Hand-crafted, luxury experiences curated by our team—speak to our concierge to learn more
By
Ina Yulo Stuve
on
1st January 2024
We all know that setting time aside to clear your mind and recharge is good for your mental health and wellbeing.
Couples deserve to get away! They work hard and they play harder. So how do you get away from it all to rekindle that spark of romance which the ennui of everyday life can inevitably smother?
By heading off to a luxury couples retreat.
We know that setting time aside to clear your mind and recharge is good for your mental health and wellbeing.
However, aside from the personal benefits that taking a relaxing holiday can bring, many forget that it can also be healthy for your relationship. Enjoying a long walk on the beach while holding hands and watching the sun go down can help unplug from the noise that distracts you from what matters the most in life — your significant other.
Of course, you could do it all on a budget, but why take a chance with something mediocre when you can go for the best, the crème-de-la-crème of romantic getaways where love has been known to blossom?
With that in mind, we present our list of the 15 best luxury couples retreats that will undoubtedly make you fall in love with your significant other all over again.
From Portugal to the Philippines, and from Santorini to South Africa, here is our curated list of the 15 best luxury couples retreats in 2024.
What if we told you about a hotel that is made entirely of ice? What if we also told you that everything inside the hotel — from its furniture to its wine glasses — are also made of ice? And what if we told you that each year, all of this is made anew, by a different set of artists, from a different part of the world, and according to a different decor and style?
Welcome to The Icehotel in Sweden, the world’s first ice hotel, and perhaps one of the most unique resorts anywhere in the world.
Located in the small hamlet of Jukkasjarvi in the northern corner of Sweden, this is a hotel, which is, quite literally, located at the end of the world. Despite its remoteness, this romantic retreat does not compromise on luxury. There’s a sauna at the hotel, and for those who may prefer something less adventurous, the hotel provides beautifully designed rooms and chalets in an adjacent building.
Couples can enjoy fun activities together such as dog sledding, skiing, and snowmobiling. If you choose to visit the Icehotel in the summer, you can even enjoy river rafting and fishing. Being so close to the North Pole, the hotel also offers midnight safaris that allow guests to experience the truly magical northern lights and the midnight sun. And of course, the most unique part of the stay is learning to craft beautiful sculptures out of ice by one of Icehotel’s resident master sculptors.
If this sounds like an experience you would love to have with your better half, you can book your stay at the Icehotel here.
How does a hotel in Santa Claus’ hometown sound for a romantic retreat? If you like the idea, the Octola Lodge is the perfect romantic getaway. Located in Lapland, the northernmost region of Finland, and popularly known as the home of Santa Claus, Lapland is a place of unsurpassed beauty. And the Octola Lodge is the finest luxury retreat in all of Lapland.
Featuring 2 chalets and 12 suites in 740 acres of pine and fir-covered Arctic wilderness, the Octola Lodge is built in the style of traditional Nordic nomadic architecture. The lodge has a spa and a jacuzzi and all rooms have eco-friendly, geothermal heating. Its dedicated team of expert chefs pamper guests with the most mouth-watering Nordic cuisine. And once they feel well-fed and warm, guests can head out to enjoy some Arctic adventures such as snowmobiling, tobogganing, and sledding.
Or alternatively, you can just cuddle in your room with your special someone, and watch reindeer frolic in the snow under the spectacular northern lights.
St. Lucia is a tropical paradise in the Caribbean made up of gorgeous rainforest-covered hills, warm blue waters of the Atlantic, and mile upon mile of white sandy beaches.
The Ladera Resort is a secluded hideaway within this paradise that boasts breathtaking views of the Pitons, one of the most famous volcanoes in the Caribbean. Located on a ridge 1000 ft. above the Caribbean Sea, the resort has a private beach and spa, as well as an on-site restaurant with a menu featuring local ingredients.
It has all the trimmings of a top resort: immaculately maintained grounds, excellent food and service, and a spa offering treatments from around the world. The resort offers 36 villas and suites on its own private peninsula on the Caribbean Sea, just a short boat ride from the island capital of Castries. Ladera’s beachfront setting is perfect for romantic walks and sunset strolls.
The resort has an eco-friendly approach to sustainability, so guests can enjoy the best of both worlds – luxury and adventure. Guests have access to watersports on the beach, including kayaking and paddle boarding, as well as snorkelling trips to Jacques Cousteau’s famous ‘murder hole’ in nearby Anse Chastanet.
