7 minute read
TRAVEL
Valentine vacations
Let’s take a few moments to daydream of escaping to one of these more unusual romantic breaks
WELLNESS WARRIORS CAN FIND HARMONY HERE:
Joshua Tree, California
Joshua Tree, and it’s glorious National Park, serve as a haven for the artistically-inclined, UFOlogists, solitude seekers, and otherwise offbeat creatives drawn to the power of the desert. The motels located in town are all ramshackle, so your best lodging options are through Airbnb, which has a glut of impeccably designed listings that could have easily been plucked straight from the pages of Dwell. We’ve particularly obsessed by this two-person only dome in the desert.
CULTURE VULTURES CAN EXPLORE THE PAST HERE:
Terni, Italy
If you feel a flutter in your heart and a spring in your step, head to the hometown of St Valentine himself: Terni. On February 14, the town throws a decadent feast of delicious Italian food, set against the backdrop of the swooningly beautiful Basilica di San Valentino, where the matchmaking saint’s remains are buried. A Year of Loving Award is presented to the couple who have shown true devotion and kindness to each other.
ADVENTUROUS COUPLES CAN GET AN ADRENALIN FIX HERE:
Galapagos, Ecuador
If you and your beloved are the kind that can’t keep still, take a trip to one of the world’s most magical and mysterious destinations: the Galapagos Islands. Hang with the locals for three nights in Ecuador before jumping on board a boat for a four-day trip around the famous islands, where you’ll be taken to Cero Brujo, a rarely-visited spot, to swim and snorkel with brown pelicans, sea lions and blue-footed boobies.
SNOW BUNNIES CAN WARM UP HERE:
Beaver Creek, Colorado
There’s nothing romantic about frostbite and sore muscles, which is why the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch is the perfect place for piste partners. Hit the slopes with minimum effort at this ski-on ski-off resort, complete with boot butlers, roaring fires, an outdoor pit for toasting marshmallows under a starry sky, and an award-winning spa offering a package of massages and champagne for two, plus a long, hot soak together in a copper tub.
BEACH BELOVEDS CAN FIND PARADISE HERE:
HAPPY HIPPIES CAN CHILL OUT HERE:
Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado, tucked away in 57 unspoiled acres of desert wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo foothills, is offering couples the chance to indulge in private yoga classes for two at sunrise in the Rio Grande River Valley, with the peaks of the Jemez Mountains and the wilds of New Mexico on the horizon. Then you can partake in the spa’s purification ritual at sunset, which begins with a smudging of sage, followed by a clay body mask. Then, after a restful scalp and foot massage that connects both of your energies to heaven and earth, melt away with a juniper-sage massage using hot stones.
CITY SLICKERS CAN FEED THEIR BUZZ HERE:
Seoul, Korea
This massive megalopolis has something for everyone. Skyscrapers tower over ancient temples, supermalls make way for traditional fish markets. And although Seoul never sleeps, when you need to grab 40 winks head to the historical district, which houses the legendary Shilla Seoul hotel, the only place to head after a day of non-stop sightseeing and shopping a deux. Take your date up to the roof for a romantic dinner at one of the quiet restaurants, then head to the library lounge to contemplate your next day’s hustle and bustle.
Tetiaroa, French Polynesia
Thirty miles north of Tahiti sits a collection of islets surrounded by warm ocean and not much else. This is about as deserted a tropical paradise as you can get. The beauty spot is so beautiful it was once reserved for the Polynesian royal family, and since then Hollywood royalty has taken a shine to it too. Marlon Brando filmed Mutiny On The Bounty here in the 1960s, fell in love with the powdery beaches and bought every last grain of sand. The Brando Resort (thebrando.com), in keeping with the actor’s wishes, is an eco-chic hideaway that’s perfect for couples.
BOHEMIANS LOOKING FOR A BREAK:
Little Corn Island, Nicaragua
If your idea of couple’s therapy is a lazy day swinging in a hammock made for two, a short stroll on the beach, stopping off at a shack for grilled lobster caught fresh that day, then this is the place for you. At just over one square mile the blissfully slow and small island is easily bikeable and its new hotel – the low key Yemaya Island Hideaway and Spa – offers swimming, snorkelling and the perfect atmosphere to reconnect.
WIN!
FOUR TICKETS TO THE DESERT WARRIOR CHALLENGE
Do you have what it takes to take on the Desert Warrior Challenge? If so, we dare you to enter this giveaway. The Desert Warrior Challenge is a homegrown adventure obstacle race, with the most adrenaline pumping, physically demanding obstacles to date. ‘Warriors’ must run through a 5km course, while completing all the obstacles they encounter on the way, and then crawl, jump, carry, climb or slide their way to the finish line.
q For your chance to win, go to whatson.ae/win
WIN! WIN!
SNOW CINEMA TICKETS FOR 4 BRUNCH AT LA VUE PLUS TICKETS TO DUBAI PARKS & RESORTS
Ski Dubai and VOX Cinemas have combined to create a stunning one-of-a-kind cinematic experience set in snow. This prize, worth Dhs1,500, invites you and three mates to enjoy food and hot chocolates while wrapped in blankets as you watch a blockbuster movie in Ski Dubai. This thrill and chill combo prize includes two tickets to ride the rollercoasters at Dubai Parks & Resort, and brunch for two at the relaxed brunch at Pullman Dubai JLT.
LASTMINUTE TRIP
Dine near flamingoes and sleep in an eco- dome next to the mangroves at Pura Eco Retreat. It’s a getaway in every sense of the word
The location
The retreat is a 10-minute buggy ride from the entrance of Jubail Mangrove Park in Abu Dhabi. Hit the Saadiyat Island Expressway and follow the signs for the park on the right – you’ll park at the public parking, then wait for a buggy to take you on the meandering route through the mangroves. On the plus side, the ride will afford some beautiful views.
The look and feel
Imagine if The Beach commune was set in the Abu Dhabi mangroves, with a splash of Costa Rican vibes thrown in. Head to the main deck behind the big reception villa for the best views – you can enjoy afternoon tea on the patio whilst admiring the odd flock of flamingoes in the shallow waters, or slump in an open-air tepee with a cocktail.
The facilities
A big white villa is the centrepiece of the retreat where guests check-in. Over the next few months, the team will add an indoor relaxation area and a small spa/ treatment room upstairs. Then there are the five domes to the left, and the outdoor restaurant area to the right. If you’re looking for more activities, you can borrow a fatbike to cycle around, stand up paddleboard around the mangroves, or walk the boardwalk at Jubail Park.
The rooms
There are only five geodesic domes, which are fitted out simply but beautifully, with two deck chairs facing out through the opaque windows and a telescope for star/ animal gazing. Each dome has an en suite, there’s a big comfy bed, a cabinet with a Marshall stereo, books, and tea and coffee. Outside each room there’s a cabana and a firepit where you can roast marshmallows or barbecue.
The food and drinks
Breakfast and afternoon tea (p35) are served on the patio, while the colourful majlis area and teepees to the right of the property serve dinner. Cocktails, mocktails and are also served.
The room rates
The hotel is very much a retreat first and a restaurant second, so booking an overnight stay is highly-recommended. Dome rates with breakfast is approximately Dhs2,000 per night and is adults-only, making it a perfect romantic getaway.
