pacific. “I kept asking my husband over and over when we could come back,” the global luxury hotel expert shared. During their stay in a beachfront villa, with its private infinity pool and outdoor soaking tub, Dowd and her husband snorkeled, enjoyed spa treatments, and took part in Polynesian cultural activities (she learned to palm weave; he learned to play the ukulele). “It’s one of the few places in the world I have truly felt away from it all,” she remembered. “You feel like you are in a postcard-perfect setting and it’s just the two of you.” Although it’s not just the two of you, of course. The Brando has 35 villas catered to by a staff of 200. However, good design — and that whole private island aspect — make everything and everyone else drift away. “The Brando feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you must experience again and again,” Dowd added.

Readers’ Choice for Romantic Hotels

Every year, iBestTravel conducts a survey asking readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — sharing their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more.

This year’s survey echoed Dowd’s affection for The Brando, giving it a perfect score for romance. Significantly, several other romantic hotels also received flawless marks, emphasizing a commitment to discreet, personalized service and the opportunity for couples to enjoy intimate moments in gorgeous settings, whether a Tahitian atoll, rural Vermont, or Argentina’s picturesque wine country.

15. Cavas Wine Lodge, Argentina

Cavas Wine Lodge offers a luxurious escape for wine lovers in Argentina’s Mendoza wine region. Each of its 18 rooms features stunning views of the Andes mountains, creating the perfect backdrop for couples relaxing on their private decks equipped with outdoor showers and plunge pools. After a day biking or horseback riding through the vineyards, guests can unwind with massages at the spa, where wine therapy treatments include a crushed Malbec scrub and a Torrontés wrap.

14. Farmhouse Inn, California

In the forests of the Russian River Valley, this luxurious compound of cream-yellow buildings surrounding a nineteenth-century farmhouse epitomizes barnyard chic. Featherbeds, oversized fireplaces, and jet tubs stocked with handcrafted organic soaps and bath bombs make each of the 25 spa-like rooms a romantic hideaway. A team of five concierges attentively manages guests’ needs, arranging sommelier-led private wine tours, soothing couple’s sessions at the inn’s farm-to-massage-table spa, and dinner reservations at the region’s top restaurants. The Farmhouse Inn’s Michelin-starred restaurant is a Sonoma institution.

13. Castello di Casole—A Timbers Resort, Italy

This Medieval estate-turned-luxury resort is surrounded by vineyards of Cabernet, Sangiovese, and Petit Verdot varietals, along with century-old olive groves. Most of the 4,100 acres boast hilly forests and meadows, crisscrossed by walking paths and home to pheasant and deer. When guests aren’t exploring the extensive grounds or sampling wines, they indulge in treatments at the spa or participate in private cooking classes featuring local truffles. If considering a proposal, the property can connect couples with a local jeweler to create a custom engagement ring.

12. Manoir Hovey, Canada

Set in rural Quebec, Manoir Hovey was originally a grand summer home, and it still evokes a sense of escape. The 30-acre property hugs Lake Massawippi, with 37 elegant rooms overlooking the calm waters. Couples can enjoy warm-weather activities like canoeing, swimming, and hiking, or cozy up next to their fireplaces during winter, enjoying s’mores and house-made hot chocolate.

1. (tie) Nihi Sumba, Indonesia

With thatched villas featuring canopy beds and plunge pools, Nihi Sumba is a remote eco-resort surrounded by 400 acres of tropical jungle and 1.5 miles of private, white-sand beachfront. Here, adventure-loving couples can live out their Robinson Crusoe fantasies together. Surfers test their skills at Occy’s Left, a challenging reef break just offshore. To enhance privacy, couples can reserve the new Rahasia Villa, nestled on a hilltop behind Nihioka Spa, far from other guests.

1. (tie) Rosewood CordeValle, California

Nestled in the Northern California hills, Rosewood CordeValle is a preferred weekend getaway for Bay Area residents seeking romance. Rooms feature cream tones with wooden and leather accents, fireplaces, and private patios overlooking the 18-hole golf course. Couples often take a break after the sixth hole, where the entryway to Clos La Chance winery promises private tastings. For a more immersive experience, couples can enjoy a joint massage at the resort’s Sense Spa, featuring the Vineyard Vitality treatment that uses grape seeds in a soothing body scrub.

