The dreamy dozen: 12 of the world’s most romantic hotels

When Bridgerton made Netflix history last year by sweeping 82 million households off their feet, the collective appetite for romance had never been clearer. And although the duke’s declarations would have made hearts flutter in any context, the sumptuous estates where he and his lady love Daphne overnighted sent the swoon factor off the charts. So, in honor of Valentine’s Day—an opportunity for anyone to rise to the role of romantic lead—here are 12 of the best hotel backdrops you’ll ever find.

Some are royalty-worthy palaces, manor houses, and estates. Others derive their majesty from the nature that surrounds them. But all are magical—and guaranteed to help spark (or rekindle) the flame. Book one now, and the anticipation will rival even the countdown to next month’s Bridgerton Season 2 drop.

Though its bones go back 300 years, this once-understated manor assumed its present palatial form in the 1800s, when the lady of the house felt her husband, the second Earl of Dunraven, needed a fun project to distract him from a debilitating disease.

Encouraging him to take inspiration from the Gothic Revival then in progress around the world (hello, Bridgerton), she suggested he redesign their home. The result is a rare example of a “calendar house” with 365 leaded windows, 52 ornate chimneys, 7 stone pillars, and 4 towers.

Now that the estate is a luxe castle hotel, its surrounding 842 acres—home to parklands, cultivated gardens, formal French gardens, and a river—are your playground as soon as you check in.

Stroll arm in arm, try your hand at falconry and archery, have a bespoke picnic, or join the ranks of fellow romantics who pop the question here. The hotel reports they number more than 100 per year.

Among the offerings on the just-debuted Beyond Everything Proposal Menu is a horse-drawn carriage to one of the grounds’ most fairy-tale proposal spots. (Naturally, your proposal concierge can help sort the details.)

Celebrate the inevitable yes with a dinner at the hotel’s newly Michelin-starred Oak Room—or an over-the-top treatment for 2 at the recently renovated spa.

Info: Rates start at $622.

More Bond than Bridgerton, this palatial island in Udaipur’s Lake Pichola lives on as the lair of Octopussy, the international woman of mystery at the heart of the 1983 film that bears her name. (You can still find screenings in town, nearly 40 years post-theatrical release.)

But centuries before James Bond’s era, the estate housed the love interests of Maharana Jagat Singh, ruler of the Mewar Kingdom. Built in the mid-1700s as the young prince’s pleasure palace, Jag Niwas—as it was then known—created the illusion of floating on the water with a series of ethereal marble pavilions that concealed the underlying islet.

Though the property is now a hotel, you can easily picture the original denizens luxuriating fountain-side in the courtyards or on the regal swing in the Khush Mahal Suite, where stained-glass windows turn the room into a kaleidoscope at first light.

This being a lake palace, it’s also home to some exquisite boating ops: Don’t miss a sunset cruise, nor a treatment for 2 aboard the Jiva Boat Spa.

Info: Rates start at $978.

If you follow international indie films, you may know this spot from the award-winning Vale Abraão (Abraham’s Valley).

The real-life version doesn’t disappoint: Six Senses’ Douro Valley outpost is pure European idyll. Set alongside a winding stretch of the Douro River, this 19th-century manor house is surrounded by gardens, woodlands, and vineyards that belong to the world’s oldest demarcated wine-growing region.

You’ll likely have stunning views of Vale de Abraão from your room, but you’ll want to get out and explore the valley, too. The short list of activities includes wine tasting (be sure to designate a driver if you plan to drink alcohol), guided tree climbing (seriously), forest floating (you meditate together in a forest-shrouded hammock), couples’ vinotherapy spa treatments, trail walking, river boating, cycling, and canoeing.

Info: Rates start at $436.

If you believe the phrase “hidden gem” is so clichéd that it has lost all meaning, check out this jewel box of a hotel in Paris. Relais Christine is secluded near the end of its namesake little street 2 blocks from the Seine in the buzzing Saint-Germain-des-Prés district. Having begun life as the Saint-Denis college of the Grands Augustins in the 13th century, the property had housed everyone from high-society Parisians to the National Society of Geography by the 19th century.

