The Secret Affair

• One of the most important benefits of being in a long-term, committed relationship is the freedom you have to explore your fantasies. Studies show that most adults fantasize about having an illicit affair, as there is something about the lure of forbidden love that attracts almost everyone.
  So, once you've confirmed that your partner is up for a romantic adventure, choose an expensive suite in a nearby hotel or a charming room in a B&B a couple of hours away. What is important is that it plays a role in your fantasies.
  Make childcare arrangements, and make sure your kids, and your childcare providers, understand that you want to be contacted only in case of dire emergency.
  Extend a clandestine invitation to your spouse. Tell him where and when you are meeting, and make it clear that you'll be traveling separately. You can send the message by text, email or card delivered to his office.
  As you prepare for the trip, pack only for yourself, and arrange only for your own transportation. Do not talk about the trip with your spouse or discuss what you'll do on the trip. Pretend you are sneaking off to meet a lover, and allow your spouse to do the same.
  The more elaborate your play-acting is, the more entertaining this game will be. By the time you meet at your hotel you'll find you never want to leave your room, because it strips away all the predictability of family travel. It allows each spouse to concentrate on their own plans and fantasies and permits them to come together to share their feelings in an ideal location.
  
  

The Sensual Safari

• Couples who work hard to keep the bills paid struggle to find time to take care of their bodies. By booking a week, or even a weekend, at a hotel that offers spa treatments such as seaweed wraps, mud baths and Swedish massage, couples nurture not only their souls but the skin they live in.
  Couples may find they have the most fun when they they share some treatments and not others. For instance, a wife may prefer a pedicure to a full body massage, and a man may find a close shave more fun than a cosmetic peel. Experiences that aren't shared during the day can become topics of discussion over dinner.
  This is not the least expensive vacation a couple will ever take, because prices for some services can range into the hundreds of dollars, but almost every couple will agree that a sensual safari is money well spent.
  
  

The Six-Hour Vacation

• Every parent who has ever had young children understands how hard it can be to get away for even a single night. The solution is to rent a nearby hotel for the night, but only to stay for a few hours. Even very young children can handle six hours away from their parents, and six hours is actually a very long time.
  To plan this adventure, make a last-minute reservation at your closest hotel, hand your kids over to a reliable babysitter, and head off for an afternoon or evening of romantic bliss.
  The guilt you don't feel, the money you don't spend, the packing you don't have to do, and the free time you're allowed to have will make your six-hour vacation one of the best you've ever had.
  
  

Breaking the Rules

• Marriages are strong because the people in them are strong. Romantic hotel stays give you and your spouse the time and freedom you need to explore your thoughts, feelings and fantasies. Planning romantic adventures with your husband or wife is not just a good idea, but is a key part of adding to the wonderful life you share.