What’s more, you can even indulge yourself in a 10-day private yacht tour of St. Lucia that takes you around this Caribbean paradise aboard a luxury boat. You can book this languid St. Lucia yacht tour for you and your partner here.
For adventure-seeking couples who find that there's no better way to bond than with an adrenaline rush, the Hotel Samzeo is the perfect retreat. A member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts brand, the boutique hotel is hidden within the mountains of Georgia and makes for the perfect jump-off point for a range of outdoor activities like hiking and horseback riding.
Hotel Samzeo brings the beauty of the historic Tusheti region indoors with rustic wood furnishings, stone pillars, and traditional Georgian art. The entire hotel runs on solar energy and guests can fully unwind at either the on-site luxury spa or in one of the property's many nooks with views of the surrounding peaks.
The Samzeo is a warm and welcoming property with only 14 rooms. Which means couples can enjoy each other’s company without a crowd to distract them, making it the ideal romantic retreat.
The Longevity Hotel is a resort in Portugal’s famous Algarve coastal region, known for its sandy beaches, clear Atlantic coastline, and golf results. That in itself makes it a romantic retreat worth exploring. However, what makes it special is that it is a hotel with a theme — health and wellness.
This adults only retreat encourages guests to experience their unique 360-degree approach to health and wellness which includes detox solutions, nutritional guidance, meditation therapies, sports injury rehabilitation packages, complete body checkups and monitoring, and much more.
With a dedicated team of doctors, nutritionists, and therapists, visitors will benefit from progressive treatments that centre around the hotel's key values of restoration and regeneration. Whether it's just a holistic checkup or an energy rebalancing programme, embarking on a journey towards better health is always better with your loved one by your side.
You're driving up the dirt road amidst coconut trees and suddenly the lush greenery opens up and reveals The Farm. Less than two hours outside of Manila, this healing sanctuary is a favourite for couples looking for a detox retreat.
All the treatments and programmes at The Farm are fixated around five pillars: diagnose, cleanse, nourish, repair, and sustain. They have a vegan restaurant called Alive! where everything is organic and dishes are created with produce and ingredients from their land. The sprawling grounds make it easy for you and your loved one to find a quiet space to talk and unwind and programmes are developed on a bespoke basis.
The team makes sure to ask about elements of your relationship with your partner that you'd like to explore or improve on and creates an itinerary that has a great mix of romantic massages and stress management sessions.
Situated within the private 60,000-hectare Klaserie Nature Reserve in South Africa's Kruger National Park, the newly-opened The Last Word Kitara was built as a mecca for travellers looking for an intimate cultural escape.
The upscale safari hotel is also a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts group and has only six chalet suites to maintain an intimate and exclusive feel.
Made mostly out of stone, the interiors are a mix of neutral and natural tones and are very pleasing to the eye. The surrounding countryside consists of rugged bushland made mellow by the gently flowing Klaserie river next door giving guests front row seats when the African wildlife come to their watering holes for a drink.
Take a romantic sunset safari drive out into the park and see who can spot the Big Five first, then retreat to the hotel's infinity pool with a glass of wine in hand.
As much as the English love to complain about their dull weather, few settings are more romantic than the English countryside. Come to think of it, all the greatest romances, from Pride and Prejudice to Notting Hill, have been set in the English countryside. Which is why when The Newt opened in Somerset last year, guests flocked to the working country estate for its quintessential English charm and beautiful grounds.
A go-to escape for couples, you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to your daily walks with woodland, orchards, cultivated gardens, a botanical maze, and over 3,000 cider apple trees to guide you along the way.
Structured as a true home away from home, the 17th-century Georgian house invites guests with a variety of accommodation options from Garden Rooms with en suite bathrooms to a luxury hayloft inside a converted 18th-century farm building. You and your partner will enjoy the fine things in life as you stroll through the grounds, squeeze in a game of croquet, take part in a hammam water ritual, and finish up with a perfectly made cup of afternoon tea from the in-house sommelier.
Named “The World's Most Romantic Resort” at the annual World Travel Awards for the seventh year in a row, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more ideal couples retreat than Baros Maldives. The entire resort was conceived with couples and honeymooners in mind. They even have a “Romantic Moments” package which includes a private candlelit dinner on the beach, a couples' massage, and a sunset cruise at the end of the day.
