Conran News
Winter 2008

Love Story
Swept Away Romance Ideas

Looking for love in all the right places? Conran has the privilege of representing a roster of luxury hotels, resorts and destinations that will make hearts beat fast this winter.

Aquamare, Virgin Gorda – Aquamare, a new luxury villa enclave opening in March 2008, will offer its guests exclusive use of two high powered luxury yachts. Aquamare’s secluded champagne brunch, sunset cruises and trips to neighboring islets aboard the property’s Italian 62-foot Azimut power yacht or 36-foot Tiara 3600 Open cruiser are sure to capture the hearts of many guests. When back on land, guests will treasure Aquamare’s signature Dream Bed, a King-size day bed suspended over the shallow water at the resort’s Beach Park which also features a thatched palapa for massages, lounge chairs and will be attended by Aquamare staff to provide chilled towels, water and other comforts. Designed and constructed specifically as elite villa vacation homes, with multiple ensuite master bedrooms, spacious living areas and expansive private outside showers, Aquamare is the new benchmark for luxury villa rentals on one of the B.V.I’s quietest and most exclusive islands.

BelleHavens Luxury Destination Club  – For those who prefer a more social getaway over a sequestered escape, destination clubs are a great alternative to second home ownership and allow groups of friends to cook, play, ski or golf in multi-million dollar homes located in some of the world’s most coveted locales.  And thanks to daily housekeeping services, no one gets stuck with the clean up.  That’s what we call romance! BelleHavens private homes average 3,000 or more square feet and come equipped with a cook’s kitchen outfitted in professional grade equipment, an expansive living area, plasma TV's and other high-tech gadgetry. Not to mention marble bathrooms, 800 thread count linens, daily housekeeping and concierge services. The Club’s private homes are located in some of the most desirable beach, mountain and urban locales including Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Deer Valley, Utah; Great Exuma, Bahamas; and the Kohala Coast of Hawaii.

St. Lucia Properties:

Cap Maison – Cap Maison, St. Lucia’s new luxury boutique hotel opening in July, is said to have the highest ratio of romantic cocktail spots per guest than anywhere else in the Caribbean. With four bars and only 50 rooms, there’s no excuse for missing a sunset drink à deux and whatever follows.  The Cliff at Cap bar, the lounge area at the resorts signature restaurant, is perched on a bluff and features dramatic views of the Caribbean.  Just below, the Rock Gazebo bar at the water’s edge serves more casual sunset drinks while guests dip their toes into the Sea. For daytime thirst quenching, there is the well-stocked beach bar with an inviting deck overlooking Smuggler’s Cove. Lastly, and perhaps to the chagrin of their vacation partners, sport lovers will be drawn to Cap Maison’s Sports Bar where football, soccer and other team sport distractions will be shown on large screened TVs.  

East Winds Inn – One of the few classic Caribbean hotels remaining on St. Lucia, East Winds Inn holds the tradition of understated romance and unspoiled beauty that makes it the perfect escape for newlyweds, not-so newlyweds or couples who simply want a secluded romantic getaway.  With its golden beaches, rainforest landscape and genuine Creole charm, it is no wonder why couples find the ultimate romantic escape here. The Inn also harkens back to the classic European resort model of an all-inclusive, or "all-experience" stay, where a single price takes care of both room and board and a variety of resort activities, making it that much more easier for couples to focus purely on the most important part of any escape- each other.

Ladera –  The sublime absence of TVs, radios or telephones in the guest rooms, coupled with open-air views of the twin Piton peaks, makes Ladera one of life’s most romantic getaways.  The hotel is perched on a ridge at 1,100 feet above sea level. All suites are intentionally designed without a fourth wall providing guests with unobstructed views of the Pitons, the Caribbean and their loved one.
Ladera continues to be one of the most sought after resorts in the Caribbean, thanks in part to astounding accolades and awards including its nearly perfect rating of 91.34 in Travel + Leisure’s “2008 Worlds Best Awards” and its 87.2 rating in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2008 Gold List.

