Chocolates or flowers? That’s the traditional Valentine’s Day dilemma. But come on guys, shape up. Your lady is worth more than that. What better present is there for luxury loving women (or men- let’s not be sexist about this) than a stay in a hotel where the food of love – chocolate – is always on the menu. Here’s my pick of six luxe hotels where your cocoa-filled dreams are guaranteed to come true.
Hotel Sacher, Vienna
Austria is the home of cake, and chocolate is a vital ingredient of the country’s most famous creation. You’re not a true chocolate cake aficionado if you haven’t sampled Sacher Torte. And the only place to order a slice of the world’s most famous (and decadent) chocolate cake, with its signature apricot layer is at the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, where it was first served in 1876, 50 years after the son of the hotel’s original owner – Eduard Sacher – created it. While professional and amateur chefs around the world have attempted to recreate the cake’s prized formula, the original recipe remains a closely guarded secret, so it’s worth dropping in for coffee and a slice of this authentic (albeit calorific) treat even if you can’t spend the night. A favorite retreat for the aristocracy, politicians and artists, this five-star Leading Hotels of the World member offers 152 rooms and suites, exquisite Viennese dining and a Spa with a very different chocolate experience. www.sacher.com
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Bellagio, Las Vegas
Vegas is eye candy heaven where the world’s beautiful people come to have fun 24/7, so nobody really wants to sleep. But there are sweet dreams of another kind on offer here – the seriously chocolaty kind. The Bellagio is home to the world’s largest chocolate fountain. The 27 ft. high milk, dark and white chocolate glass encased cascade greets chocolate lovers entering the world of pastry champion Jean Philllipe Maury. The cascade took two years to design and we’re not surprised. This is chocolate as art. The Italian elegance and charm of the Bellagio is also perfect for Valentine’s Day. If you can drag yourself away from the chocolate fountain, the water fountains outside dancing to light and music are pretty special too. You’ll find a selection of the French born chef’s signature edible gems, including cakes and crepes, near the Conservatory in the Spa Tower of the casino/hotel complex. www.bellagio.com
Read more at Luxury Travel Bible
Boucan by Hotel Chocolat, West Indies
Opened in 2012, Boucan by Hotel Chocolate sits in the middle of the oldest cocoa growing estate on the island of St Lucia. British chocolatiers (yes, there is such a thing) Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris chose to follow traditional methods of making their chocs from scratch, ‘from the bean,’ rather than buying chocolate already made from bean converters. Their search for quality cocoa led them to the Caribbean (where Thirlwell grew up) and eventually to Rabot Estate. They bought it, replanted it, and brought a dying industry back to life. Visitors are invited to tour the plantation and see first-hand how the chocolate is made. Like the chocolate, the hotel is all about quality, providing all the luxury amenities one might need – including iPod docking stations (and free loan of iPods) and ‘concierge cabinets’ with chilled drinks (minbar to you and me). Romantics will be glad to know that the 14 mini lodges are cocooned by rainforest, built of local stone and wood and naturally cooled. Best of all they all have four poster beds, baths with open-sky showers, and private verandas with a view of St Lucia’s iconic twin Pitons from comfy rocking chairs. www.hotelchocolat.com
Hotel Hershey, Pennsylvania
Forget the Swiss and Belgians. In America the biggest name in chocolate making is Hershey’s. From a Pennsylvanian chocolate factory to a whole town, theme parks, family resorts and mega stores, The Hershey Company (established by Milton S. Hershey during the Depression years) continues to have its fingers in many pies. One of the company’s sweetest triumphs is Hotel Hershey, a 278 room 1930’s style hotel. The cherry on top has to be the Spa offering a range of decadent guilt free chocolate based treatments like the whipped cocoa bath, chocolate bean polish, and chocolate Fondue Wrap. You’re guaranteed to check-out looking good enough to eat, without compromising your waistline. www.thehotelhershey.com
Rosas & Xocolate, Mexico
Celebrating Valentine’s down Mexico way sounds like a good idea to me. There’s a whole host of Latino passion for chocolate there and they even name hotels after the stuff. This boutique hotel is located in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, where the Mayans first discovered cocoa and offered it to their gods. It’s situated on the chic Avenue Paseo de Montejo and was redesigned from two colonial mansions by architects Salvador Reyes Rios and his partner Josefina Larrain. Inside, freshly cut roses decorate the hotel’s 17 rooms and three suites which also feature state of the art entertainment systems, espresso machines, and outdoor bathtubs to star gaze in privacy. Guests can also indulge in chocolate based spa treatments and sweet smelling amenities created by master chocolatier Mathieu Brees who also has a fine chocolates boutique at the hotel – so take some home to keep that romantic mood alive.
The Chocolate Boutique Hotel, U.K.
Okay, this might be a little more kitsch than luxe, but we felt that the world’s first chocolate themed hotel deserved a mention. You’ll find the renovated heritage building in the coastal resort town of Bournemouth, U.K. For Valentine’s 2014, the hotel is offering lovers a special package with the chance to relax in one of its chocolaty rooms, indulging in a complimentary and delicious Belgian chocolate fountain complete with strawberries, marshmallows, and a slab of chocolate with a personalized message. You can also sample two chocolate cocktails (there is a whole menu of them) in the chocolate bar. Chocolate martini, anyone? There are also regular workshops where guests can learn all about the history of chocolate and the production process from bean to bar plus make Belgian chocolate truffles to take home.
www.thechocolateboutiquehotel.co.uk
TS Editors Note: To read more about all the above properties: