Feature Stories  | Alaska - South Central, Sutton
Matanuska Lodge: “No Moosing Around” Romance Although innkeeper Brenda Goldberg, who operates the property with her business partner Rodney Johnson and one staff member, prefers to avoid the over-used word “eclectic,” but nothing better expresses what she says is “definitely different than your traditional Alaskan lodge.” Located in south central Sutton, Alaska, on the Glenn Highway, one of America's most scenic byways, there is no “moosing around” when it comes to a more romantic hideaway. Mantanuska’s namesake is a Native American derivative of “safe passage;” a perfect metaphor for the cocoon-like atmosphere that holds nothing less than revisiting appeal.
● View Full Story & Photos |  | Arizona - Southern, Sasabe
Shoot for the Milky Way at Rancho De La Osa Guest Ranch The Milky Way glitters, twinkles and dances against the canvas of the coal-black sky. Stargazing, paralleling the ambiance at the Rancho De La Osa Guest Ranch in the tiny hamlet of Sasabe, Arizona, has all the components of romance: intrigue, pursuit and wonderment. “Until you actually get here and see how remote and isolated the property is, nobody even knows the property is here because it’s a mile and half back from the highway, and sits between two mountain ranges,” explains Veronica Schultz, proprietress of the ranch, located 65 miles southwest of Tucson. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | California, North Coast, Fort Bragg The Weller House Inn: Live! Love! Tango! “Come let’s make a date to tango quite late….”– from a 1913 postcard. Cheek to cheek. Keep your upper body straight. Shift the weight onto the balls of your feet. Step smooth. Pulsate. Step sharp. Oh, the voluptuous joys of the tango. Wouldn’t it be nice if a couple’s life were a tango? Well, it is—almost—at the Weller House Inn in Fort Bragg, California. Each guestroom touts its own personality. In some of the quarters, a fireplace or woodstove helps take the chill off. Tuscany, Fountainbleu, Tulip, Midsummer…whatever the room choice, overnighters have an array of conveniences like a refrigerator, microwave and icemaker. Some of the full, private bathrooms contain a Jacuzzi or claw foot tubs. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | California, Palm Springs
A Village Vibe: Revved up for Romance
Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism
“We have a collection of over 70 small hotels (meaning boutique-style, 80 rooms or less), and many of them are in the Spanish-Mediterranean style or the mid-century, modern architecture.” Hillary further elaborates that couples can uncover secluded retreats “that you can’t find anywhere else,” says Hillary Angel. “We have the hip environment; great village vibe happening, great bars, great lounges, great restaurants, boutique shopping. Whatever couples are looking for, they have it here,” Hillary further describes. ● View Article |  | California, Santa Barbara Area, Solvang
European Luxury in California's Wine Country Vision was not enough to renovate an old motel stifled by a concrete parking lot. Fortunately, when Mark R. Davis purchased the property in November 2005, he also benefited from the artistic flare of his wife Kristin. Between the couple and an expert team of professionals, Mark says that Hadsten House Inn and Spa, centrally located in Solvang in California’s Santa Ynez Valley, represents an “instantaneous transformation.” Facilities: AAA 3 Diamonds, restaurant, Meeting Facilities, Day spa, Indoor Pool.
● View Full Story & Photos |  | California - Napa Valley, St. Helena Ink House Inn: For Kings (& Queens)
The King lives! Enjoy “Wild in the Country,” Elvis Presley’s 1961 Twentieth Century-Fox film on DVD and relax in the movie’s actual setting. No, this is not virtual reality. This is the real McCoy; at least for the lodgers at what is today the Ink House Inn. The only northern California location for an Elvis film, the anything but “wild” Napa County wine country is where sophistication salutes its rural agricultural roots. The inn, a private residence in St. Helena at the time, was a principal film location as well as Elvis’s temporary sanctuary, leaving his ....
