Romantic in the Midwest – 4 fantastic Valentines destinations

by Scott Carmichael on

Valentines day is approaching, and you have a little over 2 weeks to get your preparations in order. If you live in the Midwest and you really want to surprise someone, then check out these four romantic destinations which are guaranteed to be more original than roses and chocolates.

Sundara Inn and Spa – Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin



Anyone who has lived in the Midwest for any length of time has probably spent at least one weekend in the Wisconsin Dells. The Dells are a bit of a mix between kitschy 70’s entertainment and oversized waterparks.

But don’t let that scare you away, because hidden away far from all the hustle and bussel is the Sundara Inn and Spa. This spa is voted one of the top 10 in the country, but its location means it isn’t the easiest place to visit.

Getting to the spa involves taking a small road through the hills, and once you arrive you’ll notice that you hear absolutely nothing. No traffic, no planes, no busy water parks. In fact, with several miles of forest around the facility, chances are you may even find things a little too quiet.

The facility itself is quite simply stunning. With just 26 suites, the whole place has a very private atmosphere, and since no children are allowed on premises, you can enjoy a really romantic getaway.
If you need even more privacy, you can rent one of the 4 private villa suites, situated across from the main building in the forest.

Rooms are available in 3 different levels of luxury, from a “basic” room with a Kohler 8 jet waterspa, to a split level suite with a 75″ Riverbath spa and Watertower shower. All rooms come with a Bose wave radio and a selection of music CD’s.

Rates start at $139, plus any spa services you order. A 30 minute massage will cost you $65.

Romantic packages with one night in a suite, 2 couples massages and an in-room picnic costs just over $500, so plan wisely. Men may prefer to spend some time in the pool while their significant other gets pampered in the spa.

At night, complimentary towncar service will take you anywhere you want to go within the Dells, but I highly suggest a meal at Fields at the Wilderness – this Frank Lloyd Wright inspired restaurant is one of the best steak restaurants in Wisconsin, and a fantastic place to have a romantic dinner.

The Sundara Inn and Spa is located at 920 Canyon Road in the Dells. The drive will take about 3 hours from Chicago (195 miles), and about 2 hours from Milwaukee (123 miles).

Web site: Sundara Inn and Spa


The American Club, Kohler, Wisconsin

Chances are that you recently showered or used the bathroom with a Kohler product. The brand does have a bit more to offer than just bathroom accessories, and The Kohler American Club is another of those great Midwest gems.

The American Club is a AAA five diamond rated hotel, and all rooms feature Kohler products, including rooms with their whirlpools and showers. Next to the hotel is the Kohler Waters Spa, where guests can be pampered with such treats as a white chocolate Macadamia nut sugar scrub.

Rooms for Valentines day start at $238 a night, and a romantic getaway package with Champagne, roses and a “bath butler” costs $398, which includes a $100 dining credit for one of their 5 award winning restaurants.

The American Club is located on 419 Highland Drive, Kohler, Wisconsin. The drive from Chicago will take about 2 and a half hours (145 miles), but folks living in Milwaukee can get there in a little over an hour.

Web site: The American Club

The Champagne Lodge, Willowbrook, Illinois

If you prefer something with a shorter drive from Chicago, then the Champagne Lodge may be just what you need. A standard room at the lodge costs $169/night, and comes with a queen bed, whirlpool tub, steam room, Plasma TV and wet bar. For about $40 more, you can upgrade to an executive suite, which comes with a larger room and tub.

The Champagne Lodge also has an on site spa, and services start at just $45 for a 30 minute massage. Of course, as the name implies, Champagne is available for any room, and starts at just $15 per bottle. The rooms look a little cheesy, with large mirrors and wood panels, but the secluded location will probably be much better for a romantic weekend than your run of the mill Westin or Hilton downtown.

The Champagne Lodge is located on 16W621 S. Frontage Road, Willowbrook, IL. The drive from Chicago is just under half an hour.

Web site: The CL

The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Acme, Michigan

Condé Nast Traveler named this resort one of the top 50 in the world, so it is obvious that this is not your ordinary resort. The Grand Traverse resort and spa is located in Michigan’s lower peninsula, which obviously means it’ll be a little harder to get to for many people.

The resort has it all – a spa, health club, tennis, golf, a waterpark and 5 restaurants (including one on the 16th floor of the tower).

Rooms start around $120 for a low level accomodation, and about $140 for a tower room. A one night couples package costs about $250, which includes the room, dinner and breakfast. The hotel reservation system allows you to add Champagne and roses to your room for a reasonable charge.

The Grand Traverse resort is a 328 mile drive from Chicago (just under 6 hours), and about 250 miles from Detroit. The resort is located just several miles away from Traverse airport, which is a one hour flight from Chicago.

