Rekindle your love this Valentine’s Day – Booking.com’s top places to stay to set your heart racing with desire!
If lockdown love meant moving in together to test the strength of your relationship, then 2023 is surely the year to test the limits of your love by travelling together – after all, holiday compatibility is a key attribute many of us look for in a partner. So why not combine the two and rekindle your desire for both travel and your loved one in a holiday break this Valentine’s Day.
Research from Booking.com’s Travel Predictions 2023 report* indicates that 36% of travellers are looking to go on an erotic escape, following increased conversations in the public sphere around sexual wellbeing, pleasure and orientation. What is more, polyamorous retreats, bondage camps and resorts dedicated to helping people discreetly delve into specific fetishes and kinks are predicted to become more mainstream in 2023, providing a safe space for travellers to explore their sexual desires away from home.
Here are Booking.com’s top Valentines stays – whether you’re looking for decadent digs, a hedonistic holiday or a loved up escape with a partner, friends or solo – Booking.com has an option for everyone this Valentine’s Day.
Tá Hotel de diseño – Querétaro, Mexico
Travel Sustainable property
There’s no better time to escape the cold, grey Britain and visit Sunny Mexico than February. Querétaro – included in the top 10 trending destinations for 2023** – boasts average daily highs of 24 degrees Celsius and seven hours of Sunshine per day. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sierra Gorda, climb the Peña de Bernal, or simply stroll around the colourful streets of this Spanish colonial city and sample wines from local vineyards.
The Tá Hotel de diseño is in the centre of town, near the Templo de San Francisco, and features a terrace, an outdoor swimming pool and a bar. Spacious rooms are air-conditioned, and some have a balcony with views over the city.
Maison Villeroy – Paris, France
Travel Sustainable property
Paris, aka the city of love, holds an allure that captivates, whether it’s your first trip, or you’re seasoned Parisian. Boasting stunning architecture, top-notch cuisine, and more sights than you can shake a selfie stick at, Paris has something for everyone. While away the day wandering around the Gothic Quarter or stroll along the Seine before taking in the light show at the Eiffel Tour.
Centrally located and close to the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and Tuileries Garden, Maison Villeroy is a decadent Valentine's dream of a hotel, featuring private access to a jacuzzi, sauna and hammam – the perfect opportunity to warm up and rejuvenate after a day’s sightseeing and pounding the streets of Paris.
Palais De Mahe - CGH Earth – Pondicherry, India
Travel Sustainable property
It may be a long-haul flight away from Paris, but ex-French colony Pondicherry (known affectionately as Pondy) still has a lot of French influence: expect French style avenues in the old part of town, good shopping and fantastic French food combined with boho Indian charm, yoga and meditation. There's a reason it was named one of the top trending destinations for 2023. You’ll even hear some locals speaking French – or with French accents. So, if Paris is too cold for you in February, but you want a little bit of Parisian charm, head over Pondy!
Five-star Palais De Mahe has luxurious, spacious air-conditioned rooms with bathtubs, an on-site restaurant serving local Indian and international cuisines, an outdoor pool and massage therapy is available. Centrally located, the hotel is close to Aurobindo Ashram and Museum, and Pondicherry train station for onward travel.
The Retreat at Blue Lagoon – Reykjavik, Iceland
Travel Sustainable property
If you’re really ready to embrace winter in all its glory, why not go on a mini-adventure to Iceland? It may be cold, snowy and dark outside, but what better excuse to cosy up with a loved one, or while away an afternoon soaking in geothermal hot springs to stay warm. Reykjavik has a burgeoning creative and craft beer scene and is nestled in nature’s wonderland. Hike volcanoes, ski, stroll along the black sand beaches, and if you’re lucky, you’ll see the northern lights.
The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon is a luxury pad within the grounds of the famous Blue Lagoon, where guests are offered unlimited access to the lagoon and spa. Featuring 62 luxury suites and a high-end restaurant, the hotel also offers daily guided hikes and yoga sessions – perfect for the active, the sedentary and those who want some much needed me-time.
It may be chilly outside, but you’ll get a warm welcome in Glasgow. Check out one of its many museums by day, wander around the streets and admire the Victorian and art-nouveau architecture, and then catch a show at the National Theatre of Scotland, or Scottish ballet. Glasgow also boasts a thriving live music scene, breweries, distilleries and excellent bars and restaurants. Want to get back to nature? Go for a wander around Pollok Country Park or the botanical gardens. With so much on offer, no wonder why Glasgow is a trending destination for 2023.
Former home to the Anchor Line Shipping Company, the Native Glasgow is a city-centre apart-hotel next to George Square, inspired by a 1920’s ocean liner. Inside you’ll find many original period features including fireplaces, wood-panelled walls, tiles and terrazzo flooring. Enjoy European cuisine at the Anchor Line restaurant or cook your loved one breakfast in bed, making the most of the fully equipped kitchen in your apartment. The stylish apartments contain all mod-cons and everything you might need for a relaxing staycation.
*Travel Predictions 2023 research commissioned by Booking.com and conducted among a sample of adults who plan to travel for business or leisure in the next 12-24 months. In total 24,179 respondents across 32 countries and territories were polled (including 1014 from Argentina, 1006 from Australia, 505 from Austria, 504 from Belgium, 1009 from Brazil, 503 from Canada, 1009 from China, 1010 from Colombia, 505 from Croatia, 505 from Denmark, 1010 from France, 1001 from Germany, 500 from Hong Kong, 1005 from India, 504 from Ireland, 504 from Israel, 1008 from Italy, 1003 from Japan, 504 from Mexico, 502 from The Netherlands, 1007 from New Zealand, 1009 from Portugal, 507 from Singapore, 1008 from South Korea, 1001 from Spain, 505 from Sweden, 508 from Switzerland, 500 from Taiwan, 504 from Thailand, 1006 from the UK, 1009 from the US and 504 from Vietnam). Respondents completed an online survey in August 2022.
**Destinations had to be in the top 1,000 most booked on Booking.com between 1 August 2021 and 31 July 2022. The resulting list was sorted by year-over-year increase and destinations with a large decrease in the share of domestic bookings were removed. This was to ensure that the list represents destinations that have managed to maintain domestic interest (as well as international), even in the face of loosening COVID-related travel restrictions.