There's something about hotel rooms that generally makes them feel sexy by definition—maybe because it's a strange new place, or because the bed is usually the focal point of the room.
But that doesn't mean they can't get even sexier.
The editors of Budget Travel have come up with 10 relatively simple ways to give your hotel room—whether it's at a roadside motel, a fancy island resort, or somewhere in between—a suitably romantic makeover.
Watch the slide show to find out the 10 tips: Our correspondent, seduction artist Bud Travel, will show you how it's done. (While all 10 are great ideas, you may want to implement only two or three. Overkill isn't sexy at all.) ";
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Call ahead
Romance seems all the sweeter when you appear to have put some thought and legwork into it. Arrange in advance for fresh flowers—or a favorite dessert—to be waiting for the two of you when you enter the room.
Valentine's travel deals";
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Mood lighting
Hotel rooms never have dimmers—why is that? Bring your own plug-in dimmer, or simply drape a sheer scarf or sarong over the lamp.
Valentine's travel deals";
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Love songs
You need a soundtrack, so hook your iPod up to travel-size speakers. You want your Sade, your Barry White, your Norah Jones, your Prince slow jams, whatever floats your boat. (The easy way: Stay at a Hyatt, which has installed XM satellite radio in all its rooms in the continental U.S.).
Valentine's travel deals";
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Sexy scents
The sense of smell is so important—we are animals, after all. (At least until the Supreme Court decides otherwise.) Spritz a little perfume on a lightbulb, and it'll subtly waft through the room. Choose something light—you don't want it to smell like you've just sprayed the room with Glade.
Valentine's travel deals";
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What to wear
Use this as an occasion to bust out a special outfit—and not the same robe you've been wearing around the house since Christmas 2002.
Valentine's travel deals";
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Champagne
Pop some champagne! We recommend a split rather than a full bottle—champagne is best consumed in small doses. (Passing out is so not the point.) Use the ice bucket to chill it.
Valentine's travel deals";
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Bubble bath
The company Fresh makes a terrific bubble bath. Never put bubble bath in a tub with jets and then turn the jets on. The suds go everywhere. Cleaning the bathroom is never sexy (unless you're into that).
Valentine's travel deals";
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Sensual massage
Skip the $100 rubdown in the antiseptic spa. Bring your own massage oil and do it yourself. Far be it from us to get too intimate with your erogenous zones, but we will say that for feet, Aveda's peppermint foot cream works magic.
Valentine's travel deals";
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Sleep in
Before you go to sleep, always check to see if a previous guest left the alarm clock on.
Valentine's travel deals";
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Breakfast in bed
Breakfast in bed is essential, but you may find paying $30 and up for a couple of baked goods and a pot of coffee gives you heartburn, not romance. So pack your own! No one ever said you can't have a picnic for breakfast. Or pick up coffee and treats at Starbucks.
Valentine's travel deals";
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14 romantic hotels
These spectacular, affordable spots—some close to home, some in classic Europe—are perfect for a secluded getaway.
Close to home
California
Sonoma Valley
Beltane Ranch
Just north of the town of Sonoma, in Glen Ellen, Beltane Ranch's 105 acres are filled with fruit trees, vegetable and flower gardens, a vineyard that sells grapes to nearby winemakers, and an olive orchard yielding oil that guests snap up for $15 a bottle. No wonder, then, that L.L. Bean and Victoria's Secret have shot their catalogs here: The location is downright idyllic. The yellow, gingerbread-trimmed lodge features five rooms and a two-story wraparound porch. The best rooms are on the second floor, where hammocks and porch swings overlook the vineyard and Sonoma Mountain beyond. (Ask for Room 1, which has a wood-burning stove and a separate sitting room.) Alexa Wood is Beltane Ranch's third-generation owner. Her great-aunt and great-uncle bought the property in 1936 to raise cattle, sheep, and turkeys. Breakfast, which may include sweet-potato latkes or buttermilk pancakes with homemade raspberry syrup, is made with ingredients from the gardens. Second helpings are basically mandatory. You can burn off extra calories on the property's tennis court (the front desk loans out rackets and balls) and by exploring the 20-plus wineries within a five-mile radius. 707/996-6501, beltaneranch.com, from $150, breakfast included.
Read on for more! ";
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True stories, rated R
These tales prove that travel is stranger — and funnier — than fiction.
Hurts just looking at it
My husband and I spent the final day of our honeymoon in Bonaire at Washington Slagbaai National Park. Before heading out on the trail, we made a quick stop at the visitors center to use the restrooms. As we approached the two doorways, I failed to see anything that would distinguish the men's room from the women's—at least until I got close enough to look at the men's room sign in all its glory. Diane Knoepke, Oak Park, Ill.
See the Rated R slide show here! ";
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Tips for traveling couples
Eight couples share ideas on how to make the most of traveling together.
1. Communicate \"Find your own phrase to say to support your partner when you don't have the privacy you want or when life on the road is getting you down. For instance, a simple 'Good morning' can mean 'I love you.' \" --John Mock and Kimberley O'Neil, authors, Lonely Planet 'Hiking in the Sierra Nevada'
2. Stay amused \"Play silly games. Like 'Which movie star does that driver we just passed look like?' Such pointless fun alleviates the kind of boredom that sooner or later leads to pointless arguments.\" -- Jane and Michael Stern, authors, 'Roadfood'
Read on for the rest of the tips! ";
// END editorial data