● View Article |  | Massachusetts, Berkshires, Lee, Devonfield Country Inn
Romantic Delights in the Massachusetts Berkshires Imagine popping the question while sojourning at the Devonfield Country Inn and being chauffeured in a Model A 1931 Ford, the inn’s official automobile, through the idyllic setting of Lee, Massachusetts. Haven’t set a date yet? Who knows, upon encountering the 200-year-old elegant English country inn nestled on 29 acres, guests may be coaxed to do all sorts of madcap things in the name of amore! Amenities: Set on 29 beautiful acres. Luxury rooms and suites, Jacuzzis, fireplaces, weddings, meetings. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | Massachusetts - Connecticut River Valley, Hadley Ivory Creek Bed and Breakfast Inn: Auspicious, Delicious and Fabu-lious “We’re on 24 acres, up in the woods. We’re very secluded from the road,” says Judith Loebel who along with her husband Tod, operates the award-winning inn in Hadley, most recently a Yankee Magazine Editor's Award Winner. For starters, the inn is located in the five-college area (Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Hampshire College, Amherst College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst) of the Pioneer Valley; set worlds apart in natural surroundings that include Ivory Creek and the Mount Holyoke Mountains ... ● View Article |  | New Hampshire, Merrimack Valley, Bedford, Bedford Village Inn
New Hampshire's Bedford Village Inn No Stranger to Fame Bedford Village Inn is no stranger to fame. First, the inn’s “Walls of Fame” exhibit the awards and accolades that have been amassed over the years. Here’s a brief (again, brief) rundown: a recipient of AAA Four Diamond Awards for 21 consecutive years, 11 Awards of Excellence from Distinctive Restaurants of North America, and 17 annual Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence (while dining at the inn’s restaurant, patrons can choose from approximately 700 wine selections). Amenities: AAA Four Diamonds both lodging and dining. Weddings, meetings, restaurant, spa. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | New Jersey, Spring Lake The Sweet Smell of Love: White Lilac Inn
Anyone can fall in love with the White Lilac Inn; but more accurately, most couples who visit cannot resist magic realized, their romance rekindled by such auspicious surroundings. “Very peaceful. Very Clean. Very Victorian,” innkeeper Mari Kennelly says, explaining the feel that she strives to evoke at the circa 1880 inn. In fact, she conceived of the inn’s name before planting the lilacs! ● View Full Story & Photos |  | New York, Buffalo
Mansion on Delaware: Isn’t life Grand?
The restored 1867 Second Empire mansion is grander than grand with such distinct features as spiraling pillars and gargoyles. The magic continues from the moment guests swing open the large wooden front door. Once inside, the “oohing” and “aahing” hit a high note. Not surprisingly, the Delaware Avenue landmark continuously wins awards and praise from an array of discerning travelers For example, AAA has awarded the 28-guestroom hotel its coveted AAA four-diamond hotel distinction every year since 2004. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | North Carolina, Mountains, Asheville
Blue Ridge Mountain Hideaway:
1889 White Gate Inn & Cottage Four blocks from downtown Asheville, North Carolina, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, behind the white picket fence of the 1889 White Gate Inn and Cottage, a bed and bloom experience tantalize visitors to linger like the perfumes that waft the air. Although not all the orchids that grow at the inn are fragrant, their splendor can sweep the imagination to a tropical paradise. Encounters at the inn and cottage sprinkled with orchids throughout measure nothing less than paradisiacal. Comprising six guestrooms and suites, each is a luminous presentation that pays homage to the great American Poets who have inspired the room décor. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | North Carolina, Ocean Isle Beach Winds Resort Beach Club - Sea Breeze Sea-duction Banana leaves loom overhead. There are so many varieties of palm trees, 11 to be exact, it is easy to lose count. Sea breezes waft through the air. Oh, and the sweet smelling faces of hibiscus flowers—what perfume! On its own private island on the southern North Carolina coastline, the Winds Resort Beach Club, in Ocean Isle Beach, connected by a bridge to the mainland, seems eons away from the Myrtle Beach crowds, but is only 20 minutes in driving distance. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | North Carolina, Blowing Rock Inn at Yonahlossee Resort
Commanding a prominent stance at 4,000 feet in the heart of western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, guests at the Inn at Yonahlossee Resort will discover in these 300 bucolic acres not a mere pot, but a paradise of honey. As a matter of fact, “Yonahlossee” is the Cherokee word meaning “Trail of the Bear,” and nothing less than sweet is the tapestry in these parts defined by mountain ranges and lush green valleys. “Absolutely divine,” are the two words that Marketing Director Mary Jane Rice chooses when she describes the property that she began managing in the early 1990s. Her husband John, a developer, began renovating Yonahlossee in 1986. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | Ohio - Northeast, Bucyrus
Hideaway Country Inn - a Brilliant Fusion of Country-Cozy Secluded within a grove of century-old oak trees in one of Ohio’s most historic regions, HideAway Country Inn is not only a hideaway in the country, but also a brilliant fusion of country-cozy, elegance and personality to spare! The proof is in the pudding: Eighty-five percent of the guests come back. And why not? Old-fashioned hospitality at its best, shut the door on the world’s clamor and unwind in an antiques-festooned oasis of mansion ...
