Friday, February 14
3:33 p.m. Check into Adobe Grand Villas
There are plenty of resorts, hotels and inns that offer romance packages, but we believe the 16 rooms – if you can even call them that – at Adobe Grand Villas are extraordinary. The villas range in size from 900 to 1,800 square feet and include either a private balcony or patio. Each room is uniquely themed, and they all boast two fireplaces: one at the foot of the California-king-sized bed and one next to the Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. And it only gets better. The villas include separate waterfall showers, complimentary snacks and water, and plush robes and slippers (second-floor rooms have red rock views). Every evening, when you return to your room, you’ll find bread baking in the kitchenette, filling the villa with a delicious aroma. The lights are lowered, and soft music plays on the stereo. The beds (most are hand-carved four-post works of art created by a local artist) are turned down, and chocolates are left on the pillows. Do we need to say more?
If you’re peckish when you check in, Adobe offers hors d’oeuvres in the afternoon in the lobby, but don’t eat too many because you have a big dinner planned. Near the hotel’s pool (closed for the winter though the outdoor Jacuzzi is open), you’ll find a gate studded with Love Locks. The engraved, heart-shaped locks symbolize unbreakable love and can be purchased at the Adobe Grand gift shop.
5:24 p.m. Drinks at View 180 followed by dinner at Che-Ah-Chi, both at Enchantment Resort
After you’ve settled in at Adobe Grand, it’s time to head to Boynton Canyon and Enchantment Resort. Cocktails so early on a Friday night might sound more early-bird special than romantic, but you want to arrive at View 180 when there’s still some daylight left to catch the once-in-a-lifetime view. As you drive into the resort, you’re likely to see mule deer or even javelina grazing on the lawn, which adds to the allure. View 180 is a modern cocktail lounge that features floor-to-ceiling windows as well as a terrace that overlooks the red rocks of Boynton Canyon; you’re sure to want a selfie of you and your sweetie with the view in the background. If you’re lucky, you’ll score one of the overstuffed leather armchairs that face the windows or one of the modern outdoor tables under the gas heaters. (The gracious wait staff is always at the ready with blankets, too.) Order a cocktail – we recommend the house-made red or white sangria – and watch the light from the sunset against the canyon walls until it’s time for dinner, which is at the adjacent Che-Ah-Chi, Enchantment’s signature restaurant. (Reservations are strongly recommended.)
