Long hours at the office, rowdy kids, nagging bills – are the hectic demands of everyday life chipping away at your relationship? Get away from it all and reignite the passion in your love life with 10 luxurious couples’ retreats.

6. Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino, British Columbia, Canada

November is upon us and along with it the beginning of another storm season on the west coast. Year after year I am truly amazed – and humbled – by Mother Nature's powerful displays. Here at the Inn not only do we have a front row seat for winter storms, but we also have generator power for the occasional power outages.

As days get warmer, but always with that refreshing ocean breeze that keeps our Tofino summers just the right temperature, I've been cycling like so many Tofitians on the Tofino bike path (officially called the Multi-Use Path) with my vintage Beach Cruiser. This is a quintessential Tofino experience we like to offer guests with a complimentary selection of these sleek bikes. If you really want to get that local feel, try pedaling a couple of kilometres with an eight-foot surfboard tucked under your arm – after surfing on Chesterman Beach!

A Note from Charles

I've always thought that one of the best things about Tofino is the abundance of fresh seafood available right at our door – On any given day, local fishermen will come to the Inn with their ocean-fresh catch, let alone foragers with fresh berries and mushrooms... It's just a dream for Chef Nick and the kitchen brigade – and an even better reality for our guests at The Pointe Restaurant!

People often ask me about the most romantic time of year in Tofino. My thought is that the singular beauty and remote nature of this place is a timeless inspiration for making -or rekindling- personal connections. However, February is only two weeks away, and the extremes of this dramatic season, from sunny moments at low tide to giant, rolling, wind-pummelled surf, will always hold a special place in my heart... Some of our guests talk about pausing in the midst of towering old-growth trees on the Rainforest Beach Loop Trail or on a long beach walk, equipped head to toe in our bright raingear. Other guests, well, don't venture much out of the haven of their accommodations. With picture windows bringing the outside right inn to every room and suite, custom furnishings, local art and the warmth of a gas fireplace, not to mention the availability of room service, I have to admit that even after almost fifteen years at the Inn, just sitting down in one of our comfortable armchairs looking out at the view is always a palpable temptation.