Romantic Getaways – Love on the Road

The Captain Whidbey Inn, a lodging and hospitality establishment built in 1907, is located on Whidbey Island at the west end of Penn Cove. (photo: Captain Whidbey Inn)
The Captain Whidbey Inn, a lodging and hospitality establishment built in 1907, is located on Whidbey Island at the west end of Penn Cove. (photo: Captain Whidbey Inn)

Romantic getaways around the sound

written by Corinne Whiting

The natural beauty of Washington lends itself to romantic getaways, especially when the dark nights and chill of winter prompts more snuggling. From windswept beaches to the misty mountains, make a plan now to bond on invigorating adventures among the evergreens or to cozy up inside with spa treatments, tasting menus, steamy libations and warming Washington wines. Here are eight venues made for rest, rejuvenation and romantic moments you won’t forget.

SEATTLE

Lotte Hotel Seattle

In downtown Seattle, the intimate The Edgewater Hotel’s waterfront locale serves up some of the city’s best sunsets, while the Inn at the Market lies steps from historic Pike Place and modern-day buzz. For a truly elevated experience, check into LOTTE HOTEL SEATTLE, where top-notch service feels warm, genuine and delightfully non-intrusive. This new decadent oasis is part of LOTTE, the largest hotel group in Korea and is its third outpost in the U.S. Hovering high above the city, views of the Sound from the sixteenth-floor Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge dazzle. Book a couple’s massage in the light-filled spa. Modern guest rooms and suites are splashed with whimsical artwork and pops of color. Sink into the luxurious bathtub, wrap yourself in a fluffy robe, and take it all in.

LOTTE HOTEL SEATTLE offers top-notch treatment for an urban getaway.
LOTTE HOTEL SEATTLE offers top-notch treatment for an urban getaway.
Dine high above the city with views of the Sound from the sixteenth-floor Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge.
Dine high above the city with views of the Sound from the sixteenth-floor Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge.
Book a couple’s massage in the light-filled spa.
Book a couple’s massage in the light-filled spa.
WOODINVILLE

Willows Lodge

Just 20 miles northeast of Seattle, Willows Lodge welcomes guests to the heart of Woodinville Wine Country. Stroll to more than thirty-five tasting rooms including Delille Cellars, Sparkman, Long Shadows Vintners, Fidélitas, Latta Wines and Mark Ryan Winery, which will have a new tasting space this fall. Check into one of the eighty-four luxury rooms at this inviting, Northwest-style lodge, and head to the spa’s relaxation pool and outdoor sauna. After a couple’s massage, retreat to your room’s roaring fireplace and deep soaking tub.

The relaxation pool at Willows Lodge is the perfect way to unwind on a romantic getaway.
The relaxation pool at Willows Lodge is the perfect way to unwind on a romantic getaway.

Better yet, book the Do Not Disturb Package to stock your room with luxurious amenities (think Molton Brown bubble bath, Saltworks premium Epsom bath crystals, rose petals, Fran’s Chocolates, Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Champagne and flameless candles) and dining at the award-winning Barking Frog, the Fireside Lounge or ordering room service.

Just 20 miles northeast of Seattle, Willows Lodge welcomes guests to the heart of Woodinville Wine Country.

KENMORE

The Lodge at St. Edward Park

History-loving duos will want to explore one of the Northwest’s latest enchanting options, a former seminary transformed into The Lodge at St. Edward Park in Kenmore. Reconnect on this tranquil 326-acre property marked by old-growth forest and 3,000 feet of shoreline 16 miles from Seattle on the eastern banks of Lake Washington. Wander the trails of Saint Edward State Park before dinner, where from your table you may glimpse deer prancing across the grounds at dusk.

The Lodge at St. Edward offers rich history, gallery-like hallways filled with art, a well-appointed spa and dining and cocktail options on 326 acres near Lake Washington.
The Lodge at St. Edward offers rich history, gallery-like hallways filled with art, a well-appointed spa and dining and cocktail options on 326 acres near Lake Washington.

Indulge your senses with the Savor at the Lodge package of wining and dining. Stroll the halls filled with dozens of works of art on your way to the Tonsorium (Latin for barber shop) Bar for live music Thursday nights or linger over harp melodies during Sunday brunch. For dinner followed by a sultry, late-night piano session, book a table at Cedar + Elm, the grand, high-ceilinged restaurant which was once the seminary dining hall.

Reap restorative bodywork at the lodge’s Vita Nova Spa, then lounge beside a secluded, outdoor fire pit. For extra-special treatment, book a private tour in the lodge’s 1938 Pontiac limo, rebuilt with modern upgrades—plush upholstery, a moon roof and an audio and video system.

KIRKLAND

The Woodmark Hotel & Still Spa

The Woodmark Hotel & Still Spa In Kirkland, watch the moon rise over Lake Washington from your balcony at The Woodmark Hotel & Still Spa. The amorous tone is set from the start with the soothing sounds of lapping waves. Book the Reconnect to Romance package so you can unwind in a bath with Pacific Northwest lilac and honey scrub, rosemary mint lotion and rose petals while sipping Treveri Cellars bubbles and hors d’oeuvres from the property’s two lakefront restaurants.

Begin the day with breakfast Carillon Kitchen (think avocado toasts and breakfast burritos) and order something to go as you head out for a spin on the hotel’s beach cruisers. Wind through downtown Kirkland and its urban beaches, and return to the Still Spa for treatments such as the Mt. Rainier hot stone massage.

For dinner at Woodmark’s Beach Café, gaze out at the lake, and treat yourselves to seasonal dishes such as Dungeness crab cakes, wild mushroom tarts, seafood cioppino and honey-roasted Muscovy duck breast. Keep up your sustenance by sneaking off to the lobby for the Raid the Pantry service starting at 10 p.m.— tap into your teen appetite and blitz snacks in the lobby’s walk-in closet.

