We all know that setting time aside to clear your mind and recharge is good for your mental health and wellbeing. However, aside from the personal benefits that taking a relaxing holiday can bring, many forget that it can also be healthy for your relationship. Going hand in hand with your partner as you escape the stresses of your daily life can help you not only disconnect from the noise but also focus on reconnecting with one another. Here are the top hotels and resorts for an uplifting and refreshing couples retreat.
For adventure-seeking couples who find that there’s no better way to bond than with an adrenaline rush, make your way to Hotel Samzeo. A member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts brand, the boutique hotel is hidden within the mountains of Georgia and makes for the perfect jump-off point for a range of outdoor activities like hiking and horseback riding. Hotel Samzeo brings the beauty of the historic Tusheti region indoors with rustic wood furnishings, stone pillars, and traditional Georgian art. The entire hotel runs on solar energy and guests can fully unwind at either the on-site spa or in one of the property’s many nooks with views of the surrounding peaks.
Longevity Health & Wellness Hotel, Portugal
Often, when we are overwhelmed with work and family pressures, we forget that our bodies are on the receiving end of all the negativity. At the adults-only Longevity Health & Wellness Hotel in the Algarve, the team encourages guests to experience their unique 360-degree approach to health and wellness. With a dedicated team of doctors, nutritionists, and therapists, visitors will benefit from progressive treatments that centre around the hotel’s key values of restoration and regeneration. Whether it’s just a holistic check-up or an energy rebalancing programme, embarking on a journey towards better health is always better with your loved one by your side.
The Farm at San Benito, Philippines
You’re driving up the dirt road amidst coconut trees and suddenly the lush greenery opens up and reveals The Farm. Less than two hours outside of Manila, this healing sanctuary is a favourite for couples looking for a detox retreat. All the treatments and programmes at The Farm are fixated around five pillars: diagnose, cleanse, nourish, repair, and sustain. They have a vegan restaurant called Alive! where everything is organic and dishes are created with produce and ingredients from their land. The sprawling grounds make it easy for you and your loved one to find a quiet space to talk and unwind and programmes are developed on a bespoke basis. The team makes sure to ask about elements of your relationship with your partner that you’d like to explore or improve on and creates an itinerary that has a great mix of romantic massages and stress management sessions.
The Last Word Kitara, South Africa
Situated within the private 60,000-hectare Klaserie Nature Reserve in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, the newly-opened The Last Word Kitara was built as a mecca for travellers looking for an intimate cultural escape. The upscale safari hotel is also a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts group and has only six chalet suites to maintain an intimate and exclusive feel. Made mostly out of stone, the interiors are a mix of neutral and natural tones and are very pleasing to the eye. The surrounding area is a mix of rugged bushland and the flowing Klaserie river next door giving guests front row seats when the African wildlife come to their watering holes for a drink. Take a romantic sunset safari drive out into the park and see who can spot the Big Five first, then retreat to the hotel’s infinity pool with a glass of wine in hand.
Getting fresh air and going for long walks are just some of the benefits of country living. When The Newt opened in Somerset last year, guests flocked to the working country estate for of its quintessential English charm and beautiful grounds. A go-to escape for couples, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to your daily walks with woodland, orchards, cultivated gardens, a botanical maze, and over 3,000 cyder apple trees to guide you along the way. Structured as a true home away from home, the 17th-century Georgian house invites guests with a variety of accommodation options from Garden Rooms with en suite bathrooms to a luxury hayloft inside a converted 18th-century farm building. You and your partner will enjoy the fine things in life as you stroll through the grounds, squeeze in a game of croquet, take part in a hammam water ritual, and finish up with a perfectly crafted tea from the in-house sommelier.
Named “The World’s Most Romantic Resort” at the annual World Travel Awards for the seventh year in a row, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more ideal couples retreat than Baros Maldives. The entire resort was conceived with couples and honeymooners in mind. They even have a “Romantic Moments” package which includes a private candlelit dinner on the beach, a couples’ massage, and a sunset cruise at the end of the day. Guests can choose to stay in villas over the water or secluded in the jungle. Each has its own outdoor bathroom and rain shower and fosters a sense of tranquillity and intimacy. When it’s time for you to give your sunkissed shoulders some love, pay a visit to the Serenity Spa for one of their signature romantic treatments.
