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LIFESTYLE
“Throughout the year, we do see a lot of couples traveling together,”
Ibarra says. Groups checking in to superior suites with up to four bed-
rooms or three-bedroom residences take advantage of the resort’s
pre-stock service to fill the refrigerator, even if they plan to dine out
most of the week, and many splurge on a private chef during their stay.
With good friends in tow, couples enjoy the best of both worlds —
quality time alone and fun as a foursome, golfing, hiking, or touring local
attractions together.
Adults-only resorts, amenities,
and activities are also fertile ground
for finding new friends in like-minded
couples. “I’ve been at this resort
[The Westin Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort
Villas] for seven years and we’ve seen
a lot of friendships form here,” Nolan
says. Couples who meet at the adults-only pool or at events go on to
plan vacations around each other’s time off, she adds. “What we find
is that couples meet other couples, and then choose to barbecue or
meet up for dinner the following evening. You really create a bond at
some of these activities.”
Fire Up the Fun at The Westin Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas is
a good example. Hosted by Jesse Pita, chef de cuisine of Pulehu, an
Italian Grill, and restaurant manager and wine expert Jim Hansen, the
event is a step-by-step preparation of two dishes that are paired with
wine. “People are very aware of what they’re eating and how it’s being
prepared, and couples now like to cook together as kind of a bonding
activity,” Nolan says. “Fire Up the Fun is a really great opportunity for
couples to experience that. They get samples, recipe cards, and get to
cook things up. It’s really a great, engaging activity.”
James Cooper, managing director of Hyatt Residence Club Carmel,
Highlands Inn on the coast of Northern California, also observes a ten-
dency for couples to connect on property. “We have an outdoor fire
pit and people like to sit around the fire ring at night. Every night, it’s a
happening place. You can buy s’mores kits at the gift shop, and people
are out cooking s’mores and enjoying the company. The hotel is warm,
intimate, and relaxing, the perfect oasis for folks hoping to get away
from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives.”
Couples who strike up a friendship may move on to sample award-
winning wines together at California Market at Pacific’s Edge, which
has made the property a landmark for a century, or enjoy a round of
golf at nearby Pebble Beach Golf Links or Spyglass Hill Golf Course.
Milestone Magic
“We’ve seen couples traveling together and then they get engaged
while they’re here, while they’re with friends,” Nolan says. An engage-
ment (at any age) is often just the start of a string of couples-only
vacations, often launching with a wedding. Resorts that offer beautiful
venues as well as a range of packages are a big hit with couples-to-be.
“We do quite a wedding business here,” Cooper says. “We have
a beautiful wedding deck. It’s the only place you can get married with
a backdrop of the ocean anywhere nearby. On the weekends, some-
times we’ll do two or three weddings in a day. We’re trying to find
ways to encourage folks to plan their nuptials midweek as well. We
offer some more favorably priced packages.”
The largest uptick in the romance-travel sector is the planned
elopement. Hyatt Residence Club Carmel, Highlands Inn’s elopement
package includes an intimate ceremony in a stunning setting followed
by a celebratory dinner, giving engaged couples an affordable option
to a pull-out-all-the-stops wedding.
Traditional weddings are giving way to more personalized events.
“One of the things that our wedding manager is doing well is accom-
modating the different ways people are celebrating their weddings,”
Nolan says. “Nowadays, we see people doing sunrise weddings with
breakfast to follow, rather than your traditional sit-down dinner with
the Champagne toasts and all the speeches. We’re modifying some of
our wedding packages to accommodate that.”
Happily Ever After
And because 63 percent of couples believe that travel helps them
stay together longer, it should not be a surprise that anniversary and
vow-renewal celebrations are also on the rise.
“People really like to celebrate those milestones in a destination
like Hawaii,” says Nolan, who points to the simple ceremony that cou-
ples can opt for at The Westin Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas’ Kai Lani
Lawn, “feet away from the ocean and sand, with sweeping views of
the Pailolo Channel and the islands of Molokai and Lanai.”
There’s no doubt that vacationing together helps couples
strengthen their relationship. Resorts that find new ways to help them
bond and celebrate milestones together year after year also reap the
rewards of a long-term relationship with a major part of the market.
Joyce Hadley Copeland, based in Tucson, Arizona, contributes regularly to travel
and hospitality publications and websites.
72% say
traveling together
inspires romance*
*Source: U.S. Travel Association
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