Guests can choose to stay in villas over the water or secluded in the jungle. Each has its own outdoor bathroom and rain shower and fosters a sense of tranquillity and intimacy. When it's time for you to give your sunkissed shoulders some love, pay a visit to the Serenity Spa for one of their signature romantic treatments.
How does an 18th century palace made of white marble set in the middle of a lake surrounded by burnished hills sound for a romantic getaway? Located in Udaipur, called the Venice of the East, the Taj Lake Palace has consistently been ranked among the most luxurious hotels in the world.
Built in 1743 as the residence of the Maharaja of Udaipur, and opened up to the public as a hotel only in the late 20th century, the Taj Lake Palace represents the epitome of luxury that money can buy. The property is set on a private island in the middle of Lake Pichola and is approachable only by boat. The lake itself is surrounded by the beautiful Aravali mountains on all sides, giving the property the appearance of something right out of a fairy tale.
One truly magical experience you can have at this property is candlelight dinner on a boat in the middle of the lake, with the moon shimmering on its calm waters. The hotel also offers heritage walks, morning yoga, horseback riding in the nearby countryside, guided tours of the city, mountain biking, guided nature hikes, and much more. All this makes the Taj Lake Palace one of the most romantic resorts in the world.
Santorini is probably the hottest honeymoon destination right now. In all likelihood, you’ve seen pictures of its stark white stone buildings with turquoise domes sitting pretty atop craggy hilltops overlooking the azure waters of the Mediterranean. Santorini is one of the most visited Greek islands by honeymoon couples, and the Mystique hotel is the pinnacle of luxury that Santorini has to offer.
Mystique is a romantic getaway that offers a private spa, private infinity pool, lush gardens, and some of the best views of the sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean anywhere in Europe. It has a total of 411 suites, with each offering the best in luxury accommodations. Evenings at Mystique hotel are especially to be savoured, as the setting Aegean sun paints the volcanic hills and the white stone buildings of the island a brilliant shade of tangerine. Needless to say, a candlelight dinner at the Mystique is about as perfect as a romantic evening can get.
It needs to be noted that Mystique is an adults only resort and children under the age of 14 are not allowed.
Big Sur is home to one of the most stunning natural landscapes in the world. It is where the rugged Santa Lucia mountains rise abruptly out of the deep blue Pacific Ocean, covered with dense forests of majestic redwood trees and sprinkled with serene, untouched beaches. And the best part — most of it is still unspoiled by human development, preserved the way it was since the days of the primaeval forests.
The Post Ranch Inn is a modernistic, ranch-style hotel located in the heart of the Big Sur. The property sits pretty on a hilltop overlooking the Pacific on one side, and dense redwood forests on the other. Despite being located so far away from the bustle of everyday life, the hotel has all the luxury amenities a guest can expect. This includes a full service spa, infinity pool, a steam room, yoga classes, on site restaurant, to name just a few.
As for the rooms, this is where the post ranch inn sets itself apart from every other hotel. Besides the usual fare of luxury rooms and suites, the post ranch inn offers visitors the chance to stay in its luxury treehouses. These treehouses, built out of wood and glass and standing nine feet above the floor of the dense redwood forest they are located in, exude a rustic elegance that makes you feel like you’re one with the forest. Warm, secluded, and yet, fitted with all possible luxury amenities, this is an experience tailor-made for a romantic getaway.
The Likuliku Lagoon Resort is a romantic getaway on Malolo Island in Fiji. This adults only retreat is designed in the architectural style of an ancient Fijian village, with handwoven thatched roofs,and walls made from a mix of traditional and modern building materials. This style of accommodation is known as Bures in Fiji. From the inside, each Bures is kitted out with the best possible luxury amenities.
The resort offers water sports, snorkelling, scuba diving, and surfing adventures. There are also the usual luxury amenities like a luxury spa, fitness center, heated pool, etc. Dinner is served under the starlit Fijian sky in private dining gazebos. The rooms come with private beach access, plunge pool, the friendliest room service, and free wifi, should you need it.
Huwalhi Island Resort is a paradise of blue lagoons and white sands. Since it is located on a private island, it is the only resort on the island, making it the ideal romantic getaway. A secluded paradise, the island is only accessible by boat and features 24 overwater villas, each with its own private pool and deck area. The resort also has private beaches and diving spots, making it an ideal place for couples who want to relax and get away from it all.
