The 13 most romantic hotels in the world

France has more romantic hotels than anyone could possibly visit in a lifetime of lifetimes, but there is something about Les Fermes de Marie that takes the biscuit. The location – for a start – is a collection of farmhouses on a hillside within gawping distance of Mont Blanc. It is difficult to fail with that as a starting point but nothing is left to chance, with the luxury ramped up to make this an alluring accommodation option. The ski resort village of Megève is a short walk away, for added magic. 

No phones, no TVs, no clocks, nothing. Well, not quite nothing, obviously, but St Lucia’s Jade Mountain Resort is specifically designed to transport visitors back to simpler times when being at one with nature and those around you was more important than viral trends and notifications. The resort spreads across over 240 hectares of verdant tropical hillside, offering incredible views that will make the heart swoon. The iconic backdrop of the Piti and Gros Piton mountains is practically a love letter to the majesty of the natural world. Jade Mountain Resort has 76 rooms and you can’t go wrong with any of them, but splash out on the Soco Suites and fall in love with the world all over again.

You’ve more than likely seen it all over social media, but park your cynicism at the door with this one. Giraffe Manor is every bit as magical as the hype – and worth every penny, too. You can only get the full giraffe experience by staying here, so get loading up the piggy bank and plan the romantic getaway of a lifetime, one shared with the longest necks in the animal kingdom. You can also get married here if you’ve put the planning in. Or you can settle for the life-affirming magic of sharing breakfast with gorgeous giraffes. And your loved one, obviously. 

A collection of five disparate islands just a short drive from Bihać, Japodski Otoci has been attracting lovers for thousands of years. The Romans made themselves at home here around the beauty of the Una river (so named because it truly is number one), and modern renovations have seen Japodski Otoci blossom into a wonderland of glamping and treehouses that are as romantic as it gets. The views are stunning, the sunsets even more so, and the gorgeous expanse of Una National Park is just a short drive away. 

If your idea of romance involves rubbing shoulders with the stunning expanse of Cambodia’s Cardamom National Park, Shinta Mani Wild is here to take your breath away. A part of the Bensley Collection, Shinta Mani Wild is a network of luxury tents that hug the river in the middle of the Cambodian rainforest, and the setting is every bit as majestic as that basic description suggests. It certainly isn’t cheap, but this is a true once-in-a-lifetime romantic adventure and then some. 

Most of Australia’s big cities are fairly romantic in their own way, but the qualia resort on Hamilton Island is in another stratosphere. Its claim of being a ‘private world of sensory perfection’ hits the nail bang on the head, and each one of its 60 suites offers a jaw-dropping view of the Coral Sea and the Whitsunday Islands. The resort is on the eastern edge of the Great Barrier Reef, and you don’t need us to tell you how beautiful that is. You also get a complimentary golf buggy for island exploring: the cherry on top a quite magnificent cake. 

Take a deep breath, because this place is going to snatch it away in a heartbeat. The Oberoi beach resort at Sahl Hasheesh is a faultless exercise in sophisticated luxury, with stunning views of the Red Sea to accentuate the traditional stylings and shimmering pools. The restaurant serves food as delicious as the decor too, making for an all-around romantic hotel that was made for lovers. Good luck tearing yourself away from this place. 

They say the classics never go out of style, and in the case of Caesars Palace that is definitely true. This most famous of Las Vegas hotels has been welcoming wide-eyed guests since opening its doors in 1966, and its nearly 4,000 rooms can be overwhelming and thrilling in equal measure. The hotel is a frequent location in films (both romantic and not) and TV shows, seeming to have everything anyone could possibly want during a stay in Vegas. Yes, that includes the intangibles needed to spark passionate romance. Yes, you can also get married there. 

If money isn’t an obstacle, how does a helicopter ride to Amanzoe sound? The stuff Hollywood is made of, you’ll agree, but probably out of the reach for most. Still, arriving at this iconic hotel on the cusp of the Aegean Sea will make your heart sing, no matter your mode of transport. Greece has a long and storied history when it comes to romance, and this lavish resort pulls out all the stops in paying homage to that, from the stunning pavilions to the serenity of the view from the pool. Magic. 

Today it houses a boutique hotel and heritage resort, but the magnificent Devi Garh started life as a seven-storey hilltop fort palace in the eighteenth century, from where maharajas surveyed the land and lived the good life. The best of lives now awaits in its 39 suites, each with a stunning view and a palpable sense of history. A favourite of celebrities and beautiful people alike, Devi Garh is a fixture in selections of romantic spots on the Subcontinent, well worth making the journey from nearby Udaipur. 

There are a number of Artist Residence hotels around the UK, with romantic settings in London, Oxford, Brighton and more, but the Penzance spot ultimately wins out. How could it not? Cornwall is England at its most romantic, and the effortless style of this boutique hotel makes for a truly sophisticated stay. It also makes a great base from which to explore Cornwall’s many romantic spots, from Bude to Lizard and beyond. 

When it opened back in 2007, Rio de Janeiro’s Hotel Fasano was a wake-up call to the rest of the City of God’s accommodation. Fasano could have coasted on its location in an affluent zone next to beautiful beaches, but this place decided to go above and beyond. The service is the best in the city, the elegance of the hotel is undeniable, and that rooftop bar will have visitors fawning. This can be a chaotic city, but Hotel Fasano is RdJ at its sophisticated best. 

New York has always had a romantic reputation and the same can be said of its most famous hotel. The Plaza isn’t cheap but it remains a stunningly opulent bucket-list experience, and it doesn’t get more romantic than that. It has always been the hotel where people go to be seen, from the moment it opened in 1907 as one of the world’s most luxurious hotels. It retains that status today, a romantic nerve centre in the very heart of the Big Apple.