Seven romantic getaways
From hundreds of acres of Norfolk parkland to an A-listers' paradise in Mexico, Ruth Jackson looks at the most romantic places to stay.
The Gunton Arms, Norfolk
"There's something in the air as night falls at the Gunton Arms," says The Sunday Times of this former farmhouse (above) near Cromer. "In the restaurant, steaks sizzle over an open fire, creating a sense of warmth and wellbeing." Outside there are 1,000 acres of parkland where herds of deer graze. Inside, "standards are high, the atmosphere is informal and the walls are festooned with Brit Art".
Doubles from £95, with breakfast (theguntonarms.co.uk).
Mill Houses Suites, Santorini, Greece
"Formed from the rim of a sunken volcano, the island of Santorini has long been beloved of fiery romantics," says Lonely Planet Traveller. "Admire its geological drama" from Mill Houses Suites, atop the cliffs near the town of Thira. For added romance, arrange a private, alfresco candlelit dinner.
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Prices start from £70 (millhouses.gr).
The Levin, London
"This is a well-kept London secret, an old favourite of mine that combines the luxury of a top hotel with the intimacy of a bed and breakfast," says Fiona Duncan in The Daily Telegraph. It has 12 rooms over five floors connected by a spiralling staircase, or a "tiny lift [that] is a nostalgic throwback".
The rooms are "suave, with particularly good lighting". In the basement is Le Metro, "the hotel's elegant, ladylike little bistro-wine barit's the sort of place where you know no one will find you".
Prices from £221 (thelevinhotel.co.uk).
Ca' Maria Adele, Venice
"Honeymooners love the exotic themed rooms in this boutique hotel," says Duncan. It's in the Dorsoduro sestiere (area) and has itsown entrance on the water. It's "very intimate and very stylish: there's a welcoming hush to this little place, where you'll be made to feel immediately at home". Go for Sala Noire "with its black Murana glass chandelier [it] is deliciously decadent".
Prices from £320 (camariaadele.it).
The Carneros Inn, California
Wine lovers should enjoy this hotel in the Napa Valley. "Set in leafy grounds, sweet, tin-roofed cottages come with stone fireplaces, deep bathtubs and an outdoor shower for an alfresco sponge-down," says Lonely Planet Traveller.
It's a short walk to a great wine shop with the area's best vintages "best savoured while enjoying a blood-red Californian sunset from your private garden".
From £240 (thecarnerosinn.com).
One&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos, Mexico
When Los Cabos first became a holiday spot in the 1950s, "A-listers like Ernest Hemingway and John Wayne could access its sandy shores only via yacht or private plane", says The Huffington Post.
It still has "that hideaway feel, with its whitewashed buildings tucked amid swaying palms and fragrant gardens and fronting a sugary white sand beach". Butlers can help you fill your room with candles, or set up a private, bonfire-lit dinner on the beach. "We suggest upgrading to a casita for private (skinny-dip-friendly) pools."
Prices from £390 (palmilla.oneandonlyresorts.com).
Le Pavillon de la Reine, Paris
"The most seductive location" in Paris, says The Sunday Times. This hotel is quiet and charming with understated, luxurious rooms. When you walk out across the "vine-drenched" courtyard, "hallelujah!" you are on Place des Vosges, "the most beautiful square in Paris".
From £235 (pavillon-de-la-reine.com).
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