● View Article |  | Ohio, Northeast, Berlin, Donna’s Premier Lodging
Heart-Shaped Jacuzzis in Northeast Ohio “Water comes down over the rock and it goes into a stream in front of their rose-colored heart-shaped Jacuzzi...,” Donna Marie Schlabach explains. When an innkeeper lends her name to a lodging facility, chances are, she will live up to it! The telltale sign of accomplishment at Donna’s Premier Lodging - consisting of cedar cabins, chalets, villas, cottages and bridal suites - are the guests who are enamored of the lap of luxury, the best in Holmes County, Ohio. Amenities: luxurious accommodations. Jacuzzis. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | Pennsylvania, Pocono Mountains, Hawely, Woodloch Resort Pocono Resort Attracts Couples and Families The 250-acre Woodloch is located on a private lake in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. A four-season resort, Woodloch provides year-round spectacular sights courtesy of Mother Nature. Accommodations at Woodloch are immaculate and tastefully decorated with a variety of choices to suit any size family or group. The Classic Standard rooms are the most affordable and popular, with some overlooking the lake. Nicely decorated with cedar paneling, the rooms have divided living/sleeping areas and feature a queen bed and a pullout sofa. Private lake, entertainment, golf course, weddings, meetings, restaurant, spa. Phone: 800-572-6658 ● View Full Story & Photos |  | Pennsylvania, Pocono Mountains, South Sterling, French Manor South of France in the Pocono's Romantic to the point of being downright intoxicating—the French have a way with words. Ah!...Now imagine a secluded backdrop in the south of France where couples cannot resist handholding, dreamy glances and …fill in the blanks! Fortunately, for American and Canadian travelers, this sort of very provincial, utterly European experience is not an ocean away. “The French Manor is like a fairy tale castle on top of a mountain. It’s a very romantic setting for couples. It’s more of an intimate and elegant atmosphere,” says Bridget Logan Weber, Director of Sales and Marketing, describing the stone château perched upon Huckleberry Mountain. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | South Carolina, Landrum Red Horse Inn, Built By Mavericks for the Quintessential Breakfast-In-Bed Experience As breathtaking as the natural scenery, the interior showcases Roger’s exceptional woodworking talent. Mary’s eye for design helped the inn achieve an award for décor from Inn’s Extraordinaire. In the main inn, complete with conference center and dining room, out of the six luxurious, spacious guestroom suites, the Dovecote and the Gable Bedroom boast balconies while the East Bedroom has its own flagstone terrace. ● View Full Story & Photos | | South Carolina, Landrum
Red Horse Inn, Built By Mavericks for the Quintessential Breakfast-In-Bed Experience The Wolters tailored the six cathedral-ceilinged Victorian cottages, featuring a kitchen, living room with fireplace, to offer privacy. While most afford whirlpool tubs, all provide relaxing outdoor sitting areas. Couples delight in the two-person jetted spa hot tub on the decks (imagine the stargazing opportunities) of the Springhouse and Hayloft Cottages. After all, how many vacationers can say that they snuggled into a comfy bed only to read the inspiring writing of love and romance inscribed on the parchment-like walls above… ● View Article |  | Vermont, Stowe Area, Hyde Park Governor’s House in Hyde Park - Per Executive Order Like reading an irresistible Jane Austen novel, a romantic getaway should envelop the sojourner by tickling the pleasure sensors to an utterly blissful state. That is precisely the sort of feel that the Governor’s House in Hyde Park, set in the quaint hamlet of Hyde Park in Vermont’s Green Mountains, extends to any amorous interlude. In 2001, innkeeper Suzanne Boden purchased the Georgian-style house at 100 Main Street. During the renovation, she preserved its original elegance. ● View Article |  | Virginia, Lexington Area, Steeles Tavern Alpine Hideaway Cottages: “Thoreau-ly” Tranquil No human in sight; wild turkeys strut and doves croon a somber “coo-ooh.” “Fee-bee-fee,” the black-capped chickadee sings. On the highest point in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley with an 80-mile panorama of the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains, simplicity takes precedence over frazzled lifestyles. In this “Thoreau-ly” tranquil backdrop, the Alpine Hideaway Cottages impart a perfect marriage between comfort and sophistication. According to innkeeper Eileen M. Hoernlein, who operates the venture in Steeles Tavern with her husband Bill, one of the most frequent comments in the guestbook is that the website does not warrant the property justice. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | Virginia - Tidewater, Virginia Beach Life’s a Peach at Beach Spa Bed and Breakfast Quiet moments punctuated by tranquil hours that stretch into days, and ah, the spa! Visitors in Virginia Beach already appreciate Beach Spa Bed and Breakfast, a relative newcomer on the hospitality scene, and rank it as a top starfish. For a consummate romantic interlude, reserve the spacious deluxe suite, the Avamere. Enjoy the layers of so-soft bedding in the king-size bed. Continue the pampering in the spa shower and jetted tub. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | Washington, Deer Harbor, (San Juan Islands, Puget Sound), The Place at Cayou Cove No Place Like The Place at Cayou Cove
