From canoodling in an igloo to savoring a gourmet meal after a bone-chilling, ice-fishing adventure to being pampered in an underwater spa, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day that go far beyond bouquets of roses and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. Here are a few.
1. The Godfrey Hotel, Chicago
(The Godfrey Hotel)
Butlers and chefs will cater to your every whim during a four-hour meal, including Champagne and cocktails, in one of the insulated igloos on the Godfrey’s rooftop. But before you make a rezzy, know that the experience is super-luxe, to the tune of $1,000.
2. The Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Stockbridge, Mass.
(Kripalu)
Tucked into the Berkshires, this healing retreat coaxes couples in February with three workshops designed to amp up your love connection. Partner Yoga for Couples (Feb. 5-7) is an intense weekend on the mat. Zen Retreat: Meditation as Love (also Feb. 5-7) brings the 2,500-year-old Zen mindset of forgiveness and patience to today’s hectic lifestyle. Deepening Your Love: A Retreat for Couples (Feb. 12-15) focuses on building intimacy and navigating conflict.
3. Bardessono, Yountville, Calif.
(Bardessonobar)
Check into this eco-friendly boutique hotel in the heart of Napa’s wine country and you might decide never to venture outdoors, because its “Rub the One You’re With” option provides you and your partner with in-room instruction from a massage therapist in how to, um, massage each other. After the 90-minute session the hotel’s Spa Butler sets up a massage table so you can practice further. A massage workbook and massage oil are yours to keep.
4. Grotto Bay Beach Resort & Natura Spa, Bailey’s Bay, Bermuda
(Bermuda DSCF)
There’s a big perk on the 21-acre property: a subterranean spa, tucked into an ancient cave. But this is anything but primitive. Couples can indulge in an 80-minute couples’ massage in a private floating cabana. Just cross a bridge in the dimly lit cave and you’ve arrived at pampering.
5. Sugartooth Tours, New York City
(Sugartooth)
Rolling out a special V-Day tour on Feb. 6, 13 and 14, this dessert-tour company takes your sweet tooth to spots in the Chelsea and West Village neighborhoods of Manhattan, where cupcakes, macarons, cookies and hot chocolate are works of art. Slip into your walking shoes and stretchy pants, because this is a 1.5-mile walk with many sinful pleasures. Bonus: Chelsea has a foot in Valentine’s history, which the tour guide shares.
6. WP24 by Wolfgang Puck, Los Angeles
(WP24)
Rooftop cabana? Yes, please. The brand-new Dining Under the Stars series at WP24 by Wolfgang Puck, inside The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles at L.A. Live, takes just three reservations ($650 per table) each night during Valentine’s Day weekend. Dive into a seven-course dinner (including on-point aphrodisiacs like oysters, caviar and house-made truffles) with your own butler, and don’t be shy about kissing inside the cabana.
7. Kennebunkport Resort Collection, Kennebunkport, Maine
(Kennebunkport Inn)
Sometimes it’s better to leave the planning to someone else. How about Cupid? Both the Kennebunkport Inn and the Boathouse Waterfront Hotel in tony and quaint Kennebunkport offer access to a Cupid Concierge. Whether your sweetheart flutters at a cooking class, a playlist of songs from all of your dates, a sleigh ride or dessert in bed, the love-focused concierge will make it happen.
8. Le Méridien Chambers Minneapolis
(Le Meridien)
What could make you and your sweetie want to cuddle up closer than going fishing in sub-zero temperatures? The hotel’s new two-night “Hooked on Winter” package (through Feb. 29) offers outdoorsy and culinary-minded lovebirds the opportunity to ice fish with a guide on a nearby lake, then retire to a penthouse suite while a chef cooks your catch. Later, you’ll savor your fish at a wine-paired dinner in MARIN Restaurant & Bar’s private cellar.
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