1. (tie) Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, Italy

Travelers seeking love under the Tuscan sun head to Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, perched atop one of Val d’Orcia’s scenic hills. This 5,000-acre estate, formerly a village, features a Medieval town center and eerie Etruscan ruins. The resort’s renowned service starts even before check-in; for instance, a couple arriving from Monte Carlo was treated to wine tasting in the vineyard before even reaching reception. At a panoramic lookout, they sipped on Brunello di Montalcino, where a proposal occurred just as the sun was setting.

1. (tie) Petit St. Vincent, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

With no Wi-Fi, telephones, or televisions, Petit St. Vincent encourages guests to embrace the moment. In this idyllic Caribbean setting, enjoying beach barbecues and stargazing in private stone-and-timber cottages that open to secluded sundecks, luxury takes on a new meaning.

1. (tie) Amandari, Indonesia

Privacy reigns at Amandari, a stunning resort set above the Ayung River gorge. Local paras stone walls provide complete seclusion for the 30 freestanding suites, which open onto lush gardens through glass doors. Couples should make a beeline to the blissful spa adjacent to a lotus pond and enjoy a private dinner at Amandari’s teak and bamboo bale, framed by tropical flowers and rice paddies.

1. (tie) Cala de Mar Resort & Spa Ixtapa, Mexico

Cala de Mar Resort & Spa Ixtapa features 54 suites arranged ingeniously down a seaside cliff, creating the sensation of seclusion. Every room boasts outdoor terraces overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with secluded, infinity-edge plunge pools hidden from other guests, establishing a romantic atmosphere for couples.

1. (tie) Londolozi, South Africa

Londolozi is celebrated for its five distinct safari camps lining the Sand River in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Game Reserve. The wildlife viewing is sublime, specializing in leopard spotting, with opportunities to see elephants, water buffalos, and white rhinos. The attentive service, Michelin-worthy cuisine, and stunning accommodations earned Londolozi a perfect score in the romance category this year. Couples can opt for the exclusive Granite Suites camp, featuring private pools and remote locations for ultimate intimacy.

1. (tie) The Brando, Tahiti

Once considered a retreat for Tahitian royalty, Tetiaroa atoll became Marlon Brando’s private escape in the 1960s. Now, The Brando allows couples from around the world to enjoy an ultra-romantic stay in one of 35 indoor-outdoor villas, each featuring a private pool. Champagne picnics for two, torch-lit dinners under the stars, and secluded beach walks are standard experiences, earning The Brando a perfect romance score this year.

1. (tie) Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, Thailand

Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, located on Thailand’s Laem Yai peninsula, has hosted many marriage proposals since opening a decade ago. Couples praise the resort for its romantic amenities, including sunset massages, candle-lit seaside dinners, and private yacht excursions on the property’s yacht, Minor Affair.

1. (tie) Twin Farms, Vermont

Couples adore Twin Farms, a 300-acre, adults-only retreat nestled in Vermont. With a plethora of activities (from canoeing in pristine waters to skiing in winter), the resort excels in culinary arts as well. Couples can enjoy an intimate meal cooked by the chef at the private chef’s table or arrange a decadent picnic on the expansive grounds. A recommended accommodation is the Aviary Cottage, a two-story glass, stone, and cedar-timber house featuring a sunken hot tub and cozy fireplace.

1. (tie) The Inn at Willow Grove, Virginia

Set at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, The Inn at Willow Grove is this year’s top romantic hotel, receiving the highest number of perfect-score votes from readers. After sampling the finest vintages from Virginia’s wine country, couples return to the inn—a historic Federalist manor with a grand portico—for nightly canapés and dinner at the gastropub. Afterward, they retire to elegantly appointed rooms or private cottages, many with gas fireplaces, while waiting for their house-made beignet delivery.