Lake Geneva Region, Switzerland – Chocolate and romance are as inseparable as Romeo and Juliet, except that you don’t have to sneak out at night to experience them. The Chocolate Train, a first-class only train on the Montreux-Oberland-Bernois Railway is the perfect excursion for cocoa lovers who prefer their chocolate with a side of Swiss cheese. The train follows the lakeshore of Lac Léman, passing by the steeped vineyards and villages en route to the Cailler-Nestlé chocolate factory, an ersatz factory experience that demonstrates the legendary story of Swiss chocolate making.  The train stops at Gruyères, a mountain-top village and medieval castle, for tours and tastings of its famous namesake cheese.  Passengers continue on to Broc where the factory is located and return non-stop to Montreux, bearing chocolate souvenirs, or the empty wrappings thereof.   

Gene Kilgore’s Ranchweb –  Romance might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of dude ranches, but ranches today are a far cry from the days of John Wayne. Ranchweb.com’s “Ranch Categories” page includes a directory of ranches grouped by categories ranging from luxury ranches to those offering yoga classes. No longer reserved for aspiring wranglers, today’s ranches include spas, health clubs, and even business services. Cowboy cuisine has also evolved, with many ranches offering gourmet dining experiences and impressive wine lists. Gene Kilgore’s Dude Ranch Food & Wine site highlights these culinary-minded ranches by including chef profiles and sample menus. Ranchweb.com is the one-stop resource for planning any type of ranch vacation.

Riad Meriem, Marrakesh, Morocco – With its enchanting pink-hued buildings, labyrinth of narrow streets, bustling souks, snake charmers and storytellers, it is easy to see why Marrakesh is often cited as one of the most romantic cities in the world. The city’s new design hotel, Riad Meriem, is the perfect complement to what lies just beyond the riad’s cooling thick walls and flower-filled interior courtyards.  Each of the five guest suites are treated in bewitching palates of aubergine, violet and rouge tinted by the ancient plastering technique of tadelakt.  Exotic textiles and artwork from places as far flung as Cameroon and Kurdistan, capture the seduction of the “Rose City.” Riad Meriem is the highly personal vision of its Manhattan-based owner, collector and designer, Thomas Hays, whose New York loft just steps from the Chelsea Hotel, was featured in a December 2007 New York Times design article.

Ski Utah – If you think a double black diamond is a piece of jewelry, read on.  Differences in athletic prowess don’t need to stand in the way of romantic winter getaway at any of the 13 Ski Utah resorts. Couples can spark or even rekindle their flame with semi-private ski lessons or private mountain guides, luxurious spa treatments, shopping, candlelight dinners at any number of the great restaurants in the area, or by partaking in the vibrant après ski scene along Park City’s Main Street.  

The Tryall Club, Jamaica – Each of Tryall Club’s 69 elegant villas, ranging from small bungalows to sprawling showpiece homes, offer couples a chance to cloister themselves in total privacy, without having to sacrifice a moment of pure pampering. Each villa comes equipped with a private staff, including a personal chef, housekeeper, laundress and gardener.  In-room spa treatments can easily be arranged. Of course, when guests eventually venture out, they can enjoy tennis, rounds of golf on the resort’s legendary 18-hole course and excursions to Jamaica’s sightseeing attractions, restaurants and nightspots.

Winnetu Oceanside Resort, Martha’s Vineyard –Casanova reportedly ate 50 raw oysters every morning and we all know how that turned out.  At Lure, Winnetu’s award-winning restaurant, guests can savor one of the world’s most sought after mullosks, the Katama Bay oyster.  Harvested from nearby Katama Bay, only a stone’s throw from the resort, they are known for imparting the salty flavor of the cool waters that lap at Winnetu’s shoreline.  Executive Chef Mark Goldberg, a native New-Englander, champions the "farm-to-table" approach by using only fresh and local ingredients to dish up innovative New England coastal cuisine.  Winnetu Oceanside Resort is the quintessential Martha's Vineyard experience.  The Resort has 53 suites, studios and a private cottage, each equipped with kitchen and separate living areas, many of which have unobstructed ocean views.