Searching for a romantic getaway this Valentine’s Day won’t take Utahns far from home — but it will take a big bite out of their bank account.
Amangiri, a luxury hotel in the Canyon Point area — near Big Water in Kane County, near the Arizona border — topped 2022′s list of “most romantic hotels” in the world, according to the company Big 7 Travel.
The hotel boasts on its website that it is a “remote hideaway,” whose 600 acres provide spectacular views of the nearby Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, as well as a spa with such wellness services as “yoga on the rocks.”
Guests, the hotel website continues, can enjoy such outdoor experiences as exploring Lake Powell, viewing the slot canyons within the Navajo Nation, hiking, horseback riding and private air tours. The hotel also offers excursion experiences at Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks.
Room rates range from $2,800 to $5,600 per night, meals included, depending on the choice of accommodation. For comparison’s sake, the average weekly wage of a Utah worker is $1,065, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Amangiri is a popular spot for celebrities to get away from it all. Hailey and Justin Bieber have stayed there, as have several members of the Kardashian family. The d.j. Tiësto married model Annika Backes there in 2019.
Big 7 Travel — which bills itself as providing “current, curated recommendations” of travel destination guides — calculated its list of romantic spots based on “high TripAdvisor review scores, unique ‘romantic’ experiences, destination, room facilities and luxury,” according to a company news release.
This is the fourth year the company has compiled the list, and the first time a U.S. hotel has taken the top spot.
Amangiri outscored the Shinta Mani Wild hotel in Cambodia, while last year’s No. 1 pick — Longitude 131º in Uluru, Australia — came in third. The only other U.S. hotel in the top 10 was The Plaza in New York City, at No. 7.