The Grand Traverse resort is located at 100 Grand Traverse Village Boulevard, Acme, Michigan.

Web site: The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

Love stinks (this year), V-Day spending down

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Don’t expect an expensive gesture this year. Valentine’s Day spending is expected to drop 4.8 percent this year, after suffering to the tune of 6.8 percent a year ago. The good news is that we’re becoming less romantic at a slower rate this year. Nonetheless, don’t plan on a surprise weekend getaway this year.

According research firm IBISWorld, the passionate are only going to commit $28.6 billion to their fellow lovebirds this year. The reason is simple: Valentine’s Day just isn’t Christmas.

According to George Van Horn, a senior analyst at IBISWorld, events like birthdays and Christmas don’t involve a whole lot of choice. You have to commit some cash. “Valentine’s Day is more of a discretionary occasion,” he says, “which means it will be hit particularly hard by the current economic climate.” As we tighten our belts, this non-day off is among the casualties.

IBISWorld believes that couples are going to swap out trips, dinners out and the like for romantic meals at home, walks on the beach or writing a love letter or poem. Yes, this was actually in the press release! I have to admit, a walk on the beach right now, here in New York, would probably be better than a poem.

So, how does 2009 look? Travel is pretty grim. IBISWorld forecasts that close to $3.45 billion will be spent on romantic getaways this year, compared to $3.58 billion last year. It’s a drop of 3.5 percent.

Rub the One You’re With deal from Kimpton

by Annie Scott on

Valentine’s Day is around the corner. If you have a Valentine in mind and you don’t plan ahead, not only will you miss the great deals, but you’re also kind of a jerk.

Kimpton is offering a seriously good getaway package at 29 of their hotels in the United States and Canada. The Rub the One You’re With package includes:

  • Deluxe overnight accommodations (parking included)
  • Welcome bottle of champagne
  • Private one-hour massage instruction class with a personal massage therapist
  • Take-home massage kit featuring Kerstin Florian organic lavender massage oil, lavender & lemon aromatherapy candle and aromatherapy bath salts

That’s right. Whoever you take with you will leave knowing how to massage you. Now that’s a gift that keeps on giving.

Reservations can be made at KimptonHotels.com by entering PRLX. Rates start at $249 and vary by city.

Say “I do” at the airport

by Abha Malpani on

I’m not sure if I’ll ever get married, but if I do, I’m clear that I’d want it to be as quick as possible, a couple of minutes is what would work best for me. Being Indian, a wedding under four days is sacrilege, but oh well.

A registered wedding at the court was what I thought the only option, a super boring option indeed, until I read in USA Today about quickie weddings possible at the airport!

At Los Angeles International Airport, a man called “The Officiant Guy” can marry you without witnesses and in full confidentiality. You don’t even need to be an LA resident! At Sweden’s Stockholm-Arlanda Airport, you can arrange to be married in the airport church or by a registrar; last year the 500 couples got hitched there. “Say Yes and Go” marriages sound awesome too — say “I do” and jump straight onto a plane, a common wedding style in Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.

However, if that’s too simple and you want a bit of a novel themed wedding, you can tie the knot inside a parked Concorde Airplane at England’s Manchester Airport, and Schiphol Airport has a wedding planner who will organize it the way you want at the airport (boarding pass style invites? Air crew uniforms as outfits?). The airport will even allow you to have a champagne brunch, and should you want to take all your guests on a trip straight after, a special “Ticket to Paradise” package deal can be sorted out.

So if you are looking for a different, cheaper, and quicker way to get married, you might want to ring your nearest airport!

That’s a weird airport story. Check out these weird airplane stories:

The Most Romantic Places on Earth

by Willy Volk on

Of course, Valentine’s Day is largely about romance. In my opinion, the most romantic place I’ve ever been was on top of Table Mountain. After riding the aerial cableway car to the top, my wife and I found a secluded spot, whipped out a bottle of South African wine, and watched the sun set. It was beautiful. However, many people might not think of a mountaintop as particularly romantic. To that end, here are some other places that might be more “classically” romantic:

  1. The Samode Palace in amber-soaked Rajasthan, India.
  2. Chaa Creek’s Treetop Suites high above Belize.
  3. Mfuwe Lodge’s chalets, overlooking animal-packed South Luangwa Park.
  4. Bavaria’s Schloss Neuschwanstein, nestled among so many mountains.
  5. Chile’s Hacienda Los Lingues is for the horse lovers.
  6. California’s Muir Woods, which conservationist John Muir claimed was “best tree-lovers monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world.”
  7. The Daintree Cape Tribulation coast is where the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree rainforest meet, and the only place on earth where two World Heritage areas exist side by side.
  8. Zanzibar’s gently-sloping Paradise Beaches.
  9. The Sheraton Moorea is guaranteed to make you melt.

What should we list as #10?