February 4, 2004 -- The idea of a romantic getaway doesn't always need to encompass a faraway beach resort or a secluded garden vista, but can be as simple as one or two nights away from home. Spending a night in one's own hometown can be just as romantic (with the right person of course) as a trip to a far away destination.
Listed below are some romantic hotels in top U.S. cities where our travel experts have picked their favorites for getaways. Included is at least one expensive, moderate or inexpensive option in each city. For other suggestions, simply click on the "Destinations" tab at the top of this page to find a city near you.
Boston
Eliot Hotel (370 Commonwealth Ave.; 800/443-5468 or 617/267-1607; www.eliothotel.com; $255-$435 one-bedroom suite; $510-$750 two-bedroom suite)
The Mood: The intimate atmosphere and elegant furnishings make a suite at this exquisite hotel a great spot for a rendezvous. If you and your beloved need some time apart, close the French doors -- you can be in separate rooms yet still maintain eye contact. Every unit is a spacious suite with antique furnishings, traditional English-style chintz fabrics, down comforters, and authentic botanical prints. Bathrooms are outfitted in Italian marble.
Valentine's Specials: You get a suite with a Valentine's Day dinner for two at the James Beard Award-winning Clio; and a continental breakfast for two the following morning, excluding tax, gratuity and alcoholic beverages. Dinner includes one appetizer, an entrée and dessert. Check in: Saturday, 2/14, Check out Sunday, 2/15. Price $450
Newbury Guest House (261 Newbury St. btw Fairfield and Gloucester sts.; 617/437-7666; www.hagopianhotels.com; rack rates $140-$195 double)
The Mood: After just a little shopping in the Back Bay, you'll appreciate what a find this cozy inn is: a bargain on Newbury Street. It's a pair of brick town houses built in the 1880s and combined into a refined guesthouse. It offers comfortable furnishings, a pleasant staff, nifty architectural details, and a buffet breakfast served in the ground-level dining room, which adjoins a brick patio. Rooms are modest in size but nicely appointed and well maintained.
Valentine's Specials: The "Romance Package" includes champagne, truffles and a rose for the guests upon arrival. Also included is a gift certificate in the amount of $50 towards dinner at one of four romantic restaurants in the neighborhood: Casa Romero, Piattini, Tapeo and Ciao Bella. A delicious continental breakfast awaits you in the morning, served buffet style in the coziness of the breakfast café. A late check out is also offered. The price is $215 for a one-night stay on February 14th. The same package is offered through mid-March for the slightly lower price of $199.
Chicago
The Peninsula Chicago (108 E. Superior St.; 866/288-8889; www.peninsula.com; rack rates: $420-$495 double; $485-$4,500 suite)
The Mood: Do believe the hype. The first Midwest location from the luxury Peninsula hotel group promised to wow us, and it does not disappoint. Taking design cues from the chain's flagship Hong Kong hotel, the Peninsula Chicago mixes an Art Deco sensibility with modern, top-of-the-line amenities. Service is practically a religion, and the sultry hotel bar is already one of the city's top spots for romantic assignations. The bright, airy spa and fitness center fill the top two floors and make a lovely retreat (especially the outdoor deck).
Valentine's Specials: A variety of special packages start from $355; there's a chocolate bar from 8-midnight for $19.50/person.
Majestic Hotel (Brompton St. at Lake Shore Drive; 800/727-5108 or 773-404-3499 528; www.cityinns.com; rack rates: $139-$179 including continental breakfast)
The Mood: The Majestic blends seamlessly into its residential neighborhood on a charming tree-lined street. This is a good choice for anyone who wants a quiet bed-and-breakfast type of hotel stay. Guests receive afternoon tea in the lobby and rooms offer poster beds and tapestry furniture. For the most romantic stay, request one of the larger suites with a sun porch (avoid the interior rooms with alley views). Ideally suited for enjoying the North Side, the Majestic is only a short walk from both Wrigley Field and the lake.
Valentine's Specials: No specials available per se, just the low-rates for a charming hotel.
Dallas
Hotel St. Germaine (2516 Maple Ave. at Mahon St.; 214/871/2516; www.hotelstgermain.com; rack rates: $290-$650 suite)
The Mood: This boutique hotel, with just 7 suites, is all about romance. It envelops guests in old-world luxury, with a library, parlors and sumptuous style that is equal parts turn-of-the-century France and New Orleans, like a refined bordello. The individually decorated suites are loaded with pampering features like French antiques, wood-burning fireplaces, tapestries, canopied feather beds, bidets, and Jacuzzis and soaking tubs. The giddily romantic Champagne Bar, done up like a 19th-century parlour, is the perfect spot for a bit of bubbly and caviar. Suites nos. 5 & 7 are popular.
Valentine's Specials: Little perks for lovers are available year-round upon request (and at a price)including lavendar rose petals tossed on your bed ($20); a "sorcerer's pouch" containing bath gels, love oils and other body treats ($32); a selection of gourmet chocolates (from $15 up to $60); and a variety of massage and spa offers (prices vary).
The Guest Lodge at Cooper Aerobic Clinic (12230 Preston Rd. at Churchill St.; 800/444-5187; www.cooperaerobics.com; rack rates: $175 double, $215 and up for a suite)
The Mood: For the couple who finds good health and no stress the height of romance. This unique mid-size hotel sits on 30 acres of trees, trails, and duck ponds in North Dallas, the grounds of the renowned Cooper Fitness Clinic. If romance is about indulgence, check out the Mediterranean-style full-service spa, have a massage or winter body scrub, and relax or get sweaty at the spectacular fitness center -- ranked among Fitness magazine's "Top 15 U.S. Hotel Health Clubs," with a 40,000-square-foot health club, tennis courts, pools, running track, and whirlpool and sauna. Hotel rooms have French doors that open onto private balconies
Valentine's Specials: A variety of packages include various combinations of one- or two-nights' stay, massages, access to all the lodge's amenities and the fitness center, breakfasts, turndown service, welcome baskets, flowers, monogrammed robes, consultation with a personal trainer and more. Prices ranges from $430 to $1,580 for two people.
Houston
The Lancaster Hotel (701 Texas Avenue; 800/231-0336 or 713/228-9500; www.lancaster.com; rack rates: $275-$315 standard; $325-$550 suite)
The Mood: For those who enjoy the performing arts and nightlife, there is no better place to stay. It's within a block of the symphony, the ballet, the opera, and the Alley Theatre, and when reserving a room you can have the concierge buy tickets for performances at any of these venues and more. Rooms are a little smaller than their counterparts at other downtown hotels but better furnished, and with more of the character of an old hotel. Bathrooms are ample and have lots of counter space. Service is excellent, plus there are extras like a CD player in the rooms and fresh-cut flowers.
Valentine's Specials: Deluxe accommodations, champagne & chocolate covered strawberries upon arrival, overnight valet parking, a full American breakfast for two either in the Bistro or in the privacy of your room from $275 for a double; $395 for suite including all taxes.
The Lovett Inn (501 Lovett Blvd.; 800/779-5224 or 713/522-5224; www.lovettinn.com; 13 units, 11 with private bathroom; rack rate: $75-$85 double with shared bathroom, $115-$175 double with private bathroom including continental breakfast)
The Mood: The inn offers plenty of quiet, without being far from the busy restaurant and club district of the Montrose Area. The house dates from the early 1900s and was built by one of Houston's mayors. Rooms in the main house are spacious and well furnished with period furniture, wood floors, area rugs, and none of the cutesyness that so many B&Bs feel obliged to deliver. Larger and more modern rooms are in buildings in back of the main house.
Valentine's Specials: No packages available, but big on weddings.
Las Vegas
Ritz-Carlton at Lake Las Vegas (1610 Lake Las Vegas Pkwy., Henderson, NV; 800/241-3333 or 702/567-4700; www.ritzcarlton.com)
The Mood: Truth be told, this is the only luxury resort and it's not even in Las Vegas. It's on the outskirts of next-door suburb Henderson, on the shores of Lake Las Vegas. That means a 30-minute or so drive from the Strip. Come here for a true getaway, and treat Vegas as a nearby attraction, an additional perk for your vacation. To come here is to come to a gobsmackingly beautiful resort -- between the sparkling water and the crisp mountains, all the better in the early evening with a warm breeze blowing, this is the serene oasis everyone dreams of when they come to the desert. Plus, it has all the pampering bells and whistles you could want.
