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Something Old and Something NewHistoric Hotels and New Loveby Dave Shultz History and romance go hand in hand. After all,
what’s been around longer than romance? Take a look at some
romantic hotels that have been around for a long time, assisting couples
looking for that perfect spot for romance and possibly the perfect place
to propose. Romance is in the Stars with the Furnace Creek Inn’s Romantic Getaway PackagesBetween October 12, 2001 and March 7, 2002, the
Furnace Creek Inn is offering special Romance packages for couples that
wish to share an intimate getaway in the beauty and seclusion of a desert
oasis. Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Resort Photos courtesy of Furnace Creek Inn Amelia Island
Romantics can find peace and relaxation on Amelia's
13-mile, white sandy beach or on her waters with a private sunset sail
complete with wine and cheese. Amelia's land can best be explored by
taking a horse-drawn carriage through the historic district or strolling
hand-in-hand on a guided tour.
Whatever a couple's taste, Amelia Island offers the perfect accommodations choice. Guests can choose from Five-Diamond oceanfront resorts and oceanfront getaways to secluded villas and historic, charming bed and breakfast inns (http://www.ameliamedia.com/lodging.html). Several properties offer Romantic packages so click the link and brows some of the islands great properties for romance. Romantic Highlights:
Photos courtesy of Amelia Island Tourist Development Council The Charles Hotel
Stay overnight in a suite at the Charles Hotel, and
indulge in a visit to the actual locations of the classic novel and movie.
Who knows? It could result in the beginning of a new chapter in your
personal love story Love Story Overnight includes:
The Charles Hotel, Harvard Square is classic New England design, an energetic, intellectual setting and thoughtful, sophisticated service. It’s Boston’s most original hotel, rated “Boston’s Best 2000, General Excellence” by Boston Magazine. The hotel is a living reflection of its Harvard Square surroundings, serving as a gathering place for great minds and creative souls. The Charles Hotel Photos courtesy of The Charles Hotel Gingerbread Mansion
With its turrets, gables, gingerbread and spindlework, it is a fine example of Queen Anne and Eastlake styles. Flanked by a formal English garden, it is one of Northern California's most photographed buildings. "The addition of the Empire Suite and Veneto which are world-class rooms culminated in our progression from a Two Diamond to a Three Diamond to a Four Diamond inn to the 1998 award to this international award," noted Torbert. "Also, the retention of award-winning chef, Larry Martin, has earned us a reputation for outstanding breakfasts and teas to complement our high standard of rooms."
What started off as a four room bed & breakfast inn now has 11 rooms with luxurious baths, gourmet breakfasts and afternoon tea in one of the four parlors. Gingerbread Mansion Inn is located at 400 Berding Street in the Victorian village of Ferndale in Humboldt County. Room rates are $150 to $385 which includes afternoon tea, and early morning tray of coffee or tea, a generous breakfast, and extras such as bubble bath and bedside chocolates. Reduced winter midweek rates are available.
The Gingerbread Mansion Inn Photos courtesy of The Gingerbread Mansion Civilized Weddings in the Wilds of Kenya
Up to 200 guests can be accommodated. Room rates, including all meals, are from $358 per couple per night. The Club is three hours by road from Nairobi or a short hop by plane. Wedding ceremonies, depending on the extras required, cost from US$ 600. The Club has an inter denominational chapel, nicknamed ‘Mount Kenya Cathedral’ by the locals, a simple thatched roof building, set close to the Equator in 100 acres of landscaped gardens overlooking Mount Kenya. Civil wedding ceremonies are conducted by the District Officer and are legally recognized in North America. A marriage license is obtained in Nairobi and the ceremony can take place after three business days have elapsed. The couple receives a special Mount Kenya Equator marriage certificate. An African children’s choir is available to sing at the ceremony. After the exchange of vows, the wedding can be blessed by the Chief of the Chukka tribe, followed by an ear splitting ceremonial dance display by the tribe’s drummers. Couples wishing for a more tranquil celebration can be serenaded by a string quartet or pianist in a secluded setting by the river, while being served a traditional wedding breakfast, lunch or dinner. The table is set with fine linens, crystal, china and silver and, at night, is lit by lanterns. Featuring views of majestic Mount Kenya, the Club offers a unique blend of comfort, relaxation and adventure. Originally the retreat of movie star and Club founder, William Holden, the Club's illustrious members have included Winston Churchill, Lyndon Johnson, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Candice Bergen, Robert de Niro, Charlton Heston, Stewart Granger, Ava Gardner, Victor Mature, Frank Sinatra, Robert Redford, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Brooke Shields, John Travolta, Harry Belafonte, Richard Chamberlain and Sean Connery. Set in over 100 acres of landscaped gardens, the Club recreates this mood of quiet elegance for a new generation of guests.
