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21 Reasons Hotel Sex Is Better

Hotel sex is the Cadillac of coital activity, so it comes as no surprise that 80 percent of Jetsetters agree it’s a whole lot steamier than your average at-home hump. Cosmo writer Anna Breslaw gives us the scoop on why you should check in, check each other out and hang up the Do Not Disturb sign. Plus, Siobhan Reid picks the world’s hottest hotels for getting it on.

See recent posts by Siobhan Reid

Hotel sex is a thing, which you know if you’ve ever had sex in a hotel — or heard a certain R. Kelly song. There’s a reason nobody’s writing ballads about getting it on in your familiar, comfy bed after reading Good Night Moon to the kids. That’s a reliable erotic standby, nothing to write (or sing) home about. Hotel sex, on the other hand, is a sexual luxury item.

Remember that R. Kelly jam: Then after the show it’s the after party/And after the party it’s the hotel lobby/And ’round about 4 you gotta clear the lobby/Then take it to the room and freak somebody

Escaping your day-to-day life and checking into a hotel is like trying on a new identity. The daily sense of discovery you get on vacation is one long delicious act of foreplay. You linger over indulgent breakfasts, wander unfamiliar streets, get a little day-tipsy on free-flowing wine. You lose yourself in a new place, get caught up in the sense of adventure and, hopefully, bring that sense of adventure back to your hotel bed…and bathtub…and balcony.

Throwing yourself into a different environment ignites that carnal desire and encourages you to have sex worthy of your surroundings (bye-bye missionary position). And that’s whether you’re staying at a sultry beach shack, a moody design den or a hotel that so overtly promotes the act it’s almost impossible not to jump in the sack — like the Mondrian in Miami, where rooms are stocked with an intimacy kit of condoms and lubricants, or the Drake in Toronto, which comes with a Pleasure Menu, complete with vibrators, massage oils and (ahem) velvet restraints.

Just as alluring as the hotel’s far-from-home setting is the idea of having sex in a spotless environment that you’re not responsible for maintaining. If you lived in a hotel, like a porny version of Eloise, just imagine all the domestic squabbles you’d avoid. “There aren’t any distractions like the ones you have at home: dirty dishes, unpaid bills. Your daily life isn’t staring you in the face,” says Dr. Emily Morse, sexologist, couples therapist and host of podcast Sex With Emily. Instead it’s just you, your partner, 400-thread-count sheets and a bottle of bubbly.

It doesn’t matter if you’re having sex with the same person for the 500th time, a person whose body you could sketch from memory; the crisp, anonymous nature of a hotel room always ups the sexual ante. And price point be damned: Every hotel, from your hometown Holiday Inn to a Paris penthouse, has its own erotic charm. So take it to the room and freak somebody. Responsibly.

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Gramercy Park Hotel, NYC

Some of Hollywood’s biggest playboys have shaken the sheets at the historic Gramercy Park Hotel. Humphrey Bogart married his first wife on the hotel rooftop; Joseph Kennedy stayed there in 1938 (the same year he began his extramarital affair with silver screen siren, Marlene Dietrich); and The Rolling Stones checked in after finishing their first American tour. Give your leading lady the royal treatment by requesting the key (there’s only one) to the hallowed grounds of Gramercy Park, accessible exclusively to hotel guests. The doorman will escort you inside, where you can spend the evening whispering sweet nothings into your beloved’s ear.

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SLS Las Vegas

Unleash your wild side at the sexy Philippe Starck-designed SLS Las Vegas resort and casino. The hotel’s luxuriously appointed guestrooms, with their mirrored ceilings, peekaboo showers, and “Saint” and “Sinner” mini-bar amenities, will make you want to jump in the sack within minutes. Added bonus: the “Intimacy Kit,” which has everything you need to stay up all night, including premium condoms, lubricants and a vibrator. Discreet hotel staffers are used to naughty guest behavior, so don’t shy away from indulging in some Sin City fun.