Valentine's Specials: From February 13-15, the standard rate is $279 a night; the Valentine's weekend package includes accommodations for two and chocolate covered strawberries and champagne.
No inexpensive options are cut and dry here: Hotel prices in Vegas are anything but fixed, so you will notice wild price ranges. The same room can routinely go for anywhere from $60 to $250, depending on demand, and even that range is negotiable if it's a slow time (though such times are less and less common thanks to the influx of conventions).
Los Angeles
Shutters on the Beach (1 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica; 800/334-9000 or 310-458-0030; www.shuttersonthebeach.com; rack rates: $405 city view, $485 partial ocean view, $605 ocean view)
The Mood: This Cape Cod-style luxury hotel enjoys one of the city's most prized locations: directly on the beach, a block from Santa Monica Pier. The views and sounds of the ocean are the most outstanding qualities of the spacious, luxuriously outfitted, Cape Cod-inspired rooms some of which have fireplaces and/or whirlpool tubs; all have floor-to-ceiling windows that open.
A relaxed and elegant ambience pervades the contemporary art-filled public spaces, which feel like the common areas of a deluxe Montauk beach house.
Valentine's Specials: Sorry, folks, but they're sold out for Valentine's weekend; still keep this in mind for any romantic episode.
The Mosaic (125 S. Spalding Dr.; 800/463-4466 or 310/278-0303; www.innatbeverlyhills.com; rack rates: $225-$450 double, from $600 two-bedroom suite)
The Mood: We've seen hundreds of hotel renovations in my travels, but none have impressed us as much as this Beverly Hills boutique hotel. Formerly the Beverly Hills Inn, the new owners pumped $3 million into completely renovating the entire hotel and the result is spectacular. The lobby is a showcase of functional art, with gleaming tile mosaics, fabrics in deep, rich tones, and a profusion of artfully arranged orchids. The guest rooms are equally impressive, all done in soothing earth tones with 300-count Frette linens, goose-down comforters and piles of pillows, windows that open onto the quiet neighborhood street or garden courtyard, minibars stocked with Wolfgang Puck snacks and libations, and sparkling bathrooms with Bvlgari bath products and huge Rain Forest showerheads.
Valentine's Specials: Gulp, sold out as well for VD but have a number of "romantic" packages, including a three-night rest and relaxation special starting from $567.
An inexpensive runner-up in LA is the Casa Malibu (22752 Pacific Coast Hwy, 800/831-0858), a modest, low-rise inn that has a traditional California-beach-cottage look that's cozy and timeless.
Miami Area
Hotel Place St. Michel (162 Alcazar Ave, Coral Gables; 800/848-HOTEL or 305/444-1666; www.hotelplacestmichel.com; 27 units; rack rates: $165 double, $200 suite including continental breakfast and fruit basket upon arrival)
The Mood: This European-style hotel in the heart of Coral Gables is one of the city's most romantic options. The accommodations and hospitality are straight out of Old World Europe, complete with dark wood-paneled walls, cozy beds, beautiful antiques, and a quiet elegance that seems startlingly out of place in trendy Miami. Everything here is charming -- from the brass elevator and parquet floors to the paddle fans.
Valentine's Day: While the $195 a night holiday package just sold out, the restaurant is still taking reservations for a $75 per person prix fixe menu.
Hibiscus House (501 30th St., West Palm Beach; 800/203-4927 or 561/863-5633; www.hibiscushouse.com; 8 units; rack rates: $105-$260 double, off-season $75-$180 including breakfast)
The Mood: Located a few miles from the coast in a quiet residential neighborhood, this 1920s-era B&B is filled with handsome antiques and tapestries in luxurious fabrics. Every room has its own private terrace or balcony. The Red Room has a fabulous new bathroom with Jacuzzi. The backyard, a peaceful retreat, has been transformed into a tropical garden, complete with heated swimming pool and lounge chairs. Breakfast portions are enormous and the gourmet creations are as filling as they are beautiful. Ask for any special requests in advance; owners Raleigh Hill and Colin Rayer will be happy to oblige.
