A Perfect Day for Couples In Santa Fe

Whether it’s Adam and Eve, Adam and Adam, or Eve and Eve, neuroscience suggests that once we choose to create a life with another person, that person becomes the most significant outside influence in defining who we are. So what might we do to honor that co-creation? Occasionally, the best thing may be a go-for-broke splurge — and Santa Fe is a great place for that.

Start at Encantado (encantadoresort.com), the new resort spa outside of town. The three-hour couples treatment begins near the fire in the warming room, where you’ll drink tea and “set an intention,” before you’re escorted to one of the three private couples retreats. There, you’ll have your choice of the hot tub or sauna or both. To help your intention take root in your body, alternate between the sauna and the outdoor shower, set on cold. About an hour later, a gentle bell heralds the arrival of a pair of massage therapists. Their ritual begins with sage smudging, exfoliation with a brush, full-body mud wraps, and luxurious massages. Eventually, you’ll have to get up and float back to the warming room to drink more tea by the fire.

The best dinner in Santa Fe is an impossible choice, but for a personalized perfect meal, try Old House at the El Dorado Hotel (eldoradohotel.com/restaurants/oldhouse.htm). The reason for such perfection is Chef Eugene Staples, who recently came from the Bellagio in Las Vegas, where chefs adapt instantly to create special, spectacular meals for high-rollers. In the slower pace of Santa Fe, Chef Eugene will take a moment to listen to you and create an unforgettable meal, one that perhaps has never been done before.

After dinner, it’s a five-minute walk to the Inn of the Five Graces (fivegraces.com), representing the five graces of Tibetan culture. Owned by the Garrett family, who own The Point in the Adirondack Mountains (once rated the best hotel in the world), the Inn is relaxed, informal, beautifully appointed. Most rooms have stone fireplaces that invite you to snuggle.