Guests reach The Place at Cayou Cove on Orcas Island, Washington - the largest and most diverse of the enchanting San Juan Islands of Puget Sound - by ferry, yacht or plane. The planes remind innkeeper Charles Binford of Fantasy Island, the popular 70s and 80s television sitcom. He, along with his wife and co-innkeeper Valerie, may not fulfill every visitor’s fantasy, but in many respects they come close. The numerous repeat clients that revisit the inn attest to this fact. For starters, the proprietors’ restoration of the guest cottages as well as of their own home, leaves a definitive statement that conveys their style par excellence. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | Washington, North Cascades, Mt. Baker Area, Mt. Baker Lodging Mount Baker: Volcanic Burst of the Great Outdoors Mt. Baker Lodging, covering a 10-mile radius, custom fits the most finicky overnighter’s agenda by offering cabins, cottages, condos, chalets, executive vacation home rentals, and two bed and breakfasts. A new day, a new adventure, and there are oodles more that entice the trekker than just Mount Baker’s powder in the winter. Apart from winter adventures, this babe, boasting a 10,778-foot elevation, beguiles backpackers, hikers and four-season nature lovers. Amenities: Cozy cabins for two, and family cabins, to spacious group chalets.
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 | Vienna, Austria Hotel Kugel: Only in Vienna! Only at Kugel!
To help kindle the spark of amour, step into a European fairytale set in classic Vienna. Imagine cocooning under the plush covers piled on a uniquely styled wooden, brass or canopy bed. Oh, so relaxing, you can almost hear a Mozart melody. Now envision a world where convenience has not forsaken old-fashioned hospitality and where happy endings are not endings but only new beginnings. Anyone who has vacationed at Hotel Kugel knows that this romantically infused fairytale is the general protocol behind the walls of the grand architectural landmark in this central European country of Austria. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver Island Area
Vancouver Island's Spa Hideaway - Sooke Harbour House Sooke Harbour House has garnered many awards over the years. To name a few: “One of the Top Three Hotels in Canada" and "One of the 100 best hotels in the world," Travel and Leisure Magazine, Readers’ Poll; “Grand Award: One of Canada's five best wine lists and one of the top 86 in the world,” Wine Spectator, and “Corporate Environmental Award: Leader in environmentally responsible tourism,” Tourism Victoria. What defines such award-winning accomplishments? Certainly amicable innkeepers like Sinclair and Frederique Philip. Amenities: Exquisite cuisine, water views, fireplaces, private decks or balconies and wet bars. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | Caribbean, Jamaica, Bluefields
All about you! Ultimate Pampering Experience
Bluefields Bay Villas “We are the ultimate private location that is seafront, romantic and personalized. When people rent from us, they get their own villa that is not only on the Caribbean and not only with their own private pool and full staff, but is also in a part of Jamaica that is not commercialized in a major way. There’s no distractions from having the ultimate, wonderful time. There are people to look after you, serve you fantastic food, great tropical drinks,” says Innkeeper Deborah Moncure. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | Caribbean, Jamaica, Negril Firefly Beach Cottages, Ignites the Fire The resort is nestled on Negril's famous white sand seven-mile beach where the luminous turquoise water provides a safe playground for swimmers and non-swimmers, adults and children, not to mention a naturalist’s dream. Visitors will soon understand why “N” Magazine, Illinois, described Firefly as “the best boutique hotel.” Step into the uniquely decorated accommodations that exhibit aesthetic samples (some specially commissioned) of local art. In every unit, guests can expect verandas, fully equipped kitchenettes, bathrooms and living/sleeping areas or separate bedrooms containing ceiling fans. ● View Full Story & Photos |
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