RELATED: What to See and Do on Your Next Las Vegas Trip (Besides Gamble)

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Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita, Italy

Fulfill medieval dungeon fantasies at the Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita hotel in the Southern Italian village of Matera. You and your lover will dwell in abandoned caves bathed in a candlelit glow, and set against a backdrop of ancient churches and the rugged Italian hillside. Guestrooms are all about sensuality, with rustic fireplaces, freestanding bathtubs and stone balconies. Up the romance factor with an in-room couples massage, candlelit dinner, private cooking lesson, or wine tasting in the property’s 13-century rock church. Now that’s real love.

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The Drake Hotel, Toronto

Fancy a pleasure feather? How about a smokin’ between-the-sheets session with Charlotte’s famous “Rabbit Pearl” of Sex and the City fame? (“I know where my next orgasm is from. Who here can say as much?”) Get accustomed with these, ahem, goodies, at The Drake Hotel, the sine qua non of Toronto’s hip boutique hotels in the bohemian Queen Street West neighborhood. The bedside “Pleasure Menu” has all the toys you could possibly need to turn things up a notch, including a curated collection of steamy flicks, a silk blindfold, warming liquids, and massage oils. Also included in the tickle trunk? A 24-carat dildo for lovers with a penchant for precious metals.

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Alila Villas, Bali

Bed down at Bali’s most seductive clifftop hideaway, the Alila Villas Uluwatu hotel—it’s the perfect escape for those who like to mix love with nature. Each of the airy villas has a private infinity pool, dramatic Indian Ocean views, and minimalist rattan and wood furnishings that never compete with the beauty of the natural surroundings. During your stay you’ll be assigned a 24-hour personal butler who will tend to you and your partner’s every need, whether that means an indulgent Balinese couples massage at Spa Alila or a private dinner at the cliff’s edge. For the perfect mix of romance and adventure, hike through the jungle to Uluwatu’s seaside temple where bare-chested Indonesian men sway to the hypnotic rhythms of the Kecak fire dance.

RELATED: A First-Timer's Guide to the Best Spots in Bali, Indonesia

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Calistoga Ranch, Napa

The luxe Calistoga Ranch is renowned for its forested canyon setting and rustic-chic cottage appeal. And despite being just 10 minutes from downtown, the freestanding lodges—surrounded by 60-foot tall oak trees, babbling brooks, and moss-covered boulders—feel worlds away. Sleek gas fireplaces, clean-lined furniture, and open-air sitting areas epitomize barefoot luxury. Learn the ins and outs of winemaking at the ranch’s small on-site vineyard, then dine on house-made gnocchi and seared diver scallops at the Lakehouse restaurant which overlooks glimmering Lake Lommel. You’ll be ready for some sweet lovemaking after that.

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Ventana Inn & Spa, Big Sur

Share the love at the 70s-inspired adults-only Ventana Inn & Spa in scenic Big Sur, California. The rustic-chic guestrooms are all about cozying up to your lover, from the oversized hammocks in front of the river rock fireplaces to the deep soaking tubs in the bathrooms. Take in the views of the towering redwoods and white-capped waves from your balcony over a glass of local wine or book a guided hike to see hidden waterfalls and exotic wildlife. Traveling solo? That might not be for too long: you can find a sexy stranger in the hotel-run yoga class or at the clothing-optional pool and sun deck. Bottoms up!

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Photo by Phil via Flickr

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The Standard, Downtown LA

To say André Balazs’s Standard, Downtown LA caters to kinky crowds would be an understatement. Play more than just footsie in select guest bathrooms where you’ll find a giant (five-foot-long and three-foot-high) black foot constructed of foam and rubber, and designed to be used as a stand-in for a bed. “I can only imagine what interesting places we are going to find the foot when guests check out,” Balazs once told Vanity Fair. Hit the rooftop pool for the spectacular skyline and leave-little-to-the-imagination hemlines. (Waitresses are, of course, dressed as cheerleaders and wear barely-there “S"-emblazoned booty shorts.) From there, slide into a vibrating poolside water pod for a titillating afternoon of fun in the sun. Don’t say we didn’t warn you …