Today, the hotel reflects the handiwork of legendary Parisian decorator Laura Gonzales, who went full French romance in her recent reimagining of the interiors: an eclectic mix of velvet, toile, canopy beds, deco influences, and more.

Other magical touches include the cobblestone courtyard, private gardens in some rooms, exposed beams and skylights in others—and the couples’ treatment room at the Guerlain Spa beneath the 13th-century vaults.

Should you want to leave such cloistered comfort, do so on the tandem bike that’s included in your stay—or in the hotel’s convertible Fiat.

Info: Rates start at $400.

This intimate retreat—a series of historic residences linked by cloisters, courtyards, and lanes in Mexico’s central highlands—also incorporates a 17th-century fort and a 16th-century convent.

Though the guest rooms are unquestionably romantic with their hand-carved wood, antique tapestries, and wrought-iron chandeliers, the dreamiest part of the property is outdoors. The private viewing terrace, which offers a privileged perspective on San Miguel de Allende’s Baroque beauty, hosts a Sunset Experience that pairs local wines, tequila, or mezcal with tapas. Consider the experience an appetizer for everything that lies just beyond the hotel: old cobbled streets, artisan shops and galleries, thermal springs, a thriving foodie scene, and all manner of music.

Info: Rates start at $295.

This gorgeous hotel is also made up of restored historic homes—in this case, 3 palaces spanning the 14th to 20th centuries: Palazzo Dandolo, Palazzo Casa Nuova, and Palazzo Danieli Excelsior. Known collectively as the Hotel Danieli, the lagoon-side trio ravishes romantics with its Grand Canal and island views, rooftop terrace dining, and proximity to the Bridge of Sighs (where tradition requires that you kiss in a gondola to ensure eternal love).

The rooms themselves—all damask and velvet and Murano glass—are romantic as well, none more so than Palazzo Dandolo’s corner room, No. 10, once the love nest of Alfred de Musset and Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dudevant (the romance novelist known as George Sand). As seen from their window, the sunset had no better advocate: “The tower of St Mark’s, the domes of Santa Maria, and the forest of spires and minarets that rise from all parts of Venice, were drawn in black outline against the burnished horizon,” wrote Sand in her 1847 memoir, Letters of a Traveller. “The sky passed, by an admirable gradation, from cherry red to enameled blue; and the water, calm and limpid as a glass, gave back the exact reflection of this immense iridescence. ... Never had I seen Venice so lovely and so fairy-like.” Like much else from Sands’ time here, that hasn’t changed.

Info: Rates start at $554.49.

If the majesty you find most romantic is nature-made, this AAA Four Diamond beachfront spread on Maui’s northwestern edge is an excellent base. Whether the seascapes in front of you or the mountainscapes in the distance, the wilderness on view is breathtaking.

You’ll want to catch at least one sunrise from above the cloud line at Haleakalā National Park and chase waterfalls on the Road to Hana, but don’t miss the nature just outside your front door: Take the included guided hike along the Kapalua Coastal Trail, check out the expert-led excursion to the tidepools just off the hotel’s beach, and swim or snorkel your way through the biodiverse local waters.

In fact, the nearest waters—from the hotel’s multi-tiered lagoon pool to the spa’s stone-carved outdoor tub—are romantic settings in their own right.

By night, one of the dreamiest on-site experiences is a private dinner at the Cliff House, where the views of the ocean and surrounding islands at sunset rival the sea-to-fork cuisine.

Info: Rates start at $925.

Spread over a series of cliffs that drop 1,200 feet into the Pacific Ocean, this Big Sur icon has long been the scene of celebrity weddings, honeymoons, and romantic getaways.

The main draw, of course, is the wild beauty—not just on the property, but also along the nearby trails that lead to coastal redwoods, cascading rivers, and jade coves.