Hurawalhi Island Resort also offers a range of activities including snorkeling, diving and fishing trips, spa treatments at its world class spa, fitness center, as well as excursions to local islands like Baa Atoll.
However, the highlight of the resort is 5.8 — the world’s largest underwater restaurant. At 5.8 meters below the sea level, this all-glass undersea restaurant is nothing short of spectacular. With crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean all around and above you, dinner in this restaurant is surely an experience of a lifetime, making this private island resort the ultimate romantic getaway
Live Aqua is a luxury all inclusive resort located in the Playa del Carmen, on the Riviera Maya. It has been recognized as one of the best resorts in the world and one of the most romantic resorts in Cancun.
It offers all inclusive accommodations for couples and families, as well as spacious suites with private pools. The resort also features an adults only section with its own pool and beach area, making it perfect for couples who want to relax together in peace.
The hotel features an outdoor pool area surrounded by palm trees and loungers where you can relax in peace. This resort also features an amazing luxury spa with tons of treatments available — many of which are offered as couples massages or couples packages that include massages and facials. The spa also has a sauna and steam room that is great for unwinding after a long day at the beach or poolside!
The resort also has three pools, including an infinity pool that stretches to the ocean. The resort also features two restaurants, two bars, tennis courts and a spa. Guests can enjoy private cabanas with butlers for massages or other services.
The rooms are spacious and have private balconies overlooking the ocean or garden views. There are plenty of dining options at this resort, including fine dining options like El Patio.
A shuttle service is available for guests arriving at the Cancun airport.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it — our curated list of the 15 best luxury couples retreats in 2024.
Whether you're looking for a romantic getaway with your partner or a honeymoon retreat, you'll find nothing but paradise at one of these luxury resorts. Uncompromising service and luxurious amenities await you at some of the most stunning — and secluded — resorts around the world. Best of all, they're all located in gorgeous settings that are perfect for exploring with your spouse-to-be. From Cancun to California and Finland to Fiji, these 15 luxury resorts will give you a whole new perspective on your relationship.
And if you’re interested in more luxury experiences that couples can enjoy, check out our list of curated luxury experiences such as the AIRE ancient baths in England.
Best Luxury Couples Retreat — FAQs
What is a couples retreat?
A couples retreat is a hotel that offers quiet, private, and romantic getaways tailored specifically for couples. Usually, such retreats are adults only.
What to expect at a couples retreat?
Couples retreats offer beautiful surroundings and luxury amenities along with a host of activities that couples can enjoy together. These can vary from snorkeling, scuba diving, fly fishing to hiking to yoga and meditation and more.
Why should you plan a couples retreat?
You should plan a couple retreat if you feel the need to recharge or rekindle your relationship, or even if you simply want to take some time out to enjoy life with your special someone.
When should you plan a couples retreat?
You should plan a couples retreat when both of you have adequate time and funds at your disposal to enjoy a break from your professional lives.
When you’re hitting the road with only a backpack, space is a precious commodity. But just because you’re cutting back on baggage doesn’t mean you have to cut back on beauty. In fact, minimalism is the secret to glowing skin, a fresh smile, and staying stress-free on your travels. Here’s our ultimate guide to the best beauty hacks for backpackers, including must-try treatments before you jet off.
Situated as a pioneering wellness destination in the Middle East, Zulal Wellness Resort offers a rare blend
of holistic health and luxury, curated by the renowned Chiva-Som group.
137 Pillars House Chiang Mai embodies the grandeur and historical charm of Thailand’s colonial era. Built in 1889, this distinguished property originally served as the residence of Louis Leonowen. Nestled in the heart of Chiang Mai, 137 Pillars House presents a distinctive blend of heritage, luxury, and local culture, making it an exceptional choice for traveler's.
With a flair for the colourful and a background in commercial and residential projects, Rayman Boozer has established himself as one to watch in the interior design world.
For Brendan OConnor, Adare Manor is more than a job; its a passion intertwined with the very essence of Irish hospitality, and as he reveals the secrets behind the historic estates unique blend of grandeur, sustainability, and personalised service, youre invited into a world where every stay feels like a cherished homecoming.
The Shelbourne Hotel, a landmark of Dublin, has been an icon of luxury hospitality since it opened its doors in 1824. Celebrating its bicentenary this year, The Shelbourne continues to exude Irish grandeur from its position in the heart of Dublin.