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SIXTY Beverly Hills, LA

Do it with the lights off (and not necessarily by choice) at SIXTY Beverly Hills Hotel, the glam 90210 digs by renowned architect and designer, Dodd Mitchell. The swanky boutique takes the concept of mood lighting to the extreme with dimly-lit guestrooms, hallways, and common areas, all of which ooze a bachelor-pad-meets- urban-modernist vibe. Guestrooms feature sexy Steven Klein photography and oversized mirror-and-leather-paneled headboards that wrap onto the ceiling for those travelers who wish to watch themselves, um, sleep.

RELATED: 9 Hot New Hotels in Los Angeles

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Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Mexico

The ultra-luxe Banyan Tree Mayakoba resort has everything a love-struck pair could ask for: exotic spa treatments in the privacy of your own guestroom; an on-site “romance consultant,” who can handle all of your amorous requests; enormous villas which start at a whopping 3,000 square feet and come with a private pool and outdoor bath tub; and meals served wherever you please, be it on the rooftop of your villa or on the deck of a private boat. To really spice things up, sign up for a romantic ensuite bath for two from the Banyan Tree’s comprehensive “bath menu” (which allows for more than 10 different bath experiences and a variety of music playlists and candle types.)

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The Standard, High Line, NYC

Shagging at New York’s Standard High Line Hotel? There’s an app for that. No, seriously. “One Night Standard” allows for spontaneous bookings at the naughty 18-floor Meatpacking District hotel where exhibitionists drop their underthings on the hour, giving passerby’s peep-show-style window performances. Round-the-clock romps at The Standard are so common even City Council members are talking about them: “The alleged actions of The Standard are unacceptable,” City Council Speaker, Christine Quinn, said referring to the, er, High Line sights (and no, we’re not referring to the views of the Hudson).

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Melia Zanzibar Hotel, Tanzania

The Melia Zanzibar Hotel offers the ultimate in exclusivity, thanks to the sprawling resort’s private ocean club and secluded white sand beach (a rarity in Zanzibar, due to strong tides.) To spend some quality alone time with your loved one, stay in one of seven of the hotel’s cliffside Romance Pavilions, or in the One-Bedroom Villa rooms, which are outfitted with hand-crafted Zanzibari beds, large outdoor rain showers⎯ideal for a sunset scrub a deaux ⎯and private balconies overlooking the Indian Ocean. Ask the concierge to organize a romantic cruise for you and your S.O., or kindle your own sparks with a moonlit walk on the beach.

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Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve, South Africa

Make love with wild abandon at Bushmans Kloof Wildnerness Reserve, a luxury wellness and eco retreat in South Africa’s staggeringly beautiful Western Cape. Three hours from Cape Town, and perfectly located between the Cederberg Mountains and the foothills of the Great Karoo, the colonial-style guestrooms have all the amenities you need to set the mood: private patios that look out onto botanical gardens, spacious ensuite bathrooms, and crackling wood-burning fireplaces. Schedule a side-by-side couples massage at the spa’s idyllic riverside gazebo then dine under desert flora at the alfresco Makena restaurant. This is Africa like you’ve never seen it.

RELATED: What to Do in Africa—Beyond and African Safari

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Riad au 20 Jasmins, Morocco

As far as we’re concerned, nothing says “forever” like Fez—the Moroccan city well past its 1200th year of existence. Bring the marrying-kind to the romantic Riad au 20 Jasmins, in the heart of the city’s medina, that’s named after the fragrant jasmine flowers that abound in the hotel’s garden. The stunning tiled courtyard, with its intricate word carvings, inlaid marble floors, and resplendent Moroccan décor, is the ideal place to pop the question. If all goes well, make a beeline for your guestroom, which is done up in berber carpets, plush bedding, and silk shantung drapes on the double height windows. Just make sure to close them.