Valentine's Specials: No specials, just charming and affordable.
New Orleans
The House on Bayou Rd. (2275 Bayou Rd.; 800/882-2968 or 504/945-0992; www.houseonbayouroad.com; 8 units, 2 cottages; rack rates: $155-$320 double including full breakfast)
The Mood: If you want to stay in a rural and romantic plantation setting but still be near the French Quarter, try this -- quite probably the most smashing guesthouse in town. This intimate Creole plantation home, built in the late 1700s for a colonial Spanish diplomat, has been restored by owner Cynthia Reeves, who oversees an operation of virtual perfection.
Each room has its own charm -- the Bayou St. John Room (the old library) holds a queen-size four-poster bed and has a working fireplace; the Bayou Delacroix has the same kind of bed and a wonderfully large bathtub. Separate rooms are available in both a large and small cottage as well.
Valentine's Specials: Different rooms, different prices. The most romantic, the Bayou Self, is a private cottage with a fireplace, queen-sized four-poster bed, a Jacuzzi, shower, wet bar, beamed ceiling and private porch complete with rocking chairs overlooking the garden. Rates start from $320 a night.
Chimes B&B (1146 Constantinople St.; 800/729-4640 for reservations only or 504/488-4640; www.historiclodging.com/chimes.html; rack rates: $115-$155 double; off-season rates lower; breakfast included; 5 units)
The Mood: This is a real hidden gem. The Chimes is in a less fashionable but more neighborhoodlike portion of the Garden District, just 2 blocks off St. Charles Avenue. Rooms vary in size from a generous L-shape to a two-story loft type to some that are downright cozy. All have antiques (including romantic old beds) but are so tastefully underdecorated, particularly in contrast to other B&Bs, that they are positively Zen. An ambitious continental breakfast is served in the hosts' house.
Valentines Specials: Romantic rooms include Cottage #1 (sitting area; leaded glass rooms, loft bedroom with queen bed; private entrance; $135/night) and Room #2 (4-poster queen bed and large shower with bench sitting; private entrance; $135/night)
New York
Inn at Irving Place (56 Irving Place; 800/685-1447 or 212/533-4600; www.innatirving.com; 12 units; rack rates: $325-$415 double; $475-$525 suite. Rates include continental breakfast)
The Mood: If you're looking for something ultra-romantic, book a room here -- an Edith Wharton-era jewel with some of the most beautifully outfitted B&B rooms you'll ever see. It's located on a quiet, brownstone-lined street in adjoining 1834 Greek Revival town houses, and each impeccable room boasts a nonworking fireplace, antiques and art, Oriental rugs and kilims, luxuriant fabrics, and a spacious, like-new cream-and-white bathroom with a pedestal sink and a period vibe.
Valentine's Day: No romantic packages available, but some things to note: Any guest could ask for some personalized service (massage, champagne in room, etc.) and hotel will do what it can to accommodate.
The Sofitel (45 W. 44th St.; 212/354-8844; www.sofitel.com; 398 units; rack rates: $199-$429 double; from $299 suite)
The Mood: Despite it's size, this très francais hotel is ideal for travelers who want it all: sophisticated style, luxury comforts, and a romantic feel. It's French-owned, and rooms can go for under $200 on weekends during low season, plus it's in a prime Theater District location show Broadway shows are within steps. Public spaces lined with gallery-quality New York-and Paris-themed art leads to guest rooms that are both gorgeously outfitted and supremely comfortable. Lighting is soft and flattering, walls and windows are soundproofed. The honey-marble bathrooms are spacious and gorgeous, and appointments are 21st century all the way. The attentive management seems to have thought of everything.
Valentine's Specials: Through February 29th, Sofitel is offering a Menage a Trois chocolate menu featuring chocolate martinis, sublime Lenotre chocolates and chocolate mini pastries. The hotel's program includes features such as whimsical chocolate carving displays and a "Love at First Bite" contest with a grand prize of chocolate for a year.
