Our top 5 romantic getaways worldwide will tempt you with luxurious amenities, gracious seclusion and 5-star service in fabled locations.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and/or references to our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on or make a purchase using these links.
After four years of intensive travel to more than 35 countries, we’ve had our share of romantic experiences in fabled locations. For this special collaboration with our colleagues at Travel Buzz Media, we share our top 5 romantic getaways worldwide. Just in time for Valentine’s Day!
To make our top 5 romantic getaways worldwide list, all the elements in a hotel experience have to combine to create a magical outcome. Each of our favorites is quite distinct from the others. What they all share is the ability to create a memorable escape which you and your love will fondly (and even wistfully?) recall long after your stay concludes.
1. Pearl Farm Beach Resort, The Philippines No list of top 5 romantic getaways worldwide should be without a tropical overwater bungalow experience. While you may think Tahiti or Bora Bora might have an overwater bungalow monopoly, we urge you to consider the Philippines as a newer alternative. Nestled into a mountainside, and boasting magnificent views across to Mt. App beyond Davao City, this hidden-in-plain-sight treasure will linger in your memory. Legendary Filipino hospitality in a luxuriously rustic setting. Custom dining and excursions available, on site spa. Pool, lagoon, and bay swimming, snorkeling, diving, and motor sports. See our full review here.
Early morning serenity at Pearl Farm
2. Pimann Buri Luxury Pool Villas, Krabi (Thailand) Pimann Buri takes the luxury private villa with its own pool experience to an entirely new level. Free-standing villas a few minutes inland from the famous Ao Nang beach area are secluded behind lush tropical landscaping. Your villa comes with a private chef for daily breakfast and custom poolside barbeque banquet. Our private pool’s water feature and sundeck offered a relaxing counterpoint to busy days with amazing excursions: junk boat dinner cruise, inland treks to jungle pools and water falls, visits to gorgeous temples, and luxury spa services. Impeccable Thai-style service delivered by an exceptional staff. See our full review here.
Photo Credit: Pimann Buri
3. Hotel Bristol, Vienna If you were Caruso or another celebrity performer in the late 19th century, the Hotel Bristol would have been your home away from home in Vienna. Located next door to the famed Vienna Opera House, a stay at the Hotel Bristol is akin to living in a gleaming little jewel box. Luxury touches and fitted room appointments herald traditional craftsmanship. Glamorous history resides within the old world atmosphere. Service is smartly crisp and exceedingly friendly. See our full review here.
-
- Luxury in every detail
-
- Old world craftsmanship
4. Le Dokhan’s, Paris Le Dokhan’s is the quintessential romantic Parisian hotel. A former private residence, it retains many of the vintage architectural elements which provide a confidently luxurious atmosphere which is complemented by a sophisticated Parisian attitude. Situated on a lovely side street in the tony Trocadero neighborhood, the hotel is an easy walk to central Paris attractions on both sides of the Seine. White glove, old school Parisian service. See our full review here.
-
- View of our room from its mirror
-
- Dressmaker details are romantic
5. Hotel Aiguaclara, Begur (Spain) The romantic Costa Brava north of Barcelona is the location of many a charming seaside village. One of our favorites in the Baix Empordà region is Begur. We had a heavenly stay at Hotel Aiguaclara, whose 19th century roots lie in the ornate, private castella a wealthy businessman built for his family upon his return from Cuba, where he had made his fortune. Nowadays you can imagine yourselves as his guests. Island overtones are revealed in the decorative architecture and weekly musical entertainment. Sea breezes waft in via balcony doors and open windows. The magic of Aiguaclara is due in no small part to the vision of its owners that every aspect of the experience should begin with love. See our full review here.
Formerly a residence, now the Hotel Aiguaclara
These top 5 romantic getaways worldwide rise to the top of the many exceptional hotel experiences we have had in our travels. We hope our list inspires your next romantic getaway!
This post is written in collaboration with our Travel Buzz Media colleagues. Check out the entire roster of TBM recommendations:
Noel Morata of Travel Blog Discovery crowdsourced a variety of blogger recommendations for Romantic Getaways Around the World.
Kerwin McKenzie of Pass Rider has recommendations for adventurous romantics: 5 Romantic Adventures for 2017
Suzanne Fluhr at Boomeresque shares the experiences that have kept her romantic relationship with her own “Mr. Excitement” exciting: Romantic Getaways
Choose something romantic out of this extensive list of ideas from Mary Jo Manzanares at Traveling with MJ: Recommendations for a Romantic Getaway
Tips for Trip Success
Book Your Flight
Find an inexpensive flight by using CheapOAir, a favorite of ours because it regularly returns less expensive flight options from a variety of airlines.
Book Your Hotel or Special Accommodation
We are big fans of Booking.com. We like their review system and photos. If we want to see more reviews and additional booking options, we go to TripAdvisor.
You Need Travel Insurance!
Good travel insurance means having total peace of mind. Travel insurance protects you when your medical insurance often will not and better than what you get from your credit card. It will provide comprehensive coverage should you need medical treatment or return to the United States, compensation for trip interruption, baggage loss, and other situations.
PassingThru is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
To view PassingThru’s privacy policy, click here.
Pretty great write up! We’ve wanted to hit up the Philippines for a long time now and the Pearl Farm looks awesome! Have any suggestions for Fiji? We might make a trip down there soon.
Hi Jim – Thanks! Pearl Farm is really unique, yes! For Fiji, check out our post: 12 Affordable Places to Stay in Fiji.
Definitely bookmarking, some of these look so lush!
Beautiful list! The place in the Philippines looks amazing. Love the Euro destinations you chose too.
The views from Pearl Farm Beach Resort makes me want to visit the Philippines again. I’ve been Boracay, Palawan and even in Bohol and all of them are worth the visit. All of these luxurious getaways are very much mesmerising. Thanks for the glimpse.
Love that Paul Theroux quote in your banner! Making travel a part of our normal life is also our goal. For now though I’m hunkering down and building a wealth base while looking after a spotty dog and travelling as much as possible on 20 days of annual leave. Love this post – that pearl farm looks super interesting!
Nice post but I think that you should also check Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan. This one is rated in top 50 hotels in the world and is in between a lake.
Last year I am going Hotel Bristol. its awesome place. Thanks for posting top 5 Romantic Getaways Worldwide.