The other big draw for the A-list? Unrivaled seclusion. And some of the most private of lodgings—the freestanding Ocean Houses built into a cliffside—have just gotten even better thanks to a series of upgrades. The Inn has supersized their Pacific vistas, for starters. (You’ll find new ocean-view patios with 2-person soaking tubs, new ocean-view showers with locally sourced natural amenities, and new ocean-view windows with wall-to-wall glass.)

Still, as glorious as the Pacific panoramas are here, there’s no denying the romance of the mountain- and forest-facing lodgings—especially the Treehouses, each a freestanding aerie on 9-foot stilts. The spa, which also has a decidedly treehouse-y feel, offers all manner of couples’ treatment, but the ones that employ the local jade feel particularly decadent.

Info: Rates start at $1,425.

If you’d prefer a tropical treehouse vibe—with all the romance of co-nesting in the jungle canopy—consider this beloved “village” in el Valle, on the Dominican Republic’s Edenic Samaná Peninsula.

The lodgings are rustic, but at the upper end of the menu in the VIP Suites, you’ll find a net-draped king bed, 2 indoor swings, electricity, a private hot-water outdoor shower, and a personal bathroom. The suites also offer the highest vantage points of any of the guest rooms, so the views are particularly stunning.

When you’re not ensconced in the leaves, you’ll probably be chilling by the pool, sinking into fire-pit swings, or exploring the area’s beaches, waterfalls, and zip lines.

Info: Rates start at $300.

Another romantic variation on overnighting in the wild? Sleeping under the stars. And if they’re paired with the ever-changing lullaby of the Linyanti River, so much the better.

African Bush Camps’ movable setup on the river’s southern banks has 6 tents that come with star suites: mesh-enclosed gazebo extensions that let you slumber under Chobe National Park’s dazzling night skies. (Each tent also has an eco-friendly toilet and an alfresco bucket shower.)

Beyond the few humans out there with you, your national park companions may include elephants, buffalo, zebra, lions, cheetahs, and wild dogs—as you’ll discover on walking safaris, canoe trips, and game drives. The Linyanti’s shoreline is also home to Carmine bee-eaters, who make for exceptional birding and offer a soundtrack to rival any other along the river.

Info: Rates start at $882.

While some romantics want to dream under the stars, others prefer to sleep over the water. Little wonder then that so many honeymooners set their sights on French Polynesia, the place that launched the overwater bungalow trend. More than half a century later, Bora Bora continues to spin the concept to ever more dramatic effect—and the Conrad Bora Bora Nui is the perfect case in point.

In addition to seeing the surreal turquoise water (and its rainbow-hued marine life) beneath your balcony, you can also sway in an overwater hammock or—if you’re willing to leave your room—sip cocktails in an overwater lounge.

Of course, the beauty of Bora Bora isn’t limited to the menagerie below the water’s surface: This private-island outpost is also home to the longest stretch of white sand between Mount Otemanu and the lagoon. Walk the beach, book a hike, or take a biking excursion around the main island. And, when you really crave seclusion, book a picnic or dinner for 2 on the Conrad Bora Bora Nui’s even more intimate private islet: Motu Tapu.

Info: Rates start at $755.

In and of itself, this seaside spread would be plenty romantic. Set on a private cove and surrounded by mountains, Anantara’s lushly landscaped enclave has 26 villas, each with floor-to-ceiling glass doors that turn sunrise into the greatest show on Earth (or at least a serious contender for the title).

But there’s a bonus dose of romance that puts this place over the top: Anantara uses the Vietage—a train with a luxury carriage for 12 passengers, max—to transport you from Hoi An to Quy Nhon. So by the time you arrive at your villa, you will have been seriously wined and dined.

Even so, there’s no harm in unwinding even more at the spa: A path through the jungle will lead to a fern-fringed clearing, where an alfresco cliffside pavilion for 2 awaits, as do astounding treatments and ocean views.

Info: Rates start at $500.

Abbie Kozolchyk is the author of National Geographic Books' The World's Most Romantic Destinations and a contributor to such publications as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Robb Report.