San Antonio and Austin Area
La Mansion del Rio (112 College St., San Antonio; 800/292-7300 or 210/518-1000; www.lamansion.com; 337 units; rack rates: $249-$329 double; $575-$1,949 suite)
The Mood: A lovely Spanish hacienda-style hotel originally built as a seminary in the 19th century. It sits right on a lushly landscaped and fairly quiet section of San Antonio's famed River Walk. Several of the elegantly furnished rooms offer waterfront balconies, and the restaurant, Las Canarias, serves up a terrific river view with its excellent American regional cuisine.
Valentine's Day Specials: A room, spa treatment, welcome amenity, rose petal turndown and breakfast for two at Las Canarias from $379 plus tax.
Canyon of the Eagles Lodge & Nature Park (16942 RR 2341, Burnet TX; 811/977-0081 or 512/756-8787; www.canyonoftheeagles.com; 64 rooms; rack rates: $99 to $159)
The Mood: River cruises depart from the 940-acre grounds of the lodge, opened in 1999 on land owned by the Lower Colorado River Authority and most of it still wilderness preserve. You can go canoeing on Lake Buchanan, stargaze at the lodge's observatory, or just kick back on your porch and watch birds flitting by. Rooms are country-style rustic -- but with all the usual conveniences you'd expect. It's located near a nice winery, Fall Creek Vineyards. Imagine sitting on the front porch together with a bottle of wine, watching the stars...
Valentine's Day Specials: No packages, but there will be a special dinner and dancing that night. For the romantics who want more privacy, ask for a room in building F or P.
Alternatively, there are lots of wonderful, reasonably price gastehauses (guest cottages) in Frederickburg, a charming town in the Texas Hill Country. These are like B&Bs except the units are individual -- say an old farmhouse -- and breakfast is left for you in your refrigerator the night before, so there's no need to mingle with other guests. It's very hard to select just one of these, however, because there are so many -- one to suit every type of couple. For reservations, call or visit any of this services: Bed & Breakfast of Fredericksburg (877/396-9240 or 830/997-4712; www.bandbfbg.com), Be My Guest (866/997-7227 or 830/997-7227; www.bemyguestfredericksburgtexas.com) or Gastehaus Schmidt (866/427-8374 or 830/997-5612; www.fbglodging.com).
San Francisco
The Archbishop's Mansion (1000 Fulton Street; 800/543-5820 or 415/563-7872; www.thearchbishopsmansion.com; 15 units; rack rates: $145-$355 double. Rates include continental breakfast and evening wine)
The Mood: One thing is certain, the archbishop who built this 1904 Belle Epoque beauty was no Puritan. Drippingly romantic, the Archbishop's Mansion, tucked away in a very residential but central neighborhood, is one of the most opulent and fabulously adorned B&Bs you could possibly imagine. Here, within the uniquely adorned rooms, it's all about whimsy and drama. In the morning, breakfast is delivered to the guest rooms, and in the evening, wine is served in the elegant parlor, which also serves as the 24-hour coffee and tea pit stop.
Valentine's Speicals: No published specials, simply worth a romantic weekend.
The Hotel Bohème (444 Columbus Avenue; 415/433-9111; www.hotelboheme.com; 16 units; rack rates: $164-$184 double. Rates include afternoon sherry)
The Mood: Romance awaits at the intimate Bohème. Although it's located on the busiest strip in the neighborhood, once you climb the staircase to this narrow second-floor boutique hotel, you'll discover a style and demeanor reminiscent of a home in upscale Nob Hill. Rooms are small but truly sweet, with gauze-draped canopies, stylish decor, and walls artistically accented with lavender, sage green, black, and pumpkin. Note: While the bathrooms are spiffy, they're also absolutely tiny and have showers only. Tip: Request a room off the street side; these rooms are quieter.
Valentine's Specials: No published deals, but very personalized service from the ultra-hospitable staff can make almost anything possible upon request with a little advanced planning.
