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Best hotels for an affair
7. Bungalow at Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles
When you hear about the Chateau Marmont, it's usually sandwiched between words like Lindsay and Jessica, so you know it's a good place to get up to no good. This landmark Los Angeles hotel has seen a healthy share of illicit activity, and with a steady flow of celebrity clients, the staff is well trained in the art of discretion. (And let's face it, when George Clooney is at the bar, none of your fellow guests will be looking your way.) Book one of the cottages, preferably 87, 88, or 89, which are particularly secluded, or better yet, any one of the bungalows, which have their own parking spaces. Then make arrangements to stay put for the duration of your trip (or the rest of your life, if you're Howard Hughes). Whatever you need — massages, facials, dinner for two, laundry, or a crate of organic strawberries and chocolate sauce — will be delivered to your door, so there is no need to venture far from your bougainvillea-draped patio. Also, there's no need to be shy — the hotel boasts that the walls are soundproof.
Do not disturb:
Chateau Marmont and Bungalows
Tel: 323 656 1010
Cottages from $520; bungalows from $1,800
8. Su Gologone, Costa Smeralda, Sardinia
Recessed deep in the hills behind Sardinia's Costa Smeralda, Su Gologone is so stunning, so remote, and so utterly romantic that if you don't have a European mistress, go out and find one for the occasion. Unlike almost any other fancy hotel in the Mediterranean, Su Gologone is not near the coast, which means it's a safe distance from the prying eyes and haughty attitudes of the yachting and clubbing set. All the rooms and suites are decorated slightly differently, but each is done in vibrant shades of red, blue, or yellow with details like canopy beds, overstuffed pillows, and fresh flowers. Granted, food is hardly the point of this trip, but the hotel has a fantastic restaurant — grab a table by the hundred-year-old fireplace or under the veranda of cascading wildflowers and settle in for a night of fresh pasta with sardines or homemade bruschetta with vine-ripened tomatoes while you take in the Sardinian countryside. In other words, it's more "An Affair to Remember" than an "Indecent Proposal".
Do not disturb:
Su Gologone
Tel: 39 0784 287 512
Doubles from $336
9. Angler's Boutique Resort, Miami Beach
All that well-oiled silicone and the thud-thud-thud soundtrack of Miami's South Beach are hardly the backdrop for a romantic sojourn — unless you know where to look. Tucked in the shadows of some gaudy, er, luxury high-rises is Angler's Resort — a small, 46-room hotel intent on subtlety and seclusion, and utterly perfect for sneaking away from the glare of Miami. For starters, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, you can check in from your room to avoid curious stares in the lobby. Duplex suites have all the sequestering details you could ask for: a ginormous fluffy bed and windows with thick-slatted wooden shutters that cast sexy, film noir–style striped shadows across the room. Naturally, the suites come with their own private terrace, private garden, private sundeck, and private hot tub. The layout is wonderfully conducive to privacy, and unlike at other hotels in town, the pool is not center stage — it's off one leg of the L-shape structure, so you won't feel all eyes on you when you venture out.
Do not disturb:
Angler's Boutique Resort
Tel: 305 534 9600
Suites from $400
10. Soniat House, New Orleans
Maybe it's all the Spanish moss or the sultry heat of the French Quarter, but something about N'awlins makes you want to drop your R's, pour a bourbon, and sneak away for a weekend of untoward activity. The place you're looking for is the Soniat House, a hotel made of three 19th-century Creole townhouses that oozes Old World charm. Rooms are well stocked with antiques, goose-feather pillows, Frette sheets, and glass chandeliers which capture that Blanche DuBois decadence. The staff is all southern hospitality, which means everyone is really nice and no one will rush you out of your room at 10 am and ask impertinent questions. Come nightfall, the tree-lined courtyard transitions from sun-dappled to candlelit. Settle in for a quiet stay — accented by creaking floorboards, clinking ice, rustling leaves, and the occasional "y'all" that so effortlessly replaces Mr. and Mrs.
Do not disturb:
Soniat House
Tel: 504 522 0570
Doubles from $240
Today show
11. Ivy Hotel, San Diego
July 14: TODAY’s Natalie Morales talks to Nilou Motamed of Travel + Leisure magazine about some of the world's hottest vacation spots.
If ever there was a room built for a hot romp, this is it. The Star Suite at the Ivy in San Diego is hotel Viagra. Take the king-size bunk beds, which we glean are for a multiple-partner soiree. There are the bed frames made of shag carpeting (which we assume are stream cleaned after checkout), so no one gets hurt. Then there's the fully stocked wet bar and stripper pole with mirrored platform for the evening's entertainment. There's a group, er, enormous shower and door that turns clear or opaque at the press of a button for still more entertainment. Curiously, there are also a few heavy chains suspended from the ceiling, but we're not really sure what those are for. And of course, it's all done in a tasteful, design-y way. Bring the cabana boy, the cabana girl, or hell, bring both. The Star Suite comes with one message: The more, the merrier.
Do not disturb:
Ivy Hotel
Tel: 619 814 1000
Star Suite from $3,400
12. Angsana Riad Tiwaline, Marrakesh, Morocco
Some destinations just sound sexy, clandestine, and vaguely unlawful. One such place is Marrakesh, specifically the Angsana Riad Tiwaline, a centuries-old home-turned-boutique hotel. That's the official description. Unofficially, it plays out like this: The city's bustling medina is the perfect cover for your illicit affair, as you and your lover easily slip away down one of the hidden alleyways of this ancient marketplace to the Tiwaline, where your Aladdin fantasy awaits — Arabic archways, intricate mosaics, a tiled hammam, and an endless supply of shadowy corners. Typically, traditional Moroccan homes (riads) are centered around a courtyard, which makes them conducive to hobnobbing with the other guests. Happily, Tiwaline's courtyard is smaller than most, which conveniently discourages small talk. It's also the perfect spot for grabbing a light snack before you slyly tiptoe back to your lantern-lit Moroccan love nest.
Do not disturb:
Angsana Riad Tiwaline
Tel: 212 24 37 87 09
Suites from $315
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