This time of year often calls for copious large family gatherings and groups of friends getting together to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. But scheduling a little alone time with the special someone in your life is crucial. It can be great to get away for some quality time between the chaos of Christmas and New Year indulgence. Or to escape for some much-needed rest and relaxation following the festivities. Perhaps you’re thinking forward to Valentine’s Day. Or looking for ideas to mark a special occasion, anniversary, proposal or for a honeymoon.
From baroque castles to beach houses; cosy cottages to charming chalets; and sexy city apartments to private palazzos, our UltraVilla experts have a have a romantic retreat to suit all intimate occasions, at any time of year, anywhere in the world. Here are a few of our favourites:
Villa Wachau – Wachua Valley, Austria
The Wachau Valley, one of the most beautiful regions of Austria, has a wealth of attractions for visitors. But until recently, it was missing an intimate hideaway for two; somewhere couples could stay whilst exploring the heart of Austria’s wine-growing region, indulging in delicious apricots, floating down the Danube, climbing mountains, and embracing the beautiful music which rings out from castles and villages.
In 2016, the restoration of Villa Wachua, a beautiful 1920s villa set in the heart of a little Baroque village, was completed. This small but perfectly formed private house combines elegance, style, privacy and very high standards of luxury.
The charming 2 bedroom villa is owned and managed by an enchanting 5* Baroque castle hotel, just 100m from the villa. Villa Wachau has been furnished in an authentic, classical style, yet its unique architecture gives the interior a fresh, current feel. The wine cellar, personal to guests, houses a great variety of delicious local wines, always available at the perfect temperature for your enjoyment. An indisputable highlight of the villa is the gorgeous landscaped garden. These seriously romantic surroundings and panoramic view are totally breath-taking.
Guests of the villa have access to all the five-star services and amenities of the truly spectacular castle hotel, yet the intimate setting and total privacy provide couples with the perfect romantic retreat.
Run away with your loved one, to Austria’s rolling hills, vineyards, and fortresses with Carpe Diem Luxury Travel
Chic on the Beach – Saint Tropez, France
This renovated “Mas”, a traditional farmhouse found in the South of France, is completely and utterly enchanting. Chic on the Beach is perfectly positioned on the ultra-romantic French Riviera; close to the centre of Saint Tropez, and just a few minutes’ walk from iconic Pampelonne Beach. The villa is immersed in gorgeous green parkland; with immaculately manicured gardens and majestic trees lining the walkways for romantic strolls. This outstanding setting makes Chic on the Beach a dreamy love nest for lovebirds.
The Mas has been impeccably renovated, and original features have been restored with tender loving care. The interior is fresh and clean with contemporary furnishings and whitewashed walls. The master bedroom has its own fireplace, a cosy addition that makes the farmhouse a romantic retreat at any time of year.
Impress your loved one with a stay at this beautiful abode. Chic on the Beach is ultra-exclusive, so enquiries must be made through Villas Prestige & Services.
La Petite Ferme – Morzine, French Alps
A ski trip for two in the Alps is always steeped in romance; waking to see snow fall through your chalet window, mornings spent skiing in tandem, Glühwein at lunch time, before skiing down to your picture-postcard alpine village to spend evenings massaging each other’s aching bodies by an open fire. And La Petite Ferme chalet, located in a picturesque hamlet of Montriond on the outskirts of Morzine, is the ultimate romantic retreat in the mountains. Just a five-minute drive from the bubble at Ardent, you can access the slopes with ease.
La Petite Ferme has been perfectly restored by its owners and tastefully decorated in alpine luxury, with furs, cowhides, antiques, and rich dark wood in abundance. The double height ceiling of the lounge area gives a fantastic spaciousness to the chalet, which is amplified by the floor-to-ceiling windows and views over the Morzine and the French Alps in the distance. Adjacent is an open plan kitchen with a dreamy traditional wood burner.
When you’re not curled up on the comfortable living room sofa watching movies, you’re bound to be relaxing in the private outdoor hot tub, champagne in hand, star gazing.