Savannah
Eliza Thompson House (5 W. Jones St. in the Historic District; 800/348-9378 or 912/236-3620; www.elizathompsonhouse.com; 25 units; rack rates: $149-$269 double. Rates include continental breakfast)
The Mood: The rooms of this stately home are equally divided between the original 1847 building and a converted carriage house. After serving as a shop for antiques dealers, it was bought by new owners in 1997 and completely redecorated, using original Savannah colors, beautiful antiques, and Oriental carpets. The heart pine floors have been restored to their original luster, the linens have been replaced, and a program of ironing each sheet and pillowcase has begun. The inn now provides comfortable cotton robes in each room and a turndown service. It's also graced with one of the most beautiful courtyards in the city, featuring three large fountains, sago palms, and camellias. The rooms are comfortable, elegant, and cozy, furnished with tradition and taste.
Valentine's Day: "Heart of Savannah Romance" package includes two nights' stay, champagne and keepsake flutes, cotton robes, morning meals, afternoon wine and hors d'oeuvres, nightly dessert and coffee plus turndown service with sweet treats starting from $495 per couple.
17 Hundred 90 (307 E. President St. in the Historic District; 800/487-1790 or 912/236-7122; www.17hundred90.com; 14 units; rack rates: $119-$169 double. Rates include full breakfast)
The Mood: The oldest inn in Savannah is located within a small but dignified clapboard-sided house that was built in the year that gave the establishment its name. It's a cozy, personalized, and charming inn that's decorated in ways that emulate a well-appointed private home. Conversations and occasionally, the sounds of laughter emanate from a basement-level restaurant with a beamed ceiling and the exposed original brickwork. There's a fireplace in 11 of the 13 smallish but charming bedrooms, and the vivid sense that in addition to its rooms, it's also the site of a hardworking, sometimes hard-drinking bar and restaurant that's frequented by locals as well as by tourists. The staff isn't shy about referring to a resident ghost, the unhappy victim of an early 19th-century love affair that ended in suicide. Rich in associations of both requited and unrequited love, it's the kind of place that encourages romantic fancies, and attachments, hopefully to the person you brought with you originally.
Valentine's Specials: None, but do note Room 201 is the "Honeymoon Suite." It's the largest room and sports a king-sized bed on a raised platform; Room #204 is the space rumored to be haunted. Also note that the restaurant has been voted Savannah's most romantic 2 years in a row; Friday sees a large local crowd.
Seattle
Inn at the Market (86 Pine St.; 800/446-4484 or 206/443-3600; www.innatthemarket.com; 70 units; rack rates: $190-$310 double; $335-$380 suite)
The Mood: For romance, convenience, and the chance to immerse yourself in the Seattle aesthetic, it's hard to beat this small, European-style hotel located right in Pike Place Market. A rooftop deck overlooking the harbor provides a tranquil spot to soak up the sun on summer afternoons and further adds to this hotel's distinctive sense of place. To make the most of a stay here, be sure to ask for one of the water-view rooms, which have wide bay windows that overlook Puget Sound. But even if you don't get a water-view room, you'll still find spacious accommodations and large bathrooms. The decor is tastefully elegant and gives the feel of an upscale European beach resort.
Valentine's Day: "Isn't it Romantic Getaway" features an evening of "champagne,chocolates and fresh flowers;" a cityside room is $275 plus tax; waterview room is $355 plus tax.
MarQueen Hotel (600 Queen Anne Ave. N.; 888/445-3076 or 206/282-7407; www.marqueen.com; 56 units; rack rate: $130-$175 double; $195-$275 suite)
The Mood: The hotel is housed in an old brick historic building that was once an apartment building before being converted into an economical boutique hotel. Lots of dark wood trim and hardwood floors give rooms the overall feel of a restored 1930s Manhattan-style apartment building. You half expect Bogie and Bacall to stroll through the lobby. The hotel is a 10-minute walk from the Space Needle and equidistant from the Queen Anne Hill's Kerry Viewpoint, which has the best view in Seattle.
Valentine's Specials: There are no package prices. The most romantic room is the Grand Suite with a king sleigh bed, jets in bath, and a great view; it starts from $290 per night. You'll roses on the bed in any room on Valentine's Day, and the hotel offers a complimentary wine reception on Saturdays.