Romantic Hideaways fit for Reagan and Kennedy

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (MainStreet) -- Hotels host some of life's most romantic moments, and whether on a Valentine's Day romp or a glamorous honeymoon, some hotel getaways -- in exotic and sometimes unexpected locations -- have been tested by some of history's most famous pairs.

Those in search of history along California's Central Coast can stay in a hotel that traces its origins to land titled by the King of Spain before becoming a citrus ranch and then a guest farm. Just 20 minutes outside Santa Barbara, San Ysidro Ranch sprawls over 500 acres of rolling mountains above Montecito -- the posh residential enclave home to such celebrities as Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres. In the 1930s the ranch was transformed into a lustrous hotel known as a romantic and exclusive country retreat by Hollywood luminaries including Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby and Groucho Marx.

Just 20 minutes outside Santa Barbara, Calif., the San Ysidro Ranch has hosted everyone from Groucho Marx to a honeymooning John and Jackie Kennedy.

But the hotel rocketed onto the itinerary of American elite when it was chosen as the wedding location for Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh and later as a honeymoon getaway for John and Jackie Kennedy. Today, the hotel is owned by Ty Warner -- also owner of the Four Seasons New York and nearby Four Seasons Biltmore. Warner initiated a meticulous three-year renovation of the property and its guest rooms, with rustic architecture completely preserved and infused with more modern decor and design details such as stone terraces with radiant floors. Those seeking Camelot can book the actual Kennedy Cottage with a lofty wood ceiling and canopy bed that's likely even chicer than it was in 1953.

Those looking for the most romantic hotel in Paris may flock to Woody Allen's preferred Le Bristol as featured in Midnight in Paris or Hotel de Crillon, where it's said Marie Antoinette learned how to play the piano. Few hotels, however, can rival the fairy tales that have unfolded within Le Meurice Hotel. Overlooking the Tuileries Garden, the hotel was a frequent destination for British travelers. It was known for its English-speaking staff and blue-blood service, a good fit for guests from Queen Victoria to the Grand Duchess of Russia. The hotel also appealed to Salvador Dali, who spent one remarkable month a year at the hotel with his avant-garde posse (including a pet leopard on occasion).