Savour the mountain air with a special someone at this picture-perfect chalet through Ultimate Luxury Chalets
Hôtel de Ville Apartment – Paris, France
Paris is the City of Love, so it goes without saying that it makes the ultimate romantic getaway at any time of year. During the winter months, when the crowds of tourists thin, you can enjoy more the city to yourselves. During the weeks leading up to Christmas and through to New Year, Paris is decked out with decorations and twinkling lights, which makes an extra time to whisk your amour away. And you can base yourself at Hôtel de Ville, a lovely little apartment right in the heart of the city.
The ultra-contemporary, atelier-style apartment was renovated in 2016, and designed with convenience, comfort, and style in mind. The bright living area is chic but charming; designer furniture offset with natural materials.
The cute and cosy apartment is on a lively pedestrian street just a few steps from the Pompidou Centre, the Hôtel de Ville, and the hip Marais district. The area has wonderful shops and restaurants in abundance, charming streets to stroll through, and cultural sites aplenty. Plus, Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Ile St Louis and the Louvre are all within a five to ten-minute walk. You can easily reach other places of interest on the métro, with a station located just a block from the doorstep.
Savour some quality time with your sweetheart in the city of love via Haven In here.
Villa Boudoir – Saint Barthélemy, Caribbean
Indulge that special someone – and yourself, while you’re at it – in an uber-glamorous getaway in the Caribbean. The super sleek and seriously sexy Villa Boudoir on St Barth has been designed with style-conscious couples in mind. This love nest, perched above Gouverneur Beach, is the perfect size for two. Featuring a plush bedroom and gold claw-foot bathtub, the studio looks out onto sensational views of the Caribbean coastline and sparkling sea.
The sensual accommodation has bold black, white and gold décor and shimmering chandelier, creating an air of mid-20th-century Hollywood glam. The opulent 4-poster king size bed sits unapologetically in the centre of the studio, from which you can enjoy lazy mornings enjoying breakfast in bed while you take in the views, or spend cosy evenings watching movies on the state-of-the-art pop-up TV.
The en-suite bathroom is pure indulgence and simply divine. Discover sumptuous treats to be enjoyed alone or accompanied, like the gold claw-foot soaking tub, two onyx-black sinks, and a rain shower. The steam room and gold tiled circular pool provide further opportunities for total relaxation together.
If you can bear to tear yourself away from the studio’s luxuries, the sun terrace has beautiful vistas of the Caribbean sea, which is framed by swaying palm trees. A covered dining area sits adjacent to a compact, open-air kitchenette complete with a bar, perfect for preparing canapés to accompany something sparkling at sunset.
Fly away to a perfectly romantic Caribbean getaway with St Barth Properties here.
Leamington Cottage – Barbados, Caribbean
This adorable one-bedroom villa is a self-contained cottage nestled among the lush tropical gardens of the Leamington Estate, just outside Speightstown, Barbados. With its own private entrance and driveway separate from the estate, guests have total privacy during their stay. This charming beachfront cottage makes the perfect little place for lovebirds seeking sunshine and serenity in a beautiful, relaxing setting.
Situated just outside the vibrant city of Speightstown, on the Platinum Coast of Barbados, Leamington Cottage makes an ideal base from which to explore this gorgeous region, rich in history and ringed with powdery white sandy beach. Yet the cottage is also the perfect little island hideaway, with all you need at your fingertips so you can enjoy peace, quiet and seclusion. The spacious sitting room and dining area open out on both sides, to a large terrace, so there’s no danger of catching cabin fever. On the deck, you’ll find a plunge pool, sun loungers, and intimate dining area, creating a romantic setting for your time together. A little gate grants direct access to the gorgeous sandy beach, so you’re never far from the sea.
An incredible reef sits right in front of the cottage, where you can swim and enjoy amazing snorkelling. Just five minutes’ walk along the beach will lead you to Cobblers Cove Beach and Hotel, for great food, drinks, and bundles of atmosphere. Leamington Cottage comes fully staffed with daily housekeeping and chef services, so you can truly relax with your loved one. Chef Andrea’s local delicacies will not disappoint!
Contact Blue Sky Luxury here to plan your escape to this romantic Barbadian bolthole.