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Jade Mountain, Saint Lucia

The honeymoon crowd jets to Saint Lucia for the secluded, back-to-nature feel at the 28-suite Jade Mountain on the island’s southwest coast. Check into your personal open-air “sanctuary”, which looks out onto the soaring Piton peaks and crystal blue Caribbean Sea. After a sexy soak in your private 900 square foot infinity pool, surprise your love with a sunset tour on the hotel’s 60 ft. catamaran. Nothing spells romance like watching the sun dip into the water, cocktails in hand.

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1 Hotel South Beach

Making whoopee South-Beach style conjures images of swim-up bar orgies and tequila-fueled bad decisions. Do better, Jetsetter readers, by checking into the brand new 1 Hotel South Beach, a sexy eco stay with four pools and a farm-to-table restaurant helmed by celebrity chef, Tom Colicchio. The hotel’s calming guestrooms are done up in soothing neutral shades, salvaged driftwood, and hemp-blend Keetsa mattresses that are perfect for snuggling and sleeping in late. Limber up with a paddleboard yoga session on the beach, then go for a picnic arranged by the hotel. You’ll feel so relaxed, you’ll never want to leave.

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Four Seasons Resort, Bora Bora

Everything about the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora spells seclusion: a private yacht takes you across warm South Pacific waters to your very own over-water bungalow or beachfront villa. Once there, you and your sweetheart will never have to leave the privacy of your thatched-roof retreat— guests can request to have meals delivered by canoe, and decks mean that you’re only ever a stepladder’s distance away from the crystalline lagoon. Welcome to honeymooner’s paradise.

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Auberge Soleil Resort, Napa Valley

No sooner will you arrive at this luxe Napa Valley stay, than a crew of white cap-clad hotel attendants will whisk away your luggage and hand you a glass of California red. Here, romance reigns supreme, with sultry amenities like soaking tubs for two, stone fireplaces (to set the Marvin Gaye kind of mood) and lavish French doors that open onto private terraces. Let the wine flow at the Michelin-starred restaurant, then stroll hand-in-hand across the grounds to your love chalet—now that’s our kind of foreplay.

RELATED: 8 Wine-Friendly Spas Where You Can Booze and Beautify

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Shangri-La Paris

There’s no place that defines romance more than the City of Light. And the historic Shangri-La Paris, a majestic 1896 limestone mansion renowned for its swoon-worthy Pierre-Yves Rochon-designed spaces, only sweetens the deal. In the mornings, natural light floods the opulent gold and ecru guestrooms, more than half of which have views of the Seine and the Eiffel Tower, which glows at night. Stay under the sheets and order breakfast in bed—a buttery pain au chocolat and frothy cappuccino will give you the energy you’ll need to explore the city’s seductive streets. End the day at the hotel’s Empire-style cocktail bar, where cute Parisians eager to work on their English will keep you up until the wee hours.

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Andronis Luxury Suites, Greece

Whitewashed Santorini suites? Aegean views from a private jacuzzi? Elegant cave rooms lit by candelabra? Check, check and check us in. Leave it to the Greeks to up the carnal ante at the Andronis Luxury Suites. If you can manage to leave your bed...room, you’ll find the area is just as enticing as the resort. Tuck into traditional Greek cuisine under the stars at the hotel’s restaurant, which hovers on a rocky ledge that juts out over the sea. Or pack a picnic and head to the end of the island for the best sunset-watching spot. Aphrodite would be proud.

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Secret Bay, Dominica

The beauty of Secret Bay Dominica lies in its seclusion. You could spend weeks here and never see another guest. As a far-flung locale with a serious lack of sandy beaches, Dominica has managed to resist mass tourism unlike some of its flashier Caribbean counterparts. Explore its mountainous curves with a trek along one of the hotel’s countless trails, where’ll you stumble upon cascading waterfalls, hidden hot springs and volcanoes. Come nighttime, arrange a dinner for two at dusk on your patio, then sit back and let the island’s drowsy rhythm seduce you.

What to Pack for a Sexy Hotel Stay

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