Why the Desert Is So Romantic
Deserts strip things back. With fewer distractions, you notice everything: the color of the rock changing through the day, the scent of juniper after rain, the call of a canyon wren. Mornings are made for hiking before the heat and afternoons for the pool or the spa. Evenings are for watching the sun drop behind the cliffs with a drink in hand.
Then comes the night sky. Away from big cities, the Southwest has some of the darkest skies in the country. Both Sedona and southern Utah are known for exceptional stargazing. Lying on a rooftop daybed or beside a terrace fire, picking out the Milky Way together, is an experience that tends to stay with couples long after the trip ends.
Sedona: Red Rocks and Wellness
Enchantment Resort sits deep in Boynton Canyon, a box canyon a short drive from town, where sheer sandstone walls rise on three sides and trails start right outside the casitas. Its roughly 218 adobe-style casitas and suites include Pool Suites with private plunge pools and kiva fireplaces. Its secret weapon is access to Mii amo, the acclaimed destination spa next door. The Trail House adventure center can send you climbing, biking or hiking straight from the property.
Ambiente, A Landscape Hotel is Sedona's most modern address. Its 40 freestanding glass atriums are raised on slim steel piers, each with floor-to-ceiling windows, a two-person soaking tub and a spiral staircase to a private rooftop deck with a daybed and fire pit. It is kid-free, has two Michelin Keys and offers astronomer sessions for stargazing. For a cozier, creekside alternative in Sedona, see L'Auberge de Sedona in our Cabins & Lodges collection.
Southern Utah: Amangiri
Amangiri is a destination in itself. Set on hundreds of private acres of mesas, slickrock and sandstone at Canyon Point near Lake Powell, it has just 34 suites in the main resort, with a signature pool wrapped around a sandstone escarpment. Ten tented pavilions with plunge pools at Camp Sarika put you even closer to the desert. The Aman Spa covers about 25,000 square feet. A guests-only via ferrata climbing route is one of the resort's most memorable adventures.
Rates typically include meals, guided hikes and a daily yoga or Pilates class, plus transfers from Page Municipal Airport about 20 to 25 minutes away. Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and boat trips on Lake Powell are all nearby, though tours to those sites cost extra and should be booked well ahead.
How to Choose Your Desert Retreat
- Want a full resort with lots to do? Enchantment Resort offers multiple restaurants, pools, an adventure center and access to Mii amo. It welcomes families, so ask for a casita away from the main pool for peace.
- Want design and privacy for two? Ambiente, A Landscape Hotel is kid-free, with only 40 atriums and rooftop decks made for couples.
- Want the biggest splurge and true remoteness? Amangiri is a different proposition entirely, with inclusive rates and a vast private landscape.
All three pair well with other Southwest highlights. Many couples combine Sedona with the Grand Canyon, or Amangiri with Zion or Bryce Canyon, for a classic road-trip honeymoon.
When to Go
Spring and fall are the sweet spots. In Sedona, roughly March through May and September through November bring warm days and cool nights, ideal for hiking. Summer is hot. Monsoon storms can roll in on July and August afternoons. Winter is quieter, with crisp days and the occasional dusting of snow on the red rocks.
Southern Utah follows a similar pattern. Spring and fall are ideal at Amangiri and summer days are scorching. Winter brings cold, quiet days and sometimes snow on the mesas, which is beautiful if you pack layers. October tends to be especially popular in both places, so book early if your dates fall then.
Practical Tips
- Fly into Phoenix or Flagstaff for Sedona; Phoenix is about two hours by car and Flagstaff about 45 minutes. For Amangiri, fly into Page or drive from Las Vegas, about four and a half hours.
- Rent a car for Sedona so you can reach trailheads and wineries in the Verde Valley.
- Book spa treatments, dinner reservations and astronomer sessions as soon as you confirm your stay.
- Pack layers. Desert nights can be cold, even after hot days, especially on a rooftop deck.
- Check total costs. Enchantment Resort charges a daily resort fee. Many activities across all three cost extra.
