For Over-the-Top Decadence
Chocolate is the romantic treat of choice for Valentine’s season, and there’s no better place to immerse yourself than the Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Book a hotel room or a spot in the villas and indulge in relaxing time together at the Chocolate Spa. Typical treatments–massages, body scrubs, facials–get a Hershey-style twist, from a chocolate-fondue wrap to a whipped-cocoa bath filled with frothy chocolate milk.
Distance from DC: Two and a half hours.
For Luxe Amenities
Luxury and romance can be found at several other resort hotels in the region: Nemacolin in Farmington, Pennsylvania; the Omni Homestead near Lexington, Virginia; and the Greenbrier in Lewisburg, West Virginia. All three feature elegant accommodations, spas, fine dining, and romantic packages for couples. Your celebration of love also includes a furry companion? Each of these offers pet-friendly rooms.
Distance from DC: Nemacolin, three hours; Omni Homestead, three and a half hours; Greenbrier, three hours and 45 minutes.
For an Adults-Only Getaway
A short walk from the shore, the Virginia Hotel in Cape May, New Jersey, is a 19th-century property with well-appointed rooms and–for those seeking additional privacy–four quaint cottages. The historic adults-only hotel captures a bygone era when life moved at a slower pace: You can take a quiet stroll along the beach before cuddling up in front of a fireplace. The Lodge at Woodloch in the Poconos is another escape sans children (guests must be at least 16), with a sumptuous spa and elegant rooms looking out on the lake or a waterfall. A two-night romance package includes a bottle of wine, flowers, and a voucher for the spa.
Distance from DC: Virginia Hotel and Cottages, three and a half hours; Lodge at Woodloch, five hours.
This article appears in the February 2025 issue of Washingtonian.
