Courtesy The Landmark Inn
Finding the Perfect Romantic Winter Getaway
Staying in the luxury Tavernini Suite attracts some couples to The Landmark Inn in Marquette.
What do you call “romantic”? A cozy snowed-in cabin with a cheery fire in the stone fireplace? A stylish room in a high-class hotel or an elegant stay in an historic bed-and-breakfast inn?
Or maybe you bond best with your mate on a cross-country ski trail going the distance on a crisp winter’s day.
Regional innkeepers know any of these can be the perfect romantic winter getaway depending on the couple. The only necessary factor in an escape from the everyday is that you make the time to do things together.
You don’t need to travel far for the perfect romantic weekend this winter. Some of the most romantic spots are right in our own Big Lake backyard. Many inns around the Lake offer weekend romance packages close to home. There’s plenty to do for the outdoor adventurists and lots of roaring fires for those wanting to snuggle up indoors.
We chatted with innkeepers from three different kinds of lodging establishments that reflect the range of options on our shores.
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Courtesy The Landmark Inn
Finding the Perfect Romantic Winter Getaway
Dining in the classy top-floor North Star Lounge at The Landmark Inn.
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Courtesy The Landmark Inn
Finding the Perfect Romantic Winter Getaway
The Landmark Inn in Marquette.
High-Class Hotels
Some couples might desire city sites and upscale hotels for their escape. For nearly a century, The Landmark Inn in downtown Marquette has delivered big city luxury with Upper Peninsula proximity.
“We’re a drivable destination, especially when you’re looking for a getaway but want to stay close to home and still have an experience,” says Michelle Cook, Landmark’s director of sales and marketing. “You can do that in a weekend or an extended weekend.”
Guests can park their car and walk to downtown shops and restaurants or the award-winning Peter White Library building across the street.
Like many Lake lodgings, The Landmark offers a winter romance package, which includes a one-night stay, dinner for two at the newly redesigned Piedmont restaurant specializing in Northern Italian fare, plus a bottle of champagne in the room and a sweet treat from local confectioner Donckers.
For outdoorsy guests, the hotel provides transportation to and from the Marquette Mountain ski hill. “This is a civilized wilderness,” Michelle says. “People are drawn to the recreation – they want to get into the outdoors, feel the elements. When someone is looking for an authentic experience off the beaten track, to unplug, that’s what they look for when coming to Marquette.”
The hotel has wonderful views of Lake Superior, Marquette Mountain and the downtown area, particularly from its sixth-floor lounge and sky deck. It’s often the Lake that first attracts the romantics, says Michelle. “Lake Superior is so majestic, people are drawn to that.”
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Courtesy Grand Superior Lodge
Finding the Perfect Romantic Winter Getaway
Others find a cozy cabin and a shoreside view at Grand Superior Lodge in Two Harbors, Minnesota, is their romantic ideal.
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Courtesy Grand Superior Lodge
Finding the Perfect Romantic Winter Getaway
One of the cabins at Grand Superior Lodge at Two Harbors.
Cabins & Lodges
Although you can click a button online to make a reservation, Nick Duff, general manager of Grand Superior Lodge in Two Harbors, Minnesota, recommends calling the knowledgeable staff to plan your ideal weekend.
“You’re not just making a reservation; you’re planning an experience. We’re always happy to have somebody call to say they’re going to plan a special weekend.”
Grand Superior, like other large lodges, offers several overnight options. “Maybe it’s the cabin with your dog,” Nick says, “or the lodge where there’s the activity. Do you like live music on Saturday night? The ability to go in your bathrobe down to the Jacuzzi?”
Staying in the lodge means plenty to do, with a big fire in the main fireplace, a bar and restaurant, pool, hot tub, sauna and live music Saturday nights. “You can come and stay for two days and never leave the building,” Nick says.
Or you might prefer log cabins or upscale lake homes. One lake home, says Nick, “looks like you’re in a tree house, up on the second floor, with a Jacuzzi, fireplace, TV, and from your bed you can see right out to the Lake.”
Grand Superior hosts special weekend events in winter, such as craft beer tasting in January, a Valentine’s dinner and an around-the-world wine dinner in March.
The Grand Romance Package includes dinner for two at Splashing Rock Restaurant and other sweet details like champagne, truffles, body lotion and candles to create a special mood. Guests can schedule a massage on site.
Small details designed with your partner in mind make all the difference, advises Nick. “People will call and say, can we put some champagne in the room or a salmon platter.” Guests have called local florists to place flowers in the room.
If you want to get outdoors, the staff can connect you to snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and dogsledding.
“Typically,” says Nick, “our guests come up and just hang out, or do the parks, like Gooseberry Falls.”
Courtesy Old Rittenhouse Inn
Finding the Perfect Romantic Winter Getaway
The Old Rittenhouse Inn’s Le Château in Bayfield.
Bed & Breakfast Inns
Romance is definitely a draw for guests of the Old Rittenhouse Inn in Bayfield, Wisconsin, known for its romantic décor and setting. The inn frequently hosts weddings and anniversaries and offers a variety of weekend packages with in-room enhancements like champagne, fresh fruit, sweets, and flower arrangements.
“All of our lodging is quite romantic and focuses on couple’s time,” says second-generation innkeeper Mark Phillips.
The inn’s ambiance lets guests unwind and relax, he says. “For some people, it’s being able to unplug from the everyday madness – running from place to place, getting kids to soccer, or whatever it is. We try to create a place that’s serene, peaceful and can rejuvenate (you).”
The town of Bayfield brings enjoyment, too. “We are fortunate to be in such a beautiful place.”
Throughout winter, the inn arranges dog sledding, skiing and snowshoeing packages. Many of the inn’s special events link to activities in Bayfield.
“Winter is such a fun time of year. There is so much to do, especially if you love the outdoors,” says Mark. “Or even if you want to stay in and drink cocoa and watch a movie on your tablet.”
Innkeepers find the romance that couples bring can spark warmth for everyone. At the Rittenhouse, the staff looks forward to the annual return of one couple at Christmas.
“They bring their own presents and their own little tree,” says Mark. “They really settle in. They’ve become more like family than guests. The ongoing romance of that couple is something we always look forward to seeing every year. It gives us inspiration to bring into our own relationships.”
All the weddings, proposals, anniversaries and romantic traditions the inn has hosted create an air of romance.
“Every time you’re in that experience,” says Mark, “in that most special of moments, it really leaves something with you.”
Great Getaways
- When booking your lodging, ask about any “romantic” or “honeymoon” packages that might make the weekend even more special. Sometimes there are extra treats or later checkout times. Think about splurging on the honeymoon suite!
- Bring along a midnight snack or beverage that you both love for the perfect denouement to a lovely day.
- Put away the electronic devices. Three definitely is a crowd when the third in a romantic setting is a cell phone or tablet. Most Lake lodgings have WiFi (though, blissfully some shores cannot connect), but make it a true getaway from all distractions – except, of course, for your loved one.
Felicia Schneiderhan recently released a memoir, Newlyweds Afloat, of her and husband Mark’s life aboard a boat docked in Chicago.