By Debbie Gardner
dgardner@thereminder.com
It’s February, the month for hearts and flowers and other expressions of love. But who says that Valentine’s Day gift has to be a box of chocolates or a bouquet of roses? February is also the perfect month to think about a romantic getaway.
Whether you’re looking for a right-now escape or planning that big romantic trip for later this year, Prime has your back. We’ve picked the brain of some local travel experts to get the best tips on planning that special escape.
A quick weekend getaway
According to Karen Basilone, a 20-year veteran of the travel desk at AAA, winter is a great time for a quick, romantic getaway right here in New England. “There’s many local inns and hotels, there’s Maine, the White Mountains. Even Cape Cod,” all within driving distance, even in the dead of winter, Basilone shared.
Two of Basilone’s top suggestions for a quick, Valentine’s month getaway were Cape Cod’s Chatham Bars Inn and the Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. Both are historic inns that offer glamorous surroundings paired with top-shelf service, and in the case of the Mount Washington, outstanding skiing and winter sports for the active vacationer.
Right Now, the Chatham Bars Inn, located at 297 Shore Rd., Chatham, Massachusetts, is offering a Bed & Breakfast special with an overnight stay in one of their graciously appointed rooms and breakfast for two. Winter activities include cooking classes on Wednesdays, wine tastings and afternoon tea on Thursdays and mixology classes on Fridays (additional fees apply). During the month of February, all spa services at the hotel are discounted 30% Monday-Thursday. For more information on this historic inn originally opened in 1914, visit https://www.chathambarsinn.com/stay-with-us/overview
The Mount Washington Hotel, a “big, Victorian-style inn” that’s now an Omni Hotels property according to Basilone, has a bevy of winter specials for stays booked during February and March. The Romance Package includes a bottle of sparkling wine, a sweet treat and late check-out for a one-night stay. The Bed and Breakfast offer includes a breakfast with every overnight stay. There’s a Stay Here, Ski Free package available, and for guests who just want a relaxing, do-nothing escape, there’s 10% off a two-night stay.
In addition, AAA member and over-50 Senior discounts are also available. For more information visit http://tinyurl.com/5erm7mzu
Romance on the river
Amy Frank, an independent travel agent with Magical Moments Vacations, based in Farmington, Connecticut, said if you’re looking for a romantic way to visit Europe in 2024, plan to take a river cruise.
“I just went on my first one in October [2023] with AmaWaterways; to be honest I wasn’t sure I’d like it. I’m 50 years old and I thought it would be boring,” Frank shared candidly. “I loved it!
“There’s no better way to experience [Europe] than on the river. You sail at night; you wake up in the morning and you’re in the center of the city. You just walk off the ship,” Frank explained, adding her cruise included “Two nights in Budapest and a full night in Vienna.”
She dispelled the notion that these cruises are for an older clientele, adding that even the most popular line, the adult-only Viking Cruises, is seeing a younger demographic. River cruises, she noted, have become very popular with groups of friends as well as couples. “The average [age] now is 56,” Frank said, adding that the line she sailed with, AmaWaterways allows children on select cruises, also making them a popular choice for multi-generational summer getaways.
Frank sailed on the flagship vessel in AmaWaterway’s fleet, which she said was outfitted with “four restaurants, a pickleball court and a fitness center” along with a small pool and sun deck, though most guests spent their time ashore taking advantage of the complementary tour in each port of call. “There were walking tours, biking tours and hiking tours,” in many ports depending on the level of activity a guest preferred, Frank explained.
AmaWaterways offers a full slate of European river cruises, including the Rhine and Danube in Germany, four rivers in France and a new cruise along the Dora River in Portugal. AmaWaterways also offers “cruises that are a little different, like the Mekong River (in Vietnam) and the Nile River in Egypt,” Frank added.
AmaWaterways books primarily through travel agents. For more information visit https://www.amawaterways.com/agent/amyfrankmmv
A resort for lovers
“If you’re looking for a romantic vacation, Sandals [Resorts] is absolutely perfect,” Frank said of the 40-year-old hospitality brand, which boasts a loyal following that returns year after year. “The Sandals concept is two people in an all-inclusive resort. Sandals is all-adult, and they only have king beds; they don’t encourage friends coming and sharing rooms,” as there aren’t any rooms with two queen beds, Frank said.
“Their tag line is ‘all you need is love – the rest is all included,’” Frank said. “They are really for anniversaries, for honeymoons, for couples. These resorts are all about romance.”
Frank said she’s stayed at 16 of the 18 Sandals resorts spread out over eight Caribbean islands during her 11 years as a travel agent. “They are not cookie cutter, each resort has a unique personality,” and she said she can match a Sandals resort to what a couple is looking for, from one with a lot of entertainment and activities to one that is small and romantic. What is the same at each Sandals resort is the all-inclusive policy. “It is one of the most inclusive brands – your food, your drinks, all the activities, all the water sports – they even include scuba diving if you are certified,” Frank said, adding there is a no-tipping policy. “The staff is trained not to accept tips,” she said.
To view the roster of Sandals resorts, visit https://www.sandals.com/.
“You can go online and look at the resorts, but that doesn’t tell you the personality of the resort, that’s the advantage of working with a travel agent,” Frank said.
An intimate cruise
Basilone suggested that couples looking for a romantic cruise experience, but not the crowds common on many of the popular lines, might want to try Seabourn, which sails in the Caribbean.
“These are very small ships, yacht-like with suites. They hit the smaller islands that you don’t get to see with the larger ships,” Basilone said. Your cruise price usually includes your drinks and gratuities “and there are many optional excursions you can take,” Basilone added. The average guest is in their 40s or older, though there are often younger couples who are “looking to escape the crowds,” Basilone added.
Seabourn ships usually carry about 400 to 500 passengers, a far cry from the 6,000 on a typical cruise ship. “Once you do [sail with them] it’s hard to go back to the larger ships … there’s no waiting [for anything],” Basilone shared.
For more information on Seabourn cruises, visit https://www.seabourn.com/en/us
The adventure of a lifetime
Both Frank and Basilone mentioned one resource as the place to go for the ultimate, bucket-list-type trip – Adventures by Disney. From safaris in the Serengeti to trips through Italy and the Swiss Alps, that long-awaited visit to London and Paris, or even a trip to Alaska or the Grand Canyon, both agents agreed that Disney knows how to do vacationing right.