Villa Borsato – Venice, Italy
As Italy expert, Katharina Alles-Trauttmansdorff, says, Venice is one of the greatest places on earth to explore as lovers. Pastel shade palazzi line peaceful canals, couples canoodle down cobblestoned streets, and lagoon vistas provide the perfect backdrop to your romantic retreat.
And Villa Borsato, an apartment on the third floor of a privately owned palazzo, makes a great Venetian love nest. The Palazzo is exceptionally well located at the mouth of Venice’s Grand Canal with great views over both the canal and the legendary Venetian Lagoon, and is just a stone’s throw of the glorious Piazza San Marco. Wake up to the meditative sounds of the lapping waters as the gondoliers move along the canal, the melodic ringing of San Giorgio Maggiore’s holy bells, and the whispering breeze.
The apartment has recently been redecorated in a classic style with a contemporary twist, with luxurious comfort at the heart of the layout and design. Some pieces of furniture were originally designed in 1826 for the Palazzo as it was then, by painter and designer Borsato, who also left his mark on the Teatro La Fenice. From the living room, master bedroom, and convivial shared terrace, incomparable views over Venice’s Grand Canal, the Santa Maria della Salute basilica, and the Punta della Dogana museum abound. You may well find yourselves getting lost in the vistas as you gaze out over Veneto.
Immersed in the lap of luxury and surrounded by sheer beauty, you and your sweetheart will undoubtedly feel very spoilt. Speak to excellence.villas about how you can arrange a romantic Venetian stay with your amore.
Vatuvara Private Islands – Fiji
Is there anything more romantic than getting lost on your own private island in the South Pacific? Vatuvara Private Islands, immersed in the Northern Lau Group of Fiji, has been described by Forbes as “one of the world’s most beautiful places”, and they aren’t wrong. You really can revel in true romance, in this gorgeous vacation paradise, found on the island of Kaibu.
The hidden resort’s three expansive villas sit on volcanic limestone cliffs above turquoise waters and white powdery beaches, offering incredible views of the fringing coral reef and the dramatic neighbouring islands.
The exquisite all-inclusive resort has added a fourth villa to its private collection this year, Nuku Villa, which is the ultimate in intimacy and seclusion. It features an open plan layout and its own infinity pool, with the added luxury of its very own private beach, making it the perfect couple’s escape or honeymoon destination. Like the other sublime villas in the resort, Nuku features Pacific materials complimented by natural textures and is surrounded by colourful aromatic flowers within lush tropical landscaping.
In this supremely private and stunning setting, you can fully switch off from the world and focus on quality time with your loved one. Relax by your private pool, indulge in the divine spa treatments on offer, using Fiji’s fabulous pure coconut oil and fragrant flower extracts, or arrange a private Champagne picnic on a neighbouring deserted palm-shaded island beach.
Guests can explore the island strolling through the verdant landscaping, playing golf, hiking to an ancient Fijian village, kayaking or paddle boarding through pristine lagoons, snorkeling or diving among coral and marine life, fishing, surfing or boating to neighboring islands.
Create memories to last a lifetime with your partner at Vatuvara Private Islands here.
Townhouse Estrela do Mar – Algarve, Portugal
The Algarve is known for its almost 300 days of sunshine per year, so it’s always a good time to escape to the Portuguese coastline. And the lovely Townhouse “Estrela do Mar,” is a beautiful base from which to explore the whitewashed fishing villages, dramatic cliffs and sandy coves. The quaint fisherman’s townhouse is located in the historic village of Salema, right on the gorgeous beach. The living room fireplace gives it a cosy feel in the cooler months, whilst the sundeck, with sensational views over the Atlantic Ocean, mean those many sunny days can be enjoyed year-round. These sea views can also be absorbed from the master bedroom, a real treat fon a romantic retreat.
When you tear yourself away from ultimate relaxation on the terrace and the beach, you will discover the delights of Salema, such a pretty little town. And a short 2.5 kilometers away is the Santo António Resort, where you can enjoy golf and tennis, then make use of the Health Club & Spa.
Enjoy a balmy trip to the beautiful Algarve with the Vila Vita Collection here.
Sardinia