At Beach Café, gaze out at the lake, and treat yourselves to honey-roasted Muscovy duck breast.
At Beach Café, gaze out at the lake, and treat yourselves to honey-roasted Muscovy duck breast.
CLE ELUM

Suncadia

Why not mix romance with magic in a mountain escape? Head 80 miles east of Seattle, over Snoqualmie Pass to outdoors adventure and indoor relaxation at Suncadia. This Cle Elum resort on 6,400 acres, lies on the sunny, eastern slopes of the Cascade Range. Reserve a room with panoramic views at the grand, Northwest-style lodge, or settle into a spacious townhome with a full kitchen and snuggle-ready fireplace.

Suncadia, in Cle Elum, lies on the sunny, eastern slopes of the Cascade Range.
Suncadia, in Cle Elum, lies on the sunny, eastern slopes of the Cascade Range.

Breathe in sweet mountain air together along the property’s 40-plus miles of hiking and biking trails and three championship golf courses. Afterward, get a treatment at the Glade Spring Spa, then linger in your blissful state at the spa’s sanctuary as you sink into a giant beanbag together and sip hot tea. Dip into the hot mineral baths outside, amid meandering creeks, rustic saunas, natural walking paths, and fire pits. Beyond the resort, explore charming, historic Roslyn— the location for exterior scenes for TV’s Northern Exposure. Get lost inside Basecamp Book & Bites, or have a frothy pint at Brick Saloon, considered Washington’s oldest continuously operating bar, established in 1889.

As the sun sinks beyond the peaks, settle into a table at Suncadia’s Portals, for crispy cauliflower with sweet chili sesame glaze and green onions, gnocchi with chicken andouille in leek cream and chive oil, or the arugula and Chinese tatsoi salad. At the resort’s Stove-house restaurant, order seared sea bass or a BLT with avocado and an herb aioli on sourdough bread. Wow a partner with a golf membership at the property’s Tumble Creek, with exclusive amenities including its restaurant at The Great House.

UNION

Alderbrook Hotel & Spa

Alderbrook Resort & Spa, propped on the edge of the Hood Canal, proves a restorative getaway in any season, but it’s an especially enticing chilly-weather haven. Watch the morning fog roll off the water and resident wildlife chirp to life as you enjoy coffee fireside. Take a walk through private, forested trails, pick up local goods from Union City Market (the resort’s working marina, two miles down the road), and take an afternoon dip in the indoor, saltwater pool with dreamy mountain views.

Take an afternoon dip at Alderbrook’s indoor, saltwater pool.
Take an afternoon dip at Alderbrook’s indoor, saltwater pool.

Packages range from the Seasonal Spa Surprise to Fido on the Fjord, ideal for couples not wanting to leave furry family members behind. Cap off the day with a meal at Alderbrook’s restaurant which shows off local bounty in its clam chowder, Grand Marnier prawns, and seared halibut and king salmon with black lentils, artichoke hearts, charred corn, piquillo peppers, and brown butter and carrot puree.

At Alderbrook Hotel & Spa, book the Seasonal Spa Surprise or Fido on the Fjord and bring your furry friend along, too.
At Alderbrook Hotel & Spa, book the Seasonal Spa Surprise or Fido on the Fjord and bring your furry friend along, too.
WHIDBEY ISLAND

Captain Whidbey Inn

Slip onto island time travel via ferry to the secluded, waterside cabin at Captain Whidbey Inn, a fully reimagined, six-acre property on Penn Cove with historic rooms, suites and cabins. Among the old-growth firs of Whidbey Island, each cabin is custom-outfitted by one of four regional design experts—Edit Whidbey, Filson, Glasswing or We the Nomads—with palette, indoor plants and a hand-painted mural inspired by the Salish Sea. Some may find it challenging to leave the comfort of the cabin, with its fireplace, king-sized bed and private porch, perfect for whale-watching.

The dock at Penn Cove offers views to relax to.
The dock at Penn Cove offers views to relax to.

Breakfast can be picked up at the front desk. In the evening, the light-filled lounge and dining spaces are alluring. Sip a creative cocktail cozied up by the century-old fireplace. Be forward-thinking about your indulgence and order a Date Night or Sunset on the Beach selection of hors d’oeuvres delivered to your room from local Italian restaurant Ciao.

Captain Whidbey Inn is considered the unofficial official lodge of Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve.
Captain Whidbey Inn is considered the unofficial official lodge of Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve.

Move through the days here at your desired pace—booking services at the Ludlow Bay Massage & Wellness Spa, play a round of golf, hit hiking and biking trails or explore Chimacum Valley’s farms and cideries.

Raise a glass at the gateway to a rugged, wild spot fostering romance and adventure.
Raise a glass at the gateway to a rugged, wild spot fostering romance and adventure.
PORT LUDLOW

The Port Ludlow Inn

On the shores of Puget Sound, The Port Ludlow Inn’s boutique, waterfront venue draws inspiration from New England’s classic coastal summer homes. Move through the days here at your desired pace— booking services at the Ludlow Bay Massage & Wellness Spa, play a round of golf, hit hiking and biking trails or explore Chimacum Valley’s farms and cideries.

Port Ludlow Inn, a boutique, waterfront property, is inspired by New England’s classic coastal summer homes.
Port Ludlow Inn, a boutique, waterfront property, is inspired by New England’s classic coastal summer homes.

The Dine and Unwind package includes dining at The Fireside Restaurant—perfect for views of Ludlow Bay and sunsets over the Olympic Range—and a bottle of wine from the cellar upon check-in. Or, book a tasting dinner with wine pairings.

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