With Valentine's Day just around the corner, Leah McLennan selects her top love nests.
SYDNEY, Feb 7 AAP – Fall in love or fall in love all over again on these romantic getaways.
BEST FOR DIEHARD ROMANTICS
If you can't get to Paris for St Valentine's Day then seek out a bit of France in Australia. Deux Belettes is a 16th-century style French chateau located in NSW's Byron Bay hinterland. The terracotta-coloured house, with wooden shutters and shingle roof, features a plungepool, horse stables and a lily-filled lake. The best room in the house is the Tower Suite – a large attic room that features a cosy bath and enormous canopied French bed.
More: Deux Belettes has rooms from $275 per couple, including breakfast, chocolates, cheese and baguette, and wine (deuxbelettes.com).
BEST FOR SERIAL HONEYMOONERS
Japanese Mountain Retreat, Vic
For the lovers who have ticked off dozens of romantic hotels it's time to try something different. Japanese Mountain Retreat, a 45-minute drive east of Melbourne, is a place where you can experience the traditional Japanese way of living, bathing and eating.
The retreat comprises two spacious self-contained suites that feature shoji (translucent movable screens) used to partition off various living areas, tatami (straw matting) on the floor and private authentic Japanese gardens. There are plenty of places to enjoy a soak – try bathing under the stars in the hot mineral spring water or indoors in the spa or the deep soaking tub.
More: Japanese Mountain Retreat has a one night romantic getaway package from $695 per couple, including breakfast, a Japanese banquet and bathing for two (japanesemountainretreat.com.au).
BEST FOR ADVENTURE COUPLES
Bay of Fires, Launceston, Tas
For some, romance is all about cosy dinners and glasses of wine, while for others it's about crashing waves, windswept mountains and taking on a physical challenge together.
The four-day Bay of Fires walk in northern Tasmania provides plenty of opportunities to bond over aching muscles. Although the walk is done in a small group with a guide, you get to stay in some romantic spots along the way.
On the first night you bed down at a beach camp in twin-share, semi-permanent tents, while the next two nights are spent at the Bay of Fires Lodge, a stunning timber and glass building set on a hilltop overlooking the pounding sea. In the Lodge's living area, which features a large timber deck and open fire, you can dine on delicious fresh seafood and enjoy fine Tasmanian wines.
More: Bay of Fires walk costs $2,150 per person, including return transfers from Launceston, meals, accommodation, guide, most beverages, use of backpack and jacket (bayoffires.com.au).
BEST FOR COUPLES WITH TAG-ALONGS
Stonebarn, near Manjimup, WA
If you want to get away, but are blessed with having children or want to celebrate Valentine's Day with family or friends, then the ideal accommodation for you will be a holiday home rental.
There's no shortage of luxury homes to hire in Australia – some of the best exclusive-hire boutique retreats include Molori in Port Douglas, Makepeace Island, Richard Branson's private island, in the Noosa River, and Stonebarn in WA.
Stonebarn is a stunning property that sits next to the unspoilt Warren River on the south-western tip of WA. The barn, handcrafted with local stone and timber, features six large suites all with four-poster king-size beds, private balconies overlooking the dam and en-suite bathrooms with antique claw-foot baths.
The house has a fully-equipped commercial kitchen, outdoor barbecue, wood-fired pizza oven and a wine cellar stocked with superb local wines at bottle shop prices.
More: Stonebarn costs from $1,600 per night, sleeps 12 (stonebarn.com.au).
BEST FOR UNINSPIRED COUPLES
Private boat, Airlie Beach, Qld
Maybe you were once a young, dynamic and adventurous couple but have since become bogged down with your day-to-day routine. One way to shake things up is to take off on an adventure together – try white water rafting, mountain climbing, canyoning or learn how to sail.
It doesn't get much more romantic than hiring a yacht or boat and cruising around the Whitsunday Islands. Whitsunday Escape has several luxury power cruisers available for charter. One cruiser, for instance, sleeps six but would be perfect for romantic couples. It has a fridge, freezer, air con, shower and toilet.
More: Whitsunday Escape's private power cruisers cost around $720 per night in the low season (November to August). You don't need a boat licence to hire the vessels. It's recommended that you arrive the day before your charter starts and overnight in Airlie Beach (whitsundayescape.com).
BEST FOR LAID-BACK LOVERS
Orpheus Island Beach Resort, Qld
There are oodles of islands along Australia's coastline that can provide the location for a wonderfully relaxed holiday. Some of the best include Hayman, Lord Howe, Hinchinbrook, Fraser, Hamilton and Kangaroo islands.
If you can postpone your Valentine celebration for a month, Orpheus Island Beach Resort will be fresh from its makeover. A 25-minute scenic flight from Townsville, the resort accommodates 34 guests at any one time and offers plenty of activities for energetic types, such as fishing, diving, snorkelling and taking the dinghy out for a gourmet picnic. Available on a remote part of the island are three eco-tents each accommodating two people.
More: Orpheus Island has tents from $100 per night and rooms from $1,400 per night, including meals, house wine and beers and a sunset cruise (orpheus.com.au).
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