THE DESTINATION IS THE JOURNEY

Valentines Day is right around the corner and if you’re still looking for ways to treat your sweetheart in ways they’ll never forget—look no further. We’ve put together a top rate romantic get-away guide that will put last years box of chocolates to shame.

by Allie Kingsley

For the music lover: Aria Hotel, Prague
Within the stone and stucco walls of this 5-star luxury hotel in central Prague thrives a musical haven. Architects Rocco Magnoli and Lorenzo Carmelini, the designers behind many of Versace’s international stores and buildings, have decorated the warm and elegant hotel to tastefully carry out their musical theme. It’s no wonder why Aria has topped the charts in the years past, winning 1st place as the “Best Luxury Hotel of the World” by Trip Advisor, amongst others. The Chef Concierge and Music Director Dr. Ivana Stehlikova have made certain that every single detail is perfected and desire is made available for their guests. All of their fifty-one luxury rooms and suites re dedicated to a style of music, particular artist or composer, suck as the Beethoven Suite, Billie Holiday Suite and the Mozart Suite. Each floor is devoted to a different musical genre, whether it be jazz, opera, classical or contemporary. The rooms also include an extensive music collection, HI-FI entertainment systems and quality accommodations fit for royalty. The Aria Hotel’s intimate Music Salon is decorated for comfort with leather seating and a cozy fireplace. This inviting venue is the perfect location for you and your favorite song to make beautiful music together!

For the zen obsessed: Hanging Gardens, Ubud Bali
If peace and tranquility are what you seek, we couldn’t imagine it getting any better than this. Imagine replacing the sounds of cars, phones and other urban noises with rushing waters of the Ayung river, bamboo trees flickering in the wind and calls of the jungle. Now imagine that you’re not sitting in that ergonomic chair, but rather reclining on a plush massage table overlooking a smoky volcano, beside your private heated infinity-edge swimming pool. Still there? Ubud Hanging Gardens is simply heaven—there is no other way to describe it. The luxury pool villas are built in traditional Balinese village style and surrounded by lush mountains, exotic flowers, cocoa and coffee trees. The spa uses local ingredients and ancient techniques to it’s world-class therapies and treatments, in it’s state-of-the-art facilities. Each of the luxe villas are set high on wooden pillars and feature floor to ceiling windows and large terraces to optimize the sweeping views. The thought of ending each day under a thatched roof and wrapped in locally spun silks and natural cottons makes us wonder how anyone would ever leave such a haven. And if you and your lover have fantasized about playing hide-and-seek au naturale in the jungle…well…

For the adventurist: Ulusaba, South Africa
There is only one person that we could think of who could perfect the blending of ultimate luxury and wild adventure: Sir Richard Branson, of course. Branson has made it possible for even the most pampered of princesses to enjoy a walk on the wild side. Ulusaba has twenty-one rooms and suites divided by two lodges: Rock Lodge and Safari Lodge. One is situated high on a summit overlooking the African wilderness and the other is built along the banks of a dry riverbed. Guests are suggested to share time between both lodges and to encourage this, Branson built crossover bridges going to and from the tree-house style rooms. The rangers and trackers at the reserve are from the local villages and are guaranteed to be the finest and most qualified in game viewing. Twice daily, they take guests on a trek in open Land Rovers to get up close (enough) and personal with lions, buffaloes, leopards, elephants and rhinoceroses. To ensure that you leave camp with the best memories and the photographs to prove it, photographic safaris are led by professionals who are experienced photographers that will cover camera functions, wildlife photography skills, flash photography in the bush, image composition and more—because, as they say, valentines come and go, but the pictures are forever.