Overlooking a walled garden, the Kirinyaga Restaurant serves a buffet breakfast, a buffet lunch and a 9-course dinner with choice of main course to guests. Each day of the week, except Monday, a band entertains guests throughout dinner and afterwards provides dance music. The menu is a cosmopolitan mix of European, African and Asian dishes, made from the abundance of fresh Kenyan produce. Serving dinner only, the Mawingo Dining Room is elegantly appointed, decorated with old sepia photographs of the original settlers who came to Kenya in the early part of the century. Club members choose from a superb à la carte menu, with a choice of 6 starters, 6 main courses and 6 desserts. Non-members may have dinner in this private dining room at a supplementary charge. The Trophy Lounge is a large club-like lounge, with a huge central fireplace, weathered Chesterfield sofas, an assortment of Africana, antique Arab chests and a splendid array of game trophies. The adjoining terrace has a telescope which provides guests with a closer view of the mountain and its beautiful surrounds. A traditional afternoon tea is served here. A famous watering hole since 1959, the Zebra Bar has huge windows with panoramic views across the pool and gardens to Mount Kenya. It is open throughout the day and well into the night. A pianist plays for the sundowner hours. There is also a swimming pool bar and a golf club house bar.
Weddings under canvas can also be arranged at the Mara Safari Club or Sweetwaters Tented Camp.
Photos courtesy of Lonrho Hotels |
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The luxury Inn opened in 1927, and in celebration of the Inn s 75th
anniversary, the Diamond Anniversary Package is priced at $1,927.00 per
couple. In the 20s and 30s, the Furnace Creek Inn partnered with the
Pacific Union and Tonapah Tidewater Railroads to offer specialty packages
and transportation. Seventy years later, the Inn has teamed-up with
Rent-a-Vette, Las Vegas premier exotic car rental company, to provide
modern luxury with an adventurous flair. Including rental of a Corvette
convertible, Porsche Boxster or Mercedes CLK 320 in Las Vegas, the Diamond
Anniversary Package offers two nights in a luxury Inn room with a spa tub;
a bottle of Dom Perignon Moët et Chandon upon arrival; one evening s
dinner in the Inn Dining Room; and a one-hour massage for each person.
The Furnace Creek Inn Romantic Getaway Package is priced at $630.00
$760.00 per couple, depending upon dates and room categories. This package
includes two nights accommodations, daily breakfast from room service or
the Inn Dining Room, champagne and fruit upon arrival and afternoon tea
for two.
Newlyweds or couples desiring a relationship
refresher visit Amelia for her timeless charm and beauty. From brick
streets lined with sherbet-hued historic Victorian mansions and grand bed and
breakfast inns to spectacular sunsets and an unspoiled natural
environment, today's Amelia Island captures the magic of romance as it has
for hundreds of years.
Fort Clinch's mystic ambiance and vast view of the
Cumberland Sound make it a romantic favorite. Couples seeking light
adventure can enjoy horseback riding on the beach, chartering a sailboat
for a sunset cruise, kayaking through the marshes and tidal creeks, as
well as hiking and biking trails threading through maritime forests.
Ah, to be young and in love. Do you remember those
days? Long walks holding hands, sighs of sheer bliss, looking longingly
into each other’s eyes. Sounds corny? Maybe a bit, but then again, so
was Love Story. And anyway, how long has it been since you had a weekend
of real romance? Now you can recreate your own kitschy “Love Story”
with a little help from The Charles Hotel. Immediately outside the doors
of the hotel are plenty of opportunities to make yours a weekend to
remember: take in the historic surroundings of Harvard Square, enjoy a
stroll along the scenic Charles River, shop at your leisure among the
unique and special stores in Harvard Square, and enjoy the culinary
expertise and sophisticated atmosphere of The Charles Hotel. 
The Gingerbread Mansion Inn is located in Northern
California's Humboldt County in the National and State Historical Landmark
Victorian village of Ferndale. It was built in 1899 by Dr. Hogan Ring and
went through many incarnations as a hospital, a rest home, apartments,
American Legion Hall, and a private residence before Ken Torbert purchased
the building and turned it into a bed and breakfast in 1983.
The Gingerbread Mansion Inn has 11 rooms. The Empire
Suite was added in 1995. This sophisticated antique gold and black suite
boasts a full living and dining area with bar, two fireplaces (one with a
large porcelain tub in front of it), an over-sized glass and marble shower
with five massage sprays and three shower heads, and a king bed accented
by Ionic columns. Veneto was added in 1998. The king sized bed is
surrounded on four walls and the ceiling by a hand- painted mural done in
Trompe L'Oeil style by artist Peri Susan Pfenninger. The renaissance
scenes are of green hills and flourishing plains resembling the
countryside in Veneto, a region in Italy around Venice. This room has
marble floors and a clawfoot tub in the bedroom.
For
those who already made the commitment, the Mount Kenya Safari Club is arranging an increasing
number of weddings and honeymoons for couples from North America. One
recent wedding ceremony was arranged in the bush, standing next to Morani,
an unusually tame rhino.
Honeymooners and guests can enjoy the spectacular
swimming pool surrounded by landscaped gardens boasting prolific bird
life, visits to the William Holden Animal Orphanage, golf, tennis,
croquet, trout fishing, horse riding, bowls, and of course safaris to see
big game in the surrounding areas. Five shops sell all manner of items
from antiques to aspirins. The drummers of the Chukka tribe perform every
Sunday at the Club.
Accommodations comprise 114 rooms, suites, cottages
and villas, all with ensuite bathrooms and wood burning fireplaces, at
rates ranging from US$179 to US$639 per person per night, including all
meals.